plywood vs solid wood (pine shelving) for basic carpenter toolbox
digitallimit
| Posted in General Discussion on
Been busy with work; however, been back to working on some projects. Yet – I am at a point that I need a tool box – tired of working out of cardboard boxes and tools rolled up in newspaper and/or light denim sheets.
I have a few plans I found that I want to build; however, since I have to purchase or salvage the wood I will require – I am not sure If I should use plywood or solid pine shelving boards.
Due to the latter, I want to hear what folks have used and if there is any pros to use.
The only thing I understand so far – is that it might be a good idea use a box joint to build the toolbox if I use plywood.
Thank you
Replies
If it is just a toolbox and you have to us reclaimed materials then just use what you have. If you want it to be pretty in the long term use the pine. The "patina" that plywood develops with heavy knock-around use is one of chipped edges and splinters. Box joints are a strong choice.
I have one oversized plywood chest used for storing large bow and frame saws. It was an old Army "wood footlocker." It was well made with metal edging and doesn't splinter. If you make one out of plywood, think about making or using a material to trim it. It could take a long time, depending on tools available. I plan to replace it someday with solid wood or open display. I made the large Dutch Tool Chest since I have to work and store tools on a covered back porch. It took a long time, because I did everything by hand from a tree. Once the wood was milled and dried, it didn't take too long. It uses dovetails and screws. I left out the cut nails and made the shelves with sliding dovetails, but I made a dovetail keying plane using a skewed blade bought at a flea market. All that took time. I still need more storage and am making boxes to store drill bits, rasps, files, plow plane blade, etc.
I made a toolbox years ago and used pine boards with dovetails great way to practice new skills of brush up on a old one also pine is cheap and will be lighter than using a hardwood plus the pine will have to a nice pumpkin color over time
I'd suggest the pine. As _MJ_ says, plywood will look rough in a few years. It won't age gracefully. Pine will get dings and such, but that's part of it's charm.
Use the Pine and plan to keep it for a long time. It'll be something you look back at fondly.
Also, I am not the biggest fan of box joints on plywood. Pocket holes, butt joints or maybe rabbets/dados. But, I find plywood chips out way too much for box joints. Box joints and solid wood is another story.
@FiveBirdsCustom
I was looking ab 'box joints'; however, I was unsure of how to do them. It appears that one would use dowel, which I have, but I was unsure of using a doweling jig into plywood, since I never have tried it. Also, could I use a biscuit joiner?
In addition, I have been looking at a reason to buy a pocket hole jig; however, will need to look around to find something reasonably priced then the blue label maker.
@ecyor
The pictures are what I have in mind, just on a smaller scale. I want to build two boxes. One for my saws and one for everything else - anything will be a step up from cardboard boxes. It would be easier to buy tool boxes; however, I will not get to practice and use tools or have a reason to buy more tools. ++laugh++
I remember my grandfather having a special wooden tool box that only kept saws upright from left to right - is there a special name for that type of tool/saw box?
Is there a special tool/saw box for Japanese saws? I started out European push saws; however, after purchasing my first Japanese pull saw - my quality of saw cuts have never been this good.
Hi,
Remember 1 thing, you're making a toolbox not building a piano. Meaning don't over-think it. For me, edge-to-edge gluing and metal corner pieces work for extra hold.
Good luck,
Mikaol
I like the idea of a saw till. I'm in the process of making one now. The saw till fits inside the top shelf of my Dutch Tool Box. I liked the saw till that Pavlak wrote about but it is kind of complicated. It is a box in a box. The inside box is built like a drawer and because it has saw kerfs cut in it an outer box is needed to give it support. I think it could work inside or outside of a tool box and work for Japanese saws. The part I haven't tried or figured out are the dovetails at the top. I built the drawer part with through dovetails at the back and half dovetails at the front. I put two braces inside the inner box that are mortised into the sides of the drawer box and are also kerfed. Anyway the outer box for mine is just a base and bottom for both boxes that goes about an inch up the outside walls of the inner box. I would send a picture but it's not done yet. I'm using it even though it's not glued up and not finished.
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