I am considering building a toolbox/cabinet to fill most of the space between the ballast box and the ways of my Grizzly G0766. It will be about 53" wide, 16" tall, and 14" deep, and will be divided into 2 deep 24" wide drawers filling the left half, and 3 shallower 24" wide drawers filling the right half. The front of the cabinet will be flush with the front of the ways, leaving a ledge on the ballast box where I can put a foot down, and the back of the cabinet will be flush with the rear of the ballast box. I plan to use the drawers for lathe-related hardware, like chucks, face plates, adapters, drive spurs, live centers, jaws, 2" and 3" sandpaper disks, etc. I will use inset drawer fronts and inset pulls, so there'll be a flat front, nothing to catch my pants on.
Here's the lathe setup, as it is now. The ballast box sits between the legs, and holds about 200 lbs. of sand. The top front left and right corners of the proposed cabinet would fit into the corners formed by the joinder of the legs with the ways. Most of the space that the cabinet will occupy is currently wasted, and regularly piles up high with shavings, of course.
Screenshot 2018-03-12 at 8.49.37 PM.jpg
Before I build the thing, does anyone think this is a BAD idea, and if so, for what reason? I don't want to find out the hard way.
Thanks.
Robert