Boxed in
Few things are as iconic of woodworking and carpentry as a toolbox. Oddly, although Ive been woodworking for decades, I dont have one. Actually, thats not true. I have two….
Few things are as iconic of woodworking and carpentry as a toolbox. Oddly, although Ive been woodworking for decades, I dont have one.
Actually, thats not true. I have two. One is very small, less than 12 long, and I keep all my black-powder and musket-cleaning stuff in it. The other is a big, honkin Sears toolbox someone gifted me years ago. I have it stashed away somewhere unknown, undoubtedly filled with stuff unknown that I had no immediate use for but still didnt want to toss out. In that sense its little more than a fancy cardboard box suitable for attic exile, albeit its bright yellow with a Craftsman logo on the side.
I do have two plastic tool totes with a compartment on each side that make it easier to carry a few tools and hardware items around the house or yard as needed, but neither has anything stored in it when not in use. But a well-stocked and organized toolbox just isnt something I use. Might be different if I were a contractor or did a lot of site work, but Im not and I dont.
What brings this all to mind is an article Im writing on tool storage, and as part of my research Im finding a lot of really nice toolboxes. These new ones have multiple little lidded bins for small parts, drawers on the front, and all manner of lift-out trays and accessories. And for some reason, as Im looking at all these Im thinking I want one.
Why? Im thinking that some of these are really small cabinets. The bins and drawers make most of the contents available without opening a lid. One of them might work well on the end of my utility bench, and would be the perfect repository for smaller items I need frequently. And if I ever need to move it, itll have a handle. Essentially, then, it really is a portable cabinet and not a toolbox.
Looked at from that perspective, Im not sure how I can live without one.
Till next time,
A.J.
A.J. Hamler is the former editor of Woodshop News and Woodcraft Magazine. He's currently a freelance woodworking writer/editor, which is another way of stating self-employed. When he's not writing or in the shop, he enjoys science fiction, gourmet cooking and Civil War reenacting, but not at the same time.