Shop storage boxes: considerations?

[Jim Brown]

I'm still reeling from my last house/shop move, looking for odds and ends and generally thinking about how to get more organized. It seems to me desirable, in order to straighten up the shop and to prepare for the inevitable future move, to build boxes of uniform size, shape, and construction to store all of the stuff that tools and processes require ... maybe even the ever-growing collection of magazines, books, and printed-out plans.

These boxes should be sturdy, economical, stackable, storable, and customizable. I'm thinking a cross between some low-tech version of the Festool containers and ammo boxes.

So ... 12" x 12" x 18" to 24"? Plywood or pine? Rabbets & nails, dovetails, or what? Other considerations? Half-height boxes, or inserts, are also possible. Anybody already have anything like this?

Jim

[TDHofstetter]

I've got a chitload of milk crates; a local dairy was throwing 'em away.

[Jim Brown]

Yeah, I have a few of those ... they came wrapped around a bunch of LPs a friend gave me when he was moving. I wouldn't like to think of where he got the crates.

They're out in the garage now: one's for oil-changin' stuff, one's for car-waxin' stuff, etc. They are stackable, certainly, but they aren't great for small parts and pieces.

[Ruffnek]

I'd go with something like 11.5 x 11.5 x 23.5 just to reduce plywood waste. 1/4" or 3/8" Dados cut vertically inside the sides about every 6" would allow partitions to be slipped in place and configured per need. For the top, I think I would dado a groove to allow sliding the top in place and secure with a screw. If the groove is placed about 1" below the top of the sides, 3/4" strips could be placed on the bottom to sit inside that recessed top. That would make them stable when stacked.

[rrich]

The BORGs sell a plastic box for $5 or $6. The lid is two interlocking flaps and the box is about 2 cu ft. I have a bunch in the shop.

[dcarter636]

I made a few of these to move and store the tools that mattered most to me. All 3/4" ply, recessed dadoed bottom, rabbeted inset top, and rabbeted corners; about 14"x14"x 36". They could carry more than 150# of hand planes, routers, etc., safe and secure.

[Joe Lyddon]

Nice boxes, Dave...

Beautiful!

Those side handles... are there two grips per end?
... How can so many hands get a grip?
... Maybe for a Two handed grab... with someone else on the other end?

[Jim Brown]

Those are some nice boxes! I think I want to avoid external hardware if possible (not sure about handles though), so I might try sliding lids as Cody describes. I also like the idea of being able to sit the (lidless) boxes sideways on a shelf to allow access to magazines, books, or whatnot. I'll play around tomorrow and post what I come up with. Thanks for the ideas and inspirations!

[dcarter636]

I think re-using your boxes as stacked shelves is a splendid idea. The stacked chests were a PITA to work out of in a small garage because the tool you wanted was never in the top chest.

These were an overkill perhaps but I had a bunch of birch veneer plywood to use up and didn't lose a single tool to damage in two moves. Plus having the routers, bits, wrenches, and attachments all together in one place saved a lot of fretting and cussing later.

Joe the single grip end handles were just to get the chests moving, they would feel like they were cutting your hand in half before you take three steps. The bottoms were inset to allow a secure grip at the bottom with your other hand. The saw box is light enough for one man, but the reach to those end handles exceeds my comfortable arm span.

[Jim Brown]

Here's what I came up with ... pretty much along the lines of what Cody described. The sides are 11 7/8 to maximize yield. I put three removable dividers in each box.

Lids and dividers are not shown, but they slide into grooves in the sides. I may end up adding handles. Thanks, guys, for the help.

Right now most of the boxes are spread around the shop ... each major machine has a box for its accessories. Thanks as always for the advice!

[gomer]

That'll work fine. You using 1/4" ply for the sliding lids? Looks good and sturdy. You have given me the idea to make a smaller one like that for all my router bits and small items that seem to have legs. Again, nice job.