# Playing Carpenter



## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2012)

My little (as in VERY little) machine shop is totally full. I badly needed some cupboard space for a cupboard with small pull out drawers, but simply had no real estate. Then yesterday I discovered some unoccupied floor space that wasn't being used between the end of my milling machine and my bandsaw. (where the gallon of cutting oil is setting.) I never use the handwheel on that end of the mill, so some quick measurements showed I had room for a cupboard 12" wide, 35" high. and 18" deep. The thought was as good as the deed, so I spent a bit of time drawing up a plan and today I played carpenter. This will work good, and give me 8 drawers 2/1/2" deep and one drawer at the top 1 1/2" deep, which can then be subdivided however I please . So---Today the main cupboard body---Tomorrow the drawers!!!--.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2012)

After supper tonight I managed to make the first drawer---


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## hitandmissman (Sep 4, 2012)

You are going to give us detailed plans for this right?? Good idea for that space and I have a space just like it, thanks for the idea.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2012)

hitandmissman said:


> You are going to give us detailed plans for this right?? Good idea for that space and I have a space just like it, thanks for the idea.


Sure, I can do that. I had to make the plans for myself anyways.---Brian


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2012)

Here ya go---


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## bazzz (Sep 4, 2012)

Brian,


Sometimes the only way to get what you want is to build ityourself. Can I offer a suggestion? Are you planning on adding a stop to keep the drawers from completely pulling out and dumping in the floor?


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 4, 2012)

bazzz said:


> Brian,
> 
> 
> Sometimes the only way to get what you want is to build ityourself. Can I offer a suggestion? Are you planning on adding a stop to keep the drawers from completely pulling out and dumping in the floor?


Probably not, untill I've dumped one!!!


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## rhitee93 (Sep 4, 2012)

Brian, I'm not sure what I am more curious about, the hot rod I see lurking in the background, or the hardwood floor in your shop! 

Nice idea for a cabinet.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 5, 2012)

rhitee93 said:


> Brian, I'm not sure what I am more curious about, the hot rod I see lurking in the background, or the hardwood floor in your shop!
> 
> Nice idea for a cabinet.


The hardwood floor is just a cheap glue down laminate over the concrete. That alcove where my little machine shop sets was once an unused portion of my engineering office. As to the hotrod---I was heavily involved in drag racing and hot rodding ever since the 1960's. I don't run the rail dragster any more, but still drive the 1931 Model A pickup with chevy smallblock as my daily driver from May untill October.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 5, 2012)

So there we have it.--Drawers open and drawers closed. All thats left is to sand the wood putty thats filling screw holes on the face of the drawers, add some handles, and paint. Cost?--About $120.00 for wood and screwnails, and a full day and a  half of my time (To date). I love the fact that the drawers can be subdivided into any number of small sections by simply using some wood and wood glue.


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## Herbiev (Sep 5, 2012)

Next step is to plan and fabricate a whole heap of drawer runners, right ?


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 5, 2012)

Herbiev said:


> Next step is to plan and fabricate a whole heap of drawer runners, right ?


Nah, next step is to get some paint and hardware on it and put it in my machine shop.  I'm just filling in time untill the belt and pulleys come for the Atkinson engine I'm building, or somebody calls me with some real work. Summertime is always really slow for engineering design work, and this summer both grandkids were old enough to tour around with, so I didn't look to hard for "real" work. They both went back to school this week so I'll probably call some of my long time customers and see whats shaking. Death by boredom is slow and painfull.---


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## Mosey (Sep 5, 2012)

Not to discourage the idea of building little dividers, but, you might look into the small plastic bins of all sizes offered by LIsco, with suitably ripped off cheaper ones available. They divide drawers into many small compartments, with smooth, flleted inside corners. I love em. I'll show pictures if I must.


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## Annie (Sep 5, 2012)

Now that is an extremely useful looking set of drawers and I just happen to have a large sheet of plywood cluttering up the place.  Good drawer space in a workshop is beyond price and I have so many wee bits that need to be properly put away.

Thanks for sharing the plans


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## Corvus corax (Sep 6, 2012)

Nice! I was looking for something similar, the drawings will be a great help.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 6, 2012)

Cowabunga Roy!!! Damn, there's a lot of sides to those drawers!!! The paint is Tremclad enamel, machine grey---and it really is grey, not blueish like it shows in the photographs. My arm is tired. Tomorrow the main cabinet body and the face of the drawers will get a second coat. I found a Canadian Tire gift certificate from last Christmas or the one before in my wallet, and it paid for all the drawer pulls.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 8, 2012)

And so, my friends, ends my journey to the dark side!!! Total cost, including paint and handles--$150 plus 2 days of my time. Does it fit??--Just barely. Will it be handy to have in my little shop??--You bet your***!!! To all of those who learned something, or who got a similar idea for their own small shop, well, Good for you. For all of those who thought I shouldn't be putting carpentry on a machining based forum---Well, you're probably right.---Brian


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## ProdEng (Sep 8, 2012)

I am filled with envy for your storage space which is only exceeded by my idleness preventing me from following your great example


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## gus (Sep 8, 2012)

Brian Rupnow said:


> Probably not, untill I've dumped one!!!



May I suggest using those fancy filing cabinet slides that come with stops.They are not expensive but takes a bit of patience to fit.
It will be castrophic to drop a drawer and then having to pick all the bits and pieces scattered all over.I had this bad experience.

Fishing tackle box is the worst to happen.


Planning to build one British Traditional Tool & Die Maker's Cabinet.Available for UK market but not export. Will post when built.Same will hold all the small tools. Saw it in the dotcom shops UK.


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## gus (Sep 8, 2012)

You have done a great job with tool locker.


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## Brian Rupnow (Sep 8, 2012)

gus---The cabinet is done, and there is no easy/cheap way to put drawer stops on it. I actually LIKE to be able to pull the drawer all the way out and set it on my workbench if I'm searching for some incredibly small thing thats hiding in the drawer. The drawers are 17" long. I have a lot of other similar cabinets in my main garage, and I've never dumped one of them accidently.


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