Ideas needed- wall mounted hand tool storage cabinet

[Jerry Olexa]

Thinking/planning of doing a wall mounted hand tool storage unit in early 2017...It would hold handplanes, blocks, chisels, back saws, DT saws , spokeshaves etc. The primary purposes would be protection, storage as well as dust avoidance (when I'm using my TS and routers etc, even with dust control, the hand tools are covered with light coating of sawdust).. Have found some ideas in the Taunton books as well as here and online but nothing is grabbing me as the "one to build"..... Would appreciate your general suggestions, examples of your solutions, and any ideas....

Anxious to hear and see your thoughts..Probably start after the Jan 1 bowl games!!

Thanks in advance

[Dennis Yamamoto]

Jerry,

Take a look at Fine WoodWorking. In some past issues Michael Pekovich and Chris Becksvoort designed a couple of nice wall mounted cabinets. I designed mine using their ideas.

Thanks,

Dennis

[Stanley Covington]

I applaud your priorities of storage and protection. So many people, influenced by the pretty pictures in the powertool-shill press, build showcases/shrines that perform neither of these functions well.

These sort of cabinets can be quick and dirty and inexpensive and utilitarian, made from painted MDF or CDX plywood, or they can be expensive heirloom pieces made of fine woods with beautiful joinery and luxurious finishes that take both skill and a long time to make. Of course, as with all things, you may choose a middle path in terms of cost, time and quality. My point is that, unless you have done this already, which I can't tell from your post, you will need to give this some careful thought at the early stages of planning.

Unless you intend to lug it around, make it at least twice as strong as you think it needs to be. Plywood is not strong as solid wood. MDF is significantly weaker than plywood.

Swinging doors with sturdy hinges of the kind used to hang architectural doors are absolutely essential, especially if you intend to mount tools to the doors. Cabinet hinges are not tough enough. Assume the hinge screws will eventually pull out of plywood and MDF, and plan countermeasures in advance.

Double doors are probably better than a single door to minimze interference with the area in front and below of the cabinet. If frame and panel, make them very rigid so they won't sag over time. Consider a shear panel.

If you use double doors, add an astragal to keep out dust. Build an overhang or crown that projects over the doors full-width to help keep dust out.

I assume you want this cabinet to last at least your lifetime. If so, future-proofing is important unless you are absolutely certain you will never add to or upgrade the tools stored or mounted inside the cabinet. Instead of cutting and gluing, I suggest you mount shelves and mounting brackets with screws so they can be R&R'd in the future.

Oh yeah, and give careful thought in advance re how you will mount it to the wall, and what sort of reinforcement the wall will need to carry the extra weight and bending moment.

Best of luck.

Stan

[glenn bradley]

Good info so far. Since I take it you do not already have a version to draw experience from I think there are (at least) two ways to approach this. Build for your immediate function and anticipate a version 2 in your future. Build for form and function and build-in enough versatility to handle some rearrangement.

Using an approach that couples a carcass with internal fixtures allows alteration without a complete rebuild. Your saw till and plane till can be separate inserts that can be removed and modified or replaced. The same can be done for internal swinging panels that can be modified without having to scrap the whole beast.

To this end I went with what is many peoples nightmare due to memories of the past; peg board. I live where the weather is moderate and so an open plane till was the order of the day. The main carcass and its depth relationship to the wings was made to allow the addition of doors if I choose to do so later.

349601 . 349600


Since you have already perused the usual articles I will just say that laying your tools out or using cardboard cutouts to try arrangement ideas is well worth the trouble. The current config is one wing to the left of the carcass. Once I get the north wall rearranged the right wing will come over to join them.

The planes hang from paracord.. The panel that the planes rest against is easily removable for tool rearrangement which has already happened twice. The wings have pegboard panels on the back as well as the inside and outside of the doors. I make tool holders with "L" hooks in the back so that they can be placed or moved easily. This too has already come in handy a few times


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The lower gallery is a separate fixture that can be easily removed for modification.

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I figure once I go a year without changing anything it might be time to make another one that is more attractive to look at. For now, I keep morphing the arrangement.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Jerry, I started out on a similar quest almost two years ago (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?229155-Tool-Cabinet-Build).
What I like about my cabinet - I'm generally pleased with the plane storage as well as the chisel storage. I made the main cabinet 12" deep so that it could hold a numer of bench planes sitting on their sole. I wanted storage in the doors for chisels and possibly other tools. I made a pretty specific plan for plane storage, and a more general plan for saws and chisels.

I used piano hinges for the doors and would do so again. French cleats to hang the cabinet; if or when I move the cabinet is coming with me. IMHO there is no better choice for wall mounted tool cabinet than french cleats.

What I would do differently - I think we share a tendancy to own more planes than we probably need. Unless you are going to downsize your collection of planes and repent from your trend of growing your collection, you might want to focus on building one cabinet for planes and another for saws and perhaps another for chisels. I'm not thrilled with the 15" depth. While my 3 inch deep doors allow me to store chisels on hinged racks two inches deep, I don't like how far the cabinet protrudes from the wall. I also don't think the cabinet is going to accomdate all of the handsaws I want to store. It has room for a few backsaws, but that's about it.

Search here for plane tills, saw tills and tool cabinets for more great examples. I got some good ideas from this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?170293-Show-us-your-tool-cabinet

Good luck. I will be interested to see what you decide to do.

[Jerry Olexa]

Already some useful comments and suggestions....i'm learning from y'all.....
My cabinet will be utilitarian (nothing fancy) but with a purpose: protection, safety and dust.
Early thanks, all above very helpful...Very sensible, practical suggestions,.....Thanks.
I'll continue to check in.
Jerry

[Malcolm McLeod]

Mentioned in another recent thread, but just in case - - a Unibit makes quick work of 'tapered' (sort of) holes for chisel storage.

[Kevin Hampshire]

Jerry, How extensive is your selection of hand tools and how likely are you to add new tools?

I'd worked out two basic wall hung cabinets for saws and hand tools but this week I totally changed direction to a two piece free-standing cupboard/tool cabinet.

I'm planning on using borg sheet material with overlay doors. Oh yeah, the borg ply warps in a minute so I plan to Kreg Jig it together with multiple fixed shelves to keep it square. I'm shooting for between shaker cupboard and the plywood cabinets our dads built for the garage.

As basic as the casework sounds, I'm actually planning to invest in a very organized interior. I've drawn on Andy Rae's tool cabinet for interior organization. I have some ideas on a different storage path for my jointers. His system is really not efficient enough for what I have.

[Sean Hughto]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chevy_chase_hughtos/2265379117/in/photolist-9k4GbV-7kZSos-5VtKUN-5GE76n-5o1Pu7-57nVS1-4vzMMC-4sbEhD

[Sean Hughto]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/chevy_chase_hughtos/3256578957/in/album-72157607001006126/

[Kevin Hampshire]

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Jerry, Top of the tool cabinet has two 5" deep doors with storage on inside for thin items like chisels and screwdrivers.

Inside the cabinet, the white areas are open 12" deep cubbies or shelves to hold smoother sized planes and tools. Colored area on top is three loose boxes to hold Skew rabbets, small plow plane, and router planes along with their accoutrements.

Colored area in bottom for block planes and various plane related parts and tools.


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I originally planned on a 18" deep bottom unit with a few drawers on top and doors with open shelves on bottom. This version is all drawers with drawer faced pull out shelves for the jack sized planes.

The gray box is to hold carcass and dovetail saws.

The bottom green drawer is for longer tools like panel saws, tenon saws and jointers organized along the lines of the bottom floor of the Anarchist Tool Chest. Drawers are all on Full extension slides.

[Tim Brosnan]

Sean - really nice job. I really like what you came up with for the Japanese saws.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

349632

Just a little something I built in my free time with some offcuts.

[David Eisenhauer]

I call BS. No one has five sets of hinges of the type you need for the project on hand. At the very least, you had to make a borg run so that does not count as "spare time". Oh, did that during the commercials! yeah right.

[Malcolm McLeod]

349632

Just a little something I built in my free time with some offcuts.


I call BS. No one has five sets of hinges of the type you need for the project on hand. At the very least, you had to make a borg run so that does not count as "spare time". Oh, did that during the commercials! yeah right.

Malcolm (Great names think alike),
I have one too. Doesn't everybody:confused: Built it this morning.

[John Vernier]

I was looking for pictures of older wall-mounted toolboxes recently and I remembered that Zach Dillinger posted several of them on his blog a few years back, some quite utilitarian and one or two very pretty ones from the early 20th century. Start here:
http://eatoncountywoodworker.blogspot.com/2009/10/i-purchased-carriage-makers-tool-box.html
and scroll through his blog for 2009-2010 (it's not too many posts). Nothing which quite rivals the Studley cabinet, but a good idea of what real-world woodworkers were doing a century or so ago. he has some good detail photographs of each one.

[Jerry Olexa]

John, thanks for link..(eaton county)..Interesting blog with good ideas....Still looking that blend/design that will be the 'one"..thanks

[Jerry Olexa]

I applaud your priorities of storage and protection. So many people, influenced by the pretty pictures in the powertool-shill press, build showcases/shrines that perform neither of these functions well.

These sort of cabinets can be quick and dirty and inexpensive and utilitarian, made from painted MDF or CDX plywood, or they can be expensive heirloom pieces made of fine woods with beautiful joinery and luxurious finishes that take both skill and a long time to make. Of course, as with all things, you may choose a middle path in terms of cost, time and quality. My point is that, unless you have done this already, which I can't tell from your post, you will need to give this some careful thought at the early stages of planning.

Unless you intend to lug it around, make it at least twice as strong as you think it needs to be. Plywood is not strong as solid wood. MDF is significantly weaker than plywood.

Swinging doors with sturdy hinges of the kind used to hang architectural doors are absolutely essential, especially if you intend to mount tools to the doors. Cabinet hinges are not tough enough. Assume the hinge screws will eventually pull out of plywood and MDF, and plan countermeasures in advance.

Double doors are probably better than a single door to minimze interference with the area in front and below of the cabinet. If frame and panel, make them very rigid so they won't sag over time. Consider a shear panel.

If you use double doors, add an astragal to keep out dust. Build an overhang or crown that projects over the doors full-width to help keep dust out.

I assume you want this cabinet to last at least your lifetime. If so, future-proofing is important unless you are absolutely certain you will never add to or upgrade the tools stored or mounted inside the cabinet. Instead of cutting and gluing, I suggest you mount shelves and mounting brackets with screws so they can be R&R'd in the future.

Oh yeah, and give careful thought in advance re how you will mount it to the wall, and what sort of reinforcement the wall will need to carry the extra weight and bending moment.

Best of luck.

Stan

Stan, some great practical ideas, thoughts...Its obvious you've done this...sincere thanks.

[Jerry Olexa]

Good info so far. Since I take it you do not already have a version to draw experience from I think there are (at least) two ways to approach this. Build for your immediate function and anticipate a version 2 in your future. Build for form and function and build-in enough versatility to handle some rearrangement.

Using an approach that couples a carcass with internal fixtures allows alteration without a complete rebuild. Your saw till and plane till can be separate inserts that can be removed and modified or replaced. The same can be done for internal swinging panels that can be modified without having to scrap the whole beast.

To this end I went with what is many peoples nightmare due to memories of the past; peg board. I live where the weather is moderate and so an open plane till was the order of the day. The main carcass and its depth relationship to the wings was made to allow the addition of doors if I choose to do so later.

349601 . 349600


Since you have already perused the usual articles I will just say that laying your tools out or using cardboard cutouts to try arrangement ideas is well worth the trouble. The current config is one wing to the left of the carcass. Once I get the north wall rearranged the right wing will come over to join them.

The planes hang from paracord.. The panel that the planes rest against is easily removable for tool rearrangement which has already happened twice. The wings have pegboard panels on the back as well as the inside and outside of the doors. I make tool holders with "L" hooks in the back so that they can be placed or moved easily. This too has already come in handy a few times


349602349603349604349605

The lower gallery is a separate fixture that can be easily removed for modification.

349606

I figure once I go a year without changing anything it might be time to make another one that is more attractive to look at. For now, I keep morphing the arrangement.

THANKS Glen..Very good insight and suggestions....I'll use your guidance..Thank you

[Jerry Olexa]

Jerry, I started out on a similar quest almost two years ago (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?229155-Tool-Cabinet-Build).
What I like about my cabinet - I'm generally pleased with the plane storage as well as the chisel storage. I made the main cabinet 12" deep so that it could hold a numer of bench planes sitting on their sole. I wanted storage in the doors for chisels and possibly other tools. I made a pretty specific plan for plane storage, and a more general plan for saws and chisels.

I used piano hinges for the doors and would do so again. French cleats to hang the cabinet; if or when I move the cabinet is coming with me. IMHO there is no better choice for wall mounted tool cabinet than french cleats.

What I would do differently - I think we share a tendancy to own more planes than we probably need. Unless you are going to downsize your collection of planes and repent from your trend of growing your collection, you might want to focus on building one cabinet for planes and another for saws and perhaps another for chisels. I'm not thrilled with the 15" depth. While my 3 inch deep doors allow me to store chisels on hinged racks two inches deep, I don't like how far the cabinet protrudes from the wall. I also don't think the cabinet is going to accomdate all of the handsaws I want to store. It has room for a few backsaws, but that's about it.

Search here for plane tills, saw tills and tool cabinets for more great examples. I got some good ideas from this thread:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?170293-Show-us-your-tool-cabinet

Good luck. I will be interested to see what you decide to do.

Joe, thanks..I will use piano hinges as well as some of your other recos..Thanks Joe
Jerry

[Jerry Olexa]

349632

Just a little something I built in my free time with some offcuts.

Acually that picture is of a quick mock up I threw together last weekend as a prelude to my actual project:D

[John Sanford]

Four words:

Think In Three Dimensions

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Acually that picture is of a quick mock up I threw together last weekend as a prelude to my actual project:D

Haha- When I posted this I hesitated because I was afraid someone might think I was actually trying to claim it, but then I said, "Who doesn't know the H. O. Studley tool chest? Surely they will get the joke." Anyway, I have to get back to work now, I'm building another tool storage for my good friend, Benjamin Seaton. Quite a fine collection of tools this guy has.

So to get back to reality and give some serious feedback- I do plan to build a wall hanging tool storage like the H.O. Studley cabinet only in that it hangs on the wall, opens up, and has tools in it. I believe that (a hanging cabinet) is a really great way to store tools, and it will go on the wall behind the workbench, within arm's reach. Below that will be a rolling cabinet with a top (Currently using a Husky rolling tool cabinet with wood top) upon which to place tools as I get them set up for the next project. "Hmmmm- I'm going to need the dovetail saw, these two chisels, and this block plane..." (places them all on top of the cart below the wall cabinet.)

My hanging cabinet will most likely carry the most frequently used chisels, mallets, planes, marking tools, etc.- all within easy reach. The less used tools are still right there in the lower cabinet below it. I do believe it was the most recent Fine Woodworking that has a really neat idea for a cabinet where the chisel storage slides out the side kind of like a sideways drawer. I may steal that idea, and that slide-out storage would slide all the way out for carrying to the workbench- especially for the carving tools, because I always seem to need more than a few of those out at one time. I'm thinking about making the doors and any drawer storage the same way- so you can pull them down and take them to the bench.

I believe the saws will end up in their own separate saw till, opposite the end vise, which on my bench is a LN twin-screw 18" vise, and where most sawing and dovetailing will be done. So- that's my other advise- break the tools down by category and place them within reach of that particular task- if possible- in a perfect world. You know what I mean- workflow.

[Pat Barry]

Hi Jerry, Are you putting a saw till into your toolbox? For those that did, and for you in planning, what is the recommended spacing for the saws? I'm thinking 1-1/2" on center would be a good density and easy to grab each saw. I started with a mockup of that distance for a saw till I am working on. Basically just a couple of boards standing on edge with saw kerf slots cut into them approx 2 inches deep. Each saw would then go into its own slot spaced at 1-1/2". What does everyone else use for this type of thing?

[Jerry Olexa]

Pat, probably won't put a saw till in the cabinet...
Right now, the holidays are getting in the way of plunging into the project....I'm getting anxious

[Malcolm Schweizer]

349784

This is the one that has the wall cabinet. By the way, the trestle foot on that bench on the cover needs to be arched in the middle underneath so it has feet instead of the whole stretcher being on the floor.

[Phil Mueller]

Pat, here's my current saw till. The kerfs are 1 1/2" on center. That amount of spacing works for me.

349785

[Pat Barry]

Pat, here's my current saw till. The kerfs are 1 1/2" on center. That amount of spacing works for me.

349785
Looks good Phil. Seeing yours makes me think I should leave room for expansion of the collection though. I only have about a dozen.

[Prashun Patel]

Make it as pretty as you wish, but what I appreciate about my open-shelf eye-height cabinet for planes is that they are easy to reach for. They invariably carry some shavings back to the shelf, so an open configuration is easy to clean, Cubbies are a pain to keep clean. They are also an inefficient means for dividing one-piece items like planes.

I keep my #6's and longer under the bench. It's messier, but there's 24" storage under there, vs 14" on my shelves.

[Phil Mueller]

I'm done. Well maybe. If another comes in, one has to go out. That's the plan anyway. I just can't walk away from a decent saw at a garage sale...:confused:

[Chris Hachet]

Make it as pretty as you wish, but what I appreciate about my open-shelf eye-height cabinet for planes is that they are easy to reach for. They invariably carry some shavings back to the shelf, so an open configuration is easy to clean, Cubbies are a pain to keep clean. They are also an inefficient means for dividing one-piece items like planes.

I keep my #6's and longer under the bench. It's messier, but there's 24" storage under there, vs 14" on my shelves.
My thoughts exactly actually. Planes are in a cabinet without dividers, and longer planes are under the bench. Makes for good efficient work when I am in my shop. I also keep a go to # 4 type 13 Stanley sweetheart under the bench so I always have a #4 handy for general purpose tasks.

[Robert Engel]

Fine Woodworking as a few articles and some PDF's you can download.

Here's mine hope it gives you an idea (the right side door where the squares hang opens and saw storage behind.


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[Jim Koepke]

Plane storage seems most efficient on a slopping surface. Is there a reasonable way to use the void behind the surface where planes are stored?

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Fine Woodworking as a few articles and some PDF's you can download.

Here's mine hope it gives you an idea (the right side door where the squares hang opens and saw storage behind.



Robert thanks....Is gravity sufficient to hold the planes upright? no holders? Like your cabinet!!


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Is gravity sufficient to hold planes upright with that slant? Or do you use holders? Thanks...Like your cabinet.

[Jerry Olexa]

Plane storage seems most efficient on a slopping surface. Is there a reasonable way to use the void behind the surface where planes are stored?

jtk

Should be able to access at bottom side with a small door..Good idea...

[glenn bradley]

Pat, probably won't put a saw till in the cabinet...
Right now, the holidays are getting in the way of plunging into the project....I'm getting anxious

It's the shop-gods way of allowing you more time to percolate on the right layout ;-)

[Robert Engel]

Is gravity sufficient to hold planes upright with that slant? Or do you use holders? Thanks...Like your cabinet.
Yes. The left till is about 10 degree slope. The right a bit more.

[Jim Koepke]

Yes. The left till is about 10 degree slope. The right a bit more.

Robert, Have you devised any way of using the space behind the plane till?

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

Robert, Have you devised any way of using the space behind the plane till?

jtk

Doing a little online reading and found this:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/tricks/gas-powered-plane-till-lid-2

It uses gas powered lifters like those on a vehicles back hatch to hold the till in an up position. It may require a latch to hold it down. It would be a real pain to get bopped in the nose every time you wanted to use a jointer plane.

jtk

[Robert Engel]

Robert, Have you devised any way of using the space behind the plane till?

jtkI was considering a slide out saw via a door in the side but by the time I got to the end I just wanted to get back to work. Not worried about it.

[steven c newman]

I don't have the room in my shop for one of these..
350116
I am not sure who posted this at Wood On-line a while back.....

[Jerry Olexa]

Fine Woodworking as a few articles and some PDF's you can download.

Here's mine hope it gives you an idea (the right side door where the squares hang opens and saw storage behind.


349829

349830

349831349831

Robert, like your cabinet....did you use hardwoods for sides and shelves? Ply for backs? How deep is unit and doors? Thank you

[Joe A Faulkner]

Not as advanced as the FWW solution, but I used a couple of 3/8" hardwood dowels to make a hinge. I don't typically prop it open as illustrated in the picture. I lift and hold with one hand and store or retrieve stuff with the other.

[Dave Gagnon]

350400350401350402
Here are a few photos of my cabinet. Pretty simple, built with birch, dovetails with plywood back. Not completey finished and likely never will be

[Phil Mueller]

Nice cabinet Dave. I really like the way you've hung the bench planes. Will have to steal that idea.

[Jerry Olexa]

Itching to get started building.....After the football bowl games is planned launch....
For materials for the carcass, back and front, what do you guys usually use?
Thinking solid hardwood for sides, carcass, dividers etc? and Ply for back and front panels?
What have you used? And how deep for main cabinet and the swing doors?
General DIMS would help too. Piano hinges or conventional?
Thanks, your general thoughts will get me started..
Jerry

[Jim Koepke]

My first thoughts on a wall cabinet is how will it be attached to the wall. A second thought for my humid area is how to install heaters (Golden Rod heaters come to mind (http://www.brownells.com/shooting-accessories/gun-storage/safe-accessories/goldenrod-dehumidifier-prod1703.aspx)) at the base and have airflow through the entire cabinet.

As far as depth is concerned the shelves or drawers should be deep enough to stow things like molding planes or rasps. For molding planes that means about a 10" depth between the front and the back.

My preference would be for piano hinges. Of course the doors should be able to hold some weight. Most likely the door would be a good candidate for a saw till and maybe storage of lighter tools. The doors may not be a good place for drawers or items on a shelf that may get dislodged if the door is closed with force such as a gust of wind.

If you plan to use layers as in the Studley tool box you will likely want to have turn buttons to hold tools in place. Also remember to keep the most used tools on the top layers and lesser used tools behind.

In such a case you also want to insure every tool can be reached or drawer opened, removed and replaced one handed.

Those are just a few thoughts...

jtk

[Gene Davis]

There is a good one shown in the latest edition of Fine Homebuilding or Fine Woodworking. Just saw it on the shelf at the supermarket. Believe it is a shop and tools edition.

Built by a woodworker and orthopedic surgeon, it is multi-layered like the Studley and others, but the rearmost leaves slide out side pockets on dovetailed ways. The doctor has quite the collection of chisels and gouges.

IMHO the only way to go about this is to clear a floor area and lay out your entire collection of tools, every last piece. Organize it into groups. Place them at close to the spacing you envision your storage unit will have. Only then will you get a feel for how many "leaves" you'll need.

[Todd Bradley]

Based this on a photo of a cabinet from a German company called Wohngeist. I wish I'd devised a way to rearrange the tool hangers to accommodate new or different tools. It's walnut and canary wood, hung with a French cleat. 350764350763

[Jerry Olexa]

Another beauty.....Almost too nice to USE...

[Malcolm Schweizer]

This is a great thread. I have it in mind to make a tool cabinet, but I'm kind of liking the idea of repurposing an old armoire and installing tool racks and drawers within the existing carcass, should one happen to find a nice one at the right price.

My dilemma is I am always buying new tools and always afraid to build a cabinet and then change my mind on which tools to go in it. That's a horrible excuse, I do admit. I also just don't have time. That's a more honest excuse. I am soon going to be finished with this bench build now that my daughter has reached an age where she's a bit more independent (will be 4 in March) and I can break away for an hour to woodwork again. My to-do list after that is long. I MUST make a new front door and shutters (this is a double set of doors with a double set of storm shutters that close over the doors) and I have some saw plates that I need to make handles for. (4 of them). After that, I do believe the cabinet is next on the list, pending the other shutters on the house can last another year.

[Jim Koepke]

This is a great thread. I have it in mind to make a tool cabinet, but I'm kind of liking the idea of repurposing an old armoire and installing tool racks and drawers within the existing carcass, should one happen to find a nice one at the right price.

My dilemma is I am always buying new tools and always afraid to build a cabinet and then change my mind on which tools to go in it.

[Edited]


This is a problem that runs through my mind all the time. Even the tools that see regular use will take up quite a bit of space. Does my tool storage solution need to take on a few traits of the minimalist? Do some tools need to be eliminated or stored in an alternate chest?

Then comes the question of where to start?

With chisels and gouges, there are roughly five sets of chisels set up for different uses and then the duplicates. This doesn't include the gouges and carving tools.

With planes, of which one can never have too many, there are not only duplicates of many sizes, there are also many speciality planes for molding, rabbeting, plowing and trimming.

Where and/or how should all the squares, rules, marking gauges, braces and all the various other odd tools we accumulate be stowed?

How many drawers will be enough? How many sizes of drawers?

Some facets of the Studley toolbox are starting to look more appealing.

jtk

[John Hannon]

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Just a little something I built in my free time with some offcuts.

That is a beauty Malcolm. Every scrap of space used.

[Michael L. Martin]

Beautiful job on the cabinet Todd! The pull out shelf at the base of the cabinet intrigues me. Other than the obvious answer of sitting objects on it, may I ask what you use it for?

[Christopher Charles]

Todd, I'm also impressed with your cabinet! Thanks for posting.

[Todd Bradley]

The drawers have small loose objects in them, like gimlets, spare marker and fret saw blades, shims for my spokeshave, etc. The drawers are shallow and there's no stop, so when I want something I just pull the drawer all the way out and set it on the shelf, which is lined with a piece of scrap leather.

[Andy Nichols]

Here is my Frankenchest.....

It's a workin progress, started with a TV cabinet some friends gave to us. Was planning on building a real toochest out of maple and cherry, even have the lumber, but cold weather set in so I compromised.

made the doors to the design in my original plans, doing that ensures that I can build the carcass later without changing my design.

The draw raw back is the doors won't open a full 180 deg on this chest, no big deal really. If the doors had been designed for this cabinet, then it would not be an issue.

still working on the storage layout, and need to do some tweaking on the doors, but it gave me an incredible amount of storage, and got my tools off the wall. Plan on making some block plane cubby shelves inside the doors to free up some space on the plane till.

Again, it's under construction, just thought the pictures might give you some ideas....

Regards,
Andy


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[Chris True]

I did this around 2011, Schwarz design from one of his books and a magazine I'm sure.

The top section holds a #5, 6 and #7, remainder of the planes in the cubbies.

[Jerry Olexa]

More great examples and ideas.....Thanks to all....Keep it going!!!

[Joe A Faulkner]

The chest that Gene Davis refers to above is featured in Fine WoodWorking Tools & Shops Winter 2017. The plans aren't included in the article. A video tour of that cabinet can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S409v9cOrBk

It is another great cabinet - designed for a rather extensive collection of chisels. It has tools nested 4 compartments deep. It has a neat feature that allows the third layer to slide out the side of cabinet (sort of like a pocket door).

Of course for the serious tool cabinet you have to check out Gary Zimmel's Neanderthal Haven (link to the end of the thread follows):
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?100584-A-little-practice-for-a-lot-of-drawers/page7

[Jerry Olexa]

The chest that Gene Davis refers to above is featured in Fine WoodWorking Tools & Shops Winter 2017. The plans aren't included in the article. A video tour of that cabinet can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S409v9cOrBk

It is another great cabinet - designed for a rather extensive collection of chisels. It has tools nested 4 compartments deep. It has a neat feature that allows the third layer to slide out the side of cabinet (sort of like a pocket door).

Of course for the serious tool cabinet you have to check out Gary Zimmel's Neanderthal Haven (link to the end of the thread follows):
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?100584-A-little-practice-for-a-lot-of-drawers/page7

Joe, 2 great links,,,Love the Gene Davis video..Great ideas and attention to detail..
I'm humbled after seeing those...Thanks Joe..

[Jerry Olexa]

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This is the one that has the wall cabinet. By the way, the trestle foot on that bench on the cover needs to be arched in the middle underneath so it has feet instead of the whole stretcher being on the floor.


Saw that issue as well as a video of his work...VERY good results,
I agree with your thoughts on the feet for the bench.....Thanks

[Jerry Olexa]

Guys, I have learned much in this thread......Thank you...I am humbled by many of your great efforts.....Thanks

[Stanley Covington]

Fine Woodworking as a few articles and some PDF's you can download.

Here's mine hope it gives you an idea (the right side door where the squares hang opens and saw storage behind.


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Very nice, Robert!

I have a similar sloped arrangement for holding metal-bodied planes in a rolling tool cabinet in a storage unit back in the States, and am very pleased with it. Mine is a dovetailed box, however, that rests on a shelf in the cabinet. This lets me remove it from the cabinet for cleaning and modifications, after first removing the planes, of course. Flexibility is the key to future proofing.

The wasted space inside bothered me too, so I attached hinges at the top edge, and use a stick to keep the lid open. I must remove a few of the longer planes before opening the lid because the handles interfere with the cabinet top. Gas pistons seem like overkill....

In any case, it is not a space where I store things I might need to access regularly since it is clumsy to get at. Spare parts, extra blades, tsumitsubo line and ink, etc.

Stan

[Jerry Olexa]

When I said I would pursue after the bowl games, I didn't indicate which year :)....After many friendly obstacles, I finally got back to the project...These pictures will show that I am actually building it (albeit slowly)...Today's glue up of the doors was a big hurdle which I am glad to report are now curing overnight....The next objective will be to mount the cabinet on the wall and then hang the tools inside ..(not sure which method to use for hanging the tools although most of the planes will be stored flat/horizontally)....So the project is alive as am I,although life temporarily got in the way this past year:).

PS....Haven't figured out how to correct these pics back to vertical..Sorry

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[Joe A Faulkner]

"My cabinet will be utilitarian (nothing fancy) but with a purpose: protection, safety and dust. " - Jerry Olexa 12-17-2016

Maybe we just live in different rent districts, but in my neighborhood, those finished raised panel doors just pushed this cabinet into the fancy category. :)

Seriously, looks like you have settled on a great design. I look forward to seeing your progress in the days ahead.

[Jerry Olexa]

Joe, you are correct..That was my original goal and still is.
I realized as I finally started building it that it was really a big box with doors...So, I did decide later to "dress it up" a little with the raised panel doors..They are easy to make and I had some cherry laying around so they evolved :)..(I did cheat and use power tools on that part, mostly a router)..
But the cabinet is still simple and will be used to protect and keep sawdust etc out.
I'm realizing now that those 3/4" cherry doors added to the frames are heavy..I'm hoping the 2 piano hinges can carry the weight plus the tools I'll be hanging on them later. Thanks, Joe.

[Jim Koepke]

I'm realizing now that those 3/4" cherry doors added to the frames are heavy..I'm hoping the 2 piano hinges can carry the weight plus the tools I'll be hanging on them later. Thanks, Joe.

Looking good so far Jerry. There should be some way of finding a weight rating for the hinges. One of my thoughts on this is to have a large castor on the bottom of my tool cabinet to help carry the weight of the doors. Another is to have the lighter tools in the doors. A saw till would be lighter than a plane rack.

jtk

[Todd Stock]

If iPhone and Mac, open in Preview, rotate as required, and save the image. Even though iPhone shots open correctly in Preview, they still need to be rotated through 360 degrees, then saved to display correctly when uploaded to generic sites. Perfect opportunity to crop and resize for sites with file size limits.

[Gerald Schram]

Jerry looking good. how did you attach the raised panel doors to the frame thats attached to the case? Im thinking of doing some thing like that when i make a new cabinet. Jerry S

[glenn bradley]

I like where this is going Jerry. More than happy to tag along. I think you made a good decision on the doors. My BB ply wall-hanger is large, useful and easily modifiable as things change but, it is just a finger-jointed plywood box. Next time around I am going to kick it up a notch. Certainly a lot of great ideas in this thread to refer back to. Well done.

[mike holden]

These are the tool cases that are above my workbench. They have worked well for me.

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Mike

[Jerry Olexa]

Jerry looking good. how did you attach the raised panel doors to the frame thats attached to the case? Im thinking of doing some thing like that when i make a new cabinet. Jerry S

Jerry, thanks....I used biscuits for alignment and then titebond with many clamps (as in the pictures)...Works fine..I was gluing cherry to poplar...

[Jerry Olexa]

I like where this is going Jerry. More than happy to tag along. I think you made a good decision on the doors. My BB ply wall-hanger is large, useful and easily modifiable as things change but, it is just a finger-jointed plywood box. Next time around I am going to kick it up a notch. Certainly a lot of great ideas in this thread to refer back to. Well done.

Thanks Glenn.

[Jerry Olexa]

Looking good so far Jerry. There should be some way of finding a weight rating for the hinges. One of my thoughts on this is to have a large castor on the bottom of my tool cabinet to help carry the weight of the doors. Another is to have the lighter tools in the doors. A saw till would be lighter than a plane rack.

jtk

Jim, not sure I understand your use of a castor?..It will be wall mounted (french cleat)..The cherry panels have added much weight to those swinging doors...Please explain to this ignorant WWer your suggestion....Thanks Jim.

[Jerry Olexa]

Gerald, I also glued each door panel individually to allow full clamping access..FYI.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, not sure I understand your use of a castor?..It will be wall mounted (french cleat)..The cherry panels have added much weight to those swinging doors...Please explain to this ignorant WWer your suggestion....Thanks Jim.

My suggestion only works if the tool cabinet goes all the way to the floor. Then a large wheel like this:

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mounted on the bottom of the door would lend support.

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Thanks Jim..Yes it will be wall mounted

[Jerry Olexa]

Clamps are off...Still much to do: drawers, tool mounts, finishing and wall mount...fun project but time consuming.
Still haven't figured out the vertical alignment of pics but did discover when you have pic opened and click again, it will go to true vertical:confused: Thanks

[David Dalzell]

I made a wall hanging (French cleats) hand tool storage unit a few years ago. Very utilitarian. Plywood and Poplar. It is 49" W x 38" H x 12" D. It has double doors, opening outward, swinging on piano hinges. So it opens to 98" W. The doors are 4" deep and also store tools. Doors close and have simple latches to keep them tightly closed.Three interior shelves in the main area. A variety of specific hangers/slots/etc for tools. It is close to my main bench and it is easy to retrieve and replace tools. Each tool is directly accessible; no need to remove any tool to get at another tool. All my hand tools except saws are stored there. Well not quite all tools. It eventually got filled up with other essential tools. After that more recently acquired tools have gotten stuffed into various nooks and crannys within my shop. I also hang my eggbeaters on the outside side of the main compartment. I have a separate saw till for all saws. (Not that many, about 20 or so)
My conclusion: very useful, not a work of art, completely functional, within reach of bench, very handy. Downside - When I made it all my hand tools fit and with room to spare. (Ready to store newly bought/made tools). But now - Why didn't I make it bigger? What was I thinking? Back then I didn't realize how many other hand tool were absolutely essential. 18 handplanes, 30 some chisels, 5 augers, spokeshaves, measuring/marking tools, etc. etc. etc. Maybe it is time to start thinking about a second tool cabinet.

The moral of the story is: Make it BIGGER than you think you will ever need; or find wall space for the first one and save wall space for the inevitable second one.