# TOOL BOX ADVICE NEEDED



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, I recently built this wooden box. I want to use it for my carving tools. Could somebody give me some ideas on how I could compartment it for carving tools here is a pic of my tools and the inside of the box thanks Mike


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

I used various diameter wood dowels to separate my palm carving tools. Take a look at my "New Carving Tool Chest" in my projects. https://www.lumberjocks.com/projects/349226

For knives and my Dockyard small chisels, I used slats from a wooden blind that I bought at a local Habitat for Humanity Restore. Cheap, and you get a lot of dividers! Just rip them to the width you need. I read about using wooden blind slats from someone here, but their name escapes me at the moment.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

There is this….maybe alternate the direction each handle sits?


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> There is this….maybe alternate the direction each handle sits?
> 
> - bandit571


I like this chest! I'll be doing something similar for my new chest that I'm currently building for my large chisels. What is the reason for different width dividers?


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Just had those strips as scraps….


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks for the ideas


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Design the slots so that you can get your fingers on the handle to remove. Support each tool at the point of blade to handle so that the cutting edge doesn't contact the end of the box.:


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I like that idea, but my tools are very inconsistent in size and length


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I took a pic of the tools laid out, but how would you fasten dividers, the bottom id 1/4" OSB. I also laid out some thing i would fasten to the top, again how would I fasten these items. The top is 1/4" plywood thanks Mike


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

Have you considered dense foam. Can be picked up at a Craft or hardware stores https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-anti-fatigue-foam-mat-set-94635.html Stores. If you have extra anti-fatigue floor mats 24"x24" , you can cut out the shapes for each tool to customize the slots . One layer laid in the box and a thicher layer above the first layer. The thicker layer you can cut out the patterns for each tool to lay into their own slots.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

If you don't plan on changing tool locations, you can use thin strips of wood as the separators and short sections of wood as spacers to keep them in place. WoodenDreams' idea of two layers of foam is also good, since the tools will be held in place and won't bump on the bottom of the box/drawer.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks I never thought of foam I look into both suggestion. thanks


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## ClaudeF (Sep 22, 2013)

I bought an artist's paint box at Hobby Lobby and added some 1/4 inch by 1 inch separators for my gouges, etc. The third photo shows the space under the lift-out tray. Seperators are held in place with a few drops of white glue. So far, after carrying this around for about 4 years, none have come loose.

Claude


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

thanks for the pictures Claude thats what I want to do. how did you fasten your slats to the side and existing slats


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

Nice tool setup, Claude.
Another thought - even if your tools are very much alike such as the Pfeil gouges in my photo (above), they may not be interchangeable. In my smaller box the space was divided into equal widths, but some of the gouges are slightly wider in the handle and often in the blade. Where I alternate the gouges in different directions, the space between the handles have to accommodate the width of a blade between them. If that's a 20mm fishtail it required a lot more space than a 2mm skew. 
The larger box was produced by Pfeil for their Brienz Collection - all spaces can hold any gouge. When carried, all the gouges were handle down in their separate slots. The "Collection" was on sale for $800, but is no longer available.


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> thanks for the pictures Claude thats what I want to do. how did you fasten your slats to the side and existing slats
> 
> - Karda


If they're permanent, I'd just use CA glue. I've been using CA glue on mortised corners of dice towers and trays for a few months, gluing end grain to end grain on the dice trays. They've held up much better than I thought they would. It's quick, easy and cheap. And easy enough to fix if something does come loose.

You just need to make sure the joints are tight before gluing the pieces in.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

nice tray I try the CA thanks


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi I decided what to do with the box, can you clue to shellac I don't think titebond will work, will CA work thanks


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

> Hi I decided what to do with the box, can you clue to shellac I don t think titebond will work, will CA work thanks
> 
> - Karda


All of my gluing has been with raw wood. Never tried it with shellac. I'd grab a small file and at least scratch the finish up real good (if not remove it completely) before using the CA glue.

Of course, CA glue is supposed to bond anything to anything (just about), so it may work just fine.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I usually scratch or scrape the finished area for the wood glue to bond to the wood.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

i have decided what I want to do but am not sure how. as the picture of my tools show they are sever different handle sizes and types of blade. i think the best way is to have the box upright instead of flat. The handles will be down. i can make a strip with dowels the limit movement of the blade of the knives but I'm not sure what to do at the bottom.thanks mike


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Maybe you could cut custom spacers to glue to the bottom or back of the box? Like Bandit571 did, but the dividers don't have to be full length. A spot of glue would be enough to hold the dividers in place, if you don't transport it a lot. Fact is, for the knives and small Dockyard chisels in my tool chest that I transport, small dots of glue were all I used. Haven't broken any yet, and I've had the tiny hand truck I use run into the heel of my clodhopper feet and do a crash and burn, without the dividers coming loose. That hand truck needs a longer handle, or maybe I need smaller clodhoppers.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

this is another sample of tool storage with foam sheets https://www.rockler.com/fastcap-kaizen-tool-storage-foam

If you scroll down to the reviews you'll see several picture of how other used the foam.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

ok thanks


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