Piano maker tool cabinet!

[Hugo Salais]

Ran across this video, talk about efficient use of space...

https://www.facebook.com/amazingwoodworking/videos/230913140648986/

[William Adams]

There's also a book which I highly recommend:

https://lostartpress.com/products/virtuoso

You should at least look at the excerpt: https://lostartpress.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/virtuoso_excerpt.pdf (which unfortunately has not yet corrected the error of a photograph of a pair of flat pliers being shown where a pair of jeweler's pliers should be --- it does allow one to evaluate whether or no the typography will be irksome to a given reader (it and the typos drive me nuts))

c.f.,

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2016/03/15/a-tool-cabinet-for-studley-fans/

http://www.wohngeist.ch/V1/index.php?p=2_3_0&lang=en

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/b4/a4/e0/b4a4e08f6e07a25bd463d3874c6b42b0.jpg

[Andrew Seemann]

It is a really cool and neatly designed cabinet. I will say though, having started to build something similar with the hinged trips, layered tools, and such, that it would probably be rather irritating to work out of on a daily basis. On mine, it annoyed me to the point where I built another tool cabinet that was bigger and didn't require moving things around to get at the tools. I'm not disparaging the craftsmanship of the cleverness of design-- it is amazing-- it just isn't compatible with my patience level.

I do agree with Norm, that man's pianos had to be amazing. The full episode is available to watch for free on the New Yankee Website, season 15.

[Osvaldo Cristo]

I agree you - except if he had to transport his tools to the job site... it looks very inconvenient to use in a "fixed" workshop. I would prefer flat panels with all tools exposed... anyway, that is a great creative and craft work!

[John K Jordan]

Ran across this video, talk about efficient use of space...

https://www.facebook.com/amazingwoodworking/videos/230913140648986/

Wow, I'd love to see that in person.

For some reason, the video doesn't show up in the message on my Firefox browser. (some add-on I have?) If anyone else has that problem, here is the link:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=230913140648986

JKJ

[William Adams]

I am very constrained in terms of workshop space, and have a couple of smaller boxes which are about as densely packed as the Studley tool cabinet (possibly more so since there isn't any structure / aren't any holders) --- it's a pain unpacking them and repacking them after a project, sometimes takes a couple of tries to get an arrangement which fits (which may or may not be the same as the one I started with).

I have done one small toolkit which was entirely fitted:

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and need to sort out exactly what tools I'd want in my ultimate tool kit (unfortunately, I can't justify making duplicates of tools which I don't know the function of, or buying tools which I wouldn't use) --- but hopefully I can work up some reasonably elegant (in the original sense of scientifically correct) tool storage system --- for now, it's a series of bags and boxes, and I'm almost to the point where I have everything in one rolling toolbox which can go from basement to deck and back pretty efficiently.

Donald C. Williams' book opines that a meticulous and patient person with long, narrow hands would not have a problem using the chest, and at least one piano maker has noted that the tasks of piano manufacture are such that one needs a limited number of tools for a given day's work, and that an experienced craftsman knows which these are at the beginning of the day, so that one could set them out, use them, then put them away.

Popular Woodworking Magazine #236 December 2017 has an article by the author describing Jim Moon's recreation of the cabinet --- it makes an interesting adjunct to the book, both of which I highly recommend. Unfortunately, Mr. Moon keeps his replica, along with a workbench in his study and hasn't commented on how much he uses it.

[mike holden]

Apropos of nothing, here are some images I took at the Iowa exhibition of the Studley chest
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Don Williams was the presenter
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Don showing how tools are reached
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Studley bench and chest (benchtop is original, base is modern)
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closeup of the bench
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Only known photo of Studley and his chest.

I have more, including a video, if anyone is interested.
Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Shucks my only pictures are in a book or found on the internet:

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jtk

[Hugo Salais]

Behind a glass case!
Very nice pictures Mike.

[Keith Outten]

Several years ago one of the woodworking magazines offered a full size poster of the Studley tool chest. A friend of mine owned a frame shop so he ordered several posters and they were sealed, framed and professionally mounted. He gave me one, its in my shop office and its a great piece.

[Jim Koepke]

Several years ago one of the woodworking magazines offered a full size poster of the Studley tool chest. A friend of mine owned a frame shop so he ordered several posters and they were sealed, framed and professionally mounted. He gave me one, its in my shop office and its a great piece.

It is still available. (reprint)

https://www.tauntonstore.com/the-studley-tool-chest-poster-011083?ref=customer_favorites_11

It was a little work to find it so if the moderators decide the link has to be removed go to the Fine Woodworking site and use the search function to find > Studley <.

jtk

[Bruce Haugen]

It is still available. (reprint)

https://www.tauntonstore.com/the-studley-tool-chest-poster-011083?ref=customer_favorites_11

It was a little work to find it so if the moderators decide the link has to be removed go to the Fine Woodworking site and use the search function to find > Studley <.

jtk

There’s a guy on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/otbirch/?hl=en) who is making an exact replica of the Studley chest and the tools in it. If he can’t buy exactly the same tool as in the original, he makes it. He’s unbelievably talented.

[Tony Joyce]

Dr. Jim Moon's take on Studley https://www.instagram.com/p/BUTAS_MlHgK/

Note: This is a reproduction, Dr Moon does amazing work.

Found another article about Dr Moon. http://donsbarn.com/studley-2-0-handworks/