| Project by Lenny | posted 120 days ago | 1082 views | 14 times favorited | 22 comments |  |
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This is the first project I made on the new table saw I got back in May(PM2000). I saw the tool cabinet in a Wood magazine a few years ago (Issue #172, October 2006) and decided I would make it one day. While not named as such in the Wood article, I have heard this design referred to as “clamshell” for obvious reasons. I can’t remember who, but I have seen a post on this project by another LJer. As you can see from the “before” picture, I had my hand tools hanging on peg board, sprawled across a section of wall measuring about 5 feet. This tool cabinet allows storage on both sides of all four doors plus the entire back of the unit which measures about 31” square. There’s lots of storage space all within a relatively small footprint. It measures just 12 5/8” deep and houses all four doors when closed. Although only one is pictured, there are two adjustable shelves. It hangs on the wall via a 1 ½” wide cleat that has a 45 degree bevel. This gets attached to the wall with screws. I was able to catch two wall studs along its 31” length and my walls are made from T-111 panels so there was a pretty solid base for the other screws. A matching cleat is attached to the rear top of the cabinet. The unit is quite heavy with all four doors attached but I was able to stand on my wall mounted workbench and hoist it into place by myself.
The cabinet is made from one 4’x8’ sheet of birch plywood and a 4’x8’ sheet of pegboard. The plans call for ¼” pegboard but the home center only had it in 3/16”so that’s what I went with. Glue and screws hold the basic unit and the doors together and the doors are hung on lengths of piano hinge. The doors are held closed with magnetic catches. The design is well thought out and there is not much room for play when all the doors are closed. As you can see, there is quite a gap between the closed doors. This is because they are not intended to be opened simultaneously and given there 4 1/8” width, they would not be able to pass by each other without sufficient space. Below, I show how the doors are constructed.
There is a gap of about 5/8” between two sheets of pegboard. This allows room for the hooks, etc. to hang on both sides of each door.
This shows the two pieces of pegboard with the gap in between. You can also see the rabbet cut in the side piece to receive the top.
And the finished door.
I applied three coats of Minwax wipe-on poly with light sanding in between. All the tools that were hanging on the pegboard in the “before” picture, except for a few clamps, are in/on the cabinet with plenty of room to spare. I have also placed two cordless drills, bottles of glue and wood filler materials in it. I placed the most frequently used hand tools to the outside and the lesser used to the inside (drills are an exception). I am happy with the results. It makes for a neater and more organized shop.
As a footnote, this is the first project I ever made on a table saw and I learned a lot while making it. For example, I had resolved to use the blade guard and riving knife for everything. Well I learned that if you’re not making a through cut, like the grooves in the doors for the pegboard , you can’t do that on a table saw without the guard and riving knife removed. I will still operate the saw as safely as possible and employ the safety features whenever possible but that was an eye opener for me. In short, I just love the table saw! It is such a versatile and accurate tool and a pleasure to use. Thanks for stopping by and checking out this post.
-- And on the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop!
22 comments so far
Don K.
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1095 posts in 220 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny,
Great looking tool house..well made and strong. I may steal your idea and make me a few. I have one sheet of peg on a wall….but most of my hand tools are in tool boxes and my tool room. WOuld be nice to have them all closer.
-- Don S.E. OK
Don K.
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1095 posts in 220 days
posted 120 days ago
By the way…looks like you have a nice shop with some nice tools….when are we going to see some shop pics ???
-- Don S.E. OK
jockmike2
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7302 posts in 1140 days
posted 120 days ago
Great job, nice organizer. I’m in the process now of cleaning up my mess and it’s been quite a challenge.
-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com
John Gray
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1751 posts in 779 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny you outdid yourself again. Very nice cabinet.
John Gray
PS – Lenny my dust collector is finally finished, I’ll be sending you some pictures.
-- Only the Shadow knows....................
SnowyRiver
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3368 posts in 374 days
posted 120 days ago
Looks nice. Very nice storage unit. Great job.
-- Wayne - Plymouth MN
Beginningwoodworker
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4132 posts in 566 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny thats a nice tool cabinet.
-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker
PurpLev
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2745 posts in 542 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny, this looks much better than the tools spreading across the entire wall! you’ll enjoy the organization of it as well for years to come.
looks good!
-- When in doubt - There is no doubt - Go the safer route.
Ben
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72 posts in 607 days
posted 120 days ago
This a great idea and you executed it perfectly. Thanks for the post.
-- Do something nice for somebody
Lenny
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126 posts in 420 days
posted 120 days ago
Thanks for the nice comments everyone. Don, I guess I never got around to posting pictures of the shop and will have to do so. John, nice to hear from you and I look forward to pictures of your DC system.
-- And on the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop!
Splinterman
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4826 posts in 255 days
posted 120 days ago
Hey Lenny,
Nice neat job and very functional…..well done.
-- I will just keep doing it till I get it right.
Scott Bryan
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20603 posts in 715 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny, this is a nice addition to your shop. These type of cabinets are great in that they help organize a ton of hand tools while taking up a relative small footprint.
Glad to see that your are putting your saw to work! :)
I also like the wood sheeting that you put on your shop wall. This makes hanging a cabinet, like this one which I am sure is heavy, pretty straight-forward.
-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.
CharlieM1958
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7618 posts in 1112 days
posted 120 days ago
Best compliment I can give you… I’v been here almost 1,000 days and have only “favorited” about a half-dozen projects. You just made that list. Thanks.
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Innovator
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3125 posts in 307 days
posted 120 days ago
Nice use of space.
-- Whether You Think You Can or You Think You Can't, YOU ARE RIGHT!!!
deucefour
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80 posts in 147 days
posted 120 days ago
Nice, I’ll be adding this to the list of to-do’s
-- "I gotta have more cowbell"--------Bruce Dickinson
Napaman
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3482 posts in 970 days
posted 120 days ago
great project…this is going in my favorites…because as i re-do my shop I will build some cabinets…I love how you got to use your table saw and learned so much…
great photos so we can all learn…
By the way—-that 5 foot piece of pegboard on the wall…that is my exact set-up now…and the damn hooks always come out…sooooooon….working on my new table tops this week!!!!
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
huff
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1610 posts in 178 days
posted 120 days ago
Lenny, Looks like you put your “dream saw” to good use. You did a great job on your storage cabinet, everything looks so neat and orderly! Keep up the good work and keep those projects coming. Thanks for posting.
-- John @ Myrtle Beach
Lenny
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126 posts in 420 days
posted 120 days ago
Thanks guys. Scott, I got the idea of using wood of a decent thickness as my shop walls from Norm. In a series of NYW shows, he demonstrated a build or rebuild of a shop and he went with wooden walls that were at least 5/8” thick so in the event you don’t catch a stud, you still have substantial support. CharlieM, thanks for that fine compliment. I will humbly say it is really the Wood magazine writer who deserves the compliment. Napaman, how are you buddy? Regarding the hooks on your pegboard, get the wife to let you spend $2.00 on the plastic things that hold the hooks in. The ones I have are called “peg locks”.
-- And on the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop!
Jamie
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138 posts in 154 days
posted 120 days ago
My wall looks like the before picture. Thanks for the inspiration.
-- "Preach the gospel always. If necessary use words" -St Francis of Assisi
dbhost
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608 posts in 125 days
posted 120 days ago
My wall looks WORSE than the before pic. I have 2 of these in the shop projects queue…. Great to see one of them done and in use.
It’s nice to see a shop organization project come together successfully. I like the clear poly finish too. Good protection, and that BB ply has a great look to it to boot!
Congrats on a great project, and thanks for the inspiration!
-- Trying to follow the example of the master.
savannah505
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978 posts in 480 days
posted 119 days ago
Nice job Lenny, I actually designed something like this myself many years ago, never knew there were plans anywhere, I should post mine someday.
-- Dan Wiggins
Rxmpo
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119 posts in 639 days
posted 118 days ago
A new dust collection system, a new table saw, and now you made a new cabinet so your tools are well organized???
Lenny, this is really starting to get a little out of hand…haha
Great job Lenny, very nice execution!
Mike
Lenny
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126 posts in 420 days
posted 117 days ago
Again, thanks guys for the kind words and support. I am glad to hear this project is moving folks to do some organizing. Gee Mike, dare I say I may be on a roll? Let’s call it a short hitting streak! Thanks.
-- And on the eighth day God was back in His woodworking shop!