TOOL STORAGE CABINETS & RACKS... WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE NOT DONE BUYING???

[BentonTool]

Brothers... I HAVE A PROBLEM!
You may have noticed that all my tool cabinets and racks are rather GENERIC... boxy, universal, non-specific, all-purpose...
I love all those French-fitted tool cabinets, and am decidedly a proponent of "a place for everything and everything in its place"...
Yet, I dread form-fitting any tool cabinet because I know that the next day I will find a tool that I like better...
then I have to redo the whole thing!
Does anyone else have my affliction?
Is there a cure for this malady?

 

[JSW]

I have the same problem, then awhile ago I discovered the solution.

Every thing I make is a prototype

 

[Orraloon]

Got the same problem. It's why I have avoided tool chests, those cabinets where everything has its custom made place and shadow boards. Nice and ordered as they look soon as another tool arrives it upends the system. If you can say thats the set of tools that will do me for life then go ahead and build that show piece cabinet. Knowing I an not the tidiest woodworker I like to be able to shift things around and have options. I would not call it a malady and I dont need a cure for it either. I call it being practical.
Regards
John

 

[Doug B]

I tend to use drawers for the majority of hand tools that aren’t in daily use in the workshop, I don’t fit the drawers out the tools are just put in loose so it doesn’t matter if I need to add to them.
For daily use hand tools they are on a tool wall behind my bench here again whilst they have their own fixture that fixture will fit anywhere on the tool wall due to the simplicity of its design.

All the fixtures cantilever between the horizontal slats so if I need to add a tool it’s just a matter of cutting a piece of 3/4” pine to suite the new tool & fitting it into a slot.
Really simple & continually evolving the photo above was taken 6 years ago, today the layout is considerably different.

 

[BentonTool]

Yes... thank you all... for the moral support and confirmation. Perhaps I am not an outlier (as I once thought!).
Decades ago, I built the tool cabinet below, from pallet (foreign) wood and dumpster plywood finds, based on plans from an article by Tage Frid (RIP). IMO, it has much going for it, including versatility. Tage said he would fill the drawers with all manner of chisels, etc., and whilst working on a project, would simply pull the drawer out and take it to the bench.
I do not do that, as I could not spare the bench-top space. I may now try this as I made counter-top space available. The top cubicle of the cabinet is supposed to be for jointer planes, but is far too shallow for most of my jointers.
Aside from that, I like it, and later added a base of similar construction, but on wheels. Being able to move it around is a huge asset.
The pictures are quite old, and my cabinets have also changed in the interim.

 

[niall Y]

Perhaps you could implement a " One in , one out policy" that way everything would stay in balance

. Governments could operate a similar policy with laws - for every new law passed, an old one should be removed from the statute books. In both cases, It would concentrate the mind wonderfully, and properly informed choices would have to be made.

Mind you, I can't this happening - at least not in my workshop.

 

[Yojevol]

I was going to say something similar to @niall Y but he got there first. I would just add that my philosophy is that if I haven't used it in the last 5 years, it's a prime candidate for for the big E. I realise that this might be a big ask for @bentontool to accept as a lifestyle choice.
Never mind, it takes all sorts........
Brian

 

[JSW]

@Doug B, is that a Vaughan I spy in your tool wall?

 

[Doug B]

@Doug B, is that a Vaughan I spy in your tool wall?

It’s a Douglas Hammer

 

[JSW]

It’s a Douglas Hammer

Ah that's a new one on me, quality hammers by the looks, quality price also!

 

[HamsterJam]

I have peg boards for regularly used tools. These can be rearranged to suit new/replacement tools.

 

[stuart little]

I once bought a cheap hammer, first time use it broke, so returned it to the shop. The lass in customer service asked; "Did you hit something with it?" - "Yes, of course I did". ; "In that case, there's nothing we can do-sorry."

 

[Doug B]

Ah that's a new one on me, quality hammers by the looks, quality price also!

I bought the hammer second hand from a forum member 14 years ago mainly because it shared my name but I’m glad I did as it’s a super hammer very nice to use, I even prefer it to the Estwing I have in the van & that’s saying something as that’s a lovely hammer too.
As for the brand Todd Douglas Coonrad designed & made them & does again I believe (?) but there was a time when he didn’t & the design then was made by several other companies including Vaughan presumably under license.

 

[Deadeye]

I tend to use drawers for the majority of hand tools that aren’t in daily use in the workshop, I don’t fit the drawers out the tools are just put in loose so it doesn’t matter if I need to add to them.
For daily use hand tools they are on a tool wall behind my bench here again whilst they have their own fixture that fixture will fit anywhere on the tool wall due to the simplicity of its design.


View attachment 180422


All the fixtures cantilever between the horizontal slats so if I need to add a tool it’s just a matter of cutting a piece of 3/4” pine to suite the new tool & fitting it into a slot.
Really simple & continually evolving the photo above was taken 6 years ago, today the layout is considerably different.

Nice
But you have n-1 tape measures

 

[thetyreman]

time is too precious to me to be bothered making french fitted drawers, they would be nice but then I think what if I were to sell this tool or change it? so I just stick with open trays in the toolchest and also use a drawer a lot in my workbench for my most used tools, it's not perfect but it's much better than what I had before.

 

[Orraloon]

I have peg boards for regularly used tools. These can be rearranged to suit new/replacement tools.

When I set up my shed 20 years ago I went with pegboard for the same reason. Time however has shown me some if it's weak points. Some of the holes get enlarged and those wire clip thingies are not always just what you want for some items. I am bit by bit overlaying it with french cleats. Mind you I have been rearranging my workspace most of my life so likely that perfect system will always be just out of reach.
Regards
John

 

[Molynoox]

I tend to use drawers for the majority of hand tools that aren’t in daily use in the workshop, I don’t fit the drawers out the tools are just put in loose so it doesn’t matter if I need to add to them.
For daily use hand tools they are on a tool wall behind my bench here again whilst they have their own fixture that fixture will fit anywhere on the tool wall due to the simplicity of its design.


View attachment 180422


All the fixtures cantilever between the horizontal slats so if I need to add a tool it’s just a matter of cutting a piece of 3/4” pine to suite the new tool & fitting it into a slot.
Really simple & continually evolving the photo above was taken 6 years ago, today the layout is considerably different.

I've never seen this before, seems like a really nice solution.

I'm using french cleats which are great but arguably not a simple as your method

Are there any disadvantages in use versus french cleats? I guess they are not quite as easy to take out as cleats....

 

[Ozi]

I tend to use drawers for the majority of hand tools that aren’t in daily use in the workshop, I don’t fit the drawers out the tools are just put in loose so it doesn’t matter if I need to add to them.
For daily use hand tools they are on a tool wall behind my bench here again whilst they have their own fixture that fixture will fit anywhere on the tool wall due to the simplicity of its design.


View attachment 180422


All the fixtures cantilever between the horizontal slats so if I need to add a tool it’s just a matter of cutting a piece of 3/4” pine to suite the new tool & fitting it into a slot.
Really simple & continually evolving the photo above was taken 6 years ago, today the layout is considerably different.

Wow, wish I was that organized. Word of warning if you keep to many tape measures together they all turn into Stanley knives.

 

[Doug B]

I've never seen this before, seems like a really nice solution.

I'm using french cleats which are great but arguably not a simple as your method

Are there any disadvantages in use versus french cleats? I guess they are not quite as easy to take out as cleats....

I’ve not used French cleats but can’t imagine there’s much difference, my fixtures just slide between the slats & a French cleat just hooks on both pretty simple.

 

[Doug B]

Wow, wish I was that organized. Word of warning if you keep to many tape measures together they all turn into Stanley knives.

The thing is tape measures always disappear just like pencils so they might have been together for the photo but you can bet 20 minutes later I was searching high & low for one