More storage boxes

I decided it was time for all the wood piling up in my shed to become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. I have deep base cabinets but if you put much in them it becomes impossible to get to the things in the back or on the bottom. So I started making boxes that let me fully utilize the space, I built 3 sometime last year and today I made 5 more. They aren't pretty but they are functional, I made them with whatever was lying around plywood, OSB and T-111 and 2 by material ripped down to 1.5" square. The boxes are held together with 1-3/8" long narrow crown staples and Tightbond 2 wood glue.


Here's what today's tool explosion looked like.


Here they are all stacked up awaiting the holes/ handles.


1" spade bit makes the end points for the handles.


Jigsaw connects the holes to complete the handles. This is the cheapest jigsaw known to man (well besides the harbor freight stuff), I bought it many years ago before I became a tool snob. Can't wait for an excuse to get a real jigsaw (1-1/8" stroke with orbital action) but it just keeps working. Actually I'll probably just get the Makita 18 volt LXT jigsaw when the price comes down.


Here they are in their new home.

Tool blog - website

http://toolmonger.com

One of my favorite new (to me) websites, I knew there was a word for people like me...toolmonger.

Small parts storage

This is my favorite method of storing and sorting small parts. These are sold in the fishing department at most stores.

Some of my favorite tools

Without any one of these collections life would be MUCH more diffficult in the shop.


Ummmm...vise grips.


Taps and dies, made in china but they usually get the job done.



Hammers, can't do any thing without a BFH.

A few of my storage solutions

A tool and junk hoarder can never have enough space so you have to use it wisely. Here are some of the ways I try to keep the mess under control. The shop is in the middle of a re-organization but some of it is still intact.


Hang stuff up to get it out of the way.


Shelves over each end of the building for seldom used stuff. Shelves between the studs make great spray paint storage space, this is one of the areas in disarray right now.


Lots of cabinet space is both good and bad...nice to have the storage and counter space but they also take up a lot of space.


This is the "router" cabinet, there's another router mounted on my table saw full time as well.



Shop made bins to fully utilize under cabinet space, I still have to make a few more, that's the "plumbing" bin half way out.

Some of my bike parts

I collect unloved bikes for future reincarnation as recumbents or other unconventional machines made from bicycle parts. Here are a few pictures I took today since I had the camera out.

One of those adult 3 wheeler step-through trikes.


A couple of classics.


Frames and frame parts.


A few wheels.


Wheel hangers made from, what else, bicycle spokes.

Future sheet metal project

The first project for my new sheet metal brake will be to make about 23 more small drawers like this one.


Here is the cabinet the drawers fit, I bought it from a surplus/ junk place.

Tool explosion

This is what the work area looked like after all the fun was nearly over. I saw someone refer to it as a "tool explosion" on some website I was surfing and that is certainly a good description.

Spring break project 3- tool pedistal, grinder and vise mount

Here is the multipurpose pedestal / mount for various tools. What really prompted this project was that I'm tired of all the metal dust/ shavings all over my bench from the grinder. Now I can just wheel the messy thing outside when I need to use it. Then I figured the stand could be made modular so it could support many different tools, so far I have the grinder, a vise, and a sheet metal brake that work with it but I'm sure there will be more. The receiver hitch had some wiggle in its interface which isn't a problem with the brake but with the grinder it's highly undesirable so I added a bolt to lock it in so it is solid. I also added wheels so I can tip it back some and just roll it where ever I want it, with or with out tools attached. I still need to get it painted but I might still add some more features to it so I'm going to wait on that for now.





Sheet metal brake rotated 90 degrees to fit through the door.

Spring break project 2- Sheet metal brake

The second project I did was a 50+ inch DIY / home made sheet metal brake. I've been wanting one of these for a while since they seemed useful for various auto body and storage projects in the shop. These things are quite expensive even at harbor freight so I decided to try to make my own. My dad donated most of the metal so other than some welding rods and lots of time I have no actual money in it. I had a problem getting one of the side pivots to line up so after the frustration of the original design wore me down I cheated and used a door hinge I had laying around. I also made a stand from an old exercise machine which you can see in the pictures. The stand has a short piece of 2" receiver I have been saving and I'm making mounts for tools that will slide into the mount. The brake will probably require some bracing to prevent flex over such a long span but I'll deal with that when I start using it and see that it really needs it. The stand will get it's own detail post.

Spring break project 1

Here is some of the stuff I did during spring break last week. Started the week off by making my el-cheapo single seat kayak into a two seater by enlarging the opening, moving the original seat forward, and fiber glassing in another seat in the back. I had tested it with two people on board previously so I already knew it would still float, it was just a matter of how it would change the center of gravity and that kind of stuff. Took it out for another test after the modification and it works great, I now have what is probably the smallest two seat kayak ever. This is strictly a flat water boat now, and really that's all it was before so no loss there. I'll be using it mostly on the Wekiva river.