Best inexpensive tool cabinet?

   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #41  
And for shop organization I'm heavily into pallet racking. Here is where I try to put a few of the numerous pictures I've uploaded to TBN showing my pallet racking

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but this new system HAS NO ORGANIZATION for attachments. So it was a pain just to dig up those.

Pallet racking is available in all sizes, putting it together is like tinkertoys or Lego. If you need to reconfigure it it's a 1 man job and I've done it several times.
I use pallet racking also. Those shelves hold a lot of heavy stuff.

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   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #42  
FWIW: I put heavy items like air tools, saws and routers in drawers. No lifting, no bending. Lighter stuff goes lower down.
My only two cents on kitchen bases is make sure that the drawer slides are heavy duty and come all the way.
I am talking Amish style cabinets made of 3/4" plywood and 100# full extension drawer slides. But that may be pricey with the cost of wood now.
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet?
  • Thread Starter
#43  
20210523_132138.jpg


Anybody have one of these from Costco? $599
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #44  
Nice!

It has ball bearing slides and heavy enough to suggest it is well built. Plus it is $200 off list, and it is Costco so returning it isn't much of an issue.

Of course it weighs 460+lbs empty, so getting it home isn't trivial...

If you buy it, I for one would be curious whether you like it.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #45  

When I built my current shop, I remembered that Auto Shop in High School had all their tools on a wall so you could see every tool. What was really good about this is that you could also see if a tool was missing!!! I have all my tools on display so I can see if one is missing. All my wrenches are on a screw, with metric on one side, standard on another side, and every size next to the bigger size. If I have two or three of the same size, I use a longer screw. Same with screwdrivers, wrenches and everything else. Sockets are in a tray on my workbench so I can see if any are missing.

Other tools like sanders, PEX, Copper, sheetrock and so on are all in individual plastic tool boxes with what's in them written with permanent markers so I can see what's there and grab the correct toolbox for the job I'm doing.

All my shelves are open so I can see what's there, and how much I have to use. Nail gun nails are all sitting on a shelf, just like light bulbs and spray lubricants. I can stand in front of my bench and see everything without moving.
I'm a big fan of "a place for everything and everything in its place" but I can't seem to square it with the reality that I'm constantly buying new tools and losing and breaking old ones. For example, I just bought an 11/32" drill bit at the hardware store because I needed a tight fit for a 3/8" dowel. So what do I do with it now? It's not part of any set. I have a drawer full of loose drill bits, but I never go in there because I can never find anything. And I'm migrating from corded tools to cordless, but the new ones are different shapes from the ones they replace.

Also, I prefer closed cabinets so I can put everything away and then sweep and vacuum all the dust up.
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #46  
I'm a fan of the Grizzly stainless cabinets. I've bought 2 of the 96". Was a Snap On man most of my life but just can't justify that cost anymore.
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #47  
I'm a big fan of "a place for everything and everything in its place" but I can't seem to square it with the reality that I'm constantly buying new tools and losing and breaking old ones. For example, I just bought an 11/32" drill bit at the hardware store because I needed a tight fit for a 3/8" dowel. So what do I do with it now? It's not part of any set. I have a drawer full of loose drill bits, but I never go in there because I can never find anything. And I'm migrating from corded tools to cordless, but the new ones are different shapes from the ones they replace.

Also, I prefer closed cabinets so I can put everything away and then sweep and vacuum all the dust up.
We differ greatly on the closed cabinets issue.
I much prefer open shelving, so that can see the item I am looking for, without opening doors looking for it.
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #48  
I'm a big fan of "a place for everything and everything in its place" but I can't seem to square it with the reality that I'm constantly buying new tools and losing and breaking old ones. For example, I just bought an 11/32" drill bit at the hardware store because I needed a tight fit for a 3/8" dowel. So what do I do with it now? It's not part of any set. I have a drawer full of loose drill bits, but I never go in there because I can never find anything. And I'm migrating from corded tools to cordless, but the new ones are different shapes from the ones they replace.

Also, I prefer closed cabinets so I can put everything away and then sweep and vacuum all the dust up.
I'm a contractor, so my most used drill bits are in a case behind my passenger seat in my truck. But all other drill bits go inside a plastic Bosch corded drill case. I have a similar problem finding the right drill bit for what I'm doing inside that case, but not so bad that I had to walk out to my truck when I needed a drill bit yesterday. I actually found the right sized bit on my third try!!!

On my open shelves, I have that plastic case with the corded drill in it, but also a large collection of other power and pneumatic tools in plastic cases. Some of them look similar, so I write on the case what's in there. Stapler and brad nailers look alike. Right next to those tools, I have boxes of brads and staples. It's all out in the open and easy to see.

I do make quite a bit of dust in my shop, especially when I'm making cabinet doors with my router. I've never found that dust to be a problem on my shelves. It just doesn't seem to go up there.

After 15 years, I still have open areas on my shelves. I tend to buy replacement tools more often then I buy something that I've never had before. I also keep all my cordless tools in my truck.
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet? #49  
I'm a contractor, so my most used drill bits are in a case behind my passenger seat in my truck. But all other drill bits go inside a plastic Bosch corded drill case. I have a similar problem finding the right drill bit for what I'm doing inside that case, but not so bad that I had to walk out to my truck when I needed a drill bit yesterday. I actually found the right sized bit on my third try!!!

This drill bit case is the handiest one I've used and it takes a beating. The only improvements they could make is if they added a few extra holes for 1/8", so you could carry spares. (That seems to be my most used pilot hole size) and the lettering for the drill bit sizes was larger.

Drill bit holder
 
   / Best inexpensive tool cabinet?
  • Thread Starter
#50  
Nice!

It has ball bearing slides and heavy enough to suggest it is well built. Plus it is $200 off list, and it is Costco so returning it isn't much of an issue.

Of course it weighs 460+lbs empty, so getting it home isn't trivial...

If you buy it, I for one would be curious whether you like it.

All the best,

Peter

Probably can't beat that price either right? The 44" US generals are $500 for the bottom and $320 for the top... unless there's a sale.
 
 
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