Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Tall and narrow pointers?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566

    Tall and narrow pointers?

    I want to build some kind of a case to hold frequently used stuff.

    1. I have a tool bag for working on vehicles. I think the cuurent iteration is a tennis bag, I have used a diaper bag in the past. Something like 20-30 pounds, 10-15 kilos. When I am working on my truck, I grab it. For a day trip in my boat I take it, for an overnight trip in my boat I look it over a little more carefully. Ratchet sets in 3/8 and 1/4, limited stuff in 1/2 drive, spark plug sockets for all the vehicles, some flat wrenches and etcetera.

    2. Tool belt for homeowner stuff. I tried unloading the tool belt into my toolchest between homeowner chores for a few years after I got married, but it is pointless. I just leave it loaded now. If I need to replace a smoke detector or deal with a stuck door, the time efficient solution is to just strap on and go deal with it.

    3. Joinery layout tools, these are spread all over my shop, the pic is just what I pulled out of one drawer in my tool chest. I have a couple bevel gauges, marking knives I don't love, bevel gauges, blah blah.

    4. Joinery saws. I only have one in good working order, but I finally have a good enough vise to see a point in having all three of dovetail, carcass and tenon.

    My goal is to build a single case, nominal 16" width x 20-24 " depth x 60-70 " tall to handle all this. Open shelf at the lowest level for the tool bag. Open shelf at maybe 24" off the floor for my tool belt. I just have to work with it. When I need a #2 Phillips or needle nose, I think of my tool belt and just don't see a point in having duplicate tools elsewhere. I want to get the layout tools for joinery in the same foot print and then have a small (16" nominal width) till for backsaws at the top.

    Having the back saw till at the top and the tool bag at the bottom is going to do a lot to prevent top heaviness until I take off for a week in my boat. Pretty sure I need a back panel for stiffness. Happy to put a french cleat on the back and back it up to a wall near my bench when I have amenable shop space.

    The question is how can I park all the layout tools between say 36-60" off the floor without adding a bunch of weight with drawers? None of the layout tools are especially heavy, I am thinking about 3/8 plywood for for drawer bottoms with no verticals involved.

    Current plan is 3/4 plywood for bottom, sides and one fixed shelf near the top, with 1/2 ply back and casters about 3" diameter while I am wall space constrained. It will be ugly. I would like to not remake it from scratch when I get to a dedicated shop. All I have at this point is maybe iron on veneer tape for the exposed plywood edges on the front.

    Of the tools in the deep drawer of my chest, I would very much like to put either my 3/8 chuck drill or circular saw, or both, in the open space above the tool bag in the lowest compartment. They can just sit on the zipped shut tool bag.

    FWIW my current "tool chest" is one of those metal things with a bunch of drawers, deepest at the bottom, I think 36" width x 60 height.

    The good news is I only own one #2 Phillips screwdriver. The bad news is I have a metric butt ton of other tools.

    20210328_220324[1].jpg20210328_220341[1].jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Michigan, USA
    Posts
    548
    I happened to see this in the latest issue of Wood Magazine. I wonder if something along these lines could be adapted to meet your needs? The caption on the pic says this one has a 2'x2' footprint, so the "wings" would have to be narrower to fit your constraints.

    WD325402.jpg

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Eagle, WI
    Posts
    131
    Would a modified version of the Dutch Tool Chest (https://www.popularwoodworking.com/w...gn-tool-chest/) meet your needs?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566
    Thanks Gary and Peter.

    At this juncture I am planning a plywood/ glue/ screw tool chest ala CS fairly quickly to absorb my growing collection of chair specific tools to be followed shortly by a regular dovetailed solid plank version of the same to see if I can work out of it. The trouble with the classic tool chest is there is a lot of open space between the lid and the ceiling, the benefit is they can fit a lot of tools in the floor space they occupy.

    I have had the "go bag" with vehicle tools in it for decades, same with the tool belt. I just can't see buying duplicates of all those tools (rarely used for woodworking) and then having to store both sets of tools. Out of the tool belt I mostly use the screwdrivers, pencils and the small squares, but I like having that set of tools and associated muscle memory close to hand, but ready to strap on and go deal with the house. Same with the go bag. I hardly ever need a 7/16 socket on a 3/8 drive ratchet (mostly for adjusting the belt sander or drill press), but again that specific tool is in a mental group I have known for decades, it is time and space efficient for me to keep them together and nearby. There is room in the top tray of the CS tool chest for joinery layout tools. The Dutch chest does not turn my crank. The size and tool density is nice, but it would end up on my floor. I am resigned to buying more flat wrenches so the sizes I use frequently at my lathe can be dedicated with the originals going back in the go bag.

    I am going to chew on that hinged winged thing a bit. It is not a bad idea, high density, small foot print.

  5. I am going to chew on that hinged winged thing a bit. It is not a bad idea, high density, small foot print.
    Did you try it?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Fairbanks AK
    Posts
    1,566
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Grainy View Post
    Did you try it?
    I have ordered Baltic Birch plywood, custom ripped, from my local millwork shop. Today is day 5 of 12 in a row for me, I told him the earliest I could pick the plywood up was 04-22. I have a written plan, and the materials either in stock or on order. Once it, the ugly thing, is built I will put a thread in the projects section with pictures. The ugly thing will solve many problems for me. I am not going to suggest anyone else build one, just illustrate what it does for me for the next woodworker with a tool storage and square footage problem. My final design is not the same as the winged beast Gary posted, but mine will look somewhat similar if you are drunk.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •