Started My Toolbox!

[84TurboBuick]

A while back I told you guys that I was going to build my own toolbox! Well, now I have the time so I started!

It measures 8ft long 48inches high and 32inches deep.

There is a 36" wide bank of drawers, a 30" bank and a 15" bank.

The frame




This is what the drawers will attach too




This is how thick the section dividers are


I've still got alot of sanding and finishing to do before I even think of starting the drawers, but its getting there!

[Merkava_4]

It looks like it's gonna' be extremely strong.

[r6_cannibal]

Is this going to double as a work space? It's looking really good so far, eager to see the finished product!

[84TurboBuick]

Originally Posted by r6_cannibal

Is this going to double as a work space? It's looking really good so far, eager to see the finished product!

It will end up too high to use as a porta-bench, but I got a few ideas.

Originally Posted by Merkava_4

It looks like it's gonna' be extremely strong.

I hope so! It took me and my neighbor to just turn it over! Its gotta be at least 200 - 250 lbs without any drawers or tools! And I still have more reinforcment to add!

[Merkava_4]

I've never seen Douglas fir 4x4's before ... all the ones out here are cedar.

[wantedabiggergarage]

Out of curiousity why are you using 1x's on the dividers, instead of plywood?

[Merkava_4]

I was gonna' ask the same thing: Are those 1x's pine?

[Fins/413]

Nice job and that is some nice looking wood, you must have picked through the piles to get stuff that straight.

[fatfillup]

Looks great. My hat is off to you for taking on such a big project. I never can keep my focus on one thing that long. I'm just starting to take on some little projects to maybe build up to larger ones.

[volvo420coupe]

Super Sweet, way to go with not settling on anything inadequate the first time around. I can't wait to see the end results.

[Merkava_4]

The way you've got the corners joined together is ingenious.

[GTO]

Will it have metal drawers or wooden ?

Looks good so far.

Good Luck.

[84TurboBuick]

First off, thanks guys for all the compliments! I really appriciate it!

The 4 x 4 's are Fir,( good eye ) I musta spent 2 hours at Menards sorting through wood to get the best ones.

The main support for the dividers is a 1 x 4 piece of finished pine. The drawer supports are 1 x 8 x 10 pieces of "Select Pine" that I ripped down. They attach horizontality, with 3 pieces sandwiched vertically.

The reason I did not use plywood is mostly due to the fact that this toolbox is meant to last me forever! I was concerned that 20 years from now, the plywood would start to delaminate from sitting in the garage and being exposed to all that humidity.

Thanks for the compliment on the corners Merk... it took me a while to come up with a way so that it wouldn't "sway". The one thing you can't see is that all the corners have 2 5" lag bolts going down through the top to hold it all together.

The drawers will be wood. Its kinda hard to explain how I'm making them... they do have to hold a 100lbs of wrenches and sockets! So I'll post some pics of how they go together.

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

That is very cool, I'm look forward to watching your progress. Are you going to have ball bearing slides for your drawers? Are you putting castors on it?

Have you thought about submitting your story about building this to a woodworking magazine when you finish? I'll bet they'd have some interest.

[His200HerScout]

Very nice work. I might be, umm, borrowing your idea.

[vette-kid]

You got skilz

[84TurboBuick]

Originally Posted by Lookin4'67Galaxieconv

That is very cool, I'm look forward to watching your progress. Are you going to have ball bearing slides for your drawers? Are you putting castors on it?

Have you thought about submitting your story about building this to a woodworking magazine when you finish? I'll bet they'd have some interest.

The slides are indeed going to ball bearing... 100lb capicity.

The castors are going to be 4" "soft rubber" type. I don't want to use hard because I want to let the wood "flex" a little due to its size and weight. Plus, if my garage floor is not perfectly flat, the toolbox with start to follow the contour of the floor if it sits on hard castors.

[vc-onthepc]

good job turbo ... hey i have an idea for casters .. my snap on box has castersl that actualy have articulation built into them ... here are some way better priced ones on ebay maybe they would fit your project .....about 30 bucks each , and for that price you coudl get 4 at snap ons 1 caster price and still be able to take the family out to dinner lol

http://cgi.ebay.com/SNAPON-CRAFTSMAN...3A1%7C294%3A50

[Richard Givan]

Really nice joinery on the framework. That's going to be important to keep the drawers working smoothly.

My only concern is the solid pine you use on the dividers and outside. This is summer, humidity is high, and the wood has expanded in width. This winter the humidity will drop like a rock and those pine planks will shrink (in width, not length), so you will have some unwelcome cracks between each. That probably won't hurt the performance, but will raise hell with the finished appearance, which I'm betting will be really nice. I wouldn't be surprised if you got some splits between the nails holding them to the uprights.

You stated your prejudice against plywood, but I still believe that quality plywood (birch surfaced, or if you really want to make a legacy piece, baltic birch imported stuff) would serve you better and not break down, especially if you seal the edges well.

But either way, it's a great start to a monster box.

[v8garage]

I love it! I love old school stuff and that is about as old school as it gets. Keep up the good work!
V/8