Toolboard

[dance]

Hi!

Having finally found somewhere to play host to my little woodshop, I'm going to make some tool boards.

I presume plywood is the easiest and best solution, but what is the absolute cheapest suitable board and what size is manageable yet still useful for this purpose?

As for actually fixing the tools to the board I thought maybe thin dowels instead of screws for aesthetic reasons.

What do people make the little shelves from that you might sit a plane on? Pine or more plywood? Do they tend to be dowelled onto the big board?

If I'm missing a tutorial somewhere please don't hesitate to point me in the direction of it...

Thanks!

 

[Lons]

Not the most aesthetic solution but you did ask for the cheapest :lol:

Look around for a local kitchen manufacturer. Has to be a small operation usually in a nursery unit on one of the industrial estates.

As long as they make their own carcases, they throw away loads of melamine faced chipboard offcuts. they will be various colours and grains but many will be decent sizes. AND FREE

Depends if you want free, functional but uncool or a "bit of furniture" you can be proud of

Bob

 

[marcus]

Hi,

Here's a quick and dirty shelf which is strong and works well at any size you want to make it.

You just glue and screw the batten and braces to the shelf, then screw the batten to your toolboard or wall like this:

If you want to make it stronger (or prevent sag in an mdf shelf) you can screw and glue a batten along the front edge. It's well worth making this batten stand a bit proud of the top face of the shelf so it creates a lip to prevent things falling off.....

If you can possibly find some scraps of plywood (even shutter ply would be fine) for the tool board it would be well worth it. The biggest you can find/afford, and can fit into the workshop I would say!

Cheers

Marcus

 

[AndyT]

The other cheap (ie free) option is skips, or anyone chucking out old wardrobes etc. Chipboard isn't lovely, but it will take nails, screws, cuphooks, terry clips, dowels, odd little shelves etc.

If you are in a hurry and don't like the idea of giving people some free space in thier expensive skips, you could look for a local wood recycling project.

There are quite a few of these now, gathering up offcuts or surplus materials, sorting them out, and selling them at low/negotiable prices.

Lots more info here: http://www.communitywoodrecycling.org.uk/

 

[Melinda_dd]

Gutted, there isn't a wood recycle place anywhere near me!!

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Gutted, there isn't a wood recycle place anywhere near me!!

Nor me (hammer)

 

[RogerP]

Gutted, there isn't a wood recycle place anywhere near me!!

Nor me (hammer)

Nearest for me is a 2 hour round trip and 4 gallons of petrol away ...

 

[AndyT]

There's lots of info on that site on how to start one yourself!

Just think - you'd be saving a huge amount of good material from being wasted, and you'd have first pick of the best bits!

 

[miles_hot]

if anyone wants some sheets of tool board (stuff with holes in) they are welcome to them (I think I've still got a full 8x4' as well as the stuff on the wall) - collected from me near Swindon...

Miles

 

[jimi43]

I'm surprised there isn't one in Kent! Is this an opportunity or an albatross?

Jim

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Look on youtube for 'The Wood Whisperer', on his channel is a French Cleat system that he stores all his tools on, it's very adaptable and you can use any materials. It's what I'm gonna use when I kit my shop out soon.

Worth a look if you have the time mate. _Dan.