New workbench and tool chest

[Hatchdog]

I’ve been working on this project on and off for a month with interruptions ranging from knee issues, teeth issues and extreme cold. I finally got this portion completed and I’m very happy with the outcome. It was a lot of fun redoing the mess I had before and I took advantage of the project to eliminate lots of unneeded items.

I didn’t think to take before pictures but originally I had a rolling cart I used for a workbench. It was only 5’ wide and I lost a foot of that to my bench grinder. So I bought a new 6’ bench from Home Depot to replace it and a 46” x 25” tool chest to slide under it. I added an 8’ shelf above it and moved my shop light to it. Added two power strips, a tool caddy and a cork board. Moved my 48” x 48” peg board from the wall where the new bench is to the wall the old bench was. I had to remove the casters from the tool chest in order to fit it under the bench and I’m hoping that doing this which eliminated the toe kick won’t be a problem.

I bought a stand for my bench grinder and added casters to it. I only use this to sharpen lawn mower blades so this allows me to move the grinder out of the way and when needed move it where it’s confident to use it. I understand that the stand really should be bolted to the floor but my grinder is very light weight so I’ll see how it works. If it’s tippy I’ll remove the casters.

Now I’m working on replacing two 36” shelves packed with JUNK with a single heavy duty 77” shelf. I did think to take a before pic this time. Again, I’ll be sorting thru the junk and eliminating some. Bought time!

Can’t wait for it to warm up so I can put some stick on labels on the tool chest drawers. I can’t find anything now.

Before pics of the old bench after I moved it, the old tool chests and the old shelves.

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The new bench area.

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[John E Davies]

Nice upgrade, I do suggest a piece of 1/4” plywood under the new tool chest and the filing cabinet, otherwise they will hold moisture and will rust. I personally think the chest isn’t going to work well there, as you have it now, you need more than “toe kick” space under a workbench, especially if you plan to sit on a stool…. As an option you can pull the workbench away from the wall a lot, and add a combination shelf/ backsplash behind it for some extra acreage and to prevent stuff from falling through the gap.

How do you like the Husky stuff? I have never bought that brand. I really like the newer low end Harbor Freight tool boxes and chests, they are crazy well made and very spacious (24” deep drawers) for not much cash when you can find them on sale. I have had a number of Craftsman boxes over the decades, including a premium Professional Grade one, and the cheap HF boxes are far better made than any of my old ones….

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Ernie]

Like the new bench but I too think you will not like the tool chest as is. I think John had a great idea to move the bench out with a short stop on the back to keep stuff from rolling off and a wider lower shelf to cover the gap. Leaning over the chest will probably get old quickly. Not sure about the grinder but I see it has locking casters and should be ok, it is nice to be able to move out of the way. Most everything in my shop except the benches (at this point) is on wheels so I can move it out of the way when not in use. I have too much stuff and working space is at a premium.

[John E Davies]

Hatchdog, If you want to add some high quality “boltless” commercial warehouse shelving, this is a great source in Spokane Valley. You can order custom lengths of shelves, risers, spreaders, etc. - the cheaper versions are very affordable. If you get on their mailing list you will get notifications for sales of used or discounted scratch and dent equipment. HIGHLY recommended over the box store junk… if you order by phone it will be ready for pickup in a few hours.

https://www.norlift.com/warehouse-products

Hang those extension ladders vertically a foot off the slab if you have enough wall space and height. My RV bay/ shop has a 16 ft ceiling, so much of my stuff is well elevated! I have a lot of hanging equipment, secured onto heavy nails by light line so it can’t fall on my head, it allows for blowing or washing spiders, dirt and debris out the big door….

Maybe we should start a “Show Off Your Garage or Shed” thread….

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Hatchdog]

Great suggestions John and Ernie, thanks for that.

I had thought about putting the chest on 2x4’s to get it off the floor and gain a little toe kick but I didn’t have enough clearance and I didn’t want to raise the bench any higher. I didn’t think about 1/4” plywood, that’s a great plan. Now why didn’t you read my mind and tell me this before I loaded all the drawers.

The chest doesn’t stick out as far from the bench as my picture shows. It was taken at an angle which make it look like it is 4” but it’s closer to 1”. Husky makes the same chest in a 18” depth but I wanted the 25” for more storage. I’ll try it as is for now but if it’s not working out I’ll do what John and Ernie suggested building a spacer behind to move the bench forward. Note the 4” strip of plywood on the rear of the bench top. It’s there to do exactly what you guys said and that is to keep stuff from rolling off the back as there is a gap. Funny, that strip of plywood is left over from a reloading bench I built at my last house.

As far as how I like the Husky stuff this is my first experience with them. So far I like them just fine. Heavy duty with soft close drawers. There was some discussion on here a few weeks ago on Husky gear and those who chimed in were very happy with them.

Thanks for the Norlift link. When I worked at the Boeing plant in Airway Heights Norlift installed (and constantly had to relocate ) all our pallet rack. They are a great company. I really like the shelving they have available and will consider that next time I decide to upgrade more.

[Redthies]

Nice upgrades Mike. Another thought, after you lift the chest off the floor, is put an extension on the top of the workbench so you can pull it forward so it overhangs the chest by a couple of inches. Leaning over that (4-6”?) of chest to get to the bench front won’t be comfortable in the long run.

I see you use filing cabinets too! I have a couple of 36” wide 2 drawer ones that house all my power tools. Each brand/voltage gets a drawer.

[Hatchdog]

Yesterday I got my new shelf completed so today I’ll do some clean up and put all the stuff I had to move to get to the shelf project where it belongs. (Boat, mower, etc.) Everything has to be moved manually as there are no batteries in anything.

The old…the new ready….and the new organized as I wanted. I did a good job of getting rid of a bunch of stuff I will never use.

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[John E Davies]

The old…the new ready….and the new organized as I wanted. I did a good job of getting rid of a bunch of stuff I will never use.

LOL, I did a major purge two years ago, sold 80% of my firearms, ammo and reloading stuff, tons of old hardware parts and odds and ends. Now I find myself ordering stuff on Amazon or driving to Ace because that left handed widget I kept is no longer on its shelf. Or that little vial of #9 lead shot isn’t where it was supposed to be…. Purging feels good at first, but it is a double edged sword. I did my big cleanup for my heirs, so they won’t be mad at me.

John Davies
Spokane WA

[Ernie]

I have thought about a major purge to save the heirs. Have got to be in the right frame of mind to get rid of all the stuff that I have collected. " I might need that someday", or "that is just too neat to get rid of". I am getting closer to deciding what I will really need. It will be one BIG yard sale.

[Vaquero]

Nice upgrade there Hatch, the previous mess looks like some of mine.

RP