More about Tool Storage

When it came to dealing with my personal tools I decided to take a hint from my auto mechanic friends. These guys have really substantial tool cases, with multiple drawers, and wheels. Yes, I could make tool cabinets from wood, but with limited shop time I prefer to be working on a chair or a carved bowl. If you shop around you can find boxes and chests that will pretty much be the sizes in height that you need. The deeper boxes cost more, but will hold many more tools compared to the narrower models. One difference from mechanic’s requirements is that many woodworking edge tools need to be protected from each other.

Drew's tool storage solution.

I’ve been using the triple chest cluster on the right in the photo for about 15 years. I recently added another “intermediate” 4 drawer case which is on a wooden bench to the left. For a woodworking shop, I like the traditional brown wrinkle finish, which is getting hard to find. Craftsman and Proto made my older brown cases, but their newer models are shiny black, red, or stainless. (Or plastic … argh!) My new brown wrinkle box is a Waterloo, purchased from MSC (an online machinist’s supplier).

One aspect of this system that I really like is that the tools are almost within arm’s reach from where I tend to be at my 2 work benches. As soon as I’m finished with a tool that isn’t in continuous use I just drop it back into it’s dedicated slot. There’s no worry about paying attention to the other tools in the tray. And of course the slot surfaces are all wood.

Tools have dedicated slots.

The slotted trays are constructed very simply, using a table saw. Over the years, I’ve made these divided trays with scrap left over from other projects. On my newer trays the bottoms are 3/16” Luann (sort of) paneling. The tray sides are 1/2” x  1-1/4” softwood, ripped from a nice looking 2 x 4. Where there is an interior divider with slots on both sides the width is 3/4”. The dividers are 1/4” in width, also ripped from a 2 x 4. The sides are simply butted. The dividers are press fitted into 1/4” deep slots cut with a dado set.

Corner construction detail.	Back construction detail.

Construction is with yellow glue and 3 and 4d  sinker nails. I used a set of 4 corner clamps to hold the sides in position. You must make these on a flat workbench surface – otherwise the glued and nailed trays will be warped. Glue is applied to the bottoms of the sides, the butted corners and around the perimeter of the Luann bottom. A single 4d sinker is nailed into each corner. Turn the assembly up-side-down and nail 3d sinkers about every 4 inches around the perimeter. Remove the clamps.

If there’s an interior divider (as with the large tray with knives) this can be glued and nailed in position now. Then just press the dividers into their slots

Rubber matting protects tools.	Planes put to bed.

Some tools don’t require the divider trays. Most of my measuring and layout tools live in the narrower toolbox on the top of the triple cluster. My spokeshaves, hand axes, inshaves, hammers, hand planes and small specialty saws are in drawers with a rubber flooring mat bottom. Drawknives each have a leather sheath, well oiled to prevent rust. Of course the plane blades are always retracted above their sole before being put to bed.

One feature of this set up that hasn’t gotten as much use as anticipated are the wheels. But these could prove to be very useful in a shop with a different layout.

Next month (possibly). A workbench for chairmakers and bowl carvers. This workbench is already detailed in The Chairmaker’s Workshop. But after 14-15 years of use, I’ve made several useful modifications.

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E-mail:
Drew Langsner
Phone:
828-656-2280 (Daily, 9-6 Eastern time)