Wall Hanging Tool Cabinet

Michael Mathews

Michael
Corporate Member
I'm thinking about finally building a wall hanging tool cabinet. For those of you that already have one, what do you like and what do you dislike about the one you have? What would you change for the next version? I haven't decided on a style or size or even wood, I'm still figuring all that out. I think I have decided on how I'd like to store my hand planes though. I think in a vertical bed orientation with a toe hook to keep them from falling over backwards. I think that makes the most efficient use of space. I was thinking for a chisel rack/board, and possibly measuring and marking board, making them also accessible from outside the cabinet by a sliding door (think pocket door). So they can be accessed inside the cabinet or if I just need a chisel, I can slide the pocket board out the side to access them. I saw this recently but failed to bookmark the page. UGH

Thanks,
Michael
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I am pretty happy with my cabinets. Doing over I would make them modular so it would be easier to move things and add things.

I think the slide access idea idea is a gimmick you would regret later on.
It’s really not that hard to open a door.

My planes are pretty much the same as you described and I added drawers for parts like extra blades.
 
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NOTW

Notw
Senior User
Michael I am in the same position you are and am trying to decide between a hanging wall cabinet or making holders and mounting them to an open plywood backer (anything other than pegboard). There is a guy on Instagram named Norb Kelly lanesborowdwkr who is just finishing up building a hanging tool cabinet that is beautiful.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
This is my combination Lathe Tool and Plane Hanging Cabinet. It is very deep and made of Baltic Birch Plywood. The drawer fronts are Wormy Maple.

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The black stuff cushioning the Planes is Z-Rust brand that has an anti-rust component.
 

Mike Mills

New User
Mike
I made mine for turning tools but it may give you some different ideas.
Closed is about 52" long 30" high and 13" deep.
Shelf on inside is 5.5 wide (2X6) for chucks, finishes, sanding, etc.
Doors (2x4) has pegboard installed in the center of the door. Doors are about 2' wide so that gives me about 16 linear feet of peg board storage for tools, drives, calipers, etc. Inner door is hinged to the cabinet, outer door is hinged to the inner door. Standing at the center of my lathe I can reach anything as it is only 2 feet away.
Face shields and other bulky items are on the outside (of the outside door).
Cabinet Exterior Doors Open.jpgCabnet Interior Doors Open.jpg
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
I looked at the designs by Mike Pekovich & Chris Gochnour and came up with this one.

The tills are at a 10° angle. The cab depth is about 9".

The chisel rack has a second angled strip with a rare earth magnet. Works well.

ToolCabFin2.JPG

The right side door has another compartment behind the squares that hold a Japanese saw and coping saw.

I've since added more squares and a scrub plane the only one missing is an eventual 5 1/2.

The saw storage is ok, but the LN dovetail saw I got for Christmas doesn't have a home.

Another thing, if your cab is in a climate controlled room, I don't know that doors are really necessary. Mine stay open 99% of the time. Had to do over, I would have just made one big cabinet with either no doors or acrylic sliding doors.
 

Attachments

  • Toolcab4.JPG
    Toolcab4.JPG
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Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
My shop is small but I have dedicated areas for certain things like a turning area, a drilling area, a bench/handwork area, etc. So I have a cabinet for each area.

Not sure I have photos of all the cabinets, will post what I have now and try to add some more later.



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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs31DXYA2_X/


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Jeff

New User
Jeff
Michael, here's the wall hanging tool chests by Chris Gochnour and Mike Pekovich. Lots of good features so you can mix and match like Dr. Bob did.

Chris Gochnour, FineWoodworking, Tools & Shop, 2010.

Mike Pekovich, Finewoodworking, Tools & Shop, 2014.
 

Attachments

  • Keep Planes:Gochnour.pdf
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W Burton

New User
Bill
My cabinet is a continuous work in progress. I often rearrange it in order to add something, make it more efficient, etc. So, I built the majority of it from Baltic birch plywood. I covered the doors with a cherry veneer, but my basic idea was to make something that might have a few extra holes where something was moved, and that was okay. I believe this cabinet will always be a work in progress.

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The drawer above the plane till holds my primary set of chisels. The drawers at the bottom have extra chisels, rasps, extra plane irons, etc.


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The center portion pulls out on some drawer slides and hinges, so there is additional storage back inside the cabinet. Also, the plane till slides forward for easier access when I am working on a project using the planes. Otherwise, I keep them slid back.

I am not sure what I would do now if I didn't have this cabinet. It provides a dedicated place for many hand tools so I spend a lot less time looking for them. I have a couple different sets of tool cabinet plans that I took ideas from as I designed this one. There are still a couple of tools that I am trying to figure a way to incorporate into this cabinet, but that is part of the process.
 

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