Hand Tool Cabinet Planning and Building...

[titanxt]

The inside??

[cwarner]

check out this thread , Fords cabinet can be seen on page 4, insides and all

[FordPrefect]

I need to take new pictures, the cabinet is fuller than it once was. Including a second #5 from Yotie that I couldn't resist.

I acquire tools at a much slower rate than some of the folks here, but they still accumulate nonetheless.

Future plans for my cabinet include a moulding plane garage about two thirds as deep as the upper cabinet above the existing plane garages, which will support either one or two swinging doors for smaller items like marking and measuring tools. All in good time, I am 43, which is scarily old some days, but also, if all goes well, gives me many more days to use and fill my cabinet.

[mdhills]

titanxt said:

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First design question... BB plywood or I have a lot of cherry stacked up in my garage. Do I display some craftsmanship (if all goes well...) by using solid wood, or go the quicker route and use ply?

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Choose what appeals to you. Really.
In my case, I had a 1950's wall cabinet that I then fitted for my needs using whatever scraps appealed to me. I've got my chisels and planes on angled platforms -- with plywood the base material and curly cherry trim/fittings.

I like it, and it gives me tools a designated place.

Re: expansion… I'm not planning to collect too much more. From your picture, I'd think about:
- specialty planes (plow? fillister? etc)
- rasps
- layout tools (is that a 6" square?)
- calipers
- marking gauges (I'm now at 4)
- stair saw
- crazy wide chisel
- mallet?


Matt

[rectangle618]

Andy, Chris Schwarz' three most recent blog entries may interest you.
LINK
"The 9 Principles of Hand Tool Storage, Parts 1,2 & 3"

[titanxt]

I read all three of those entries a few days ago - a lot of good information there. I am just not sure if a chest is right for me since I have no floor space left, only a spot on the wall. I work in what most would call a shoe box...

Andy

[titanxt]

What about overall depth off the case with the doors closed. I realized there are a lot of variables, but what depth range is most commonly found?

Thanks!

Andy

[Blacky's Boy]

Andy,
I made mine 3" deep. So far this has worked out very well for me.





Something else to remember; the weight of the door loaded with tools. I would not recommend making a super deep door and loading it with heavy tools unless I was going to install some very robust hinges that were attached to a well designed frame.

As far as laying out the tools and getting the optimum arrangement, I found that cutting a piece of cardboard or plywood to the size of the door is a good way to see how much room you are dealing with. You should also have a good idea HOW you are going to hang them. That makes a big difference when positioning them. You may need to leave room for you to lift them out of their holder when they are needed

[titanxt]

Excellent cabinet and information Dominic! I assume the 3" of depth does not include the doors. What is total distance off of the wall when the doors are closed?

Thanks!!

Andy

[Blacky's Boy]

titanxt said:

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Excellent cabinet and information Dominic! I assume the 3" of depth does not include the doors. What is total distance off of the wall when the doors are closed?

Thanks!!

Andy

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The depth of the entire door assembly is actually 4". I inset the panel about 3/8" in and the panel itself is 1/2".

The carcass is about 10" deep. So the entire cabinet is approximately 14" deep