Thread: No plastic or sh t metal toolboxs

Claw

when you have finished the box, are you prepared to share the design by maybe posting some dimensions?


ian

Ian

I like your description of a "slightly more elaborate orange carton"

could you post some more pictures ??


ian

Ian - I don't have any other pics on hand, but I can take a few more & post them with dimensions if you give me a day or three.

If I were thinking about making one of these, I would start by figuring out which tools you really want to lug around. The taller, & longer ones tend to dictate the general size & shapes of the storage compartments. I ended up compromising a bit to keep the size down to what I could carry reasonably easily. I'm glad I did - as I said, the damn things get heavier as they age, contrary to the laws of Physics.

I tried a similar approach to making my (non-portable) shed toolbox - i.e. lay out everything in a logical order & make sure the tools most frequently used were the most easily accessible. Sounds nice & logical, but I ended up filling half an exercise book with sketches & redesigns & getting myself thoroughly confused. So in the end, I just drew my inspiration from the ugly old scrap plywood box I'd had for may years & decided what improvements I could make (it had had about a dozen internal makeovers already in its life) & how much extra space should fit everything in. I then drew up the plans for a somewhat fancier box, and fitted it out similarly. That was supposed to be the toolbox to see me out, (& it will be, but I've already had several minor & one moderately extensive internal refit to improve it!).
And although I told myself I had all the tools I could sensibly need, I've had to squeeze a few 'extras' in over the last few years, so my advice to those heading in the same direction is to allow a bit of spare capacity....
Cheers,

IanW

thanks

I had a smile on my face as I thought about your advice

allow a bit of spare capacity ...

and reflected on Derek's recent posts regarding fitting out his "new" shed


ian

Hi Guys, like IanW's this is the small lug about box so dimension wise it is just long enough to put a decent size hand saw, it is from memory about 315mm high and about 300 wide (outside dimensions) timber is 16mm thick the lid is cut off 80mm down from the top which was deep enough the house the saw and have some spare room for when I jam those couple of extra tools in on a rush job or something. The width of the box was govered by a No4 plane with a bit to spare and the height was to suit the length of a chisel (hope I remembered that when I adjusted the lid measurement). I will do some planes and post if you want.

I like making metal things as well as woodwork hence the brass keeper. It also went with the old brass lock. My other half was in the shed the other day having a go at turning, she thought my beautiful 100 y.o lock with the bell in it sounded like a microwave (that is the sort of ring/ping that it makes). God if the poor old boys that made the lock could possibly conceive a microwave, gave me a laugh.

Nice simple design CH, will work well as a tool box.
Ian lovely lloking tool chest mate, definetly one which doesn't get dragged around work sites!

Originally Posted by The Hornet

........ definetly one which doesn't get dragged around work sites!

Well Hornet, it was intended to do just that - though more for 'show-off' places than the sort of rough & tumble worksite you might have in mind! But now it spends most of its days sitting under my workbench, full of 'excess' tools that are waiting for attention or a new home....
Cheers,

Tenon saw and first tray in, still have to do the brass keeper. Striker plate is made and in. Little by little, can't rush these things especialy when you are trying to work as well.

Looks a bit better than my bucket.

Tea Lady, I thought only plumbers had buckets for toolboxes

Nice toolbox, one of the first things I made as an apprentice, still have it at work.
Are you going to paint it black on the outside like they did back then?
Shellac and ni? same as we mixed up for painting the patterns.
I have 3 or 4 old 'boxes and chests in the shed and they are all blacked.
Even fadded it to a french polish finish on one of my 3 legged chairs back in the 80s.
Like all shellac based finishes don't put your coffee mug on it.
H

Originally Posted by Claw Hama

Tea Lady, I thought only plumbers had buckets for toolboxes

Its a bit tricky cos I do turning. Looks like I have to do other wood work too so I can have a decent tool box. (Dam! )

Hi Clearout, no, no black gunk of any kind. It doesn't have to go in the hold of a sailing ship and all those old torture tests they used to give their work. My great great grandfathers chest has a good coating of that stuff and it's held up for the last 170ish years just the same. My little chest will most likely get a couple of coats of satin estapol and a polish with steel wool. Tuff and looks good.

Tea Lady maybe you will just have to bite the bullet and learn some real woodwork (that'll rattle some bars ah .) Or you could turn up some wooden buckets/ round toolboxes.

This afternoons tinker on the toolbox. Second brass keeper with some photos of the brass work, I cut the brass on the bandsaw, then to the linishing belt, then file, then polish with the cotton wheel on the bench grinder. It always looks so pretty. The combination square holds itself in position using the head to lock it into place.