# DIY/Wooden Toolbox Smackdown



## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

I am hereby raising the lowly wooden toolbox into the woodworking DIY limelight it deserves among its usually more sophisticated brethren of table saw miter sleds, dovetailing jigs, exotic wood jewelry boxes, planes storage cabinets and the like.

And this is the deal. Post about your dedicated-for-home-use HOMEMADE WOODEN TOOLBOX that would contain mostly hand tools, likely a drill and a few supplies (eg. used sandpaper, small tubes of glue, screws) that you would use to do typical quick fixes and installs like hanging pictures, fixing a loose stair tread, etc. This is not about your workbench storage or custom rolling cabinet of tools from your garage/workshop. This thread might appeal most to small/downsized home owners and apartment/condo dwellers. Heck, even those with any home and a fully loaded garage/workshop off-site will often not have a dedicated wooden toolbox conveniently sitting at home in the closet for doing quick repairs/installs - like me!

I'd like to raise the bar a little on this one though.
DO'S:
- Your toolbox can be your grand/father's, your own, found or garage sale bought, or other.
- Mention what's special about it or what will be special about it if it's being altered.
- Post any design ideas and/or pictures (best!) of your own or someone else's beautiful/practical/ultimate homemade toolbox.
- Toolboxes made with MDF/other wood composites or reclaimed wood are welcome!
DON'TS:
- Don't post about your or somebody else's toolbox if its just a plain wooden box with a slapped-on handle - BORING!! - anyone can make that.

Creative and recommended ideas about design/storage or how your toolbox looks/feels would be awesome.

Let the smackdown begin.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Note to parents: spring's coming up. Get your video-gaming/bored child or teen thinking and started on making their own special-design tool box for their future home (counting the days yet?). Or toolbox for you, haha! They might come up with some uniquely interesting design ideas/features (pictures for this thread!) - they being not yet fully jaded by the adult world of limitations and compromise.


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

My little boy built a toolbox last year…


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

^ First wooden toolbox video on thread, yes! Solid pine, integrated dowel handle and choice of red paint - awesome.


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## RonInOhio (Jul 23, 2010)

Awesome thread and a huge thumbs up for that video.


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## jdmaher (May 4, 2011)

Stephenw,

Got a picture of the painted toolbox? Red is GREAT color choice.


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## Mip (Sep 16, 2012)

Your boys hammer nails better than I do, and straighter, too!


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## Stephenw (Nov 14, 2011)

> *jdmaher said,* "Stephenw,
> 
> Got a picture of the painted toolbox? Red is GREAT color choice."


Here is his toolbox as it sits today…










He painted it himself. I just came behind him and smoothed the runs.

Those are his tools too. He is very protective of them and will get mad if we borrow one for a quick task.

The secret to a child driving nails for a project…

Drill pilot holes for the nails about half the nail diameter.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Not my toolbox, just saw this on Craigslist. Love the drawers and black colour. I'm thinking now you could black stain your choice of wood and varnish/poly it for a unique (for a tool box) dark finish. Handle (leather!) is a nice touch - you could grab one off any old suitcase. Design improvement idea: go to 3 drawers instead of 4 but make the bottom one deeper to accommodate thicker items like a rubber mallet, ball of twine, light bulbs, etc.


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

Must be a lot of plain boring toolboxes out there - not too many posts so far. [challenging] [impatient]


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## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)




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