Tool Cabinet Finally Finished

[T.J.]

I built this tool cabinet several years ago. It sat only partly filled: drawers with smalls in them, plus my larger bench planes and a cubby hole box (which I was never really happy with) for block planes.

I experimented in recent years with different ways to hang tools inside the doors, but was never happy with them. Partly because i could never get them attached firmly to the door.

Anyway, a month or so ago, I had the idea to cut panels for the inside of the doors. This way, I could mount the fixtures onto the panel as it was laid on my bench. Then, just insert the panel into the door when finished. This worked much better for my purposes.

Lastly, I had started this cabinet with the intentions of only using brass screws and to drive them only with a brace or by hand. However, after 5+ years of the cabinet sitting largely idle and not doing what it was mostly made for, I decided not to worry about "purity" so much and just get the thing into working order so I could use it.

I can finally say that I have now done that and I feel it can now help facilitate other projects as designed.

[Grandpa Dave]

Wow, very nice! Appears the time to complete was justified!

Now, time to get started on the next one since you pretty much have this one filled!

One can never have too many tools can they?

[T.J.]

Grandpa Dave said:

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Wow, very nice! Appears the time to complete was justified!

Now, time to get started on the next one since you pretty much have this one filled!

One can never have too many tools can they?

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Haha! Exactly.
I *am* planning a companion to this one. Maybe a Dutch style tool chest. I have a number of other tools that I plan to keep and would like a place for those: molding planes, iron scrapers, large saws, etc.

[Steve Friedman]

That's really nice. I have never had my bench against the wall and wonder if you have a hard time reaching the tools at the top - like the top spokeshave.

I've been threatening to build one and wonder how deep your doors are. Looks like only a couple of inches and it seems that there's plenty of room in the cavity for lots of stuff.

Well done.

Steve

[Blacky's Boy]

Nice!

I used inner panels on my doors as well. With the amount of re-shuffling of tool positions I went through, it made life a lot easier.

[T.J.]

Steve Friedman said:

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That's really nice. I have never had my bench against the wall and wonder if you have a hard time reaching the tools at the top - like the top spokeshave.

I've been threatening to build one and wonder how deep your doors are. Looks like only a couple of inches and it seems that there's plenty of room in the cavity for lots of stuff.

Well done.

Steve

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Thanks, Steve.
With the 1/2" plywood panel in each door, I have right at 1-3/4" of depth for the tools. This was all good until I mounted the saws along the bottom half of one door and found that the mounts I made were too deep when closed over the drawer pulls of the main case. So, I just moved the saws higher, above the drawer area. Mounting chisels and smaller carving tools to that location lets the drawer pulls run into the door cavity where the chisels can move a bit to allow for them.

[T.J.]

Blacky's Boy said:

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Nice!

I used inner panels on my doors as well. With the amount of re-shuffling of tool positions I went through, it made life a lot easier.

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Thanks, Blacky's Boy.
That's another reason I used removable panels. I don't mind mounting and re-mounting fixtures on the removable panel.

I plan to apply some amber shellac to the inside and panels at some point, but I'm not in a hurry about that.

[Scott W]

That is an excellent build. What are the dimensions?

[Pedder]

magnificent! It's clean and not overstuffed and there is a place for every tool a woodworker needs. And there is one tool I'm really envious about. Theanks for sharing.

[Pat Zabrocki]

Very Nice!!!! how 'bout a pic with the doors closed?
thanks
pat