I need a cabinet

[George Sanders]

I recently joined this forum and I especially enjoy the information on this site. I have amassed a few hand tools to the point that I need to build a cabinet to properly store them. I have a book by Franklin H. Gottshall that has a really nice one in it. I want to make it with easily adjustable cleats and hangers so that as my tool collection grows and changes I can best utilize the space by moving them around. The upper part of the cabinet is 41"Hx44"W. I have a brace, 3 drawknives, 3 hand drills, 2 push drills, and lathe tools. Numerous hammers, mallets and hatchets.
I want to use wooden hangers and cleats and I need some ideas on these.
I also plan to modify the design with a tilt out saw till in the lower part of the cabinet, along with additional shallow drawers for files and rasps. I don't really have any good planes yet but I am learning alot about the limitations of cheap ones. I use my small 3" Stanleys for cleaning up miter joints more than anything. I have a jack plane with a stamped steel frog, a Stanley two-tone smoother and a Great Neck block plane. I know that none of these qualify as good tools but I wanted to see if I could get the hang of hand tools before a huge outlay of cash.

[Steve Wargo]

Welcome to the Creek. A good bunch of guys and huge source of information. As far as hanging the cabinets and making them easy to adjust and move, I usually use French Cleats. Just a board ripped at about 45 degrees. Attach one piece to the cabinet, and one to the wall. then you just hang the cabinet on the wall by "reassembling" the board (pretty much just slide the angles back together. Not sure I'f describing this well, but if you search for French Cleats it should reveal a few nice pictures. Good luck, and again, welcome.

[James Owen]

.... I don't really have any good planes yet but I am learning alot about the limitations of cheap ones. I use my small 3" Stanleys for cleaning up miter joints more than anything. I have a jack plane with a stamped steel frog, a Stanley two-tone smoother and a Great Neck block plane. I know that none of these qualify as good tools but I wanted to see if I could get the hang of hand tools before a huge outlay of cash.

You may be able to tune up your present planes to give you good service. If not, then you might consider acquiring a couple of older Stanleys, Millers Falls, Sargent, etc. off eBay or from one of the tool dealers that caters to users. That would give you a couple of nice planes (they may need a little tune up/cleaning) without a large outlay of $$. Alternative is a new LN, Veritas, or Clifton.

Regardless of your plane source, you'll find them very handy during the building of your tool cabinet. Take a look at The Toolbox Book and similar titles. They have lots of great ideas for arranging and hanging tools in a tool box/chest, that you could modify for your requirements.

Best of luck, and post some pics when you get it done!!

[Dave Anderson NH]

If that Stanley two tone is is any kind of decent shape do not discount it George. In many ways, it is a better tool than the current #4 smoother that Stanley makes. I have the one that my Grandfather gave to my Dad when he graduated from law school in 1951. It works just fine though I will admit that the painted tote and knob along with the blue and yellow paint job leaves a bit to be desired. I would just give it a good cleaning and spend an hour or two tuning it up. While you will certainly want some better tools, a great deal can be accomplished with a basic set.

To amplify on Steve Wargo's post, you might extend the idea of french cleats to the hangers on the inside of the tool cabinet to provide versatility when your assortment of tools grows and changes.

Best regards and welcome to the quiet side of the Creek.

[Steve Clardy]

Welcome George!

[George Sanders]

I want to thank all of you for the welcome and the input. I have been reading everything I can find on tuning planes. I don't think my stanley 2-tone was ever used. I took it apart and the yellow paint was dried in globs around the mouth, pushing the blade out of alignment. (I bought the plane, a tack hammer and a 100' Lufkin tape for $10 at a pawnshop.) This cleaned up easily and the blade is now making good contact with the supporting piece. Now I need to make a jig for sharpening the blades.
Just yesterday I used my collection of wood rasps to re-handle some things. They sure made short work of it. They range in size from 7" to 16".
After I'm done tuning planes I need to clean up my Disston saws. I have a D-8 made in Canada, a pretty clean Disston Townsman that you can read the logo on with the the original price tag of $5.29 on the handle. I also have a couple of Disston made Warrented Superior; one a full size rip and the other a cabinet crosscut saw. I got these at auction for about $5. I have a saw vise and several saw sets as well as a jointer ($2 at a flea market provided I told the vendor what it was).
I let 2 large jointer planes (18"+larger) and a stanley scraper go for aroud $30 because I didn't know how to use them. I did pick up a 14" Rochester drawknife and an adze head cheap. I'm not trying to gloat, this is just the way thing are here.
I want to take a piece of wood from tree to finished product. I'm at the beginning of what I think will be an interesting and rewarding, if sometimes frustrating journey.
Thanks again for your input, George Sanders

"Do the most you can with what you have where you're at" Theodore Roosevelt

[Hank Knight]

George, this may be heresy, but have you considered pegboard? I covered two of my shop walls with pegboard attached to firring strips. The top firring strip is cut to accept a french cleat (I.E., it's 1/2 of the french cleat assembly). I built several face-frame cabinets with adjustable shelves and no backs that I hang on the french cleats. The cleats snug the cabinet up to the pegboard which becomes the back of the cabinet. The pegboard in combination with the adjustable shelves gives me the flexibility to reconfigure the cabinet as the need arises, and the french cleats give me the ability to move them anywhere in the shop where I have a matching firring strip. I built the backless cabinets in several different configurations to suit my needs and I'm getting ready to build an "expansion unit" for more plane storage. I like the system a lot.
My $.02
Hank

[George Sanders]

I have some on the wall now. I also have some mounted in frames on swivels. I find them inconvienent and ugly. It's what I'm trying to get away from. Don't get me wrong, they helped to eliminate some clutter but they are anything but attractive.
I think french cleats are going to be the best solution. I think I'll make the back easy to replace so I can change it when it aquires too many unused holes.

[Hank Knight]

I don't like the looks of pegboard either, but it works for me. Your idea of replaceable backs sounds like the best of both worlds.