[OP]
Member
I had been planning on building a traditional wall cabinet for my hand tools, but have thought since space is at a premium in my shop, would it be bad to build a cabinet under my workbench. Thinking of building it with drawers and storing planes on their sides along with other tools (chisels, layout tools, etc.) in other drawers.
Am I crazy to do this or missing something I should consider?
Contributor
I think it's a great place for a cabinet where you can keep oft-used tools right at hand. Generally a good idea to build the cabinet shorter than the space under the bench so it doesn't interfere with clamping, reaching to push a dog up, etc....
You may find that sometimes a workpiece in a vice can interfere with opening a door or drawer, but you get used to thinking ahead a bit and removing any tools you are likely to need before you block access.
I think someone makes two-way drawer slides that would let you slide a drawer out from either side of the bench....that would be pretty sweet.
Member
Couple of other considerations (at least for me) would be whether holdfasts are used much. If so, be sure to leave enough room between the bottom of the bench top and the top of your cabinets. Another would be how problematic bending down to get tools will be. Probably not an issue if you're young, but for old guys like me it's a lot easier to turn and take a tool out of a cabinet than it is to keep bending down.
[OP]
Member
I have taken into account the length of my holdfasts and made sure I left plenty of room. Bench is against a wall so the drawers can only work one direction. Like I said it's a tight two car garage, so everything is fighting for space and needs to be organized. I figured I should keep my most used tools in the top drawer so less bending.
Member
If storing planes on their sides, you might want to think about partitions or something to protect blades and fingers.Originally Posted by Matthew Brawley
Contributor
You want to have room to put your feet under the bench when standing and your knees under the bench when sitting on a stool. At some point you will want to do both of those things.
The design consideration between workbench and tool cabinet is a difficult one. A wall mounted tool cabinet or open angled shelves saves bending and seems to be the way many pros go as they do it all day long. The rest of us may tolerate more bending and opening of drawers.
I design work environments for pharmacies and efficient repetitive movement is paramount for workflow.
My bench has no tool storage, just a tool tray to keep tools in use at hand without impeding the bench work surface.
i suggest you lay out the tools you use very often, it may surprise you how little space they really need. It may also surprise you how often you pick those tools up. Don’t forget if you use them a lot then they will be at the sharpening station a lot also so that needs due consideration. If you do enough work you will end up with a pro set up so why not start with one?
You can do a lot with very little! You can do a little more with a lot!
Contributor
I put a drawer cabinet under my bench and I would do it again in a second.
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Last edited by brian zawatsky; 12-11-2018 at 8:45 AM.
---Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny---
Contributor
dresser.JPG
Built a 5 drawer chest of drawers for the shop
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Wasn't much storage the other way...
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Scrapped the dryer ( paid for Lunch!) and cleaned that corner out. Have since added a Craftsman Machinist Chest on top of the dresser...
Contributor
Matthew,
Tool storage and a workbench have been an issue with me for years, that and a good warm dry well lit place to work. I have never had a good option with all of those factors present. What has worked best for me was when I came up with a workable plan that I could do and went for it rather than to wait for "perfect." I never have had an "ideal" situation, and when younger had very little money for tools. A workable plan that you can do now is better than dithering around for a long long time contemplating a dream solution.
The best bench I every had was an old kitchen sink/drawer cabinet with two layers of 3/4" particle board nailed on it for top. It wasn't ideal by any standard, had no vise, was too tall for me, etc., but it was strong, fairly flat, had a couple of drawers and a storage area under what used to hold the sink, and I did a lot of work using it. Now I work on sawhorses with planks on them in the back yard.
What I am getting at is that given your storage and work area options, the cabinet under the bench may be a good workable option. Lots of shops/benches have that set up exactly that way.
It sounds like you have thought quite a bit about it, and have sorted out options for clamping, bench dogs, hold fasts, etc. Given that, I suspect you have also thought quite a bit about what tools you use most frequently, etc., so you know which of your tools to put in the under bench tool cabinet where they are handy to get to.
Given those things, I would go for your tool cabinet under the bench idea.
One thought if it were me, when it gets down to the tough decisions pitting handiness of getting to tools stored in the cabinet versus handiness and versatility of using the bench, I would give up a little bit on storage design set up under the bench to gain more handiness in using the bench.
My 2 bits, and I hope it works out well for you.
Stew
Last edited by Stew Denton; 12-11-2018 at 12:31 AM.
Contributor
I have been using a cabinet bench for about 30 years. My planes are kept in a couple of drawers, my saws in other drawers, and of course my chisels, marking gauges etc. in yet another. The drawers ride on slick strips and pull out from both sides. My wall space is full. There is a book Called "The Workbench" by Lon Schleining, with lots of ideas inside. There is also a book by Jim Tolpin called "The Toolbox Book". Some day when I am 90 I hope to have time to build a new work bench with a real maple top and and and wall tool cabinets.
Contributor
Under bench storage is/was pretty common option for European made cabinetmaker's benches; Ulmia comes to mind first. The only drawback that I really see is having to bend over to get your tools. You could always make a little box to sit on your bench for the most commonly used chisels and other tools to complement your under bench storage.
I don't have any storage under my Frid bench except the deadman and a shooting jig. However, under my assembly bench is a whole cabinet's worth of drawers, same with my sharpening bench, router table, drill press, and SCMS/downdraft table. I do have space for a wall hung cabinet next to the Frid bench, so having storage under it isn't needed.
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Contributor
My preference is to not have drawers under the bench as it is inevitable that something will get in the way of the drawer opening when a tool therein is needed. So, instead, I keep tools on shelves above the bench and in a tool tray against the wall behind the bench.
The picture was taken after the top was freshly flattened. This required pulling it away from the wall ...
There is no rule about this, and some work comfortably with drawers in the bench.
I have just installed a new lathe, and the first thing I did was build a cabinet underneath (it's on wheels, so it can be pulled out) ...
Whatever floats your boat
Regards from Perth
Derek
Member
Another option is to have the tool cabinet under the right half of the bench leaving the face vise side open for clamping, your knees, etc.
Recessing a full height cabinet behind your doghole strip rather than under it was how it was done on the old Shaker benches.
They tended to be much deeper than the most popular current designs though.
And much longer.
And heavier.
Basically just too big for a garage unless there were never going to be any cars in it.
Dojo Kun, 1: Be humble and polite.
Ditto
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"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Contributor
Always love reading the discussions on tool and shop organization. What's the story with storing hand planes on their sides? Am I missing something?
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