I recently acquired an old print cabinet for the right price, (free). It is too large for my garage space, (54" x 42"). However, my son has been needing a nice workbench / tool storage for his home. I have decided that I would build him his first/last work bench and surprise him (and his wife) with it. The biggest challenge is that he currently does not have a garage, but he does have a full basement. Anything that I build will have to be able to be dissembled and reassembled whenever the opportunity arises to move, so instead of welding everything together, I will be drilling holes and bolting it together.
project: size matters
- Thread starter Dean64
- Start date
awesome cabinet
hope your son doesn't frequent this board LOL
hope your son doesn't frequent this board LOL
I have some extra 4 x 4 x 5/16 angle that i will use for the framework.
I cut the 4 legs.
And notched the front 2 for the drawers.
I made the legs 36" tall plus the 6" for the casters should put it right around 42". My son is 6'4" so this should be a comfortable height.
Here is a picture of the legs in front of my tool cabinet.
I cut the 4 legs.
And notched the front 2 for the drawers.
I made the legs 36" tall plus the 6" for the casters should put it right around 42". My son is 6'4" so this should be a comfortable height.
Here is a picture of the legs in front of my tool cabinet.
Lol. He's not on the Internet much.
I welded some 4 x 4 1/2 x 1/4 plate to the bottom of the legs so i could mount the casters. This will probably be the only thing that gets welded.
Here are the casters i will be using.
The ones with the poly wheels are rated for 700#'s and the cast are rated for 1250#'s.
Here are the casters i will be using.
The ones with the poly wheels are rated for 700#'s and the cast are rated for 1250#'s.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Dean: since i own more than a few of these cabinets i'm here for your build and looking forward to hearing how your son likes it.
good idea
good idea
BLUE72CAMARO
Well-known member
I have one of these cabinets occupying a space in my parents garage that my dad barks at me about every few months. Just havent figured out what to use it for yet so I am interested in what you make out of it.
Had a chance to do a little more on the project today. The wood for the top is only 2" thick, so I had to put a frame underneath, so the top would not be recessed.
I wanted to mount the vice and keep the cords out of the way so I drilled a hole for the cord down through the top. I will be running outlets internally and externally, and then a long plug lead, which if I do it right, should be hidden until needed.
Final mock up. after which is tear down and paint.
Drilled the holes in the legs for the casters and the temporarily mounted them.
I wanted to mount the vice and keep the cords out of the way so I drilled a hole for the cord down through the top. I will be running outlets internally and externally, and then a long plug lead, which if I do it right, should be hidden until needed.
Final mock up. after which is tear down and paint.
Drilled the holes in the legs for the casters and the temporarily mounted them.
creativecars
Well-known member
Looks great. I would love that have that in my basement!
Time to splash some paint! For the legs and the framework, I went with a rustoleum smoke grey. (because it's what I had)
For the print cabinet I went with a mixture i made up by mixing the smoke grey with some black. Came up with a dark shade of grey.
I'm not sure that I am going to like it, but I am painting the drawer fronts Orange. If i don't like it i'll change it later.
That's all for now.
For the print cabinet I went with a mixture i made up by mixing the smoke grey with some black. Came up with a dark shade of grey.
I'm not sure that I am going to like it, but I am painting the drawer fronts Orange. If i don't like it i'll change it later.
That's all for now.
Farmall450
Well-known member
Looks good OP. Be careful getting it down there!
Ohmthis
Well-known member
Dean, great job on the framework. When I first saw the 4" angle I thought "damn that's going to be overkill". But then quickly thought, "but that's a damn big cabinet". I'm sure your son will complete a bunch of projects on it. And it will be a good place to set your beer down when just hanging out shooting the breeze.
Thanks. I'm sure there will be several beers set down on it.
No, but I did some calculations and I figure it's between 480# and 550#. There are some online steel calculators that can be used to calculate weights. The cabinet is surprisingly light, maybe 85# to 100#. Add the wood, any other misc. pieces and probably pretty close to 510#.
It was a rainy day today, so i didn't feel like doing too much. I did manage to get the outlets wired.
I also got one of the drawers painted and put it in to see if i like the color.... I kinda like it.
Maybe work on the drawers tomorrow.
I also got one of the drawers painted and put it in to see if i like the color.... I kinda like it.
Maybe work on the drawers tomorrow.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Dean: the frame and bench is coming along nicely. you built that thing so stout i hope you don't hurt yourself moving it down to the basement where i think you said it's going. also i can see a Craftsman block grinder and bigger old Reed or Rock Island vise in your son's future plans cause those little guys look like toys on that big cabinet.
is it warm enough to paint outside still or are you painting in a heated garage?
keep up the great work.
is it warm enough to paint outside still or are you painting in a heated garage?
keep up the great work.
there are lots of small pieces(by design) so moving it will be easier than assembly. we had a couple warm (72 plus) days here but the cold is coming back. If need be i have a place to finish the painting. the vice and the grinder were hand me downs from his grandfather, which is the reasons they are there. if he ever needs a better vice i have that reed that i refurbished that i can give him. as far as a bigger bench grinder, Christmas is coming. thanks for all the words of encouragement.
drivesitfar
Well-known member
Dean: that vise and grinder might work for a while and if your son has a son maybe they can find their way to a young man's first workbench built by his grand dad with great grand dad's vise and grinder on it.
keep up the great work and best of luck with the painting. it' getting in the 40's here at night and i don't have heat in my shop or garage so painting for me has stopped a few weeks ago. i guess if i needed to i can fire up a few heaters, but nothing is urgent at the moment.
take care cause even moving that cabinet and parts in pieces down stairs into a basement isn't easy.
keep up the great work and best of luck with the painting. it' getting in the 40's here at night and i don't have heat in my shop or garage so painting for me has stopped a few weeks ago. i guess if i needed to i can fire up a few heaters, but nothing is urgent at the moment.
take care cause even moving that cabinet and parts in pieces down stairs into a basement isn't easy.
project is complete. ended up switching the expanded metal side panel for an extruded aluminum panel, the expanded metal kept catching on my shirt as i walked by it. also put a radio in the void above the cabinet and the work deck, created a small panel to adjust the volume and the station. delivered and assembled the work bench. he was extremely pleased and surprised with the size. i kept hearing comments like"badass" and "awesome". i think he liked it. i didn't get any pictures of it in his basement, (forgot my phone) but i'm going over next week i'll get a few then.