Project Information
I decided to build this case not only to store my tools somewhere safe but to practice lots of different techniques.
The cabinet is all solid cherry except for the back (1/2" cherry ply) and the drawer bottoms (1/4" cherry ply). The case and door frame are dovetailed. All of the shelves in the carcase are sliding dovetails (steep learning curve on that one!!). The outer doors are mortise & tenon frame & panel and the inner doors are solid panels with pegged breadboard ends. The drawers are through dovetails. The cabinet is hung on french cleats and then bolted to the studs in the wall behind (no room for accidents). It is all finished in a product from the UK called hard wax oil.
I based the design on the plywood tool cupboard featured in fine woodworking (http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopPDF.aspx?id=27574) but that design was too deep for my shop so I had the planes going side to side on shelves rather than front to back in cubbies. It works really well for me. I have also taken lots of ideas from all of the really great tool storage ideas here on LJ.
All of the tool holders are custom made for the tool. This takes forever :-[ . I have been working on this on and off for about a year and a half (between other projects yet to get posted on LJ). I reckon that a good proportion of that time has been taken up making fiddly holders for my squares, hammers, chisels etc. However, once done it is great because everything has a place and you can tell if something has gone walkabout. You can see that there is still some space left to fit more tools - always a very important feature of a tool cabinet!! ;-)
Anyway, I had great fun making this and will continue to enjoy tweaking it and fitting new tools. All comments, critiques and questions are welcome and much appreciated.
The cabinet is all solid cherry except for the back (1/2" cherry ply) and the drawer bottoms (1/4" cherry ply). The case and door frame are dovetailed. All of the shelves in the carcase are sliding dovetails (steep learning curve on that one!!). The outer doors are mortise & tenon frame & panel and the inner doors are solid panels with pegged breadboard ends. The drawers are through dovetails. The cabinet is hung on french cleats and then bolted to the studs in the wall behind (no room for accidents). It is all finished in a product from the UK called hard wax oil.
I based the design on the plywood tool cupboard featured in fine woodworking (http://www.finewoodworking.com/Workshop/WorkshopPDF.aspx?id=27574) but that design was too deep for my shop so I had the planes going side to side on shelves rather than front to back in cubbies. It works really well for me. I have also taken lots of ideas from all of the really great tool storage ideas here on LJ.
All of the tool holders are custom made for the tool. This takes forever :-[ . I have been working on this on and off for about a year and a half (between other projects yet to get posted on LJ). I reckon that a good proportion of that time has been taken up making fiddly holders for my squares, hammers, chisels etc. However, once done it is great because everything has a place and you can tell if something has gone walkabout. You can see that there is still some space left to fit more tools - always a very important feature of a tool cabinet!! ;-)
Anyway, I had great fun making this and will continue to enjoy tweaking it and fitting new tools. All comments, critiques and questions are welcome and much appreciated.