Hand Tool Storage Added

[David Eisenhauer]

I work from an 8' long free standing split top Ruobo style bench that does not have a "back wall" running parallel to the main run of the bench. I very much prefer the benefits of working from the free standing bench as it allows me to have different tasks on the go from different areas, but I don't have tons of tool storage close to hand. I have a tool cabinet mounted below the top on one end and I store planes, dovetailing accessories and a saw vise on shelves at the other end. I have been storing my chisels in a couple-three caddys that slide around in the gap between my split tops and I have a sliding tray to keep my marking gauges close by. I wanted to move the chisels from sticking above the split tops and bring in some more hand tools closer to the action so I built a rolling cart that lives under the least-used end of my bench for that purpose. Note that I hardly ever need to use a holdfast at that extreme end of the bench, but can roll the cart out if required. The top of the cart does allow for my bench dogs (on the left hand split top as it is viewed in the photos) to be used.

[ken hatch]

David,

Very nice. A good solution for no wall storage. I may steal some of it, not the roll around but the storage for the base unit cabinet for behind the bench.

ken

[David Eisenhauer]

Go for it Ken. I used up the last of my 3/4" ply scraps, el cheapo bottom-mount drawer slides and pecan leftovers to make the cabinet. I had to cobble pieces together to make the back. I dread having to PROBABLY (one day) haul another sheet of 3/4" ply to have in the shop.

[ken hatch]

Go for it Ken. I used up the last of my 3/4" ply scraps, el cheapo bottom-mount drawer slides and pecan leftovers to make the cabinet. I had to cobble pieces together to make the back. I dread having to PROBABLY (one day) haul another sheet of 3/4" ply to have in the shop.

David,

I'm with you, I will glue up panels before a sheet of 3/4" ply crosses the threshold of the shop. I'd rather have my butt beat than work 3/4" sheet goods although I occasionally find use for some thinner Baltic Burch. While a fitted drawer might look better than one with metal slides, the metal drawer slides work better for shop drawers. At least that is my story and I'm sticking to it.

ken

[Jerry Olexa]

Good work, David!!!

[Jim Koepke]

It is nice enough to make my shop jelous.

jtk

[Rick Erickson]

A plastic milk crate would make my shop jealous at the moment.

Beautiful stuff David. I too may steal some of that :-)

It is nice enough to make my shop jelous.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

Very tidy.

Build a "riser" to stack on top at the same height as your bench to handle larger boards, carcasses, etc.

I envision a Neanderthal outfeed table.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Very nice, I particularly like how you are storing your chisels. What are those chisels, it looks somewhat custom based on the handles and ferrules.

My only concern is dust, but you could slap on a front that would take care of that if it turned out to be a problem (if the front would not get in the way).

I always really like seeing how people store their tools.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks for the kind word Jerry.

[David Eisenhauer]

Jim/Rick: Thanks for the kind words. This is not (and was not intended to be) "nice furniture work". It is a plywood carcase glued and nailed together with a scrap wood face frame (OK, that is M&T together because it is too narrow to use a biscuit joiner on), dadoed and rabbeted drawers glued together and el cheapo metal drawer guides. I don't like to spend time on trying to build heirloom shop cabinetry but do want it to be functional and solidly built. I used up the last of some of my dropoffs from earlier projects. It does have a 3/4" ply back because I felt that I may want to hang stuff from the back one day. I wanted it to fit underneath the bench overhang so that it would not be another thing taking up floor space to work around.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks for the idea Jim. I had not thought of using it as a mobile jack stand and I like your suggestion. I have used my roll around heater with a riser for that task, but this cart will be much better.

[David Eisenhauer]

Thanks Andrew. The reddish handled chisels facing you in the photo are Ashley Iles (Mk 2?) bench chisels and the chisel ends you see are the LN socket handle bench chisels. I still need to add in some dividers between the chisel ends to keep them from making contact and haven't decided between chopping individual dados for them to sit in or simply plugging in some short extending 1/8" dowel rods to fence each chisel end in. The second drawer down has my rasps and files in it. I don't particularly worry about dust on my tools and don't see myself adding a door because I would not want to have to open it every time I wanted a tool. That's me, others may successfully do differently. I would love to have a wall behind the bench so that I could install a kitchen type upper/lower cabinets or shelves plus a counter top to temporarily put things on, but the shop is too crowded to turn the bench 90* and free up the wall space for the cabinetry.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

and don't see myself adding a door

I meant a face for each drawer that went all the way out to the edges, not a door per say. I agree that having to open a door would be annoying especially since it would have to open all the way so that you could then pull out the drawer.

Had not considered gluing some bits in place, fast and easy. I did something similar in one of my Chisel holders.

[Erich Weidner]

Nice, David!

Good inspiration to one day make something like this to get the rest of my wood working tools out of the craftsman roll around cabinet and closer to the bench. Being able to make the drawers the exact heights needed would be a boon (vs. too tall drawers).