What I did with my $40 Home Depot Tool Cabinets

[Boyd]

Boyd, great job.
What are your plans for the shelve area above the smaller box and if possible could you show us how you manage the contents of the storage bins?

I have a neighbor who asked me to come pick up a similar cabinet but I am hesitant as I would have to reorganize/arrange cabinets and my hardware.

If I could make it work I might just go pick it up.

I plan on looking for a metal pencil drawer from an old tanker desk and mounting it to the underside of the top.

For the hardware cabinet, I've just got my Plano organizers stashed in there for now. The drawers of the cabinet are 25" deep and I can stack 2 Plano organizers in each drawer with room to spare.

As my hardware collection grows I'll eventually move to individual/open top containers. Most likely from Schaller. Their boxes come in several different dimensions and depths. Here is their website -

http://www.schallercorporation.com/servlet/the-Plastic-Box-Assortments/Categories

 

[Boyd]

Good luck on finding those!

I had been searching quite a while in L.A. and I never see them or in the one or two cases I have, the sellers think they're made of unobtainium and price them accordingly!

I recently found a couple of excess closet cabinets with 9 small drawers in each that I am in the process of reworking for small parts & tools storage.

You're dead on. I looked for one of these for awhile. They are much less common than the regular file cabinets and those that do have them price them pretty high.

I bought mine from a charity thrift shop about 2 years ago for $50. They actually had another one that matched mine exactly. I sooo wanted them both, but just didn't know where I would put the second one. My garage is 3 cars wide. One stall is for the wife's ride, the other 2 are my workspace.

The below pic kind of gives a better perspective of my garage layout. It also shows a shot of the back of the bench that inspired this thread.

 

[Boyd]

I was going to inquire about the the coating. I painted a box with with an automotive base clear system when I was younger and decided I would never do it again. The automotive coating was just not durable enough for me.

Did you paint inside and out or just the exposed areas? What did you do for surface prep? Scotch bright? The final product is very nice. Hope you get years of enjoyment out of them! Certainly a timeless aesthetic, congrats.

I just painted the exposed surfaces, but I made sure to tape everything off so that there wasn't messy overspray showing on the drawer sides when they were opened up. It worked out well.

I used 320gt sandpaper on a DA. I used a soft interface pad to keep the pressure down. I then went over the nooks and crannies with some grey scothcbright. It was A LOT of prep work, but I couldn't be happier with the results.

Thanks for the compliments. "Timeless aesthetic" was exactly what I was trying for!

Here are some prep pics -

Before

After

 

[Boyd]

And this is a picture of my other bench -

 

[kfainf]

The benck looks great! Good looking garage space also! I really like the industrial look color you chose.

 

[colt zantop]

dang...its gets better! your shop is killler!!

 

[The Boss]

NICE work!

 

[SteveL]

Where did you find the two small "hoods" over the Kobalt benches? Those are awesome!

Great job!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

The whole shop looks friggin awesome, BUT....

Being the nosy PITA I am, why aren't the backsides of the cabinets that face your wife's single stall green like everything else?

 

[James E]

Boyd, that all looks really cool. It's amazing how just going to a consistent paint color can really tie everything together. I commend you for taking a bunch of misfit pieces and turning it into something that looks like that!

By the way, that color is awesome.

 

[shoturtle]

very nicely done. Like the dark wood worktop

 

[Boyd]

The whole shop looks friggin awesome, BUT....

Being the nosy PITA I am, why aren't the backsides of the cabinets that face your wife's single stall green like everything else?

Two reasons. I didn't want the backside of the tool cabinets exposed and I needed an excuse to use some old growth t&g pine siding that I reclaimed from the porch of an old farmhouse. It also allowed me additional space to hang more of my sign collection.

 

[Boyd]

Where did you find the two small "hoods" over the Kobalt benches? Those are awesome!

Great job!

They come that way. (linked below). I bought two of these benches about 3 years ago when Lowes had them on sale for $149. So far they've held up great. Thanks!

http://www.lowes.com/pd_2218-55738-LWWB08-3D4563_0__?productId=1235425

 

[Amitygravel]

Boyd I've got to tell you again , those look absolutely fantastic !
JamesE is right , the consistent color use gives it such a WOW factor.
Not to take away from factory colors used in any of the great restorations we see here so often on the G.J. the use of a non typical color really explodes in the surroundings.
I love contrasts and the weathered wood on the backside of that shiny metal just , it just
well hell its just so bad *** !!!!
Thanks man , you've made my day sharing your work !

Craig

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Two reasons. I didn't want the backside of the tool cabinets exposed and I needed an excuse to use some old growth t&g pine siding that I reclaimed from the porch of an old farmhouse. It also allowed me additional space to hang more of my sign collection.

....and here I was expecting you to lead off with, "Oh Dan you're not a PITA"

Guess I AM, huh? Oh well, 'ya gotta go with your strengths!! ha ha

In the original photo I couldn't see that it was T&G because I was looking at it on my iPhone. I like the wood and it is kinda neat being in "patina" but with your newly refinished cabinets and especially with the pristine benchtop did you consider refinishing the wood natural, using urethane, etc? Still, I DO like it as it is.

 

[Motown 454]

Awesome job! it came out great.

 

[sarman47]

Great job. A great addition to the shop.

 

[benz_dr]

All of your effort really paid off! Love the color. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Boyd]

Boyd I've got to tell you again , those look absolutely fantastic !
JamesE is right , the consistent color use gives it such a WOW factor.
Not to take away from factory colors used in any of the great restorations we see here so often on the G.J. the use of a non typical color really explodes in the surroundings.
I love contrasts and the weathered wood on the backside of that shiny metal just , it just
well hell its just so bad *** !!!!
Thanks man , you've made my day sharing your work !

Craig

Wow! Thanks! It's been a long journey of scrounging, planning, saving, etc, but it's been a lot of fun and worth every dollar and minute spent. And the admiration and respect from my fellow GJ members is greatly appreciated.

 

[Boyd]

....and here I was expecting you to lead off with, "Oh Dan you're not a PITA"

Guess I AM, huh? Oh well, 'ya gotta go withtyour strengths!!

In the original photo I couldn't see that it was T&G because I was looking at it on my iPhone. I like the wood and it is kinda neat being in "patina" but with your newly refinished cabinets and especially with the pristine benchtop did you consider refinishing the wood natural, using urethane, etc? Still, I DO like it as it is.

HaHa! Not a PITA at all. I did think about power washing the built up paint off of the wood, but decided the dark green paint was a good contrast against the new color on the cabinets and it also introduced an aged patina look to an otherwise "new" garage.

 

[Call me the Breeze]

Boyd... the place looks great! I need to paint my 2 card files someday, I havent only because I know what a PITA it will be... but now I'm gonna have to... thanks alot! LOL!

 

[d.mcfarland]

Great creativity and a very good way to pull all the mismatched items together to keep it clean. I'm a big fan of the color and will most likely copy it on a portable Craftsman box!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Those cabinets/benches look great, something to be proud of.

I'm wondering why you didn't pull the emblems off the Kobalt benches before painting them ? Were they glued on ?

BTW, is that your paint booth at home ?

 

[Weedwaka]

Awsome !!

 

[don long]

I have enjoyed the read today , Thank you
I too wondered about the spray booth (kind of looks like your wifes craft room or something)

Now lets see more of that sign collection

and finally like all of the other GJers I LOVE THE GREEN BENCHS
Don

 

[Boyd]

Boyd... the place looks great! I need to paint my 2 card files someday, I havent only because I know what a PITA it will be... but now I'm gonna have to... thanks alot! LOL!

Do it! You'll love it...it's almost like getting new ones, but better!

Great creativity and a very good way to pull all the mismatched items together to keep it clean. I'm a big fan of the color and will most likely copy it on a portable Craftsman box!

Thanks. Post pics of the box if you paint it.

Those cabinets/benches look great, something to be proud of.

I'm wondering why you didn't pull the emblems off the Kobalt benches before painting them ? Were they glued on ?

BTW, is that your paint booth at home ?

Thanks. I tried pulling the emblems off but they are made from super thin aluminum and I was afraid that I'd either mangle them trying to get them off or break the retaining tabs. I eventually plan on etching my own vintage emblems using brass sheets.

The paint booth was part of a shop I rented for 6 months.

Awsome !!

Thanks!

I have enjoyed the read today , Thank you
I too wondered about the spray booth (kind of looks like your wifes craft room or something)

Now lets see more of that sign collection

and finally like all of the other GJers I LOVE THE GREEN BENCHS
Don

Thanks! I'll post some pics of my signs tomorrow afternoon.

 

[donnykooy]

looks great...was more intersted in the top than anything...what kind of wood is it and what kind of stain?...i definetly want to make a top like this...thank you

 

[SteveL]

looks great...was more intersted in the top than anything...what kind of wood is it and what kind of stain?...i definetly want to make a top like this...thank you

From page 2:

The top is just a full sheet of 3/4" plywood ripped in half on the long side, glued and screwed together. I routered the edges and stained the top with a Sherwin Williams "Pecan" stain to match my other bench. Then gave it 3 coats of polyurethane.

 

[estcstm3]

it looks like you change the top on the kobalt benches, what did you use there?

 

[admranger]

Super nice work!

I wish I could swing a paint gun with anything resembling a beginner's skill level.

 

[C96]

Super job Boyd! Very clean work.

This thread is most inspiring, now I want to paint everything in my garage

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Since "imitation is the most sincere form of flattery" I have seriously debated painting my assorted Craftsman and Harbor Freight red cabinets in this Berlin color. It looks SO good to me.

I just kinda wonder how much it would bother me to have only the fronts and sides painted as I would not want to prep and paint all the drawer interiors.

Considering....considering....

 

[btlegacy]

Those look awesome. Maybe I missed it earlier in the thread, but what type of process did you use to paint them? Roll, spray, etc? Any clear coat or protective enamel?

 

[Cato]

Bravo, it must be a joy to tinker in such a nice looking shop!

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Just a minor update to this thread, that I keep coming back to because what Boyd did looked SO damn good.

Here's a link to the Lowes workbenches he used to make his kick *** bench. Even at $199 apiece thats not too bad. Plus I just like the hell out of them:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_484712-5573...sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=&state=R#reviews_tab

 

[Bighead38]

Yeah, totally blown away by how good this place looks. Would live more pics of the truck too.

 

[Arps]

Looks great. Nice job!

 

[BrownEnterprises]

Looks awesome! That color combination works!

 

[Boyd]

Just a minor update to this thread, that I keep coming back to because what Boyd did looked SO damn good.

Here's a link to the Lowes workbenches he used to make his kick *** bench. Even at $199 apiece thats not too bad. Plus I just like the hell out of them:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_484712-5573...sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=&state=R#reviews_tab

Thanks for the bump, Dan! The workbenches are still a decent deal at $199/ea but I was fortunate enough to buy them on sale about 5 or 6 years ago at $159/ea. They've held up well.

Yeah, totally blown away by how good this place looks. Would live more pics of the truck too.

Thanks. More garage and truck pics are in this thread: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209237

Looks great. Nice job!

Looks awesome! That color combination works!

Thank you, both!

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

It might be worth disassembling the cabinets of all hardware mountings and drawers, then take them to an autobody shop to have them painted with their nicer equipment and materials. Not sure what it would cost though.