# My Approach to Cordless Tool Storage



## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

I think there are many neat systems and fixtures already posted on LJ to address this topic. My own storage may or may not be complete, however it has reached a near-final point that has worked really well, for so long, that I never make any further changes. In that sense it is a finished project until further notice, so like almost everything else in my shop.

When I completed the shop build out, I took the fast and easy way and installed a lot of ready made, unfinished cabinets from the nearby big box lumber store. I hired a guy with the correct equipment to spray them all with two coats of shellac, and that is all the finishing ever planned.

One wall cabinet, right over my puttering counter, is the home of my cordless tools. The pictures show I used the sides of the cabinet to hang some oft-used items. Inside, what you are seeing is cardboard magazine boxes, as might be used in a library to hold magazines upright. I simply cut them down in height to fit, and used clear packing tape to fix them together in sets of two or three. This setup was intended to test how to construct such racks from thin plywood, but this has now been in use for over a year and is really just great. I also intended to include racks for spare batteries when i did the plywood version, but as it is, there is plenty of space to just stack them in there, as you see.

To the left of this wall cabinet is where the shop refrigerator sits, and to its left are three tall wall cabinets. I have included the interior view of bottom shelf in the one right next to the refrigerator to show you what i did for battery charging. I put in a 110v wall plug before I ever installed the cabinets, and it is thus inside the lower portion of the top section of the cabinet. A plug-strip, and a cheesy little shelf from scrap plywood make the space for chargers neat and very easy to use.

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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Pretty nice set up you have. Well organized and lit up, very nice. Myself I would struggle with having the cordless tools oriented that way but the beauty of our craft is we do it the way we like it. LOL Having the tools laid out and organized helps keep the focus on the work not trying to find a tool where you left it two months ago.


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## RDan (Jan 14, 2012)

I like it, I may try it myself. I have a bunch of Plastic Magazine holders I salvaged from a dumpster, that I could use. I currently have mostly M12 & M18 tools. The one thing that has helped me was to get a Rapid Multi-charger I picked up on the clearance rack at my Local Home Depot. I hung it on the wall, it holds 3 M-12 & 3 M-18 batteries. Thanks for sharing. Dan


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## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

> ... Myself I would struggle with having the cordless tools oriented that way but the beauty of our craft is we do it the way we like it.
> - woodbutcherbynight


Thanks for compliments guys. Wood butcher, I bet you want them to be oriented with the handles out. I gethcha, and with the blocky batteries installed, I can do that, and I do sometimes.

I tend to have them "chuck up", so I can see what bit or device I left in them. The smaller 12v batteries won't allow standing however. For a visual, here ya go:










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## jerkylips (May 13, 2011)

don't store your drills on their sides, the electricity will drip out & get all over your cabinet…


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

> don t store your drills on their sides, the electricity will drip out & get all over your cabinet…
> 
> - jerkylips


Good one!!

ROFLMAO


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

> ... Myself I would struggle with having the cordless tools oriented that way but the beauty of our craft is we do it the way we like it.
> - woodbutcherbynight
> 
> Thanks for compliments guys. Wood butcher, I bet you want them to be oriented with the handles out. I gethcha, and with the blocky batteries installed, I can do that, and I do sometimes.
> ...


I have seen them that way as well. With the pins in my wrist and arm I prefer them laying on the side. Repetitive motion up and down is biggest problem. Left hand is fine so I usually keep one laying to the left and right of my drill press. If I stored them upright Father Murphy would visit and I would stab myself with some very sharp drill bit.

LOL


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## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

RDan, I'd like to see what you come up with, if you use those plastic magazine holders in some way. 
They would be more a little work to cut-to-fit like I did with my cardboard versions in the cabinet, but I expect the plastic would also be more sturdy.


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