TOO MUCH storage- consolidating to save floor space.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

When we bought the house and I finally got a dedicated shop, however small, I went haywire on storage. I bought the massive double-wide mechanics box, the 42" chest with the wood top, and a few smaller rolling cabinets. I loved having a cabinet for auto, one for electrical/plumbing, and one for woodworking, plus a complete cabinet dedicated to sanders, grinders, and attachments.

At first, it was great. Need my voltage tester? Electrical cabinet, drawer three. Air tool? Automotive, drawer 4. It was like shopping at the hardware store- there was an aisle for everything. Soon, however, the shop became cramped. The electric/plumbing box had become the "catch-all" for stuff without a home. I longed for floor space.

In planning my massive Roubo bench build, I built a mockup to see how it would fit. It fit, except I needed to move one tool cabinet. I started to evaluate my cabinets and realized that most drawers were underutilized. That started a complete shop reorg that is not yet done, but I have eliminated one two-tier 27" rolling box and have much more room now. I am also condensing some of the small tool totes that took up more space than they made room.

So here are my thoughts after this shop reevaluation:

Floor tool cabinets take up a lot of space. The base cabinet alone with a wood top makes for a more open feel, and provides a table to rest tools on as you get them out.
Tool boxes with lifting lids waste a lot of space. Mine has struts and the struts take up a lot of space when you close the lid. Also the top hits the wall if the cabinet is pushed flush to the wall, and limits storage shelf space above the chest.
Wall storage leaves tools handy but saves floor space. French cleats are your friend.
Don't be so set on having a drawer for this, and a cabinet for that, to the point where you underutilize drawer space.
Bottom Cabinets with doors instead of drawers are not very efficient and become "clutter catchers."
High shelves are great for stuff you infrequently use, but it is good to have one long shelf at arm's reach for things you use most.


My shop is brighter now, and I have room to move. I wish my massive double-stacked cabinet were two short cabinets with wood tops, but otherwise I am happy with the new layout. Once I get it all set up I will take some pics. Still a mess at the moment as I consolidate.

[glenn bradley]

Anxious to see the pics. I always learn something from someone else's shop. I work to put storage into existing footprints. Look around for any tool that is on a base that does not have drawers in it. Target that tool base and be relentless. I either build my own base:

334683

Or modify the existing base if the tool relies on the base for some aspect of function:

334682

I also have drawers under my bench although I know some people just don't go there:

334684

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Hi Glenn, I am planning to build a base for my bandsaw with better places to put things- and also make it sturdier than the factory stand. Your shop looks nice. Thanks for the pics. I love the drum sander- never thought you could get that much space under one.

[glenn bradley]

I love the drum sander- never thought you could get that much space under one.

Almost silly isn't it? That cabinet is actually smaller than the sander's footprint and only a little wider than the open stand that you HAVE to take with the sander. I told them they didn't even have to give me a discount, just keep the stand; nope ;-)

[Chris Parks]

I too have been eyeing off my rolling cab and have come to much the same conclusion. The first problem with it is I am short and it is too tall so it either has to go or the top and bottom separated. I am either going to sell it or incorporate both cabinets in a new mitre saw bench as the old bench has outlived its original purpose and is in the wrong place.

[Brian Tymchak]

I've come to another realization in my shop - Drawers can be too big and cause inefficiency.

I built a pair of base cabinets each 4' long, each with a 2x2 drawer configuration. Although I do have some larger tools (circ saw, routers, jig saw, etc) stored in some of the drawers, other drawers are just catching small stuff. I originally assumed I would end up with more power tools that would require the deep drawers.

So, I'm considering reconfiguring each top drawer into a stack of 2 with dividers, trays, etc. Or maybe even go smaller, creating a 2x2 configuration in each of the existing top drawer spaces.

[Chris Parks]

All my fastener and hardware drawers are about 50mm deep with purpose made boxes of 3mm MDF to hold the contents.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I've come to another realization in my shop - Drawers can be too big and cause inefficiency.

I built a pair of base cabinets each 4' long, each with a 2x2 drawer configuration. Although I do have some larger tools (circ saw, routers, jig saw, etc) stored in some of the drawers, other drawers are just catching small stuff. I originally assumed I would end up with more power tools that would require the deep drawers.

So, I'm considering reconfiguring each top drawer into a stack of 2 with dividers, trays, etc. Or maybe even go smaller, creating a 2x2 configuration in each of the existing top drawer spaces.

I have found that I like wide, shallow drawers, with the top few drawers being just tall enough to fit standard chisels, gouges, rasps, etc., and the next two being tall enough for most planes. I only need a couple of deep drawers. I realize that the mass-produced storage units need to find a middle ground for what people need, but it seems they always have too many deep drawers and not enough shallow ones. I have two boxes the same height. One has a few taller drawers, and the other has a lot of shallow drawers. I'm getting rid of the one with taller drawers and keeping the one with shallow drawers. 2" is a great depth for shallow drawers.

[Tom Clark FL]

I have found that I like wide, shallow drawers, with the top few drawers being just tall enough to fit standard chisels, gouges, rasps, etc., and the next two being tall enough for most planes. I only need a couple of deep drawers. I realize that the mass-produced storage units need to find a middle ground for what people need, but it seems they always have too many deep drawers and not enough shallow ones. I have two boxes the same height. One has a few taller drawers, and the other has a lot of shallow drawers. I'm getting rid of the one with taller drawers and keeping the one with shallow drawers. 2" is a great depth for shallow drawers.

Malcolm,

Sounds like you are describing this 18 drawer bench I built 25 years ago. For many years it held all the tools, supplies, paint, thinners, etc, in the shop. Still love it.

Also, like Glenn Bradley says, replace all empty machinery stands with ones that are full of storage. Triples the size of your shop.