Wall Hung Toolbox

moving stuff to get inside might drive you crazy after a while .. BUT… it sure does look beautiful!!!! That might counteract the frustration.
Looks like it holds a lot of tools . Beautiful

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Your cabinet is well made and very organized. I see your problem on the right. Maybe you could convert your doors into a sliding type of door instead of the piano hinges. This way you could slide the door to the left to access the right side of your cabinet. Of course, it will block your window if you do this and if you build a frame that slides on some runners attached to your cabinet, then you could attach the doors to it with the piano hinges, so you don’t loose the storage on the doors. I hope this is making sense. The frame would slide to the left and the left and right doors could open, thus revealing the tools behind the doors, thus you would have cleared your shelves. I don’t know if a sliding dove tail on the top and bottom of the frame would be the way to go or maybe use some type of sliding door hardware. I hope this may stir some ideas that will help you realize the full potential of your toolbox. It looks like you have enough room on the top and bottom to add some boards that will allow this.

-- Jesus is Lord!

This is definately an inspiration for me. I’ve been thinking real hard about tools storage solutions. I like how you have individually fitted the mounting blocks for all of the tools. Lots of good ideas.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Nice cabinet, too bad that it can’t be used usefully for its original intention.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Debbie – Thanks for you comments. I will probably just pull that right door off for now – or reconfigure my shelves on the right. Then, if left open all the time like the left side is, I’ll be peachy!

oscorner – good idea…not sure that I’m going to put that much more effort into it, but I do get what you’re saying. It may be a bit hardware intensive, as I would guess that sliding dovetails would bind under the weight, and would have to go with the hardware option. Also, not concerned about that window, which looks into the woodshed and lets in no light! I opted to block that window.

Wayne – I probably could’ve been smarter about tool layout, but I just put them where I wanted to get to them. For instance, the planes could all be sideways to take up less room, but didn’t want to do that. There’s a lot of room in the case, I don’t have a ton of tools, and it’s the kind of case that you don’t mind making changes to if and when needed.

Karson – I’m using it – intentionally! I didn’t build it just for my existing conditions. I’m building for the future! I think I’m in this shop for another few, but wanted to get a larger cabinet together to take with me. I’ll be using the same doors on a deeper wall hung cabinet in the future – just couldn’t maximize potential with my current situation. Ideally, I’d like to have a bench away from the wall with the cabinet behind me.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Dorje, great toolbox. If you look at my shop pictures I think I need just this sort of thing right above my bench. I’m not happy with what is there now. I like the dimensions of what you’ve done and your execution. I’ll run into the same problem with the piano hinge, so I think I’ll use the sliding door option. I have a storage room behind that wall, so I think I’ll build a header and just push the entire chest back into the wall. Anyway, great idea that sparked an idea for my shop. Thanks for sharing!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Nice work for your storage. It has to be a step up even if its not perfict for table space. My tools should be so lucky, they get a used candy rack.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

very cool…I now want to go out and look at my walls…I am far off from a dedicated space…but looking to the future for at least one end of my garage to be dedicated to my shop…very nice job even though you have run into some issues with the finished product…all your work is beautiful!

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

It sure beats my pegboard with hooks that keep falling out when I select a tool.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/

Very nice….A box like this is high on my things to make list. I want to make one that I can hang from a french cleat in the shop and move outside when I’m in my “bigger” shop. I definitley need to get organized. If nothing else when my wife or kids borrow a tool (shudder) they will know where to put it back…no more excuses about Dad’s messy shop.

I like this one in FWW http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011188040.pdf but I don’t think I’ll build one as deep, it would take up 1/3 of my shop.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

I guess I am going to have to subscribe to the FWW on-line site. Feels like I’m missing some good stuff.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

great looking toolbox, could you put things in that door that you could lift overhead. I was thinking maybe a couple of those compression lifts and hinge it on top and lift it overhead. Then figure out someway to use that tool space. Just another thought. Wish I had one like it, I’d find someplace for it. So if you get to frustrated my address is …......... jockmike

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

Bob – I like that one too – I especially like this one

(for those that don’t subscribe to FWW – this is the page before opening the pdf, so it’ll be small, but you should be able to see it!)

Mike – If I lifted it overhead, I’d still have a problem with things on the bench. Think I’ll take it off for now. or find a way to swing it all the way open.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Someday… ah, someday… I’ll have a “proper” hand tool bench, and I would love to have one of these hanging over it.

Beautiful work, Dorje. May it inspire you to reach inside, grab your favorite plane, and build something.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

Dorje – This is a great box! It beats the heck out my pegboard!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Dorje
I saw a cabinet that had the doors on slides. ( take off the right door and face it inside out: tool showing.) The slides allowed the guy to just slide the door over to the opposite side of the tools he wanted to access. That way swing is not a problem, all the tools are exposed (doesn’t keep dust off ‘em) and you can store a lot of stuff in a small space. Keep the lighter tools on the sliding doors. Just some thoughts for your next go ‘round.

David
(I’m up here on Camano)

-- Islandwoodworker@Gmail.com

Hi,

Looks great.

Are those barometers on the top? or some form of humidity meters?

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

Sorry Dorje, just re-read my comment, it seems a little, blunt, did not mean it to read that way

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

David - I’m still on this go round and things can certainly change! I really like your suggestion of turning the right door around and installing it on sliders…(any hardware suggestions?)... The only problem is that the tools in the two main compartments sit proud of the “wall” and need that extra space that the 3.5” door gives them…I always leave the left side open, and suppose I could reconfigure the storage so the two big planes are flush in the case not proud of the “wall” line…and the extra door could slide from the left side and over the left door…hmmm…

The right door is actually off of there right now and the right side is full of striking tools (that are all proud of the wall) and some small saws, etc.

Yettiman - Sounded fine to me! Yes – the gauges above the case are a hygrometer (humidity) and temp, to give me a sense of moisture content…I keep a chart in the shop to refer to given those two factors…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

That really is a very attractive tool storage wall unit. Could the left door be reversed and inverted for mounting to the center stud. Both doors would swing right. Possibly a quick fix for issues with door vs. bench placement. You’ll know when you have optimal solution. Just throwing ideas around.

-- Ciao, gth.

Gus - Optimum at this point has been no right door, but I’d really like to incorporate it somehow…I’m not sure I follow what you’re suggesting…or I’m not sure that I could visualize it working given the dimensions of the case…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Beautiful work Dorje!

I was planning to have a Shop day some weekend, and have you and DamnHippie over to build some hand planes.

-- When my wife ask's what I have to show for my wood working hobby, I just show her the splinters.

Chardt – This case design was pretty silly; but, I’ve since reconfigured the shelves on the right side and now keep the doors open all the time, which gives me 4 inset areas for tool storage above/behind the bench. I should update pics of the set up. Hopefully in the next few days.

Making planes sounds like fun…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA