# Tool Storage - What do you use for your bike shop/garage?



## WA-CO (Nov 23, 2013)

Bike Geeks,

Like many of you, I have a fleet of rides, and other than a shock rebuild, have always done all my own wrenching.

We have moved to a new location, a small single car garage, with a work area about 10'x7'. I'm trying to sort out how to store tools, and bike parts. 

As a temporary solution I have a wooden (73" x 24") work bench, with a lower shelf. Bottom is Rubbermaid bins stuff full of parts and power tools. Works OK, but not long term. It all needs to go into tool boxes/cabinets. (see pic)

Pro grade stuff (Snap On, MATCO, Waterloo) is too expensive. Even prowling on CL, I can't find anything affordable. Reviewing current grade Craftsman and Husky (Home Depot) revealed its way too flimsy. I'm willing to spend $1500, for something good sized, but hope to never do this again. 

Anybody have to buy tool storage recently? What did you decide and why?


----------



## MitchD (Jun 16, 2010)

for the price you cant beat the $359 tool chest from Harbor Freight, I have 4 of them supporting kitchen counters.You can get "seconds" counter tops at home depot 10 feet long for less than $80. Get 3 tool cabinets and one counter top for around your budget. take off the wheels and build a wood base and you are styling
Roller Cabinet - 44" Red Rolling Tool Cabinet w/ 13 Drawers


----------



## trboxman (Jul 7, 2010)

+1 on the Harbor Freight tool chests.


----------



## Psycle151 (Dec 20, 2005)

I got 2x4's and pegboard from Home Depot to build this. I have no carpentry skills, just followed a simple plan for the bench.


----------



## bbee (Jun 7, 2014)

I think I just got a little chubby looking at your bike shop.


Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk


----------



## Psycle151 (Dec 20, 2005)

Um, if that's what it took to get you to quit lurking and register on mtbr . . . then great!

Welcome


----------



## MitchD (Jun 16, 2010)

Well Done!


----------



## WA-CO (Nov 23, 2013)

The Harbor Freight Boxes are interesting. Reviews look really good and tool junkies in the Garage Journal forum seem to really like them. 

This is my 4th home shop, and with each version, it gets better. For me, I've found I work better from drawers and super clean surface, which is what I DON'T have now. In fact I just "lost" my campy cassette remover, which has caused me to completely blow a gasket. Going from a super organized 20x40 shop to my single car **** storm is killing me. 

It will get solved, just wanted some input on tool organization, especially in a limited space setting. Keep the pics and ideas coming.


----------



## Bozar (Oct 13, 2018)

Sorry to bring this thread back around...Just my two cents...

Here is my work

MDF will be fine. Make sure you Glue and screw it. It will be solid. I would also make a base for it, you don't want MDF sitting on the floor. For long term garage durability, I would use treated plywood to make the base, you can scribe the base and get a flat and level area to sit your cabinets on. Veneer the treated ply with your MDF, but make it hang 1/4" off the floor. 

I really would consider making the boxes as buening stated. Ply for the box, MDF for doors and shelves. Make the center shelf permanently attached. This will support for the walls and reduce tugging on the hinges. I would not screw around with plaster strips or cleats. If your shelves are 3/4" material, I would just drill the cabinets for shelf pins. A kitchen supply store will have the pins at bulk pricing, so you will pay like $20 for a 20LB box. I am talking thousands of pins. Which you can put on the sides, and back of your shelf, and anywhere else you possibly want for the rest of your life, lol. 

Paint or use some nice edge banding on all the edges, then paint. Your MDF will only last as long as the protection you give it. Iron applied edge banding is my fave. But you're limited in colors with it, so get the cheaper, non-colored banding since you gonna paint anyway. 

Oh buy the hinges and slides at the same kitchen supply joint as the pins. You will get raped if you try to get all this at big box stores. RAPED

I also suggest full overlay hinges so that you don't see much of the box behind the doors when closed. 

Some examples. 

The silver between the doors are custom handles so that they are flush with the doors. Mahogany MDF. Poly finished by yours truly. 


I also have a 3 car garage with a 2 car space about this size. Unless you drive a midget car or park outside it's just NOT enough room for 2 cars to comfortably park inside and have any sort of real work bench or storage space. If you have, or get, a truck -- fahgetta about it! 

My previous house was a custom build with a 25' x 25' two car garage. I would have liked more but that was a compromise I made with budget. And for two cars, it was a pretty good choice. It offered a comfortable space to park 2 daily drivers and have ample storage and work space. At the time I even had a zero turn mower stuff in there. 


The most valuable real estate in your garage is the floor space, so you need to think up. Search here for soffit cabinets -- that space is mostly wasted otherwise and makes for great storage. Fold down workspaces are also handy.


----------

