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Tool Storage Ideas

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Timd32

TDR MEMBER
I have had my Craftsman box since 1996, it has the basic old school slides, its special because I paid for it and worked hard to have a nice box, I started to refresh it a bit, pulled all the drawers lube the slides and replace the drawer liners, no plans on getting rid of it. It has paid me back many times over for sure.

But I need some additional storage and top work space, only need lower cabinets. I have been looking at all the boxes commonly available and have some ideas, the 52" lower roller side by sides are pretty inexpensive.

What alternate idea are folks using or might suggest?

I looked at building some cabinets with decent drawer slides as a 100lb drawer slide set is only $18, cabinet grade plywood top is only $50 a sheet, normal CDX is only $25, so you can build a very HD unit that will fit your needs for very little money but need to trade the time. I have most of the tools to do that. Everything needs wheels IMO so it can be rolled out and cleaned behind.

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I kinda like the idea of a pair (or more) of chests/ bottoms joined by a butcherblock or similar top. Ideas for boxes could be similar matching craftsman or Stanley Vidmar or other commercial drawer storage. I would surely consider the matching sandwich box meant to go between your top n bottom.
 
Wayne - That's what I want. A lot of guys on Garagejournal.com have built similar using the Harbor Freight tool boxes. They claim the HF chests are just as good as Craftsman or the like.
 
Guys are snapping up the HF cart/ chests with the gas strut lid on my job, and I gotta admit they’re not bad. My storeroom uses the Vidmar cabinets, and they’re the bomb. You probably could put a Cummins cylinder head on a open drawer and it’ll still glide. Personally I’d do a heavy ply top with a .060 or thicker stainless top with a break (backsplash) along the back.
 
So, Tim, What did you end up doing?

The box you show looks like my box that I got in 89 or 90. The slides are pretty shot, but still sorta works. I removed anything heavy and now just have light stuff in it.

I ended up with a cheap smaller box (stack-on) for more storage. Then finally needed a lot more storage to declutter drawers - which only lasted for a little while.

I scored a nice snap-on krl-761 off of iatn.net for $800 (new for 5000+). I LOVE that box. 200 lbs of pullers in 1 drawer and it moves easily with 1 finger (just don't get the finger pinched).

So, keep your eye out, you might score like I did. I had to drive 300 miles one way to get it, but it sure was worth it.
 
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Got distracted with this project but I have my plan.

2- 26.5" 5 drawer with one 26" top boxes in the middle. Im going to remove the flip up lid and use the shelf area as a charging area for stuff. Then a 7' butcher block counter top.

A local Sams club closed so I picked up a brand new 40gal fire cabinet, a portable sink thing on wheels, and a stainless steel cart thing so thats where my tool box money went. The portable sink has hot and cold water, 10gal of gray water and 5 gal of fresh water. Its pretty neat, I dont have water out by my shop.

Here is a quick hack of what Im thinking about. I think it was $836 for this set up, unless I wait for a sale or a ding and dent floor model.

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I did clean my whole box out and put new liners in and got a bunch of socket organizers.

So I did make progress, but the bulk of the tools are now in a heap on that new stainless cart.

Doing a timing belt on a 2003 focus on Sunday for a friend's so I need to clean those up a bit for sure afterwards. Winter when it snows I have it all pretty packed in.
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Tim my shop looks alot like that at the moment. Knee deep in 3 projects and dont have time for one.
 
OK, I am analyzing your picture. And hijacking that thread. So, you have a two story garage? Those beams are very large to hold up a roof. I see you have a tire balancer. Do you also have a tire changer? I finally upgraded to a Rim clamp one and sold my old 4040sa.
 
Yeah its a building house style garage. Upstairs is empty.

I have a Coats 5040 rim clamp, and I think that is a Coats 1080 balancer.

There was a local garage that had the balancer for sale for a few months I finally stopped in one day to ask whats up with it. He wanted 1k for the balancer only. I got both for 1k he got tired of moving the balancer in and out everynight and had no room.

I had a 2013 Dodge Caravan that had some damage his mechanic needed a van so I sold the mechanic the van for 1k and basically got the tire machine and balance. Van only had 85k miles but every panel was beat up, still had 15k on warranty.
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So was able to almost start and finish my tool storage project.

Had to drill out some rivets to get the top off and drill and bolt the 3 boxes together. Was able to use some plastic rivets to put that trim back together.

Still have to secure the top have to flip it over.

But happy with the results.

I put all the swivel wheels on one box and the fixed wheels on the other, it moves around pretty well for 72" long.

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Coming together great. Not that it really needs it, but do you plan to make filler panels for the top of the boxes, beneath the top?
 
I have some 1/2 x 1" wide rubber weather stripping, I think I have like 600' of the stuff from a outdoor switchgear job, I might just put that on the leading edge the sides and back have that litttle edge, I think its 1/4"-3/8" top gap possibly.

I need some square washers from my shop at work before I lag the top down to make up the gap from the box top to the wood.
 
I watched CL and FB for a while to find a nice metal storage cabinet with shelves and doors that was 24" deep. The cheaper ones are usually 18" deep or less which imo is too shallow.
Doors are nice because it keeps everything clean.
 
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