Suggestion for Upper Shop Cabinets

[algale]

I would like to build upper cabinets to go across a wall in my shop. Looking for ideas/plans to get dimensions.

[charlese]

I would like to build upper cabinets to go across a wall in my shop. Looking for ideas/plans to get dimensions.

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Before you settle on cabinet plans, you have to decide (take an educated guess) on how you will use the cabinets.

Will they hold saw blades?, hand tools?, magazines, books?, power tools?, Finishing supplies?, etc. Will they have doors?, will there be storage on the outside of doors? or will they be open? (No doors)

These decisions will dictate how deep, spacing between shelves, overall size the cabinets will be. Maybe all you need are shelves.

shop opposite corner.jpg (126.06 KiB) Viewed 3491 times

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/downl ... hp?id=1753

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/downl ... php?id=223

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[Lodgepole]

If you get a chance I would suggest you check out Woodsmith's website. They have a free set of plans for a cabinet that uses perf board. But, what makes it handy is that, in the front, it has two sliding perf board doors. These doors use fender washers, at the top, that roll in a slot.

It is a pretty beefy design that is a nice, robust size. I plan on building it this next month to go above my Shopsmith. It's size should hold all of my smaller Shopsmith accessories.

The Woodsmith website also has some nice designs for holding multiple table saw blades/disc sanders.

In my shop I have installed 2 sets of French cleats around the walls. This is based upon the design featured in Wood magazine. What I like about it is that as my shop evolves I can move my cabinets or my 2'x4' framed perf boards to different spots.

The 2'x4'framed perf boards fit nicely above the SPTs and hold whatever blades, sanding belts, or whatever accessories are needed for each tool.

A very similar design is featured on Canadian Home Wrokshop's website, for free.

[paulrussell]

I couldn't buy the materials for the price of Mendards unfinished cabinets.

[algale]

Paul,

Thanks for that. I think you are right, although I'd be buying through the Orange Box Store. Didn't realize they sold these unfinished cabinets. And they are pretty inexpensive.

[benush26]

Is the object to "build something" or "have storage"? If you are looking for storage, I might suggest kitchen cabinets removed from a remodel or house reno. A friend's son was trying to update his garage and had ALL kinds of advise from us old farts as to why he should build, where to buy and big box deals, etc. Instead he went to a local building materials recycle shop, picked up a half dozen upper cabinets and a couple lower for less than $100. He turned the lower cabinets into a slick system for a sliding miter saw

If you are looking for storage solution rather than a building project, that might be a thought.

Be well,
Ben

[stevespix]

I'll add my 2 cents here! I went through this when I built my wife her laundry room. She wanted cabinets so we went and looked at the local box stores and priced out cabinets, the bottom line here was, I could build better cabinets for less than half of the price of the store brands. For a few sheets of cabinet grade plywood and a kreg pocket jig and a few days in the shop you would be surprised how easy it is. I did the old kitchen cabinets in my shop and am now ready to replace all of them with newly built cabinets of my own design, with a complete realignment of my shop.