# Hanging Tool Cabinet



## ByronBlack (19 Mar 2007)

This is a quick/small project I thought I would start while i'm waiting for my p/t to arrive so that I can continue with the greenhouse project.

I'm getting really sick and tired of not having a decent storage solution for my tools. Currently they are in a mix of tool-bag, drawers, filing cabinet, boxes etc.. and it's starting to really hack me off! It takes longer to locate a tool and clear the workspace than it does to actually do the work.

So, i've decided to knock up a copy of Jim Tolpins cabinet as featured in the wonderful book 'The Toolbox'.

I've used some crappy 15mm ply that I had laying around, and connected the boards together with pocket screws. I would have prefered to use biscuits but I don't have a biscuit jointer, so the kreg got a dusting down and a chance to earn it's keep.

Simple project really, no skill involved, nothing special wood or joint wise, and this thread is really only to serve as a purpose for me getting into the routine of taking photo's and writing up the project and also maybe help someone who wants also to build a very basic and quick tool cabinet.

So, onto the photo's:

This is the material used: (this happens to the back)






All the panels were cut with a circular saw/rail guide on my home-made CS/Glueup table.

This is a scrap piece to determine the correct length of collect on the kreg drill-bit:





All panels cut to size, pocket holes drilled, and basic carcass glued and screwed together:





Draw divider going in: (The gap underneath will house three rows of small draws for layout and marking equipment, along with drill and router bits.





Finished basic carcass:





So, not a bad start, it's taken about an hour so far, I need to get hold of some more ply to make the door fronts, the doors will be 3" thick and they'll hold more layout/marking tools, chisels, scewdrivers and maybe some mallets.

I just need to scrape the glue off, give it a sand over, I might paint it so its less ugly, and then make and fit some drawers, it should do me for a year or two until I get round to making a really nice smart hardwood one.

I'm thinking of selling my Kreg2000 kit if anyone is interested, or swap for a half-decent biscuit jointer.


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## PowerTool (19 Mar 2007)

Going well  
Good storage space is invaluable - as you say,it wastes time not being able to find what you want.

All you need to do now is finish cladding the workshop walls,and you'll be able to hang it up as well.. :wink: 

Andrew


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## Fizzy (19 Mar 2007)

ByronBlack":2xtrf0kl said:


> and also maybe help someone who wants also to build a very basic and quick tool cabinet.



I need to start somewhere so this might just be the place for me. Can't wait to see if it will be to my liking at the finish


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## TonyW (19 Mar 2007)

Fizzy":1g05oqsi said:


> ByronBlack":1g05oqsi said:
> 
> 
> > and also maybe help someone who wants also to build a very basic and quick tool cabinet.
> ...



Me too. I cannot stand looking for my tools in old tool bags and various drawers - a basic and quick tool cabinet sounds just right

Tony


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## Paul.J (19 Mar 2007)

Looking good.
Looks like a nice workshop in the cave. :wink: 
Paul.J.


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## suprasport (19 Mar 2007)

as paul says 'looking good' 
thats something i need to make so might be pinchimg the idea :roll: 
all mine are on shelves at the moment and getting harder and harder to find through the dust :?


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## JFC (19 Mar 2007)

Good post BB , looking good


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## Shultzy (19 Mar 2007)

On the subject of tool holders, I went to an upholsterers today to buy some webbing for our dining room chairs. He had lengths of elasticated webbing stapled in loops to the plywood walls, which held all his tools very securely. Not pretty but quick to do, could be a good interim solution.


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## ByronBlack (26 Mar 2007)

OK, my tool cabinet is finished, spent a couple of hours yesterday and today making the door, and making the fixings for the various tools. This whole project was made from scrap and didn't cost a penny, it's rough as a badgers bottom and looks like it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, but it does what I want it to do - get me organised! I can now use this as a prototype for a more fancy, and better engineered hardwood version later in the year.

The photo's: 

The door complete and hinges going on:







Sanding disk used to create a clearance to account for sag.






Door hinges complete - seems to work quite well.






Rough doodle for placement of tools:






The previous tool storage 'solution' :






Need to find a location for the majority of this lot:






Cabinet laid on the ground for me to test the location of the tools:






And the door side:






Cabinet fixed with french cleat and lower support, tools now going in:






More tools:






Tool storage complete, I need to make some drawers for all the smaller stuff which will go in the gap below, the planes will then be upright in the cabinet supported by blocks and magnets:






Here it is, in all it's recycled glorious splender (the door is actually form the packing crate el-rusto the P/T arrived in).






El-rusto, all cleaned and ready to make chippings! Not sure why I added this photo, just though it'd be nice to get it into the ether:






Ok, thats pretty much it, i'll eventually make some drawers to hold router and rill bits, some marking out tools etc.. and I might sand and paint it, but I quite like its 'urban' feel.

This project so far has cost me no english pounds, and took about 5 hours or so, and all I used were the festool, kreg kit, ryoba and some screws, easy peasy.


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## TonyW (26 Mar 2007)

Byron you are being too modest. Your brief to yourself was a quick/small project to ease the burden of finding tools etc. Whilst it might look a little rough (not seen a badgers bottom so cannot compare  ) at the moment due to the scrap timber used - as you say you can paint it if you feel the urge. Looking at ideas myself for tool storage so your topic has been useful.

Hope you are going to post more about your P/T experience now that its all cleaned up and looking good.

Cheers  
Tony


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## DomValente (26 Mar 2007)

Nice one BB,
Waste is my pet hate, wanna job ?  

Dom


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## Mike.C (26 Mar 2007)

Byron, I agree with Tony your being too modest. You built a tool cabinet out of nothing, for nothing, and had the guts to do a work in progress. Like Tony said a drop of paint and a few drawers and I bet it will look a million dollars.

Nice one.

Mike


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## wizer (26 Mar 2007)

i like it Byron, my kinda style


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## PowerTool (26 Mar 2007)

Like already said - excellent job  "does exactly what it says on the tin"!

Andrew (who's seen a few badgers,but not examined the rear end in detail :lol: )


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## Corset (26 Mar 2007)

Great inspiration, i have all my tools in some drawers and on the walls on nails and i am always knocking them. I have been looking at everybody elses and they are such works of art (not that yours isn't) i really can't justify the time to make one. The fine effort you have achieved might get me to spurred into action. 
Two questions: Why are you selling the pocket hole jig, looks like it has done stirling service? I had thought about getting one.
How is the planer thicknesser? i have the jointer and i have been most happy. The service i got was good and the goods were great. (no connection to Lyndhurst) just wondered when the red mist has cleared if it has been a good purchase for £400 ish.
Sorry to be nosy
Owen


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## ByronBlack (26 Mar 2007)

Hi all,

thanks for the kind comments, hopefully i'll eventually have some 'fine' woodworking projects to post instead of rough and ready agricultural stuff.

Owen, the reason why i'm looking to sell the Kreg System is because i've barely used it, maybe a couple of projects. Most of the time it's stayed in its box. I could re-invest the money into a biscuit jointer which I would use more as i'll be making a lot of panels this year.

I would say that for £400 the P/T is a good purchase despite having to clean it and all the hassle I had to deal with the delivery, I still think that the service from Lyndhurst is total rubbish, I tried to speak to someone again today about sending me out a power lead which wasn't shipped with the machine, and again no-one bothering to answer the phone, reply to an email or respond to a voice message, which means it's nearly 2 weeks since I got the thing and have yet still to put a bit of wood through it.


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## Shadowfax (26 Mar 2007)

Nice one, Byron. 
A very useful cabinet and for nothing. Excellent!
Cheers.

SF


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## Paul.J (26 Mar 2007)

Byron.
It's the beesnees.  
Does the job what it was made for.Well done.
Paul.J.


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## woodbloke (27 Mar 2007)

BB - nice tool, storage, does the job. Ought to think about something similar for my Tool Wall...(no, not the Cool Wall  ) as I'm running out of space. Interested to see how the P/T performs 'cos at some point I'd like the get the Axminster version of the same machine, does it have a central column on the thicknessing table or 4 little threads, one at each corner (like my Kity)? - Rob


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## ByronBlack (27 Mar 2007)

HI Rob

The thicknessing table has a central column to raise and lower it. I've still yet to try and get it running, Lyndhurst refuse to answer my calls or respond to my voice messages - b*****ds!


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## woodbloke (27 Mar 2007)

BB - thanks for that. FWIW, now that you've got the P/T scrubbed and polished, F&C recently did a review of P/T's up to about £1500 I think and that one (the Axminster one, I mean, and yours is a direct clone apparently) came out as 'highly recommended' so I fancy you've got yourself a good piece of kit....once you get it running  - Rob


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## ByronBlack (27 Mar 2007)

Rob, at the moment, I think thats a big IF I get it running, i'm seriously considering putting the bloody thing on ebay as i'm sure it's cursed. If I do get it running I reckon it'll start a fire, burn down the workshop, kill next doors cat and then poop on my carpet as a final insult :lol:


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## Anonymous (28 Mar 2007)

Nice little gloat there Byron  Only a couple of hours to make a nice tool chest? What next?????

The P/T looks great mate, I'm sure it will perform fine and you'll soon grow to love it and forget the hassles :wink:


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## woodbloke (28 Mar 2007)

ByronBlack":1rd293jv said:


> Rob, at the moment, I think thats a big IF I get it running, i'm seriously considering putting the bloody thing on ebay as i'm sure it's cursed. If I do get it running I reckon it'll start a fire, burn down the workshop, kill next doors cat and then poop on my carpet as a final insult :lol:



BB- keep on persevering with it and as Tony quite rightly says, once its up and running you'll be very chuffed with what it can do - Rob


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## Blister (30 Mar 2007)

ByronBlack":2z46n8dd said:


> Rob, at the moment, I think thats a big IF I get it running, i'm seriously considering putting the bloody thing on ebay as i'm sure it's cursed. If I do get it running I reckon it'll start a fire, burn down the workshop, kill next doors cat and then poop on my carpet as a final insult :lol:



Mr Black , el rusto ??

looks mint to me ? or have i missed something ?

:?:


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## j (30 Mar 2007)

I like the idea of storing tools in the door, doubles up the space.
Currently I try and use every inch of wall space for tool storage. A more compact solution I've been thinking about is some kind of cabinet that contains panels all hinged at one side so you can flick through them and find the tools you want without using all your wall space. Kind of like the flipper things you see posters displayed in in the shops. It's just an idea, I'll think about it for a year or two then maybe get round to making one 

If that makes any kind of sense, i'll be amazed.
I'm off to bed now.
J


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## Shultzy (31 Mar 2007)

J, perhaps this may be of use for your tools

http://www.rd.com/americanwoodworker/ar ... tentId=405


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## Fizzy (31 Mar 2007)

TonyW":131968od said:


> not seen a badgers bottom so cannot compare



If you need to compare I can go 300 yards down the road and bring you back a couple of pics as we have 2 dead flattened ones at the side of the road. 

Good work Byron  and once you get your planner going you will not even need to paint it as it will get covered in sawdust and look like a shop bought one :lol: :lol: :lol:


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