O.T.: Power Tool Storage in the Woodshop

[tomzarbo]

Hey Guys,

I've got a decent setup in my basement where I build my speakers. Rolling tables and larger tools; roller caddy for my clamps and sheet goods, even my countertop drawing working area is lit and on wheels.
I have two metal toolboxes for my hand tools, wrenches, drill bits, small stuff like that.

What I don't have though is a good way to store my power tools like routers, trim routers, belt and orbital sanders, jig saws, stuff like that. I basically have them on the other side of the basement just sitting willy-nilly on a shelf. They get dusty and they are far away. I want to clean this arrangement up and get them closer and more accessible.

I was thinking of using those smaller clear tubs from Walmart that have lids that attach and lock with the two side handles. Make a shelving cabinet with shelves in different sizes as well as bins in similar sizes that will hold each tool comfortably. The whole shelving unit would be on wheels and could roll to and fro as needed.

Something like this, but with tools instead of shoes and shirts on a wheeled shelving system:



I kind of feel like I'd like to keep this more on the simple-side as opposed to a Norm Abrams, bearing-drawer slide system made of birds-eye maple and Baltic Birch.

So my question is, how do you guys handle smaller power-tool storage in your shop?

TomZ

[billfitzmaurice]

I have hooks on the walls. With corded tools I wrap the cord around the tool, in the process creating a loop to hang on a hook.

[djg]

Total mayhem here.

[Dukk]

I recently built a 4' x 6' rolling workstation that includes my tabletop saw, three routers, and storage for 2'x4' handy panels, belt/disc sander, oscillating sander, and my most popular power tools. Everything is at hand this way. Also, I watch Steve Ramsey's channel on YouTube and I think he built a tool caddy like you describe in on of his videos. Good luck!

[djg]

That's really nice.

[tomzarbo]

Dukk, that's a pretty cool tool island! You're killing multiple winged fowl with one spherical projectile!
The storage for the handi-panels is genius too. One thick cord runs it all. What a good idea.

Bill, you use corded tools?

TomZ

[davidB]

Yes, Tom, and some of us even have phones with cords!!

[dmboston]

This guy on YouTube did a video on shop organization for a small shop (https://youtu.be/gCtRWwvGHeY). He has a really neat caddy system for his hand power tools. It's wall mounted with French cleatss, not wheel mounted, but I'd bet you could adapt it to a small cart that uses a central panel or box as kind of a "two-sided wall." I could draw up a quick rough plan/sketch if this seems at all interesting.

[tomzarbo]

This guy on YouTube did a video on shop organization for a small shop (https://youtu.be/gCtRWwvGHeY). He has a really neat caddy system for his hand power tools. It's wall mounted with French cleatss, not wheel mounted, but I'd bet you could adapt it to a small cart that uses a central panel or box as kind of a "two-sided wall." I could draw up a quick rough plan/sketch if this seems at all interesting.

I watched that just a few days ago interestingly enough. Amazing what he does with that little space.
It would drive me crazy though. Could you imagine building a set of 'Statement' speakers in a shop that size?

TomZ

[billfitzmaurice]

8x6 feet is too tight. My backyard shop is 12x12, which I find just right for my needs.

[dmboston]

I watched that just a few days ago interestingly enough. Amazing what he does with that little space.
It would drive me crazy though. Could you imagine building a set of 'Statement' speakers in a shop that size?

TomZ

Not knowing what "Statement" speakers are (I'm obviously new), I can't really imagine building them in a shop of any size XD
My current space is about 9.5'x15', and it feels packed to the gills. I'd have to do some serious reorganization to work on anything furniture-sized. The terms "chaos" and "tornado" come to mind when looking around my shop.

[donradick]

Tom,

I am big fan of the plastic boxes, both in my wood shop and in my study.
In the wood shop, my everyday items stay out - 2 drills, etc.
The couple times per year things (trim router, dremel, glue gun, soldering iron) get their own boxes
and get put on a shelf, they stay clean and have space to include always used items and accessories
for each. Also, during a build, I might have several of these boxes on the bench. Finished with the
solder, glue sticks or dremel cuttoff ? Toss 'em back in the box to help organize the work space.
Oh, and now I have boxes for about a dozen types of wood screws, router bits, and LI batteries for
my cordless tools.

So, "use case" - I pull my boxes off the rack, pop the top, and they typically stay on one of my benches
for the duration. If you have a rolling rack, you will still need to pull them out to get them open.
What then?

[tomzarbo]

Not knowing what "Statement" speakers are (I'm obviously new), I can't really imagine building them in a shop of any size XD
My current space is about 9.5'x15', and it feels packed to the gills. I'd have to do some serious reorganization to work on anything furniture-sized. The terms "chaos" and "tornado" come to mind when looking around my shop.

Statements are rather large floorstanding speakers, maybe 5+feet tall. I have a bit of chaos when I'm in the middle of a project, I feel that it helps me think.

Tom,

I am big fan of the plastic boxes, both in my wood shop and in my study.
In the wood shop, my everyday items stay out - 2 drills, etc.
The couple times per year things (trim router, dremel, glue gun, soldering iron) get their own boxes
and get put on a shelf, they stay clean and have space to include always used items and accessories
for each. Also, during a build, I might have several of these boxes on the bench. Finished with the
solder, glue sticks or dremel cuttoff ? Toss 'em back in the box to help organize the work space.
Oh, and now I have boxes for about a dozen types of wood screws, router bits, and LI batteries for
my cordless tools.

So, "use case" - I pull my boxes off the rack, pop the top, and they typically stay on one of my benches
for the duration. If you have a rolling rack, you will still need to pull them out to get them open.
What then?

So the plastic boxes seem to work well than, that's good to know. Even though I use dust collection, I do sometimes forget to turn it on, and not everything is connected, so dust does eventually get most places. Having these tools in bins with tops seems like good practice.

I also have a few tools on the bench when I'm working on a project until I'm finished. The 'clutter' seems to make my brain vibes happy for some reason.

Having the bins on a rolling cart is largely for convenience and I just like to have things on wheels, it's easier to move them that way, and who knows where in the shop you might want them and for how long. Also, I may have a double sided rolling rack with bins on either side, or I could have my assortment of screws on the other size up high... can't do that if it's against a wall.

Hate to admit this, but I'm really afraid of spiders too. Pretty much everything in my shop is away from the walls by a few inches and accessible for spraying Ortho in the corners. Once I see a spider, I'm spraying.
Rolling items is good for the occasional water event as well. Lots of reason to put things on wheels really... the workshop is easily, and endlessly reconfigurable. I bought a bunch of them at Harbor Freight Tools years back when they had a sale, I still have enough left to make a 4-wheeled cart I believe.

I'll have to figure out what size bins I'll need for the tools I have, and a few I may purchase in the future, then I can figure out what size the unit would need to be. Just got some extra 2x4's last time at the Depot...

TomZ

[billfitzmaurice]

Boxes and bins make the shop tidy, but I went away from them because I could never find anything without going through them all. I went to hooks so I can just look at the walls and everything is in plain sight.

[skatz]

Saw a spider exhibit somewhere, probably Chicago at the natural History museum. It said you are never more than about 6 feet from a spider.