debate on tool trays

[Tom Bussey]

I thought I would open the love hate relationship with the tool tray. Friday I was working on my new work bench which is a Roubo. I was doing some sanding as well as cutting radii on all the sharp corners on one end of the bench legs. I had to move part of the leg off the bench so I could do the work. I tee slotted the bottom of the tool tray so I was able to slide it out of the way and place a clamp so the leg couldn't get push back when using the router. When I was finished I pushed the bottom back in place. I do the same to clean the tray, open it up sweep the debris onto the floor or a dust pan and slide the bottom back into place.

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I like a tool tray, I try to put my tools away when done, but I also fail miserly at it. I can also pull the whole bottom out for clamping purposes and cleaning the debris out is not the problem some would have you to believe. Just giving some new bench builder something to think about or to rethink a position.

PS: I love the Makita battery operated palm router.

[Charles Coolidge]

I get 'about to throw something' frustrated if my work area is disorganized and I have to search for a tool. Ditto if things are a mess or I create a mess I could have avoided. So having outgrown my old tool chest before deciding to get back into woodworking I had this T-Rex delivered last Friday.

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[Derek Cohen]

When I built my Roubo several years ago, one if the decision made was to add two tool trays for hand tools in use during a project. I chose not to build it to the bench, as this was anticipated to get in the way and also be vulnerable to filling with shavings. So I attached it to the wall.

This photo was taken after completion ...





Of course, over time my acquisition of hand tools has continued, and the trays have become a storage for all ...



This year I built a underbench cabinet to store these tool, with fitted drawers. This has been posted on the hand tool forum, and is on my website (scan down): http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/index.html

Before the transfer of tools ...





Some drawers have multiple layers, like a tool till in a tool chest ..



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rod Sheridan]

I put a sliding bottom in my tool tray, makes it much easier to clean out.......Regards, Rod.

[Tom Bussey]

The tool tray on the wall doesn't work for me. I work on all 4 sides of my bench. The first picture is the front of my bench and the side most often used. If you look closely you will see two planners, drum sander, and a router table. I pull them out from the wall to the black mat you see in the second picture. When one is pulled out I have 2 feet to get around when using one of them. The back side of my bench is actually a left handed bench including a leg vise and a wagon vise. The tool tray gets used from either side and like Rod said the bottom is a sliding bottom

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[Scott Clausen]

I like mine, it keeps tools below the work surface and safe from falling off. When it fills with shavings I can just lift and dump out the open side.