Menu
What's new

Hand Tool Cabinet

Darren Wright

Darren Wright

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
20,967
Location
Springfield, Missouri
I mentioned over in another thread that I'd be bringing this beast back from storage. It's an entertainment center that I built around 2000 when I started to buy most of my woodworking machinery. It's not modular in construction at all, a good lesson of what not to do when designing large pieces. Solid oak 2 1/4" legs, 3/4" plywood sides, top/bottom, shelves, dividers, and the back and door panels are 1/4" oak ply, back to back pieces as 1/4" didn't have oak on both sides when I got it.
index.php
index.php


It had later been converted to a dry bar when the tube tv died and was out of style anyway.
index.php


This weekend my wife and I wrestled it onto the trailer. To my surprise it was a lot lighter with all the drawers, doors, and shelves removed, but we both struggled to get it moved and loaded to bring back to the farm.

My wife says that cutting it up for kindling is off the table. So for it's third life, I think I'd like to turn it into a hand tool cabinet. Maybe divide up some of the areas to be more useful, add a hand plane and saw tils. Probably continue to use the drop table, but add full extension drawer glides and a few upgrades where they make sense.

I spent a bit of time digging back in my archives and found the original cad files. Luckily I saved a copy of Turbocad 2d to still view them. I may convert them over to sketchup or F360 to play around with, but most likely a lot of the changes will happen on the fly as I lay out tools and decide where things should go in it.
Screenshot 2024-07-16 at 3.07.38 PM.png

I'll get it unloaded off the trailer in the next few weeks and setup in the shop where I plan for it to live.

I'm certainly open to any suggestions on tool placement or ideas.
 
Last edited:
I got the cabinet out of the trailer tonight. Overall measurements are 26" x 58" x 78".
IMG_1933.jpeg

After a half dozen moves its got a few dings/scratches that need attention, but not bad overall, just a bit of "character".
IMG_1935.jpeg

This is her with all her drawers, and yes, some never have been finished other than some stain. My intention was always to cut them down and inset them so everything was flush. The drop table is 38" off the floor, about right for a desk/work area with a stool.
IMG_1938.jpeg IMG_1937.jpeg

The doors are double hinged, so they flip around to store against the sides. I've got some chains with hooks on the ends to hook on to the loops of the handles to hold them open.
IMG_1941.jpeg IMG_1942.jpeg IMG_1939.jpeg

One of the doors has a slight warp to it. I'll address it with a stop at the bottom for the door to close flush against. The top and bottom of the doors have little brass button spring catches that hold them closed.
IMG_1940.jpeg

I plan to replace all the drawer glides with better full extension glides. I'll inset the drawer faces for the ones that are staying. I may do some different pull-out storage next to the drop table for various tools and chisels. I'm envisioning a plane till, chisel, and hand saw til storage in the upper area. Maybe some kind of display area for some of my keepsakes and things to show off. I can see maybe some lighting being added to the upper area and maybe in the drop table area.
 
Last edited:
I’ve been gathering and loading up the cabinet with many of my hand tools as it is configured. I’ve honestly forgotten some tools I have as many are still in boxes. Should help me figure out what I need to build organizers for and where they can live.
IMG_1951.jpeg
 
I added some magnetic catches to the drop table. When it was used as a dry bar, it was usually locked up to keep the liquor out of the teenagers hands, so it didn’t have any positive stops when closed and had a tendency to drop open from time to time if not locked.
IMG_1963.jpeg IMG_1964.jpeg

I have some led pucks on order to light up the top portion and the drop table area. I also picked up a new shop stool this week.
IMG_1955.jpeg
 
I’m still fleshing out some ideas, but am looking at a concept for the upper section like the sketch below. A curved raised section, not as drastic of curve as the sketch, maybe an inch difference between the sides and center, and considering concave vs con-vexed as shown. The center portion will be the plane till, then cleats for a French cleat system to organize other tools around it, down the back and up the sides.
IMG_0294.jpeg

Drawer fronts will be steam curved from a single board and cut. I may do some pockets/cubbies instead of drawers in a few spots and perhaps a bit taller.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top