Plane storage???

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Evening guys, I'm building two cabinets for hand tools, each roughly 48"x78"x12". One will have shelves to nose the molding planes into, a bunch of drawers, and a place for the machinist tool boxes to live. The other is for saws and bench planes.

In this cabinet, the lower 1/2 is for saws, which rest in two layers of slots, kind of like kitchen knives might be. It currently fits 42 full length saws, and 22 back saws. There is a little space left in this area, which will get fitted for veneer saws, bow saws, scroll saws, etc.

My question is with the space above this, 46"x42"x11" of blank space, which needs to hold planes. I'm a collector/user, who likes the looks of the planes, as much as I like to use them. I want to maximize the number of planes in the space, while having the flexibility to change planes around, as the lineup changes.

My initial plan was to rig up a system that held them bottom to the back of the cabinet, which was ok, but it leaves enough room for another 50 or so planes in empty air. Same with sides of the planes to the back of the cabinet. I've thought about a second set of doors inside to allow for the hanging of two layers of planes. Is there a better way?

Does anybody have any ideas, photos, hunches? H.O. Studley's cabinet is probably the most amazing organized thing I know of, and Toplins book shows lots of pictures of cabinets with wasted space. Anything else out there?

[Kevin French]

Steve here's mine. The row on the right holds my #6-8s, the center #2-4s, and the left #5s

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g179/sweeper54/shop/PlaneTill3.jpg

[Jim Koepke]

My question is with the space above this, 46"x42"x11" of blank space, which needs to hold planes. I'm a collector/user, who likes the looks of the planes, as much as I like to use them. I want to maximize the number of planes in the space, while having the flexibility to change planes around, as the lineup changes.

My initial plan was to rig up a system that held them bottom to the back of the cabinet, which was ok, but it leaves enough room for another 50 or so planes in empty air. Same with sides of the planes to the back of the cabinet. I've thought about a second set of doors inside to allow for the hanging of two layers of planes. Is there a better way?

Does anybody have any ideas, photos, hunches? H.O. Studley's cabinet is probably the most amazing organized thing I know of, and Toplins book shows lots of pictures of cabinets with wasted space. Anything else out there?

How many planes? Are they all different types or do you have a lot of bench planes with a collection of types in different types in one size?

There is also the consideration of how easy the planes need to be taken out and put back in. There is a trade off between display and utility.

Jointers could be put vertically to the sides like columns. Then the shorter planes could be put on sloping shelves with elevator blocks to keep the blades in the air. Above these could be a shallow shelf for block planes and specialty planes. Nests (shadow box or French fit) could be made for some of the small planes like a Stanley 79 or 98 & 99.

jim

just don't drill holes in them all and hang them on nails!!!

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Kevin, good idea to lay them on the side. I was cruising the net after I posted last night, and saw that Patrick Leach has a pattern makers chest set up the same way. Seems to be a pretty efficient use of space, and very flexible. Nice set of planes you have. Lie Nielsen 10 1/4 or Stanley? Thanks for posting the photo.

Because the bench planes are all a pretty uniform <6"tall, I could use an interior "door" and double number of planes in the space available. The other option seems to be to to set them upright on narrow shelves and by using both sides of the partition door, get three layers.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

How many planes? Are they all different types or do you have a lot of bench planes with a collection of types in different types in one size?

There is also the consideration of how easy the planes need to be taken out and put back in. There is a trade off between display and utility.

Jointers could be put vertically to the sides like columns. Then the shorter planes could be put on sloping shelves with elevator blocks to keep the blades in the air. Above these could be a shallow shelf for block planes and specialty planes. Nests (shadow box or French fit) could be made for some of the small planes like a Stanley 79 or 98 & 99.

jim


just don't drill holes in them all and hang them on nails!!!

Jim, I'm thinking that this space is for the bench planes, and a few compass planes. Blocks and joinery planes in the other cabinet. That might change though. How many planes is the root of the "problem". I haven't counted recently, but probably 60 to 70 bench planes, 120 molding planes (wood and metal), and 15 others. That number changes all the time though. For instance, I just got a #74, and gave my brother a #5.

You are right I think, about the trade off. Honestly, I use maybe ten of these regularly, so if the most commonly used are easy to get, and the rest is back a layer, it's ok.

I can see why you find nail holes in planes....

[Kevin French]

Steve I was forced into the design. The carcass is made from a 2 x 2' Drawer Case. I ripped the sides into 6" strips and then just added shelves in 3 sizes.

I like it and for me it works. The collector side of me added the labels with the #, Type, and years of manufacture.

The planes are all Stanley's and a couple of mutts. The Saw set have found a new home in another case.

[Wilbur Pan]

Steve here's mine. The row on the right holds my #6-8s, the center #2-4s, and the left #5s.

I have to ask. What do you do with eight #5's?*

Im-pressive. ;)

-----

*Besides put them in a case, that is. ;)

[Stu Gillard]

Kevin,

Are your planes just sitting on their sides....or are you using some sort of soft backing for the cabinet.
I'd be worried about set blades and the back of the cabinet when I put them back. (I can be a bit heavy handed sometimes)

Stu

[Kevin French]

Wilber, go back and look a bit closer.*

Stu, they ARE on thier side, BUT there is a fiberboard backing.









*actually it only 7 in the case. The bottom one, with the bent knob, is a 10 1/4 and the top '5' is a Sargeant VBM. That doesn't count does it?

Besides most were either free or dogs no one wanted off the 'bay.

But then there's a Wards Master I working on, a 'Blue' hanging over the work bench and a couple more 'Beat'ns' in a cabinet.

[Wilbur Pan]

Wilber, go back and look a bit closer.*

*actually it only 7 in the case. The bottom one, with the bent knob, is a 10 1/4 and the top '5' is a Sargeant VBM. That doesn't count does it?

Besides most were either free or dogs no one wanted off the 'bay.

But then there's a Wards Master I working on, a 'Blue' hanging over the work bench and a couple more 'Beat'ns' in a cabinet.

Oops. Mea culpa.

But I think I figured out your hidden agenda. Gather up enough ffree/cheap #5's (or planes close to it), put enough of them together so that their combined mass will generate a gravitational field, which will subsequently suck a #1 Bailey into orbit around your tool till.

Ingenious. ;)

[Kevin French]

That and I like rebuilding the dogs no one wants and giving them to away as starter planes.

I feel a Garage Sale coming on this Spring.