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Tool Cabinet

Project by Joe Brumley posted 80 days ago 347 views 3 times favorited 9 comments Add to Favorites
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Joe Brumley

52 posts in 268 days


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tool cabinet cherry walnut pine shaker

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Tool Cabinet Tool Cabinet Tool Cabinet Click the pictures to enlarge them

Ok so here’s one from the archives. This is my first and so far my only tool cabinet. It is still in use today and until I decide that I have enough time to warrant building another one this will probably be my last tool cabinet. I also now keep most of my hand tools on the wall behind my bench so that I don’t have to keep opening and closing the doors every time I want something. With this system I can see when something is missing and put it back right away. Anyway, I built the cabinet after getting a copy of the Toolbox book by Jim Tolpin from our local library. Since I was a beginner I chose to use pine and birch plywood as the bulk of the cabinet and use a little of the air-dried cherry and air-dried walnut that I had received from a buddy. He was not into woodworking but had a farm with some stickered wood located under an old shed at the edge of his woods. He estimated it at being about 20 years old.
Since this was my first big piece I decided to make it in a shaker style with the simple frame and panel doors and the graduated drawers. The doors are cherry frames with 1/4” birch ply panels, and the drawers are walnut with pine backs and 1/4” birch ply bottoms. I used a half-lap joing that I cut on the table saw to join the door frames and the drawers are hand cut dovetails. The pulls are generic hardware store pulls that were stained to somewhat resemble the walnut. The plane shelf is fixed and angled about 15 degrees. The three other shelves are adjustable. It is ultimately more utilitarian than stylish but I had a blast building it because I love woodworking. This picture was taken in 2001 but I built the cabinet in 1998/99. I just didn’t have a digital camera until after I got married (wedding gift).

-- Joe, Indiana, http://www.crookedshack.com


9 comments so far

View sIKE's profile

sIKE

559 posts in 240 days


posted 80 days ago

That is one nice looking tool cabinet thanks for the inspiration, and I will need to look for that book at the local library myself.

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

View Tom Adamski's profile

Tom Adamski

220 posts in 257 days


posted 80 days ago

Joe, very nice tool cabinet. I can’t see why you would want to make another…

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

View SteveKorz's profile

SteveKorz

1335 posts in 200 days


posted 80 days ago

Very nice cabinet, great job!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

View Dorje's profile

Dorje

1745 posts in 483 days


posted 80 days ago

I like it! Great hand cut joints for the drawers. Tool cabinets are some of my favorite pieces…

How did you join up the carcase?

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

View beaudex's profile

beaudex

42 posts in 124 days


posted 80 days ago

Very nice design. I have been thinking about trying a set of drawers with rabbeted sides. I have often wondered how they stand up under heavy use. I wonder if might comment on that.

Cheers,

Derek

-- Derek Tay, Venerate the Tree Design

View griff's profile

griff

446 posts in 248 days


posted 80 days ago

Very nice tool cabinet. very good build

-- Mike, Bruce Mississippi = Jack of many trades master of none

View darryl's profile

darryl

855 posts in 812 days


posted 80 days ago

your cabinet looks great.
I could use something like this…

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

View Joe Brumley's profile

Joe Brumley

52 posts in 268 days


posted 79 days ago

Thanks guys. You are all too kind.
Dorje
Since it is a plywood box I just put a rabbet along the ends of the sides and a dado for the shelves and attached it with glue and nails. I edged the plywood with some cherry to cover everything up.

Derek,
The drawers have held up very well. I don’t load them up with a lot of weight as they are only about 16.5 by 9.5 by 2, 3, and 3.75, but the one that holds my drill bits is pretty heavy and so far so good.

If you guys have any more questions please ask.

-- Joe, Indiana, http://www.crookedshack.com

View Woodwrecker's profile

Woodwrecker

34 posts in 62 days


posted 50 days ago

Nice job Joe.
The joints on the drawers are sweet!

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