If you’re doing seriously heavy duty garage work, slamming lots of dirty and greasy parts everywhere, you might want to stick with the metal boxes you can buy everywhere. But if you’re one of the growing number of folks with nice garages at home and a few special vehicles that need maintenance now and then, these would look just right and I can imagine your son or daughter would get a lot of use out of it long after your motor quits running.
I’ve never been one of those “buy it then toss it” kind of guys, I like to buy a few things, take care of them and keep them around for a long time (just ask my wife). The few things can be a bit pricier, but you only have to buy it once. These certainly look good and if you like to sit in the garage, sip an adult beverage and relax with a few friends, these might add to the visuals, too. Not for everyone, but maybe for you? Check ’em out.
Link: Wrenchers Tool Chests
Phoebe says
But…I can’t put gearhead stickers on those! 😉
Pushrod says
Yep! That’s another thing that would be too pretty to use!
Wave says
Far too nice for the shed! My firm policy is that all shed furniture should be recycled and preferably obtained for free if possible. If it is not possible to obtain free furniture to suit the purposes of the shed, then it must be made in the shed itself! The shed currently has an ancient workbench made out of heavy timber, several assorted styles of old pantries and kitchen cabinets which were replaced by new ones in the house, a large table which the neighbours were going to throw away and a rolling TV cabinet which I think may have come from clearing a relative’s house when they moved. All of this was free and it works well for storage and lasts! Used kitchens in particular are good. When people upgrade their kitchens, they usually throw away their cabinets and most of the time these are solidly made and still in usable condition. If you know someone who is replacing their kitchen and you need shed furniture, get over there and offer to help remove it for them!
Wave says
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I use the rolling TV cabinet to disassemble engines. The flat top is large and strong enough to put a VW engine right in the middle and pull all the parts off it, which I then store in the cupboards underneath. When I’m finished working the cabinet rolls to the back of the shed to make room for the car. Recycled furniture doesn’t mean that you can’t have convenience!
Phoebe says
Great idea!
HoughMade says
I think I just cam up with some good ideas for my son’s next 4-H woodworking project.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Yeah, but who gets it when he’s done?
The Model Citizen says
My last tool chest was a drawing storage cabinet. Roller bearing draws, huge storage area, took heaps of weight, fit perfectly into my pallet racking and I picked them up off the street during a hard rubbish collection. Sold them at a profit when I moved out of the workshop.
Couldn’t do better than that I think.
BigHank53 says
Drawing storage cabinets are the bee’s knees. There’s hundreds of dollars just in the drawer slides those things use.
Paulinator says
Your absolutely right!!! They make awesome machine tool cabinets, too. Acres of space. The big chucks fit in the larger bottom drawer.
Tyler says
Wow, just beautiful. I have a buddy of mine who just quit his job to follow his dream of building custom furniture. Some of his home furnishings are fantastic, I’d love to challenge him with something like this.
WillyP says
Not much of a challenge to build these.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Depends entirely on your skill level, experience and available tools. All of us consider some jobs easy and others difficult, but the specifics of the list vary widely.
WillyP says
True, these cabinets are simple and would be a good start for someone who has little experience and who has “just quit his job to follow his dream of building custom furniture”. But still, not what anyone would consider a challenge.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
“not what anyone would consider a challenge”
No one is born with the skill. Lots of guys would consider these tool chests a challenge. Since this particular fellow was a custom cabinet builder, I’m guessing these are very well done. Is riding a motorcycle a challenge? To anyone who hasn’t learned how, yes.
dannyb says
what a timely article. i am running out of space for my tools and my el cheapo tool chest combo is full. i have been thinking of making a chest out of wood, reminecent of my dads and grandfathers machinest tool box’s only on a larger scale. this is the inspiration i need/
B50 Jim says
dannyb — I have fond memories of those wooden machinists’ tool boxes; in my early days working as a maintenance machinist in a factory, the tool & die men had those wooden tool boxes on their benches. The boxes were well-used, scuffed up, scratched and worn, but perfectly serviceable. These Wrenchers Tool Chests remind me of those old boxes as well; and I think they would find the same use in anyone’s garage or shop — not pampered but well-loved. If they get scuffed up, scratched, dinged and a bit grubby, well, so be it. Any tool box that is properly used gets its share of scars. Anyone who wants pristine woodwork should buy furniture.
Dr Robert Harms says
Real poser stuff
Ken says
This statement comming from a Dr? Bob, do we really need to know you are a Doc? Why does a guy need to be a poser to buy a wooden tool box? There are tons of wooden tool boxes used in machine shops all over the world.
Now, a guy built some stuff he thought other guys might like. If no one likes it, no one buys it.
Paul, I think its worth looking at. Personally, If my dad ever buys that lake home, I would buy him something like that to put in the living room. It would be a conversation piece plus offer some nice storage instead of cluttering up a broom closet with tools that are hard to access!
rohorn says
Hasn’t anyone ever seen a Gerstner toolbox before, preferrably loaded with Starrett tools?
B*A*M*F says
I’ve long been planning to make my own tool chest from wood. Then again, I plan to make mine a tall triangle with pegboard on both sides and drawers that slide out from the side. It’s not terribly traditional.
I’ve got nothing against sheet metal boxes, but the right species of wood can be pretty nice and more than durable enough for my little garage. It also doesn’t hurt that I’ve got access to a CNC router and I don’t have access to sheet metal equipment.
China Biker says
Another thing to consider is that it’s increasingly important to lend support to individual craftsmen doing fine work. In America, the manufacturing sector has been gutted by cheap knock-offs and outsourcing, and several generations of tradesmen have gone to their graves without passing on their skills. Work such as this needs to be applauded and encouraged, as one small brick in a wall against mediocrity and obsolescence.
And don’t let my handle fool you. I’m an American, living in China, and I’m probably part of the problem.