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Thread: Mobile eqipment cupboard
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8th December 2003, 10:27 PM #1
Intermediate Member
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Mobile equipment cupboard
Hi all,
For anyone interested, this is a cheap and nasty cupboard I constructed recently to store the majority of my power tools etc. It's on castors so I can move it around the garage if need be, and has two slide out shelves at the bottom so I don't do my back in, trying to lift out the mitre saw or thicknesser, which both weigh a tonne!
I originally had this small 4 shelf knock up metal unit from the hardware store, but it didn't have much space and everything was constantly being coated in saw dust.
What you see here is the almost complete effort. (It's finished now with two hinged doors)
I wanted it to be practical, not pretty. The majority of the construction used recycled hardwood and pine for the frame. Bought the cheapest thin plywood I could for the outside, and the only other expenses were for the heavy duty castors and heavy duty slide rails that allow the bottom two side-by-side shelves to extend their full length. Just used housing joints for the frame and screwed it all together. Nothing's glued for this one.
It sits right in front of my workbench and lets me be tidy whenever I need a power tool. Everything's easy to access, so I don't have to worry about leaving tools laying about. As mentioned, it's on castors, which are 78mm high. Managed to be clever and only have the cupboard sit about 10mm off the ground though.
Dimensions:
approx 1400 x 600
Costs:
ply panelling ~ $80 (sides, doors, top)
heavy duty castors and heavy duty slide rails for shelves ~$90
Other materials for construction beside use of recycled materials about $25
I'm really happy with the outcome!
Paul.
Last edited by paulver; 9th December 2003 at 09:17 AM.
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8th December 2003 10:27 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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8th December 2003, 10:38 PM #2
Deceased
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Great Paul
But wheres the pic
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8th December 2003, 10:44 PM #3
Purveyor of fine brews
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That is one helluva cabinet Paul. We can really see how well it does it's job - hides all your tools (and everything else for that matter) very well.
:confused: 
A pic would be nice though..
Regards,
BigPop
(I never get lost, because everyone tells me where to go!!!)
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9th December 2003, 06:12 AM #4
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I do like your design as you won't need to build a shed to house it. In fact you could leave your tools right out in the street and nobody would pinch them as they wouldn't be able to find them
Seriously though it sounds like a GOOD IDEA (shouting used in appropriate place) I've been thinking myself of a low cabinet to sit under my MK3 Triton (lose the OEM stand) and perhaps incorporate a router table to the right side, leaving the left free for the sliding table.
A quantity of drawers built into this would allow tool storage etc.
C'mon put us out of the misery and show us the pic
Ray
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9th December 2003, 10:55 AM #5
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Ergonomics of Storage
Storage is always a big issue. But having that big DeWalt Mitre Saw on the bottom shelf is going to wreak havok on your back. It would be better to store more at waist height although I am sure your rationale was to put the heavy stuff on the bottom.
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9th December 2003, 01:05 PM #6
SENIOR MEMBER
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Storage is always a big issue. But having that big DeWalt Mitre Saw on the bottom shelf, ...... is there an echoe around here
Good advice - if centre of gravity is not an issue get the heavy stuff at waist level.
Seriously I love the idea - you've inspired me to do something similar - again function before form. Having just bought a house with only 12 square metres of shed I'm looking for all the space I can get before expanding it in all directions.
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10th December 2003, 12:25 PM #7
Intermediate Member
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Thanks for the feedback.
Having the saw and thicknesser at waist height does seem a smart idea.
Coupla things I'd have had to accommodate though. Both of these heavy items are on separate in-line shelves. To accomodate the fact that these are both on slide rails, I'd have to have a strong frame support directly underneath this shelf at both the front and rear to accommodate the mounting of the rails. This would have impeded the height of the shelf below.
With the system I have now, I just transfer the item onto a smaller flat castor trolley and then wheel it to where I'm going to set up. Only lifting is then onto the stand or table where I'm going to work. (I use my legs, instead of bending over)
Something to think about if I build one of these things again. It's always after you've finished a project that the "Oh I should've done this instead" ideas come along. Doh!
Paul.
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