Ultimate Machinists Tool Chest

wrat said:
Point taken. But I've worked on a couple of progressive Class A dies that weren't very *far*from robots.

Regardless, it might be an interesting undertaking. What with all the CNC functionality out there, it seems a toolbox could be had that showcases machining instead of woodworking.

Even without CNC, it'd be fitting.

Of course, I tend to selfishly think that woodworkers have much more idle time than a good machinist so they make tool displays. Good machinists have no spare time to be dallying about with fancy casings, so theirs are much more utilitarian.

Wrat
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LOL Cheers!
 
wrat said:
Really, offending someone is not what I'm about, but I fear it might be the case.

Why is it all these "ultimate" tool chests seem to be for woodworkers? I'm not big in woodworking beyond a tablesaw (or skillsaw!)

Machinists get a "stack of drawers". My brown Kennedy boxes and rollaways are just a stack of drawers. Granted, my 50 year old oak Gerstner is a sweet looking stack of drawers, but it's still just a stack of drawers. And for a big stack of rollaway oak drawers, the Gerstner site wants over 8 grand!

Why isn't the ultimate machinist boxes full of robots and and stuff? Okay, fine, if i think it should i oughta go do it, but I don't have much in the way of imagination along those lines. I just think an 'ultimate' machinist box should be far more involved, like a machine, than a woodworker's box.


Wrat
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Did you miss the part where that was specifically disclaimed?

If I wanted to spend the time, money, and materials on it a wire EDM cut box, where the box and drawers, when closed, appear to be a solid piece of metal would be very cool. Press to open latches instead of drawer pulls. It would require a ridiculous amount of work to pull it off to the tight tolerances needed to make the effect work, and it would be entirely impractical, but it would be awesome.
 
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OK, bottom line, the Ultimate Tool Box is an individual thing. It is you and how you work. It's a simple box or a complicated one depending on you. The YOU is the key to it's eventual end. It may even become a work in progress to be added on by the next owner. It has no boundery limits. The sky is the limit, if any limit is there. I tend to think there isn't, that's why it takes so long to figure what you wand. It's forever changing.

This thread is meant to be fun. No opinions will be overlooked. All are welcomed. If you like wood, metal, hand worked or CNC'd, it's YOU.

"Billy G"
 
Something I noticed from the write-up of the Studley Box,
"quote, The history of H.O. Studley and his tool chest
Massachusetts piano maker Henry Studley built his magnificent tool chest over the course of a 30-year career at the Poole Piano Company. The chest lived on the wall near his workbench, and he worked on it regularly, making changes and adding new tools as he acquired them. Using ebony, mother-of-pearl, ivory, rosewood, and mahogany — all materials used in the manufacture of pianos — he refined the chest to the point that now, more than 80 years after his death, it remains in a class of its own"

In the middle of the paragraph," he worked on it regularly, making changes and adding tools as he acquired them.", so this was a dynamic "project" if you will, I don't think he set out with a set of dimensions but rather it became the ultimate toolbox over time. Why do I bring this up? Well, like many here I am also struggling to store my tools in a "smart" and efficient manner that just makes sense. I've got a Kennedy and a Gerstner box and I also have knack roll a way box. But my tools are split between the boxes and I find myself searching through drawers because I haven't adopted any "system". And I think this goes hand in hand with this topic. The studley box packs in every tool he owned, but to get to some of them wasn't practical as you have to remove the ones in front to get to the one behind it.

So I'm hoping that others can share how they arranged their tools or if they were building a box how would you arrange your tools. I hope this doesn't detract from your goal(s) Bill, having a beautiful box is probably a goal each of us has, I need to find some "smart" way to organize as well.

Thanks Bill!
 
This is exactly what I wish to see, how the rest of you have either make do, or arranged so you can find the right tool with your eyes closed in the dark. Thank you for resurrecting this thread 34-40.

"Billy G"
 
There seems to be two concepts at work, one is storage related the other is display. Like 34_40 have a Kennedy, my machines have storage beneath, with the related tooling. Realistically the ability to grab a tool with your eyes close is a pipe dream.

Who grabs the exact tool needed for every project, that in its own is a guessing game? Unless we are talking production using the same tooling every time. Like my welders, every tool or supplies reside on the cart. Only thing not stored with them, is the clamps and wire.

The Ultimate Tool Box cannot be mass produced it is totally an individual thing, that develops with time and needs, what works for me no good for the next guy.

Fun to be an individual .
greg
 
What seems to be is not always true. I am looking for something that brings together both beauty and utility as one. As you stated, I also am of the individual group.

What if you saw someone elses storage that was extremely close to yours but slightly different. You would probably gaze at it for a bit, then spot the difference and say, "Dang, that's neat."

"Billy G"
 
Back in the day it was much more common to make your own tools and cabinets. My Dad was a hobbyist woodworker and made his own tool boxes and cabinets, and made some for me too. Although they are just objects I treasure them.

I have also some purchased tool chests also that were chosen according to my needs. A quality tool cabinet is a joy to use just like quality tools are. This thread is thought provoking and made me realize that the cabinet dedicated to lathe tools and accessories is the tool I use the most.
 
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