I built a large hardware storage cabinet to house an assortment of fine thread bolts.
My friend builds custom cars in his shop.
In order to secure these expensive nuts, bolts and washers, he hired me to build a cabinet to lock them up when he isn’t around.
The assortment came with a large blue rack with a lot of bins for all the different fasteners.
This rack is made in three parts that will slide right into my cabinet.
If you’ve followed my blog, I built the Table saw island for the same shop and friend.
I built this shelf out of lite Mdf and some birch plywood.
I also put some scraps of pine for the very bottom base, just in case the floor got wet.
I challenged myself with the paneled doors, I have never built cabinet doors this big or with multiple panels.
These doors are nothing special, but I enjoyed putting in a little more effort to get a nicer looking set of doors.
To best support these 74”x 19” doors I used three pair of concealed hinges.
You will notice I came up with a last minute idea to make a hidden compartment in the top of the cabinet.
I haven’t figured out how to lock it yet.
The bottom of the compartment has birch ply too.
This monster cabinet measures 83” x40.5” and 14.5” deep.
I still need to pick up some 1/4” mdf for the back panel before it will be delivered. 
In order to lock the cabinet I installed a cam lock in the left door.
Now the one key unlocks all 12 locks in the Table saw island and this storage cabinet too.
In the last picture you can see one of the door bolts I used to secure the top and bottom of the right side cabinet door.
In my next post I will take some photos of this cabinet with the hardware racks in place after delivery.
Stay tuned.
-- Aaron - central California "If you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?"
9 comments so far
b2rtch
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2958 posts in 1220 days
#1 posted 1031 days ago
It looks very nice, congratulations
-- Bert
UnionLabel
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660 posts in 1372 days
#2 posted 1031 days ago
I like it’s stance. I like the heft. Interesting on the lock system. I would like to hear more about that in a later post.
-- Methods are many,Principles are few.Methods change often,Principles never do.
Ecocandle
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1014 posts in 1238 days
#3 posted 1031 days ago
Wow, that is an awesome cabinet. I am sure he will be pleased with it, and show it off to all his friend.
-- Brian Meeks, http://extremelyaverage.com
nailbanger2
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661 posts in 1315 days
#4 posted 1031 days ago
Excellent design on the doors, and great build.
-- Wish I were Norm's Nephew
schloemoe
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684 posts in 1110 days
#5 posted 1031 days ago
Thats really nice…................................Schloemoe
-- schloemoe, Oregon , http://www. woodrehab.blogspot.com
BreakingBoardom
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613 posts in 1253 days
#6 posted 1031 days ago
Very nicely done. Seems like you’ve been keeping pretty busy building these days.
-- Matt - http://breakingboardom.wordpress.com/
559dustdesigns
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627 posts in 1339 days
#7 posted 1031 days ago
Thanks for the encouraging comments guys, this is no heirloom piece for a gallery but it should work great for securing hardware.
UnionLabel, Here is the information you requested.
I used a cam lock mounted in the left side door. Cam locks are basically just a common key cylinder lock with a lever or tab on the end. With this lock the lever is horizontal when unlocked. When the key is turned the lever is turned to the vertical position behind the bottom edge of the upper shelf preventing the door from opening. In order to secure the right side door I used door bolts top and bottom which must be locked before closing the left door. The only problem with this cabinet is the 3/4” mdf is not very ridged like hardwood so the left side door can be bent at the top and bottom. The cabinet is locked up but could easily be broken in to by braking my paneled doors in half. Today I install a magnetic catch that helps keep the bottom of the left door closed securely against the face frame.
-- Aaron - central California "If you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?"
559dustdesigns
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627 posts in 1339 days
#8 posted 1031 days ago
Here is the security hardware from Woodworkers Hardware that I ordered for this cabinet.
Door surface bolt and Cam lock
I was very happy with Woodworkers Hardware and their products and service. They supplied me with 95% of the hardware for the Table saw island, The four station desk and The hardware storage cabinet.
-- Aaron - central California "If you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you find the time to do it over?"
UnionLabel
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660 posts in 1372 days
#9 posted 1031 days ago
Thanks 559, I saw the lock in the middle of the door earlier and was wondering how you were making it work. I have a friend who is a European car mechanic and has his own shop. He had sheet steel mounted to the cinder block walls and has his metal hardware cabinets welded to the steel. Everything is under lock and key or welded to something to keep thieves from walking off with it. The old saying holds true, locks only keep honest people honest, but thieves will figure away around it.
-- Methods are many,Principles are few.Methods change often,Principles never do.
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