Small tool box for under a drill press?

[PoorUB]

I have been looking for a small tool box to set on the base of my drill press to hold drill bits, vises and stuff that gets used with the drill press. I am wantind something like a add on side box, similar to this one, but not as tall, maybe 24" tall, Really the dimensions I am looking for is a box 15"-18" wide and less than 20" deep and less than 24" tall.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[RonnieC]

Yes I’ve used a craftsman side box under my benchtop drill press for about 10 years. Convenient height for drilling and lots of great storage for bits and accessories.

 

[LeonardY]

I designed this some time ago. Never got around to building it.
Same idea. I wanted it on wheels so I could pull it out the way.

 

[PoorUB]

I designed this some time ago. Never got around to building it.
Same idea. I wanted it on wheels so I could pull it out the way.

Yeah, I figure I will end up building something.

The base on my drill press is fairly large, a 15"x15" cabinet would fit on it and not over hang the base at all. Large table too.

Most hang on boxes like the HF I posted are taller than I want. I have thought of just buying the HF box and cutting it down and make a wood top to cover the cut off. I could stop by where I used to work and bend up a sheet metal top too.

I think about making one too, but by the time I bay some Baltic Birch and drawer glides I have close to the price of the HF cabinet.

So I do nothing!

I have considered this one and odd some plastic trays.https://www.uline.com/Product/ProductDetailRootItem?modelnumber=H-4470

 

[tarmy]

Make it!

here is mine…used full height press, with wheels and a great place for cut offs…

 

[LeonardY]

So I do nothing!

I haven't either.

As far as cost. I converted found and acquired items. (Some bought.) I am never quite as satisfied. When I build something, there are never any compromises. At least none that I am going to tell you about.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I was , or will be doing something like this 4 drawer pull out mounted on a shop built wood cabinet, the drawers can bet set up for the bits & pieces & the cabinet for oversize stuff. It can be t bolted right into the base for easy removal.

Durham Mfg Drawer Cabinet, 15-3/4" x 20" x 15" 303-95-D952 | Zoro

Order Durham Mfg Drawer Cabinet, 15-3/4" x 20" x 15", 303-95-D952 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

 

[LeeG]

I built mine as well. Mine is on casters so I can move it out easily if I need to lower the table. I made all of my cabinets the same height as my table saw, so everything works as an out feed table.



I made it just wide enough that the wheels straddle the base of the drill press. I made this at least 10 years ago, and is still going strong.

Lee

 

[PoorUB]

The wheels on the cabinet are a good idea, but the base on my drill press is fairly wide plus I have it on a mobile base that adds more width so a cabinet to straddle the whole works would get fairly wide, more space than I want to give up.

 

[619DioFan]

How about a 2- 3 drawer file cabinet. I see them for free around me on CL about every day. I have one for welding supplies.

 

[Renegade1LI]

This looks pretty nice,

3-in-1 Drill Press Upgrade

Transform your standard drill press into a high-performance woodworking tool with this step-by-step 3-in-1 Drill Press Upgrade plan. Designed to tackle the most common limitations of a typical drill press — limited mobility, minimal storage, and a small metal table — this project includes three...

www.woodsmithplans.com

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

I don’t have a pic handy but…

I took one of these old Craftsman radial arm saw cabinets, reinforced the top, and mounted a bench type drill press (Enco). I keep everything related to the drill in the cabinet- bits, vises, jigs, etc.

All of these old cabinets came with the retractable casters. It’s been a great setup for me.

 

[Lynden]

Have you considered modifying the HF side cabinet? Remove the top drawer and cut the cabinet down 2" above the top of the second drawer. Make a 2x4 wood frame (mitered corners and pocket screws) that fits inside the top of the cabinet (flush with the top) and attach it with screws through the sides and back of the cabinet. Attach a wood top to the frame. The top would overhang the frame by 1" on all sides. If you want the cabinet shorter eliminate the top two drawers. Or you could modify the bottom of the cabinet. Remove the bottom drawer and cut the cabinet 2" below the bottom of the remaining large drawer. Build a wood frame as discussed above and attach a DIY mobile base to the frame.

 

[PoorUB]

Have you considered modifying the HF side cabinet?

I mentioned that in post #4.

I hate to spend $250, and then start cutting it up!

 

[gmcgeo]

This is a good idea, i have mine on my workbench but would love to set something up like this in the near future, maybe i will run to HF and see the options of a cheap box; they have them in the scratch and dent all the time

 

[slowxj]

Make it!

here is mine…used full height press, with wheels and a great place for cut offs…

Is that a hf Doyle vise? How do you like it?

 

[CraigStu]

I like your idea if you can find one that fits or can be modded to fit. Otherwise, I hung a cabinet on the wall next to the drill press and one shelf in there is all drill bits etc.

 

[jfalcs]

I built this to slide under my Buffalo 18 drill press. Super simple, made from scrap ply, glued and nailed. The "slides" are just the 1/4" drawer bottoms running in a dado. The handles are aluminum angle. I rounded over the edges and rolled on a couple coats of Rest-o-leum smoke grey and called it a day.

I chose to set the casters on an outrigger of sorts to maximize the usable size of the cabinet. It slides over the drill base but doesn't wrap around the column like I've seen many people do. I based the overall height on where I keep the table set most of the time. I can lower it a few inches without moving the cabinet otherwise I roll it out of the way and can bring the table way down, if needed.

 

[jives]

Do a search here for "drill press stand" and you will find at least one other thread on the topic with lots of creative solutions. Lots of cool ideas.

 

[brownbagg]

i got a coffee can to hold my drill bits, it hangs on a nail in the wall behind the drill press

 

[senlow]

I use an oddball size Kennedy bottom box. It is 20" x 14" x 33" tall including the casters. It's not close to PoorUB's dimensional requirements, but it works well for me. I took the pics when I was checking fitment. It was temporarily placed on wood blocks because the tiny original casters were too small for the box to clear the drill press base. I have since added larger casters and made a stainless top. It still has the original **** brown wrinkle paint on it, but it's my plan to paint it Powermatic green to match the drill press.

I really like jfalcs cabinet. It may be simple but it's very well executed.

 

[Sumboodie]

I was , or will be doing something like this 4 drawer pull out mounted on a shop built wood cabinet, the drawers can bet set up for the bits & pieces & the cabinet for oversize stuff. It can be t bolted right into the base for easy removal.

Durham Mfg Drawer Cabinet, 15-3/4" x 20" x 15" 303-95-D952 | Zoro

Order Durham Mfg Drawer Cabinet, 15-3/4" x 20" x 15", 303-95-D952 at Zoro.com. Great prices & free shipping on orders over $50 when you sign in or sign up for an account.

www.zoro.com

Dang those are spendy! I have some of those organizers, they came with bolts, 12v electrical connectors, etc.

 

[FredWanaker]

just make sure there is a way to catch all the filings before they end up in a drawer.

 

[PoorUB]

I use an oddball size Kennedy bottom box. It is 20" x 14" x 33" tall including the casters. It's not close to PoorUB's dimensional requirements, but it works well for me. I took the pics when I was checking fitment. It was temporarily placed on wood blocks because the tiny original casters were too small for the box to clear the drill press base. I have since added larger casters and made a stainless top. It still has the original **** brown wrinkle paint on it, but it's my plan to paint it Powermatic green to match the drill press.

I really like jfalcs cabinet. It may be simple but it's very well executed.

Hey! We have the same drill press!
Same basic model. Mine is a different year, but a PM1200.
Home Depot has a Husky tool chest, a little one. 27 wide, 18 deep and 26 high, which I assume includes the wheels, for $125. It is wider than I want but for the money I need to check it out.

I might buy it, mount the casters on 90 off and maybe can roll it over the base like some guys have shown here on their home built cabinets. I can't build one for $125.

 

[senlow]

Hey! We have the same drill press!
Same basic model. Mine is a different year, but a PM1200.
Home Depot has a Husky tool chest, a little one. 27 wide, 18 deep and 26 high, which I assume includes the wheels, for $125. It is wider than I want but for the money I need to check it out.

I might buy it, mount the casters on 90 off and maybe can roll it over the base like some guys have shown here on their home built cabinets. I can't build one for $125.

My box is not as wide as the table on my drill press. A 27" wide box would be about 6" wider than the table. So, it would only protrude beyond the table by 3" per side. That doesn't seem too bad to me. Also, the crank for raising the table protrudes about 3" beyond the side of the table. My 14" deep box is about flush with the front of the drill press table when it is pushed flush against the column. I don't see a problem with a box that protrudes 4" beyond the table, unless you have very short arms. A standard 27" x 18" rolling box looks like a viable option.

I considered putting a side box on wheels for my drill press, but I didn't like the proportions. I thought it would be weird to have a box that was narrower than the table yet protruded beyond the front.

 

[senlow]

Hmm. . . I have the same drill press as you, and a craftsman box with a 27" x 18" footprint and casters that were repositioned 90 degrees. I moved the drill press out and rolled the other box under the table. The pics may help you decide if that Husky box is acceptable.

 

[PoorUB]

Hmm. . . I have the same drill press as you, and a craftsman box with a 27" x 18" footprint and casters that were repositioned 90 degrees. I moved the drill press out and rolled the other box under the table. The pics may help you decide if that Husky box is acceptable.

I looked at the Husky tool box today, but didn't buy it.
My drill press has a larger table, it measures 19 inches from the castings for the table lift on the column to the front of the table, so a 18 inch deep cabinet would be fine. The tables is 22 inches wide so a 27 inch wide cabinet would sick out 2-1/2 inches on each side. Then I have the the drill press on a mobile base that is 8 inches high so I woul have to space up the wheels, plus it is probably to wide round the casters so I would have to space them out.........the more I think about it I am not in love with the Husky cabinet!

Back to shopping or thinking about building something.

 

[ronr80]

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui...770445&th=17fa8a2075f7d98d&view=att&disp=safe
Not sure I would have anything under the table , the filings and metal ****, oil , it would get pretty messy . here is what I have not has pretty, but it holds all I need.

 

[PoorUB]

If I build something it will have drawers, and good chance I will put a door on it too to help keep the cabinet cleaner inside.

 

[oldisnew]

I don’t have a pic handy but…

I took one of these old Craftsman radial arm saw cabinets, reinforced the top, and mounted a bench type drill press (Enco). I keep everything related to the drill in the cabinet- bits, vises, jigs, etc.

All of these old cabinets came with the retractable casters. It’s been a great setup for me.

 

[oldisnew]

I have that same tool box. I am trying to restore it. Would it be possible to send me a picture of what the top sliding door hangs on when it is closed down over the drawers? Whatever used to be there is busted off on the one I am restoring and I am trying to replicate it but have no idea what is should look like. The mechanism would be a the end of the slide that the the door slide out of...

 

[oldisnew]

I don’t have a pic handy but…

I took one of these old Craftsman radial arm saw cabinets, reinforced the top, and mounted a bench type drill press (Enco). I keep everything related to the drill in the cabinet- bits, vises, jigs, etc.

All of these old cabinets came with the retractable casters. It’s been a great setup for me.

I have that same tool box. I am trying to restore it. Would it be possible to send me a picture of what the top sliding door hangs on when it is closed down over the drawers? Whatever used to be there is busted off on the one I am restoring and I am trying to replicate it but have no idea what is should look like. The mechanism would be a the end of the slide that the the door slide out of...

 

[csp]

Don't go chopping up a new tool cabinet.

I wanted drawers under my small welding table for clamps and consumables so I found a used, 5-drawer Craftsman cabinet for less than $50. I cut it down by removing the spot welds that held the top on and replicated the top sheetmetal when the sides were cut down. It is now about 22.5" tall. You can see that I never did finish out the new spot welds or paint those areas.

I repurposed the two drawers and slides that were removed under another workbench top that is made out of a stainless elevator door.

 

[drs3317]

I built this to slide under my Buffalo 18 drill press. Super simple, made from scrap ply, glued and nailed. The "slides" are just the 1/4" drawer bottoms running in a dado. The handles are aluminum angle. I rounded over the edges and rolled on a couple coats of Rest-o-leum smoke grey and called it a day.

I chose to set the casters on an outrigger of sorts to maximize the usable size of the cabinet. It slides over the drill base but doesn't wrap around the column like I've seen many people do. I based the overall height on where I keep the table set most of the time. I can lower it a few inches without moving the cabinet otherwise I roll it out of the way and can bring the table way down, if needed.

Really like this bit storage drawer. Can you give some details of how you made the tray to hold the bits?

 

[kbs2244]

roadside desk

 

[jfalcs]

Really like this bit storage drawer. Can you give some details of how you made the tray to hold the bits?

The tray was just some hard maple I had. I routed the slots out with a cove bit, 1/2" and 5/8" for the larger bits. Just ran a slot, moved the fence, cut again etc.. I cut a bunch of pieces while I had everything set up and then just trimmed them down to fit the drawers as needed.

I really could stand to label everything but I havent gotten that far yet.

 

[MeanGene427]

Under boxes are where you find them. I had to get rid of a big old Xerox printer a while back, and it sat on a big 'ol cabinet. It fit perfectly under my 16x60 South Bend, with just enough room to squeeze in a 24x36 oil drip tray on top, makes an excellent chip n oil tray, and room for a few tools right in front

 

[kbs2244]

Under boxes are where you find them
^^^^
all it takes is a little thinking outside the box

 

[PoorUB]

Just thought I would update this thread. So far I haven't done a thing. I ended getting wrapped up in family stuff. My 92 year old dad ended up in the hospital a couple times and we have moved him into our home so any shop updates are on hold as I have become a main care provider for my dad and cleaning up his "mess" and selling his house and.....

At any rate it has been crazy around here!

 

[Outlander]

I have been looking for a small tool box to set on the base of my drill press to hold drill bits, vises and stuff that gets used with the drill press.

These are guys are too cool for me. I had 2 used microwave stands that I repurposed for drill press and grinder stands.