Awkward Space Storage Solutions?

[supertom44]

In my workshop I have an alcove under where my stairs are and I wanna utilise this space better, note the shelf has since been removed.


It's 1 metre deep, but due to the sloped roof it's quite an awkward space.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to best utilise this space?

Idea's I've had so far:

• Deep drawers, probably inset them 400mm or so, so that they'd be 600mm deep and only extrude from door way 200mm or something.
• A recessed door with storage on the outside, then junk hidden storage behind it.
• Shelves that run the depth of the space, but are on runners so they slide outwards - concerned about weight on the drawer runners.
• Machine storage, something like drill press or sharpening station, but on slides so I can pull it out of the recess to get full access. Probably with foldable legs for added support.
• More shelves for more lumber storage

Looking for inspiration on any other ideas on how to use this space.

 

[Ozi]

I's go for draws on runners. There are some very strong runners about, the draw in my bench is strong enough to stand in.

 

[Ozi]

lots of makes around, think these were the ones I used, draw bottom from 9mm ply with 20 mm x 10 mm steel tube to reinforce as that's what I had.

 

[Ozi]

Unless you have some very heavy things to store, possibly to keep the cost down build something like a set of deep shelves that run out on one set of runners so that you have access from 3 sides if you need to get things from the back or like me can never remember exactly where things are

 

[JSW]

Make some timber beer crate sized boxes out of 3mm MDF grooved on the table saw into (say) 40x10mm strips of timber. Form these into panels, screw together, cut a hand hold on each side, 6mm ply base.
Then knock up some dollies, stack the crates on the dollies, wheel in and out as needed.

That step will be the biggest problem, either make a 'landing area' for the dollies to roll onto, or a ramp.

Not a fan of drawers in this kind of situation, there will always be something in the way of opening partly or fully, and you'll find yourself constantly opening and closing to find whatever you're looking for.

The shelf just needs redoing to be a bit more organised, but the idea is sound.

Edit. Forgot to add - little timber locating block tacked to the underside of the ply base so the 'beer crate' boxes locate into each other for stacking, you'd easily get 8 crates into that main area, nevermind the dog leg return, that's a LOT of storage!

Obviously make the crates to suit your needs, don't have to be beer crate size

 

[niall Y]

I have a wooden rack I built to house those plastic crates with the interlocking lids, that delivery firms use a lot. I purchased a whole load to help with moving my workshop. And, I've now incorporated them into my present one on a purpose made rack.
You can easily slide the bottom ones out, and if you need access to the higher ones you pull the lower ones out and stack the others on top , as they are designed for stacking.

 

[ChaiLatte]

As above by JSW, if there were a way to build up the outside (where the orange lead is shown), that would allow some wheeled trolleys to be used. Pull the front one out onto the platform and then reach in to retrieve the one tucked under the lowest part of the stair soffit.

The platform perhaps could fold up like a drawbridge.

 

[Sideways]

Do you have a workmate or big tools in toolboxes ?
I'd be slotting my workmate in against the RHS wall, bulky cases like the portable bandsaw and mag drill likewise and to the left. Systainers maybe in the middle, two deep isn't a problem for tools that you don't use every single day. On a dolley is nice, but if you have a flat floor and flat shelf with a smooth surface like formica, toolboxes slide on that easily to be pushed in, pulled out.
With a better shelf where the old one was, you could have stanley or milwaukee type clear top organiser cases with your selections of screws and bolts. Again standing on the back edge, these can be pulled out instead of having to be stacked and unstacked to find the screw you want.
Maybe there is room to tuck your shop vac in there, on the bottom or up on the shelf. That needs a long enough hose and it needs enough space around for the hot air from the vent to get out. When you are short of space, a vac often ends up in one place and only moved occasionally.

 

[supertom44]

Some great ideas thanks.

I like the idea of having dollies with stackable boxes, I have a series of systainers I can use for some of my tools and then can make some wooden crates for general storage.

The step is the big issue, I might create a small create that is the same height as the step and have a ramp on the one end of it.
I can't ramp directly outwards (towards the camera) due to table saw being there so I need to ramp off to the side.

 

[JSW]

The step is the big issue, I might create a small create that is the same height as the step and have a ramp on the one end of it.

You could just use the dollies/crates idea to bring each one forward in turn, then stack to one side of the doorway to gain access to the one you're after.

Another Edit. This idea works BTW as it's the exact setup I have for understairs storage in the house.

'Beer Crate' (400w x 260d x 270h)
Inspired by @petermillard shaker style doors

 

[supertom44]

You could just use the dollies/crates idea to bring each one forward in turn, then stack to one side of the doorway to gain access to the one you're after.

Another Edit. This idea works BTW as it's the exact setup I have for understairs storage in the house.

View attachment 187778

'Beer Crate' (400w x 260d x 270h)
Inspired by @petermillard shaker style doors

That's kinda what I'm thinking now, leave enough space at the front so I can slide them out, rotate them around, de-stack etc to get access to what I need.

 

[Doug71]

If you like systainers there are still plenty of used SYS 5 on Ebay at £20 each, you could maybe design something around them.

I keep thinking of getting a few and converting some to have drawers or be open topped etc

 

[Orraloon]

Regardless of storage systems Its bare block and brick so damp may be a problem. Keeping it open with air circulation would be the way I would go. I would not be putting good tools in there. That said let no space go to waste just think about goes in there.
Regards
John

 

[Sideways]

Old 1st gen dewalt toughboxes dw150 are only about £15 each these days.
Some of the strongest boxes out there and they are airtight when closed. Very useful in a damp workshop.

 

[supertom44]

Some scrap plywood, casters and 3d printed mounts and we have a systainer trolly.

I can fit another one beside it if I rotate it sideways. Can also fit one more in front if I'm happy to slide it aside to get to the others.

No decided if I'm going to add the lumber rack shelf back in yet or not

 

[Cabinetman]

Bit late to this, it can be useful when organising storage to bring things together as trades/jobs, so that you have a box for plastering another for plumbing etc.
Ian

 

[Molynoox]

Old 1st gen dewalt toughboxes dw150 are only about £15 each these days.
Some of the strongest boxes out there and they are airtight when closed. Very useful in a damp workshop.
View attachment 187803

That's very cheap

Just be very careful not to confuse the two dewalt systems when buying though. Toughsystem vs Tstack. I personally dislike Tstack dewalt boxes for one primary reason; the metal clips! I fnd them fiddly and slow to use and they often end up failing over time. I see guys on site with them all the time and in at least 50% of the cases, at least one of the metal clips are broken.

The newer systems you see on packout and also latest dewalt boxes (toughsystem2) is far nicer to use and is more durable. I think the toughsystem gen1 that sideways showed above is something of a middle ground as it has the nice boxes but still metal clips, although they are better than the Tstack clips.

But then the newer designs are not £15 each

 

[TRITON]

What would be handy is perhaps something like a table saw on runners. So you could slide it out.
Plus that's not going to use all the space and there'd be room left over for box storage.

 

[Jameshow]

You could eat some supermarket delivery crates and a dolly to suit? Some much have escaped the stores and ended up on eBay!

I have a few Safeway ones. But no dolly!

 

[Sideways]

The newer systems you see on packout and also latest dewalt boxes (toughsystem2) is far nicer to use and is more durable. I think the toughsystem gen1 that sideways showed above is something of a middle ground as it has the nice boxes but still metal clips, although they are better than the Tstack clips.

But then the newer designs are not £15 each

I agree, the tstack boxes are much much more flimsy than toughboxes. Toughboxes you can stand on without a second though.
Proportions are different too - tstack are narrower, more Systainer shaped.
Like you, I prefer the latches of the 2nd gen toughboxes and best of all the packouts. They have a nicer feel but I don't think there is any issue with the strength of the Toughbox 1 latch. They are chunky and fairly stiff to use. I think that was why they were replaced, not weakness. My only real criticism is that Dewalt's bright zinc plate is vapour thin and evaporates the day after the guarantee runs out !