LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Wixey 8'' Digital Protractor  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Hanging tool cabinet

Project by Steamdonkey posted 678 days ago 1598 views 20 times favorited 34 comments Add to Favorites Watch

So I have a few hand tools, and I needed to get away from keeping them all over the shop on shelves and any other cluttered surface. I decided I needed to build a cabinet to hang on the wall near my bench. Since I have a ton of walnut I decided to build the case out of that. For the panels in the doors and the back I used VG fir and mahogany veneer glued to baltic birch ply. The inside is all vertical fir which I like for the light color. The tool “hooks” are all made from some curly maple scraps I had laying around.

A common problem I have is getting stuff I build for myself about 80% done before moving on. This project is no exception. I still need to add the finish, add a few more storage options, and add the remaining hardware. Fact is once I got it to this point I wanted to see how it looked with a bunch of tools in it and I haven’t looked back.


34 comments so far

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

9549 posts in 887 days


posted 678 days ago

Great looking cabinet. Lots of hand tools, that’s for sure.

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

View airfieldman's profile

airfieldman

71 posts in 710 days


posted 678 days ago

I hope you’ve included a small kneeling bench in front of it to pay proper homage each morning.
Very nice cabinet. Someday when I own my house, I’ll hope to have a shop that is comprable to this.

-- Do what you love, the money will follow --Marsha Sinetar

View mot's profile

mot

4904 posts in 935 days


posted 678 days ago

Nice collection of iron there, hos!

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

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

997 posts in 993 days


posted 678 days ago

Outstanding cabinet and collection! I like the hangers for the planes. It took me a second but then I noticed how deap the slots were for the knobs and then it made sense. Out of curiosity, where did you acquire most of your hand tools?

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Steamdonkey's profile

Steamdonkey

16 posts in 703 days


posted 678 days ago

Most of these came from farm auctions, some from swap meets, and some from friends, you could say I’m always looking. I think the first plane I bought was 13 years ago… if I had known what I know now I woud have bought more back them when they were easier to find and cheaper. In the last couple years I have been buying mostly new LV planes and replacement irons for the older Stanleys. Many of these in the cabinet still need to be fettled and some day I’ll get around to it, however you won’t see me getting as into it as many with repainting, etc., as long as they are tuned to work and flat I’m good. Those that have been tuned up really work well, but I prefer the newer A2 steel in the LV planes because it holds an edge longer and they are so close to perfect right out of the box.

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11335 posts in 773 days


posted 678 days ago

Nice toybox, and nice toys in it. Good job.

View Bob A in NJ's profile

Bob A in NJ

532 posts in 898 days


posted 677 days ago

Wow, enviable colecction, nice job on design and construction.

-- Bob A in NJ

View jeffthewoodwacker's profile

jeffthewoodwacker

487 posts in 703 days


posted 677 days ago

That is quite the cabinet. You must spend a little time on the sharpening stones to keep up with all those planes.

-- Those that say it can't be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

View Jiri Parkman's profile

Jiri Parkman

603 posts in 712 days


posted 677 days ago

That is really nice cabinet.

-- Jiri

View SPalm's profile

SPalm

951 posts in 781 days


posted 677 days ago

Very nice. But I will contest you as I always thought I was the king of 80% done.
Great collection.

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 861 days


posted 677 days ago

Well done, now finish it and show us the photos.

-- Thos. Angle

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

20780 posts in 721 days


posted 677 days ago

That is a really nice project to store and organize your hand tools. Without this you would be storing them (as I do) in drawers, the back of cabinets or they would be taking up scarce bench space. Great idea.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View Peter O's profile

Peter O

1027 posts in 773 days


posted 677 days ago

Based on the plane sitting on top of the cabinet, I’m guessing your collection continues to grow! Better start building another case! It’s really amazing how much can be stored in a fairly small space when it is well organized.

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

View RobS's profile

RobS

1243 posts in 1205 days


posted 677 days ago

Quite a collection and great storage solution.

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

View Paul's profile

Paul

607 posts in 991 days


posted 677 days ago

Nice arrangement and great cabinet!

-- Paul, Texas

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3791 posts in 1213 days


posted 677 days ago

I’m suffering from just plane envy! Maybe a bit of chisel envy too.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View Gary's profile

Gary

446 posts in 1223 days


posted 677 days ago

Nice cabinet. I need one of those but it’s gonna have to wait ‘til I expand the shop and make an area dedicated to handtool work.
Is it correct to think that the plane hooks have a decent space so that the front slides up and then tilts out to make removal easy?

Nice collection of user tools.
Gary

-- Gary, Florida

View Karson's profile

Karson

25811 posts in 1299 days


posted 677 days ago

Great looking cabinet. Nice job on it.

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

View mgradwohl's profile

mgradwohl

190 posts in 712 days


posted 677 days ago

Gorgeous cabinet and great set of tools

View Kerry's profile

Kerry

131 posts in 689 days


posted 677 days ago

That’s a really nice cabinet. What a timely post too, I’m about 75% done a cabinet myself and can sympathise well with the storage problem you’re solving here.

I just wish I could say “since I have a ton of walnut” too :-(

Nice job, – I hope you’ll show it again when you get some finish on it.
Kerry

-- Alberta, Canada

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 965 days


posted 677 days ago

Nice looking cabinet – It must be nice having that much Walnut lying around, of course I wouldn’t kjnow how that feels :-))

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2515 posts in 893 days


posted 677 days ago

Great cabinet! It’s got to be nice to have “a bunch of walnut laying around” to make tool cabinets out of.

Can’t blame you for being anxious to “move into” the new home for your tools.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View relic's profile

relic

342 posts in 835 days


posted 677 days ago

Thats a nice looking collection, The cabinet is looks great.

-- Andy Stark

View Steamdonkey's profile

Steamdonkey

16 posts in 703 days


posted 677 days ago

About 3 years ago I fell into one of those deals you just can’t pass up. I probably had 800 board feet of walnut that I had collected from auctions and from a mill shutting down. Then I found this…
Walnut pile

This stack was a little more than half of what I bought. 1700 board feet in total. I figure I’ll be in walnut for the next 20 years.

View Partridge's profile

Partridge

221 posts in 855 days


posted 677 days ago

i did the same with maple

-- Do it right the first time. Becuase fixing it is a wast of time.

View Tomcat1066's profile

Tomcat1066

776 posts in 695 days


posted 677 days ago

I must hate you now. Jealousy has that affect on me after all.

Great cabinet and wonderful “collection” of tools. Collection is in quotations because I’m sure you’re not a collector, but a user ;)

-- "Give me your poor tools, your tired steel, your huddled masses of rust." Yep, I ripped off the Statue of Liberty. That's how I roll!

View schroeder's profile

schroeder

514 posts in 1024 days


posted 677 days ago

Beautiful! Outstanding design & workmanship! – But if you run out of room – I’ll be glad to store some of those planes for ya! ;)

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

View DrSawdust's profile

DrSawdust

231 posts in 997 days


posted 677 days ago

I love the cabinet. You did a great job executing your design. That stack of walnut is very impressive as well.

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1767 posts in 896 days


posted 677 days ago

I really like hanging tool cabinets and this one hits the spot!

Here’s one of my favorites.

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

View Steamdonkey's profile

Steamdonkey

16 posts in 703 days


posted 676 days ago

Dorje, thanks for the link. That is a great looking cabinet. One of these days when I have as much time as I have planes and wood, I’m going to remake some things. I have yet to make something that I don’t look back on and say, hmm I wish I had done this differently.

As for the walnut, don’t hate me people. It really is is a symptom of my addiction. As for storage, yes that may become a problem. My wife would certainly agree that I have too much of everything. She is an organized person, and I’m basically a junk man at heart.

Yesterday I got down to the shop for a couple hours to sharpen some plane irons and do some drawings for my next project, which will be made out of cherry… no walnut at all! I must say I like the way that cherry planes! Either I need to trade out some walnut or I need to find another deal I can’t pass up.

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1767 posts in 896 days


posted 676 days ago

What’s next on the slate?

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

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14181 posts in 1059 days


posted 675 days ago

nice stack of wood!!!

now.. when is the finishing session?

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

View Steamdonkey's profile

Steamdonkey

16 posts in 703 days


posted 675 days ago

Dorje, I’ve got two projects in the shop right at the moment that I’m actively working, the first one is a walnut chest/table for the shop. I’m down to building the drawers, the case is complete to the point of cleaning up the glue squeeze out and a little final sanding. The other project is a new base cabinet for my kitchen rolling island. That project will be cherry with spalted sycamore panels with a maple top. I’m in the milling phase with that piece.

MsDebbieP, the finish maybe a couple months out… I have to complete a couple of projects for the shop and for my wife before I want to take that on. Plus the shop is about 45 degrees right now, so I’m mostly sticking to calorie burning activities to keep warm. I’ll be sure and update the page through with some new pics.

View Recycler's profile

Recycler

40 posts in 663 days


posted 591 days ago

That’s one nice cabinet! I’m taking notes, because i’m running out of room to pile my hand tools, too.

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase