Installing the New Tool Chest Part 2

Let's clean up the mess.  It is VERY early in the morning and no one else is awake, so I'm sneaking down to the shop before I have to cook breakfast and go to church.

Chest number 3 is now being loaded with precision sanding tools since I do that work at workbench #2.

Chest #2 (keep up with the class now!) has anything that is NOT a cutting tool removed from it and resorted.  I do keep needles in here, only because they don't stick into metal.

All the drawers are sorted now.  Odd cutters in the top since I don't go there much.  Hobby knives in the first drawer along with fresh blades in drawer #1, scissors of all types in drawer #2, and razor blades, scrapers and other cutters in drawer #3.  I can keep this one locked in case my little ones wander down here.

I moved chest #2 and cleaned up the computer desk.

Here it is next to Chest #1.  Now to work on the remaining miscellaneous tools laying on the workbench.

Oh, what a mess.  First, remove anything that can spill or leak, like Windex or rinse water, so we don't make a bigger mess.

Hey!  Fancy that!  An Altoids box actually filled with Altoids!  Normally I use these for spent blades...have a mint!

Wow!  That went fast.  When I don't have the wife and kids asking twenty questions a second, things go fast.  My shop is directly below the kitchen where everyone stays all the time.  My little one discovered that there is an air vent between the kitchen and shop, and if she talks through it, I answer!  We have big fun with that.

Wrapping up chest #3 with layout tools, sanding equipment, Dremel parts and those really crazy tools like suction bulb window alignment applicators.

My assortment of tin cans got moved back to its spot.  This are consumable and are very cheap and handy.

My new 1-2-3 set up blocks will go in this drawer now that I have gotten the oil off of them.  I use them for building assembly.  My old ones were 30 years old, so I replaced them with shiny ones.

There!  Nice and tidy.  Still hate the location of the soldering station, but we'll deal with that in 2015.

The shop is ready to go!  Time for new projects.  We have a depot still going together, so that is the first priority, and not too far from completion.

I'm going to put together a Fine Scale Miniatures kit now that Sellios is NOT retiring and its value may be less than I'd hoped.  In all these years I've never built one, so this should be fun.

This is HO, but still something I want to do during the cold winter here in Utah.

The other project, next to the depot is the Wiseman 18' Log Flat Car.  I need this for a clinic next month, so it has priority with the depot.

I'll probably open it up today and get cracking.  Want another mint?

Installing the New Tool Chest

Maybe a better title is "How to Destroy Your Workshop and Shut Down Everything for Two Days!"   Luckily I'm a few blog posts ahead.  This is turning out to be a headache.  All I want to do is get the new tool box in.  Its the story of three little toolboxes...

The first little toolbox was painted bright red and contained anything that could cut your finger off, along with an assortment of stuff up top that just didn't fit anywhere.

The second little tool box was old and gray, and wanted to retire from daily service but still hang around with friend, drink beer and feel useful once in a while.

The third little toolbox wanted to be in the middle of the action and was ready for whatever we could throw at him.

What a mess.  This is my current drawer with specialty screwdrivers (the liquid variety is up in the locked cabinet and ice is in the freezer so help yourself) and a vast assortment of tweezers, all mixed with other things which has happened since the great move of 2010.

We sorted out the tweezers, checked them for alignment, cleaned a few, put protectors on some, and put them all in a small drawer.  This way I can pull the whole drawer down and pick what I want.  These aren't all my tweezers as I keep about three of them I use constantly on the workbench close by.

These scoundrels are headed to the scrap metal factory.  It takes guts to throw out tools...but I will do it.  So help me.  Ok...can I keep them just a little longer?

Picks and pokes are next.  I have tons of dental picks and small objects designed to draw blood through impalement.  We'll put those in a small drawer, too.

I love this tool chest because I can better subdivide small groups of tools.  Here is all my drilling stuff in one handy little drawer.

Calipers, both dial and digital, are very delicate instruments and must be cared for.  The get the bottom larger drawer along with some other precision or delicate instruments.

Don't ask me how but I have about a dozen Torx type screwdrivers.  Never in 43 years of playing with trains have I seen a Torx screw on a model or layout.  Trashcan.  See, I'm recovering.  I can do this!

I keep two sets of screwdrivers (Wiha and and expendable set) on the workbench, so I put the rest including some specialty ones in a small drawer.  This makes it easier to sort through.

Wait a minute.  The shop is getting destroyed!  I turn on Scotty Mason's video to keep me company.

After a great deal of cleaning, some minor repair, and a little tightening up, Old Granddad is actually in better shape than I thought.  I'll put tools I seldom use here, but maybe put my Dremel stuff here to make it easier to find.

I love my wife.  She gave me the UniLab.  It solders, is amp and volt meter, a convenient adjustable power supply and makes perfect omelets.  Really, it is a great tool.  It is just too darn big.  We need to rethink this gadget, but I wouldn't get rid of it if it hurt her feelings.  I'll buy her a bigger house...

Ok, It does fit...but I'm not really happy with the arrangement.  Better leave it for the night as I'm getting grumpy and throwing things.

Shop is worse off than when I started, but I did find some tools which had been missing for a long time including two brand new small blade squares that I forgot I had bought.  They were still packed in oil.

Night ya'll

The Hobby is About Friends - See My New Toolbox!

Scott's New Toolbox

The people that follow my blog are all quite wonderful.  A special thank you goes out to my friend Mark Lewis in Granite Falls, North Carolina.  Mark read my blog and saw that I was thinking about buying a new wooden toolbox and told me to "hang on, I've got a great coupon for one of those that will save you a bunch of money!  Just let me drop it in the mail."  Mark and I have never shaken hands before or seen each other eye to eye, but he is willing to help me out...and volunteering to do so.

As will most model railroaders, he was true to his word and the coupon arrived in the mail yesterday.  The savings would be $40!  He didn't have to do that but I'm so glad he bothered to take the time to send it to me.  Naturally I wasted no time in using the coupon.

Mark Lewis...you are a gentleman and a scholar.  I appreciate your friendship, kindness and fellowship in the hobby.  Thank you for sending me the coupon!

Really, the hobby is about friends!

The toolbox came from Harbor Freight.  This is the Windsor 8 Draw Wooden Tool Chest.  It normally sells for $99.99, but the coupon from Mark made it $59.  You can't beat that.  My old tool box is well worn.  I bought it on sale at Sam's Club about 25 years ago, or so...Sam's had just recently opened.  It was a cheap knock off of the legendary Gerstner Box which is legendary to toolmakers.  They are customized, finely crafted pieces that are quite expensive.  One like mine would be about $700.  I'm NOT spending $700 on a wood tool box when I can get a reasonable facsimile for $59.  Ok, the drawers may be a little loose, the finish not quite perfect, felt a little bumpy...but no one even sees it but me.  Ok, and you!

The box was picked up at the local Harbor Freight in West Jordan, UT which is a very nice, clean and well stocked store.

It was packed in plastic and foam to protect it and the outer corrugate was banded for support.  I read the review on it, and like other things I've bought at Harbor Freight, you have to manage your expectations.  Scott is NOT expecting a Gerstner Box.  But it should function...

The finish wasn't great, with some dark and light panels, but all in all the color wasn't that bad.  It was protected with a very good clear finish.  The chest weighs 18 lbs empty.

This is a big box.  16 inches high, 20 inches high and 10 1/2 inches deep, it is larger than my other two tool boxes.  The felt is a good even green color and smooth.  The lumber is not the best cabinet lumber in the world, but it will hold up fine.  My old box has a hole in the back where I bumped it once...this one is thick enough to absorb a hit.

This is an 8 drawer chest.  The first two drawers on top come with subdividers.  The are not finished, and are loose.  I may put a coat of stain on them.  Drawer action is surprisingly not to bad.

The next four drawers are a bit loose, but nicely finished.  Perfect for smaller tools.

The last two bottom drawers are very loose and slide a bit rough.  We may can fix that.  All drawers are removable.

Let's take one out and look at it in detail...

These are very simple glued butt joints with two brads.  Not very strong.  The bottom is a thin hardboard material that would not take a liquid spill.

Here you can see the wood quality and the back of the drawer pull.  The drawer pulls seem ok.

Here you can see the bottom of the drawer.  If you wanted to upgrade the box a bit for yourself, I'd start with the drawer bottoms and put in a 3 ply ultra thin plywood.

The outside of the chest got a pretty good bit of finish, but inside appears to be scratched up a bit.

The front plate does not come out like the drawers do.  It wouldn't be strong enough for a light work surface.

Here is the make and model information.  Guess I better not remove it!  I hate the Label Police!

The top opening is nicely finished with a shiny mirror.  That is a machinist's tool that I've never had a use for.  Now, if it was removable!  I use small mirrors for lots of things.

The hardware all seems solid enough.  Latches are strong, corners are covered.  Hinges are well fit and strong.

The handle is steel with a plastic grip.  There are no side handles, or "chest handles" for carrying it when its full.  When you add tools it can approach 90 lbs!

Here is the side.  Very coarse grain wood.

Back looked good.  My guess is that if you buy one, buy it at the store and check it there before you bring it home.  Pick out one you like better.

The chest does lock, but I'd probably never lock it.  I seldom took my old one anywhere.

It comes with two sets of keys; one for the top hatch lock and the other for the plate that covers the drawers.  Ok, more keys to worry with.

Here is the old soldier.  Hardware is failing, hole in the back, drawers dirty and torn.  Still, it works.  I'll relegate tools that I seldom use to this box and put the frequently used tools in the new cabinet.

The runners are a bit rough, and there are drops of glue here and there.  But it is sound construction for what I need.  Using Lemon Pledge Furniture Polish, I gave all the runners on the chest and the drawers a good coating to help them slide better.  Eventually I'll coat them in silicone when I find the tube.

All in all, if you can get this chest for $59, it is well worth the investment.  If you have a spare $750...buy three great locomotives and still buy this chest.

My old chest had handles on the side which made it much easier and safer to carry.  I'll miss this on the new chest.

Taylor is helping me by pulling all the tools out of the old chest.  Things were overflowing out of the drawers and the top hand't closed since we had a good president.  We decided to throw it all out, clean it all and sort it.

See how dirty it is?  Here in the shop anything can fall in if the top is open.  The drawers weren't that dirty.

I have too much stuff, and a lot of duplicates.  Let's weed them out and straighten this up so that I can more easily find what I'm looking for and can build faster.

Mark Lewis...thanks again.  I love the new chest!  And saving $40.