Angry_Beaver some good questions for me to answer, appreciate the feedback.
The reason for a fewer--but larger--drawer design is simple: organization.
I agree with Adam Savage when he says "Drawers are where tools go to die". The more drawers, the more dead tools.
If I need to punch something out I need a hammer, punch, and possibly a pry. I don't want to open a separate drawer to fetch the hammer, a separate drawer to fetch the punch and a separate drawer to fetch the prybar. That's terribly inefficient and disorganized. Speed of fetch is speed of production.
If I could design a drawer-less tool storage with all tools visible and 1 grab away, I'd ditch the toolbox all together. This increases my speed and decreases my tool search time.
Haven't found an effective solution. Pegboards are incredibly fast, but limited in capacity.
The application is homeowner, and the tooling will be strategic. Enough tool variants to address most situations, but not overboard like some guys with 20 of the same tool just for the sake of having them.
For example, your wrench drawer looks highly redundant to me. All I need is Metric/Imperial, in regular and stubby. Some crows feet and a crescent. Wrench collection done. Backups can go in a side box to supplement breakage.
I do think a bit differently and innovate based on the solution required, not "just the way things are done". Minimal but powerful. Efficiency and organization to the max. Hope that helps.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
my wrench drawer might seem redundant to you... turning wrenches for a living need to be about speed and production. 2 sets of SAE and Metric is the only redundant thing you'll find. sometimes you need two of one size. I have alot of specialty wrenches, such as AN, flare, 90* head, etc. everyone needs a set of ratcheting, both stubby and full length.
While for you, it may see redundant, there is times I need something I don't have.. I also strive to stay super organized. dis organization leads to disaster.
I understand your common theme. My punches are in my hammer drawer also. unless they are transfer punches-those go in the machining drawer. Prybars go with screwdrivers. My nut fuckers go in the plier drawers (crescent wrenches). I like more drawers I guess. things stay neatly organized that way. I mean, I wouldn't put a soldering iron in with the hammers, just because there was room, even though the last time I used it I wanted to smash it....
I myself, can't stand peg board.. we have it for common shop tools. Easily visible. in a high volume shop, they get dusty, covered in water from a pressure washer overspray that leads to corrosion, and lastly, they walk off easier.
I am converting my shop from open keyhole nut and not bins to vidmar cabinets. visibility is great...... open holes are great for spiders, dust, mice, etc. I love the vidmar/lista cabinets for hardware, no so much for tools. everyone has there own preferences. The shorter cabinets will allow more work space as a bench, than some stand up nut and bolt bins that take up valuable floor/wall space.
