Tool cabinet from scraps

[Bill McDougal]

I've hit about the 9 month mark on my hand tool storage cabinet that I have made mostly by hand and out of scraps laying around the shop (garage). Last winter I hit the limit of my patience having tools laying everywhere. I'm lucky enough to have a 8x12 foot room off of the back of my garage where I work, but it's amazing how fast it's gets out-of-control messy. There are two doors at one end of the room where I had some shelves made out of old oxidized 1x12 pine that had to be in someone's attic long enough to turn it dark brown. Basically, the shelves held a collection of junk, most of which found it's way to the garbage. I made 4 doors out of some scrap pine and mounted them on the existing shelves. I used milk paint for the finish just for fun. It think it's a great finish for "garage furniture" as my youngest son called it.

The rest I've done a little at a time, no master plan, and I think it will continue to be a work in progress. What I wanted to share is that I've got about $100 into this and it is amazing how much nicer it is work when there is a place for a tool when you are done using it. There are much nicer and fancier examples out there, but here is one that didn't cost much, didn't get much planning, and works well for me.

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[David Eisenhauer]

Even without side-by-side "before and after" photos Bill, I can imagine that your work-in-progress tool cabinet is a big plus. Keep on pecking away at the storage issue during/in between projects and it will eventually be 99% done. IMO, 100% done is not really achievable.

[Bill McDougal]

David,

"Pecking away" is a perfect description.

Thanks,
Bill

[Joe A Faulkner]

Nice job on the cabinet. I like your plane storage rack. It's great that you found a place for your tool boxes as well.

[Bill Houghton]

Nice. No need to spend big money on tool storage (says the guy who just dropped $140 on a Kennedy rollaway and feels good about it). Reserve the big money for stuff in the house.

[Mel Fulks]

Nice, like the good protection for sharp stuff and the practical metal boxes. Easier than a special place for everything, I know I can't do particular place for all.

[Jim Koepke]

Nice storage cabinet Bill.

In my experience, as tools accumulate you may want to learn the techniques of accordion joinery. :eek:

jtk

[Rick McQuay]

Handsome tool cabinet. I went the other way, a tool wall, but cabinets are nice for keeping things clean.

[Frederick Skelly]

I like it! Plane till, saw and chisel storage and as Joe said, it's nice to have a place to store your tool boxes. I like "works in progress" like this for shop furniture because you keep tweaking it to make it suit your needs better and better. (I have a tablesaw :eek::eek::eek: stand/cabinet that has been going through a similar "evolution" for about 3 years now.)

Look forward to seeing more of your projects!

Fred

[Bruce Haugen]

Nice. No need to spend big money on tool storage (says the guy who just dropped $140 on a Kennedy rollaway and feels good about it). Reserve the big money for stuff in the house.

$140 for a Kennedy rollaway? I need to move to where you live:eek:

[Stew Denton]

Bill,

Great Job, and like the others said, "nice storage cabinet"! I love the cost idea too,....my my way of thinking exactly too.

Stew

[Jerry Olexa]

Nicely done..Like your plane storage

[Bill McDougal]

Thanks everyone. Now to get back to a couple of shaker end tables. Again, doing this "mostly" by hand. Some of the rough cuts have been done with machines. These will have milk painted poplar bases with curly cherry tops.

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[Bob Glenn]

I love the blue paint. My kids refer to the stuff I make as blue furniture. I love the contrast of nature wood against a muted blue paint. I usually finish it up with some dark brown antique wax for a shot luster.

[Bill McDougal]

By the way, this is what I used. I find it's good to mix it up, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then give it another stir and it's ready to go. I like the finish, but it shows dirt and oil pretty quickly. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm going to give some wax a try.

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[Mark Stutz]

I usually use LO or Danish Oil, etc., though it significantly darkens the color, though, so test it on some scrap.

[Matt Lau]

Very tastefully done.