I have wanted a wood toolchest for a few years now and had planned on building a smaller gerstner like top box. I got a bunch of free 3/4 plywood, a solid maple table top, along with a bunch of free roller bering drawer slides so the plan changed. I was also inspired by MRHOLESHOT's toolchest I saw on this site. So far I do not have too much invested. 2 sheets of 1/8 oak plywood $14 each and 4 heavy duty casters around $20 each. I am a middle school Industrial Technology teacher and working on it after school and during my period off. This thing is getting heavy.
building a wooden toolchest
- Thread starter wright
- Start date
fflintstone
Well-known member
looks nice!
crewchief888
Well-known member
lookin' good
wornoutoldman
Well-known member
be sure to sell the plans on ebay
brats.n.harleys
Well-known member
awesome man.
lowbucktruck
Well-known member
Very nice start! Me like!
I've been considering a similar project; I have some drawer boxes laying around that are about the right size, with guides.
Me like!I've been considering a similar project; I have some drawer boxes laying around that are about the right size, with guides.
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Pug}{maN
Well-known member
o ya, thats nice ! make shure to keep us up to date on it...
rsanter
Well-known member
would be cool to use red stain on it
bob
bob
banzaitoyota
Well-known member
my shipping address is............
nice work
nice work
Thank you for all the compliments. I am planning to stain the majority of the cabinet a light color and stain the corner trim slightly darker. I have been kicking around the idea of using that carpet runner sold by the foot for drawer liner. Going to start making the left bank of drawers today. I have looked at many drawer pulls but have not decided what I want to use for those as of yet.
Pappa Ugg
Well-known member
Nice!!
archirelic
Well-known member
Just a quick question, but I was noticing on the largest bottom drawer that there is only one set of slides? Why is this?
Old Moparz
Well-known member
Looks great.
I would like to buy some steel workbenches with cabinets for the basement wood shop I have, but for the length I want it will be very expensive. I'll end up building something myself, but probably not as nice as yours since buying the same materials would be quite expensive too.
I would like to buy some steel workbenches with cabinets for the basement wood shop I have, but for the length I want it will be very expensive. I'll end up building something myself, but probably not as nice as yours since buying the same materials would be quite expensive too.
All of the drawers only have one slide. The slides (except the top one wich is diffrent) look like they are doubled but they are just one slide. The slides are very heavy duty and kind of built like two slides on top of each other. I will post a picture of the slides when I bring the camera again. I scavanged all of the slides from 3 nicely built very heavy desks the school threw out.
Krokodil
Well-known member
That toolchest looks amazing!
y20dth
Well-known member
very nice !
Very nice!! A few comments if I may...
I have wanted to do this for a while, but I pondered dirt, grease, and whatever else may be on my hand I am unaware of while getting a tool. How did you plan on addressing this....
It's getting a little heavy....GOOD!!! I would think it would make the "feel" of it smoother with some mass to it...and who the hell's gonna steal it if they can't move it?!!!
Do you have plans for a locking mechanism to look all of the drawers together?
Keep us posted!
-T
I have wanted to do this for a while, but I pondered dirt, grease, and whatever else may be on my hand I am unaware of while getting a tool. How did you plan on addressing this....
It's getting a little heavy....GOOD!!! I would think it would make the "feel" of it smoother with some mass to it...and who the hell's gonna steal it if they can't move it?!!!
Do you have plans for a locking mechanism to look all of the drawers together?
Keep us posted!
-T
ihredo4
Well-known member
The more I see these wooden boxs you guys are making the more I want to give it a try. They are about as nice as you can get and the satisfaction would make it worth while. Great job.
little d
Well-known member
my god that is beautifull, i wish i had the time to put into making something like that!
peelman
Well-known member
The drawers look like 1x’s that have been ripped to size w/3/4” plywood floors? Or are they all 3/4” plywood?
I’m trying to put the pieces together in my head to build something similar (but on a much smaller scale, probably 4-5 drawers, between 2 and 4” deep, and no wheels
), haven’t made up my mind on my materials yet.
I’m trying to put the pieces together in my head to build something similar (but on a much smaller scale, probably 4-5 drawers, between 2 and 4” deep, and no wheels
), haven’t made up my mind on my materials yet.The drawers look like 1x’s that have been ripped to size w/3/4” plywood floors? Or are they all 3/4” plywood?
I’m trying to put the pieces together in my head to build something similar (but on a much smaller scale, probably 4-5 drawers, between 2 and 4” deep, and no wheels
The drawers are 1Xpine sides and 3/4 ply bottoms top draweres are 2 1/4 deep bottom drawers are 8 in deep all others are 4 in deep.
the right hand bank of drawers are 33x27
the left bank of drawers are 15x27
I got all drawers made but have 4 more in the left bank to install. I have decided to put some thin felt-like carpet i found on sale this week at Menards in the drawers for liner. I am undicided about color they have both black and green. I am leaning toward green and it is cheaper. I will probably use the green because I have some green flocking I could spray on the drawer sides.
peelman
Well-known member
Thanks for the follow up! I gave up the idea of building mine, at least for now, until i get a better shop with the proper tools to do square cuts and jointed corners.
You’re probably referring to the same carpet i use on cat trees Easy enough to work with, though I’d worry about tools sliding around a bit much, not to mention the fibrous nature being difficult to clean of oils and grease (guess it depends on what tools you store there.) some rubber matting would work better, though I’ve been tempted to experiment with the cans of spray-in bedliner you can get now. Grippy, protective, and probably a structural benefit to the drawers. Not sure how well it would work on wood, but I figure it would be worth the $5-7 investment to find out. If it doesn’t do too bad of a job I may mask off and spray the drawers of my Masterforce chest as well.
I can’t wait to see pics of this thing when you’re done and get it stained. Again, awesome work man!
You’re probably referring to the same carpet i use on cat trees
Easy enough to work with, though I’d worry about tools sliding around a bit much, not to mention the fibrous nature being difficult to clean of oils and grease (guess it depends on what tools you store there.) some rubber matting would work better, though I’ve been tempted to experiment with the cans of spray-in bedliner you can get now. Grippy, protective, and probably a structural benefit to the drawers. Not sure how well it would work on wood, but I figure it would be worth the $5-7 investment to find out. If it doesn’t do too bad of a job I may mask off and spray the drawers of my Masterforce chest as well.I can’t wait to see pics of this thing when you’re done and get it stained. Again, awesome work man!
mobetta
Well-known member
nice work.
cheeep yoga mats?
cheeep yoga mats?
Beautiful...
I wonder how hard it would be to 'skin' the front and drawers with stainless? Would be a cool look....very unnecessary and not at all cost effective...but unique...
Keep the progress pics coming!
Oh....maybe a dumb question, but....if all the drawers are opened (extended ), wil the chest tip? I realize full, it will tip, but I was curious aout the weight and balance of it...Oh yeah....Does the heavy wood drawers give it a "solid" feel as opposed to steel, like snap-on or whatever...To me that's important...I love the vintage wood cabinets you find in an old library or architectural firm...Just felt bullitproof and super smooth with no flex..
Thanks,
-T
I wonder how hard it would be to 'skin' the front and drawers with stainless? Would be a cool look....very unnecessary and not at all cost effective...but unique...
Keep the progress pics coming!
Oh....maybe a dumb question, but....if all the drawers are opened (extended ), wil the chest tip? I realize full, it will tip, but I was curious aout the weight and balance of it...Oh yeah....Does the heavy wood drawers give it a "solid" feel as opposed to steel, like snap-on or whatever...To me that's important...I love the vintage wood cabinets you find in an old library or architectural firm...Just felt bullitproof and super smooth with no flex..
Thanks,
-T
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4StarCstms
Well-known member
Impressive. Very nice!
chief ben
Well-known member
That is Beautiful, And it would fit in my new shop real good, i want one just like it, thanks for the idea,
neverenoughtools
Well-known member
Sweet!
Krokodil
Well-known member
That is some nice work!
Thanks for the compliments. I did skin the drawers I made in my teardrop trailer gally with stainless they came out nice. I just don't think that is the look I am going for with this project. This chest is deffinatly heavy when I was installing the drawers I had to have a buddy of mine help me lift the empty box upside down onto my worktable. If I were to guess I would say it is somewhere near 200lbs without the drawers or top. Each drawer is probably around 10 to 15 lbs. the top is probably going to be close to an additional 100lbs.
That is Beautiful, And it would fit in my new shop real good, i want one just like it, thanks for the idea,
Nice looking shop. I am looking forward to your build.
T56 Impala
Well-known member
Very nice! For your pulls, may I make a suggestion? Go to HF and buy the cheapest set of polished wrenches they have, drill two holes and used them as a drawer pull. I kinda did this once before and got a lot of comments about it.
You do nice work. My skills as a wood worker leave a lot to be desired. I only wish I could make something look so nice!
You do nice work. My skills as a wood worker leave a lot to be desired. I only wish I could make something look so nice!
Milton Shaw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2011
- Messages
- 4,856
I made my wooden roll around mechanics tool bench about 30 years ago. Still have the same Wilton vice on it from then. At 28 x 60 workbench top it sure is nicer to work off of than the single wide tool cabinets Sears, Snapon and every one else was selling when I made mine. They now have two, three, and four drawer wide tool benches but did not at that time. Save the plans you will want another one before long.