IN SHOP STORAGE - Tools Only

Tool Cabinet - Hand woodworking and power tools. This is the heart of my in-shop tool storage.

Utility Cart - Tools in frequent use near the work area.

Clamp Bench - Extra work bench with 5 specialty vices & over 185 clamps of all types and sizes.

Mechanics Tool Chest -  Mechanics tools

OUTSIDE SHOP STORAGE - (Separate walled off areas)

Wood - Lumber, blocks , veneers, cut offs, etc.

Supplies &Equipment - General supplies, hardware, paint and finishing supplies, tool accessories, jigs, HVLP sprayer, air compressor, etc.

The details of these storage areas are described below.

Drawer faces are book matched curly Koa veneer.

Overall dimensions are 82W X 84H X 22D (depth of cabinet boxes)

2 side towers joined at the top, center & base form a 3rd center tower.  Disassembles for distant moving...8 heavy duty casters for moving in the shop.

Contents are stored in related tool groups.

The entire cabinet frame is mortise & tenon post & beam with heavy duty corner braces & caster blocks.

Drawer slides are Brazilian Teak. 

2 Wood turning racks for large & small chisels.

3 Carving chisel racks for Japanese chisels, small chisels & palm chisels.

Chip carving knife rack on a removable stand attached to cabinet back.

Checkering chisels rack is also on the removable stand.

Door Racks hold 15 cabinet screw drivers, 16 Japanese bench chisels and several shaping tools.

Removable 2 Drawer Unit holds an entire collection of Fordem & Dremel carving bits and tools in the top drawer and over 70 wood files in the lower drawer.

Shelves sit on a removable heavy duty 2 drawer unit.  The top drawer holds an entire set drafting tools, French curves and templates.  The lower drawer holds large over sized drill bit.

The removable caliper rack, shown on the left, can be placed near the lathe when turning.

The drawer faces are 3 different heights to accommodate even large hand power tools.

Where practical tools are kept in drawers under the upper cabinet, which has tools for related uses.  This is helpful to see at a glance the various tool options for a particular project.

Overall dimensions are 34W X 24D X 42H (cabinet is 26W X 17 1/2D)

We will continue to add additional information on our new shop, including the veneer cart and storage ideas outside the shop.  Our emphasis between projects will now be focused on building the shop itself.

FRONT, BACK & LEFT END VIEW without clamps

This handy extra work bench now holds 185 clamps of all sizes and 5 auxiliary vices.  Of the 16 square feet of top surface area only about 3 square feet are taken up with clamps, which saves shop space and leaves the remaining area available for other uses.  The clamps stored on this bench would take up an enormous amount of space if hung on the walls as is commonly done.

The vices include a corner vice, hung below, a small woodworking vice, mounted on the bench, plus a carving vice, angle vice and a mechanics vice mounted on wood bases.  These vices can be clamped to the bench or in wood working vice if necessary.

FRONT, BACK & LEFT END VIEWS with clamps

Larger C clamps are hung under the bench in front and smaller C clamps are stored in bins under the top.

Shorter bar clamps are stored on the left end of the bench.

RIGHT END VIEW

Long bar and pipe camps are stored under the bench top and on the back side.

This little bench actually has a family history. It evolved to its present configuration from a butcher block sewing table I originally made for my wife years ago.  It later became a hobby bench, used to build much of the woodworkers' model railroad (shown under Toys For All Ages on this site) and then a garage bench, which held only a limited number of clamps.  I liked how it kept my clamps handy and organized.  It has now been expanded to hold all the clamps in my new shop, with room for further expansion on a backboard if ever necessary.