I’m building the tool cabinet from the Tools and Shops 2006 issue. Basically, it’s a 4′ x 30″ Baltic birch plywood box. The article lays out the author’s preferences for dividers, etc. After constructing the box, I’m thinking of making a major alteration–turning the box 90 degrees so that the four feet are horizontal and the 30″ are vertical. My reasoning is the cabinet will be over my bench and I don’t relish reaching up the four feet to get something out of the top of the cabinet. Even at 5’10”, I’m not sure I could. So, what structural problems do you foresee by turning this cabinet? I’ve thought about a vertical divider to stiffen the box, as the plane garage does in the original. I’m also only planning to put chisels, files, measuring and marking tools in the doors. I’d appreciate the feedback. I’ve provided a link to the original article. Thanks. Tom
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/FWNPDF/011188040.pdf
Replies
ctsjr82,
I can't see the link you provided but I have a similar setup, here are some of my experiences, you can take it from there. Mine is about 5' long and 30" high and, different from yours, about 14" deep. That 14" includes 4" box doors in the front. The carcass is finger jointed all around, including the doors, with 1/2 ply in the cabinet for the back and 3/4 ply in the door panels...piano hinges attach the doors.
Inside the space is divided to accommodate power tools(sanders, drills, plate jointer, etc.) and misc. supplies (glue, double sided tape, small jigs, etc). I mention these details because this is the stuff we use all the time and its real handy. My doors hold most of the hand tools. The doors are deep enough to hold double tiering of the chisels, that is important or else too much wasted space.
The unit is quite heavy. I attached a cleat to the wall that the unit sits on..and provides additional support. Good luck with your plans
ctsjr82, I am currently in the middle of making this cabinet with a friend of mine. My cabinet will be the same dimensions as the article. My buddy cut down the original 4' height to 3'. His concern was the same as yours - he could not see reaching the upper end of the cabinet.
Structurally, we are both concerned about the strength of the hinge between the doors and main box. The simple piano hinge does not look heavy enough so we are considering a wrap around hinge. Even the small tools you plan to put in the doors will add up in weight. You may want to consider the wrap around hinge as well.
How are you planning to join the box? We are using the 1/2 finger joints cut with a router and found that they are tough to get square when doing the glue up. I would recommend a slow setting glue and some trial runs. You should consider a test piece before committing your box plywood. If we had it to do over again, we would use machine cut dovetails.
Steve
SteveI've already glued my box together, and I'm working on the rabbet for the front and back pieces. I used 1/2 box joints that I cut on the table saw with my dado blade. I got tear out on the backs of some of the joints, and then read a hint to scribe a baseline with a marking gauge to eliminate the blowout--after the fact! Glue up was relatively stress free. My box is 100% square, and ready for the next steps. I too, worry about the piano hinge being able to take the weight. I'm not sure what I'll do hinge-wise yet. I'm going ahead with the plane to make the cabinet horizontal rather than vertical, and will ask some folks about the piano hinge--how much weight can it support, etc. Thanks for the reply. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
Tom, we are taking it very slow but it sounds as though we are just a bit ahead. The front and back panels have been fit in their rabbets and we have cut the front door free from the main box. We are working on the gallery now.
It is good to hear that your glue up went well. We really struggled with with keeping everything square. I am interested in how you kept the finger joints pulled together tight and the sides square during glue up. It was a challenge for us.
Steve
SteveI made several test cuts and joints till the fit was 'just right' and then started on the real boards. I did a dry test fit, and then glued one joint up. I used Titebond III for the longer open time, and it came in handy as the first joint I glued up I got the boards mixed up and had to wallop the joint together. After that I labeled the rest of the joints and the glue up went fine--I didn't even use clamps. I gently set the joint with a dead blow hammer, drove the joint together and let it sit till the glue set up, then moved on to the next one. The first joint I had to clamp together to seat the joint up tight. I'm planning my gallery now. Have you bought your hinges yet? If so, what size are they? Seems I remember seeing 'oversized' piano hinges somewhere. I may take a little trip through Google and see what it turns up. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
Tom, thanks for the additional information on the glue up. I guess we made it more difficult than it should have been.
We have not bought the hinges yet. I saw some in the Rockler catalog that are for 3/4" plywood X 48" long.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=283
Steve
SteveHave you attached your hinges yet? I've just about decided to hang the cabinet as the article has it rather than turn it 90. I've found some wrap around hinges from Rockler that would seemingly give all the strength you would need. I've attached the front and back boards and cut the top away from the box--I'm now 'pondering' layout, convenience, etc. Tom"Notice that at no time do my fingers leave my hand"
Tom, we are at the same point - still pondering the layout. I did not realize that we would take this long. We have not tackled the hinges yet.
We have applied white birch egde banding to the exposed plywood edges of the main box and the door.
One change that we decided make is to cut a curve on the gallery dividers. The straight cut just did not appeal to us.
Steve
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