Apartment Tool Storage and Access

[Luke Dupont]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for potential ways to keep tools handy without necessarily building a large and elaborate tool cabinet. Being in a small Tokyo apartment, I need something compact and which doesn't permanently attach to the walls in any way.

I'm seeing if I can hang up my lightweight saws, marking gauges, squares, and other not-so heavy items on the wall with tacks (not quite tacks, but hooks that use pins to attach). But, there are tons of larger or heavier things that need to be accessible which I don't necessarily want on my bench all the time, such as jigs, augerbits, clamps, planes, braces, etc. etc.

I was trying to store all of these things mounted on my bench, under my bench, on the shelf of my bench, etc. etc., but this obviously has limits, and I've far exceeded those limits.

I considered a tool cabinet under my bench... And maybe I will go that route one day. But my bench isn't that large anyway, and I'd have to change the design of the leg assembly to accommodate a tool cabinet. So I was hoping for a simpler solution.

Right now I have things stored in various toolboxes under my bench, and a few things hanging on the wall, but tools are not so accessible this way and so they tend to come out and stay out, or get scattered around.

I guess I'm just looking for inspiration and ideas. I don't have a ton of wall or floor space to work with, but...

Maybe I should consider a rolling tool chest or table in addition to trying to hang as much as I can on the walls. Or maybe just build a bunch of shelves? The simpler to build the better...

[Luke Dupont]

Hmm... Maybe I should look into making a large tool tote with places for everything that I can just set in my tool tray...
Not one one of those that gets filled with junk, but with proper holders for things like chisels and drill bits, and I can just work in and out of that, at least in theory.

[Greg Parrish]

What about those Command Hooks for the light stuff. Stick to the wall and peel off later without damage. We use them to hold everything from Christmas wreaths on our door to shoe storage in our motorhome. Seem to be pretty strong and hold to the wall great. Do they have them over there?

[john jesseph]

I don’t know about your larger tools, but I sure do like those Toyo tool chests for smaller stuff. I’d have an assortment if I could pay local Japanese prices.

Same manufacturer, different brand here. I think Trusco is made by Toyo. I’d get a variety of sizes:

https://us.misumi-ec.com/vona2/maker/trusco/fs_processing/T0600000000/T0611000000/

I have made and own several wood tool chests, and they are great too. I still like these metal chests a bunch.

[Jack Frederick]

Given the need for future mobility which I have picked up on following your threads I suggest something like the Milwaukee Pack-out boxes. I bought some last year so I can get to them and load them quickly. I keep my best hand tools in them now, so if, we get and evacuation call for an oncoming fire I can get to them. It isn’t ideal, but it works well.

[Scott Winners]

An upcoming build for me is going to be a heavy duty shelf unit with casters under it. I am going to dovetail up the case, and then ship lap across the back. My plan is to put my collection of cut nails on the bottom shelf, and then joinery planes on the upper shelves. When it is time to move I will tack some boards up the front and roll it straight up the ramp onto the moving truck.

[Tom Trees]

I was going to make a wall hanging cabinet, but having gotten used to a press or two behind me, I think its the most sensible for me, but also the nicest least effort solution, in regards to ergonomics of working, having tools at hand and no fumbling required.
Old beer fridges work well if you can gut them, but they are awkward without wheels, (I don't want my tool cabinets rolling into someone else's van.)
I like the glass doors, and reckon might provide a better environment than a simple but fancy wooden cabinet.

Note that you might have to let the gas escape, and best not done when living in town when folks are walking by...
Stinky stuff I was to find out!

Anyway, I don't think I would want to be hanging things like planes and chisels up, as I've seen some youtubers tools fall to the floor, and that's out of the question if you've got a big hairy obstacle which wants to be under your feet!

That's my three reasons why I like these/would much prefer to have my tools behind me.
Sorry I don't have a better pic, but it may give some idea.

Tom


SAM-3794.jpg


https://postimg.cc/KknQ8ygp

[Phil Gaudio]

Hi guys,

I'm looking for potential ways to keep tools handy without necessarily building a large and elaborate tool cabinet. Being in a small Tokyo apartment, I need something compact and which doesn't permanently attach to the walls in any way.

I'm seeing if I can hang up my lightweight saws, marking gauges, squares, and other not-so heavy items on the wall with tacks (not quite tacks, but hooks that use pins to attach). But, there are tons of larger or heavier things that need to be accessible which I don't necessarily want on my bench all the time, such as jigs, augerbits, clamps, planes, braces, etc. etc.

I was trying to store all of these things mounted on my bench, under my bench, on the shelf of my bench, etc. etc., but this obviously has limits, and I've far exceeded those limits.

I considered a tool cabinet under my bench... And maybe I will go that route one day. But my bench isn't that large anyway, and I'd have to change the design of the leg assembly to accommodate a tool cabinet. So I was hoping for a simpler solution.

Right now I have things stored in various toolboxes under my bench, and a few things hanging on the wall, but tools are not so accessible this way and so they tend to come out and stay out, or get scattered around.

I guess I'm just looking for inspiration and ideas. I don't have a ton of wall or floor space to work with, but...

Maybe I should consider a rolling tool chest or table in addition to trying to hang as much as I can on the walls. Or maybe just build a bunch of shelves? The simpler to build the better...

You could do a lot worse than this: The Anarchist's Tool Chest

[mike stenson]

You could do a lot worse than this: The Anarchist's Tool Chest

That's what I work out of too. I like the double front row. I might do that on mine, I'm running out of space on a single row

[David Bassett]

It really depends on you and what you like working with. I follow the Lost Art Press blog and immediately thought of their resources as a source of ideas. E.g:

The Anarchist's Tool Chest is both Chris Schwarz's manifesto and a guide to building a traditional English-style tool chest:

https://lostartpress.com/collections...sts-tool-chest


Megan Fitzpatrick, who seems to have picked up the mantle of tool chest guru, (she says she enjoys them,) has just completed a Wood Whisperer video series on making one. (Intro Sale until Friday: )

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2022/0...ood-whisperer/


She's promised a book on the "Dutch" Tool Chest form, probably this year. But since it isn't out, you need to do some legwork to collect info. You can, (or used to be able to,) get Chris's original article as a reprint from PopWood. Also she has posted a huge amount of info on the LAP blog about it.


LAP has reprinted Scott Landis's Workshop book, which might give you a broader range of ideas:

https://lostartpress.com/collections.../workshop-book


And, lastly, Jim Tolpin has written "The Toolbox Book". Which Taunton (Fine Woodworking) bundled with the Landis Workshop & Workbench books back in the day. Tolpin's Toolbox book should give you a broader survey of possible solutions and it seems to still be in print and available:

https://www.tauntonstore.com/the-too...-tolpin-070394


Lastly, if your taste runs to tool cabinets you could modify any of the wall cabinet plans to a Krenov style "cabinet on stand" construction. (It'd need to be sturdier, more utility, than Krenov's art pieces. But that idea could give you something freestanding behind your bench with the effect of a wall cabinet.)

Good luck!

[Stew Denton]

Luke,

This may not fit the bill, but one of the suggestions above was the Dutch Tool Chest, although this would probably come under the category of a big tool chest. However, you could build one that might fit your situation. Do the large size version, put it on casters, and instead of all shelves go with one shelf and a couple of drawers.

Scale it down to be able to role near the end of your bench, and make it only a foot deep, thus a height a bit higher than you bench the width to fit your situation, and the height as appropriate to your situation.

Schwarz description is that the original larger version will hold a LOT of tools. Of course if you scale it down to fit your situation, the amount it will hold will also be scaled down somewhat.

You can put in a slot type fixture along the back edge of the top or along the ends to hold chisels, screwdrivers, scratch awls, etc. You could also add a rack for panel saws in the top and also have an area in the top for planes, etc., too. You could even add some double decker type shelves in the top to more efficiently house planes. Finally the bottom shelf could hold some of your large hand tools, etc.

The nice thing about this type of set up is that you can work out of it with tools in easy access by flipping the lid open and pulling the front panel off as it is designed to do. Thus, with the front panel off you have easy access to the top, the drawers, and the bottom shelf. Finally, due to being on casters it can roll out of the way when finished. The full size version might only have a footprint of 12" or so by 3' or so. It would depend on how big you built it to fit your situation.
Just a thought, and it may or may not work for you.

Stew

[mike stenson]

The dutch chest is a great suggestion. Easy to move, stores a lot, and you could do chest on chest with it easily. I really do like working out of a chest

[Luke Dupont]

Luke,

This may not fit the bill, but one of the suggestions above was the Dutch Tool Chest, although this would probably come under the category of a big tool chest. However, you could build one that might fit your situation. Do the large size version, put it on casters, and instead of all shelves go with one shelf and a couple of drawers.

Scale it down to be able to role near the end of your bench, and make it only a foot deep, thus a height a bit higher than you bench the width to fit your situation, and the height as appropriate to your situation.

Schwarz description is that the original larger version will hold a LOT of tools. Of course if you scale it down to fit your situation, the amount it will hold will also be scaled down somewhat.

You can put in a slot type fixture along the back edge of the top or along the ends to hold chisels, screwdrivers, scratch awls, etc. You could also add a rack for panel saws in the top and also have an area in the top for planes, etc., too. You could even add some double decker type shelves in the top to more efficiently house planes. Finally the bottom shelf could hold some of your large hand tools, etc.

The nice thing about this type of set up is that you can work out of it with tools in easy access by flipping the lid open and pulling the front panel off as it is designed to do. Thus, with the front panel off you have easy access to the top, the drawers, and the bottom shelf. Finally, due to being on casters it can roll out of the way when finished. The full size version might only have a footprint of 12" or so by 3' or so. It would depend on how big you built it to fit your situation.
Just a thought, and it may or may not work for you.

Stew

This really does seem like a great solution. I'm starting to lean towards this -- a dutch toolchest, or something similar, on wheels, and high enough that I don't have to bend down to the floor to access things or build a bunch of shelves.
Maybe I can even hang jigs and things on the back of it.

[Stew Denton]

Luke,

After having just caught up with this post, it dawned on me that I was originally thinking to make it a bit taller than your bench. It just dawned on me that it should only be the height of the bench or a bit lower because if you want a piece of lumber on your bench that extends past the end of the bench a taller Dutch tool chest could be in the way.

If you made it the same height as your bench, it would act as a support for longer pieces of lumber that extend past your bench and need support.

If you do build a Dutch tool chest, be sure to let us know how it works out, and your thoughts on it.

Stew

[Alan Schwabacher]

I agree that a Dutch toolchest is a good option. Even if you don't make one, the solutions people have developed for organizing tools can be applied elsewhere. For instance, a board on the wall can be used to store saws in a manner similar to that often used in the lid of a DT.

The one described in a blog by BrandonW on Lumberjocks has a number of compact storage ideas.