Hi all, I am as noted elsewhere starting to put together a new shop. I also have just bought a workbench for my Father for Christmas. So the question is what suggestions do you all have for storage of hand plans near said workbench in said shop?
The workbench is such that we can add storage in the bench itself (it is designed for that) or we could do something on the wall. At this point we only have a couple of hand plans. But I do hope to get more as I am interested in learning more about using hand tools as I have done a little with the planes we have and I have enjoyed it.
So as I see it the basic options are some sort of draw in the bench. So sort of sealed wall cabinet. Or an open shelf system that either has them sideways and has several shelves kind of like the closed cabinet but with no door. Or the could be set more upright and next to each other with handles out so you can get to them easier. Down side of drawers and closed cabinets is getting to them. Down side of open shelves is that they can get dusty.
So being as this is new to me (right now they are stored in a cabinet on the other side of the shop as I just needed a place to put them where they would not be damaged) I thought I would ask what you are all doing and what you would suggest.
Doug Meyer
Replies
Doug
I used to store all my planes on a shelf under the bench. I got tired of hitting my head on the vise handle everytime I bent over to get one, not to mention the back ache (I've got a serious back problems). I switched to a shelf system right behind the bench along the wall, and am presently building a wall hanging tool box for all of my hand tools. It's gonna be large, at 4' tall and 6' wide, and will put all my hand tools at a quick reach away from the bench. It will also let me know what is missing or misplaced somewhere in the shop, as each tool will have it's permanent visual resting place.
For me, dust on tools is just a fact of having a woodshop. A quick vacuum or blow with an air gun solves that problem, and I have to clean up every night anyway. (Hah, if you believe that one!)
However you decide to store them, I think it's important to have them right where you're gonna use them, near your workbench. No need to go walking across the shop everytime you need a different one.
Good luck, and enjoy that new shop with your Pa. I wish I could get mine to pay a visit to my shop, but that's a different topic.....
Jeff
Except for my Jointers (which live on a nearby shelf), my planes reside in drawers in a rolling cart that lives under my bench. Pics available in this thread:
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=33457.1
Depends on where you live, I have a shop in an unheated garage in Alabama. My planes are in a sealed wall cabinet with a "Goldenrod" gun safe heater to keep the blasted rust away. The LN planes are in a cabinet in my office, safely tucked away in their own little 'plane socks'. :-)
Doug,
Just a few ideas that have worked well for me. First of all my bench is about a foot from the wall. I need that foot often to accommodate longer/wider pieces of stock. Against that wall I built a large cabinet(5x3)with box doors, it's about 12" deep. The cabinet is about 15" above the workbench, below the cabinet I built a 5'shelf for the planes. Lastly, I added a rather large drawer that hangs from the underside of the workbench and is flush with the apron.
The cabinet gives me 9 cubbie holes for power tool storage(drills, sanders, sabre saw, etc.)and I hang my handtools in the doors. the drawer holds many measurement tools as well as speciality items like wax candles, Christmas presents i'll never use, etc.
Everything is within an arms reach...very easy to keep clean and organized
Doug,
Where: as close to the work station as possible. As soon as you have to walk to get at the tool, it will become part of the clutter as you walk to get another.
The question I have not seen addressed is: do you store the plane on its side or on the sole? Some woodworkers say that on the side is the right way, so that the iron can not hit any metal on the shelf or bench. Others say, on the sole, so that the iron is protected from careless or accidental hits from a piece of metal. (I store mine on the sole, with the iron fully retracted when I am done for the day) Since I hone the iron before use each time I use it, it is not a problem to have the iron retracted for storage. JL
It's quite easy to place a plane on its sole and still protect the blade: just keep a small wood shim on the bench or in the shelf or draw; it will raise the toe (or if you use two - raise both the toe and the heel) and keep even the extended blade suspended harmlessly.
Samson,
It sounds like you have that part of your storage system figured out.
Happy New Year. JL
Right now I am thinking of a wall mounted storage. It will most likely NOT be over the top of the bench as after reading some post here I am thinking of keeping the workbench off the wall about 3 or 4 feet. If I do this (it will allow us to work completely around the bench) we would work in the space between the bench and the wall. So it would simply be turning around to pick up the tool and then turn back around to use it.
Either way I am currently thinking of building a shelf system with a cubby for each plan (and new cubbies as I get more planes) and if I did that each cubby would be for a specific plan and I could cut a grove for the blade. I don't want to set them on the sides as the height of each plan varies so much that the depth (when on their side) would bet really deep for some of them. I think it would be simpler to set them on their soles and make provisions for the protection of the blade.
Right now this is in a state of flux while I listen to others input but that is my current idea.
Doug Meyer
Being able to work all around the bench is a great idea. It also tells me that you have the space to do it and that starts me imagining what my ideal shop would be like. As far as storing the planes, I have seen designs that show the planes upright, held at the top and bottom with cleats, and the handles out ready to pick up and work. There was a space behind the sole of the plane so the blade never touched anything while in storage.
I look forward to hearing what is that you finally decide on. JL
Doug and Jeanlou,
I snapped a few new pics as they are worth 1000 words as they say. This may not be the way for either of you, but in case any lurkers are interested:
Drawer storage:
http://home.comcast.net/~samson141/1_roll_plane_drawer.jpg
Again with the 4 1/2 removed to show the small slats that hold up the toe and heel so as to protect the blade and drawer bottom (all the slots have similar slats):
http://home.comcast.net/~samson141/1_roll_plane_stops.jpg
When working with my planes at the bench, I leave wood bits like this around so that I can put the plane down without a worry about the blade of the bench top:
http://home.comcast.net/~samson141/1_plane_shim.jpg
All obvious no doubt, but there it is in pictures!
Happy New Year!
Samson,
There isn't a speck of dust in your plane drawer. Very impressive! The picture looks like what Doug was talking about.
Thanks for going through the trouble of taking and posting the pictures. JL
"There isn't a speck of dust in your plane drawer. Very impressive!"
Don't be too impressed, mon ami, it's nothing more than the results of 10 seconds work with and a Shop Vac. Unlike some drawers with small parts, the plane drawer is easy to vacuum.
Sorry I took so long to reply...I was not able to log on to Knots...
It is not the amount of time it does or doesn't take to do something that is important, but rather the fact that someone is prepared to do it in the first place that really counts. You can't get away from it...you keep a clean shop Samson, and we all know that cleanliness is next to Godliness. :-) JL
PS So where did you learn to speak French?
Yeah that is one idea that I have been kicking around. As for the space issue. I don't have as much as you may think. I have about 12' 6" by 23'-8" of so. Once I put up the wall to allow me space to park my car when the wether gets really bad (say ice storms or hail) I will have the dust collector out of this space and the compress will also not be in this space. I will have about a 9' by 12'-6" loft with a min head room of about 5'-8 or so (a bit low for me at 6'-5 or my dad at 6'-0) that I intend to use for storage of wood and such. The reason I can get the bench off the wall is because I am used to a small room. The last shop was 21' by 9'-6 with a 2' by 14' bump out on one side with a built in bench in it. So the new shop is noticeably bigger then the old. This allows me to make the most of the space, as I am used to being packed in tight. Also by leaving a double door in the side of the shop I can use the space the car takes up by simply rolling tools like the thickness planer out into that space or using it to cut sheet goods or do finishing. I will build some knock down stands for assembly and finishing. Being that this is Michigan I can easily leave my car out a lot of the time. (I did install a remote start)
That is why I am thinking more and more about keeping the bench off the wall. This is part of another thread that I have been reading. It will limit the assembly space in the main shop but like I said for big items I can move the car out of the other half of the garage.
As for the cleat Idea, well that looks nice but I am not sure how that would work in practice as if you don't get the catches back in the plan will tumble backwards and either nock you silly, cut your hands/arms/legs, smash your feet/toes or worse, Hit the concrete!.
I really would like to build one of those old fashioned wood tool boxes with all the draws and space for the hand planes in the top but that will be a while before I get to that as their are two man project before it like book cases and such.
Doug Meyer
Doug,
Somebody once told me that not having everything we want builds character. I guess it also applies to a small workspace. It makes us think it through and maximize the space that we have. I also have a small space, so I can understand what you are saying.
I know that you will appreciate working on all 4 sides of the workbench. It is a great idea!
There is a poster showing a toolbox that makes me salivate every time I see it. I do not remember if I saw it in FWW or in a Lee Valley catalogue. I never bought the poster because I was afraid of what it might make me do. The amazing thing about it is the way every square centimeter of space is used, and everything is readily available. If I run across it again I will find a way to show it to you. You may have already seen it in your travels. I think it was a machinist's toolbox, but I may be wrong. JL
Jeanlou,The poster is of the Studley Tool Chest, and it's available as a desktop image just one or two clicks away! Rp
Riverprof,
Are you telling me that the poster is on the FWW site? Every time I see it, and it is always by chance, I end up being ''inspired'' and start thinking of all kinds of ways to ''borrow'' the ideas that the I see and do something drastic with my tool storage.
One can dream. JL
I am familur with this case and while I want a nice case this is going a bit to far for me. While I can admire it I would never try to build something this complexe. I will settle for a more standard design. I was going to buy a book on tool boxes at the local wood show back in the beginning of Dec but they have a display of the cover on the side of the booth and no book. Sigh..... Still it will be a while before i get around to it so I have time but it would be nice to think about it anyway.
Doug Meyer
Doug,Whatever you choose, my advice is to make/leave room for a dozen more planes! So fitted cabinets are fine, but what happens if the love of your life buys you a new plane for your birthday or you find something special at a flea market! I ran out of room for my saws last night! (finished making a new hand saw) I like my open shelf under by bench. Its mid way between the floor and the bench top so its not so bad to stoop. Other tools are stored in a traditional tool box that looks like a blanket chest. Ive had good luck with this chest. Visitors sit on it, it does a good job of protecting tools, and its fine to work out of.Adam
Well I don't have the problem with the L.O.M.L. buying me a new plane as I don't have one of those. (LOML that is) but I do have to agree that you need to allow for room for expansion. I would not have a problem with the open shelf idea it just seams to need a deeper area then I have for it so I think I will need to sore them sideways. I can allow a good space for this.
Right now I am thinking that I can take an 8' wide area (about 3 or 4' tall) and divide it up. I will take 2' from the left and right sides and put peg board against the wall. Then I will frame out this whole thing with wood to about 4 or 5 inches deep. (Deep enough to set a plan on sideways) This will leave an area about 4' wide in the center that I will divide down with cubbies for plans and such. This should be plenty of room to grow into. Over the center area I will put sliding doors either peg board or solid that when open will slide over the side peg boards. This way I can have a little extra storage. The main reason I want doors on this is so that no one accidentally hits any of the planes and nocks them to the ground.
I am also thanking about putting a shallow draw on the new bench (See the thread about the bench I Bought my dad for Christmas) The Bench in question has 4 stretchers (two each leg) and it has a space below the edge of the top and above the top stretcher that is just deep enough that you could put a very shallow draw into this space. I figure it could hold things like chisels or screw drivers or such. And if I make it where all of these are in trays I can then open the draw and pull out the tray and set it out for use or I can just pull open the draw and take out the one tool I need.
Eventually My dad wants to build draws into the area between the stretchers for storage of tools. Being as he is more into power tools then hand tools I think this will be for things like ROS and such. I did like the one idea of building a rolling storage area under the right side of the table that can be pulled out of they way if needed. This would have a lot of storage.
One of the things that has influenced me in the past is the small size of the last shop and that my condo (that the house is replacing) is also very small (700 sq ft on the main floor and a full basement with a low ceiling) So I have gotten used to packing things in very small spacing and using ever sq inch of space.
Doug Meyer.
Doug,
Couple of more thoughts to drive you crazy: under the wings of the bench is a great place for a 2 gal. vac, miniture workbench and/or bench hooks/shooting boards. I also made storage box for sandpapers with about 12 compartments and like ot keep that close to the workbench. Be careful with that prime real estate...
Edited 1/3/2007 2:07 pm ET by BG
Jeanlou, Here's the URL:http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ProjectsAndDesign/ProjectsAndDesignArticle.aspx?id=27038Rp
Thanks.
Je ne sais pas parler francais, Jeanlou. Demandez juste a mon lycee le professeur francais.
It works for me Samson. If ever you are decide to visit Quebec you will have no trouble ordering something refreshing to drink.
Bon soir. JL
I've been to Montreal, Bay St. Paul, and thereabouts. Loved it. And I was indeed able to successfully order "the glace." ;-)
I have about 60 planes in my shop so storage is a problem. All of my wooden planes are stored on an open rack about 7 feet above the floor. Since I don't heat my shop all the time, I store my metal planes in a wooden chest similar to the old time chests. It has a tight fitting lid to keep out most of the humid air that enters the shop. The chest is unfinished on the inside and on casters so it won't wick up moisture from the concrete floor. I find that I don't have to worry much about rust by restricting the air flow around them. As for the metal parts on my wooden planes, I keep a coat of beeswax and oil on them and check them every now and then. Humidity is a real problem here in southern Indiana so I am always looking for rust damage when I pick up a tool. I also have a box of drawers under my workbench that works as well. I find that any wooden container such as a drawer or box that controls the amount of air and the movement of air around my tools helps to control rust. I believe also that unfinished wood on the inside helps absorb any moisture that enters the cavity, keeping it dryer.
WD, you may find that a good solution is to install a "Golden Rod" gun safe heater in a false bottom in all tool boxes as I do in the wall units for planes and cutting/carving tools. Paddy
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