Modelling tool boxes

[chris p bacon]

I'm thinking of ways to improving my modelling area(s) as it's tends to get a little untidy, but can't decide on a toolbox/storage.

 

Currently I have a small bench outside of the 'Railway room' which is where stock etc is built, I deliberately didn't make it too big as I knew if I did it would pile up with tools etc. 

This isn't actually typical as a lot of items on a small table to the side were piled onto it so I could hoover, but you get the picture.

 

Currently I'm thinking of purchasing something like this.  https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-7-drawer-mobile-trolley-with-ball-bearing-drawer-slides/77948  to stand alongside as it will take the majority of my tools and be easily accessible. I can also wheel it into the railway room when required.

 

Are there any other ideas or suggestions for tool storage that people use that might be more suitable ?

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/malm-chest-of-4-drawers-white-30403571/

 

I've just made one of these into a storage unit.

Locking castors underneath and a bit of strengthening here and there, (would help if you knew a decent joiner!), and considerably cheaper than the metal varieties, but with less drawers obviously, although a bit of compartmentalisation would help in that regard.

I've also doubled up the top and stand my little and large pillar drills on it permanently, comes out at a nice height for working.

 

Mike.

[The Johnster]

Had one of these years ago; it fell apart after about 3 years gentle and appropriate, honest guv, use as a bedroom cabinet.  IMHO rubbish, with every joint needing to be screwed, glued, and braced, more work and cost than it's worth.  My advice is to not pollute your life with this sort of thing.

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

Had one of these years ago; it fell apart after about 3 years gentle and appropriate, honest guv, use as a bedroom cabinet.  IMHO rubbish, with every joint needing to be screwed, glued, and braced, more work and cost than it's worth.  My advice is to not pollute your life with this sort of thing.

 

Sorry, I'm no ambassador for them. but;

Your Ikea must sell sub standard goods then.

I have successfully used Ikea kitchens/wardrobes/furniture for more years than I care to remember, and, like any other construction project, if assembled correctly they are excellent value for money, and previous use of Malm units in a garage environment didn't give me any problems.

 

Mike.

[teaky]

It seems to me that once you remove most of the stuff along the left hand side and the shelf at the back there would be enough space for some specially constructed tool storage (I'm just thinking plywood with holes and slots) to hold most of what remains in a narrower space along each side and on the shelf.  You then just need a drawer unit for parts, materials and paint for which the Hilka unit would be suitable albeit expensive.

 

Peter who built the Palin's Yard layout sorted out his modelling room with some laser cut kits from Poland.  These may have been MDF which I know is against your carpentry oath, but a quick search might provide some ideas.

 

 

[polybear]

Some ideas and gadgets here:

https://hobbyzone.pl/

https://www.scalemodelshop.co.uk/products/accessories/auxiliaries/paint-stands-and-storage/hobbyzone-pl-module-storage-system

 

HTH

[didcot]

I use one of these Link . I think it came from Chronos. I bought some cheap casters from Wilko and mounted them on the bottom. That way I can wheel it into the living room when I need it.

[chris p bacon]

4 hours ago, teaky said:

It seems to me that once you remove most of the stuff along the left hand side and the shelf at the back there would be enough space for some specially constructed tool storage (I'm just thinking plywood with holes and slots) to hold most of what remains in a narrower space along each side and on the shelf.  You then just need a drawer unit for parts, materials and paint for which the Hilka unit would be suitable albeit expensive.

 

The stuff on the left was on a small table which I folded up to hoover, it's not usually that cluttered.

 

The trouble is that what you see of the tools is only about a tenth of what I have. For parts I use Really usefull boxes with 4 of the divider trays in, there are 4 of these large RU boxes as I have oooodles of bits and pieces.  Part of the reason for using a tolbox on castors is that if they are all on the bench then I have to take them into the railway room a handful at a time, whereas with something moveable I can wheel it in.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, didcot said:

I use one of these Link . I think it came from Chronos. I bought some cheap casters from Wilko and mounted them on the bottom. That way I can wheel it into the living room when I need it.

 

Also available here, at 89 quid (incl. vat, plus postage) - I've been pondering too....

 

https://workshopping.co.uk/storage-workstations/tool-cases/sealey-ap1608w-machinist-toolbox-8-drawer?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0Pvm5Y3e5gIVh63tCh0zzAP5EAQYAiABEgJSFPD_BwE

 

[teaky]

14 minutes ago, chris p bacon said:

 

The stuff on the left was on a small table which I folded up to hoover, it's not usually that cluttered.

 

The trouble is that what you see of the tools is only about a tenth of what I have. For parts I use Really usefull boxes with 4 of the divider trays in, there are 4 of these large RU boxes as I have oooodles of bits and pieces.  Part of the reason for using a tolbox on castors is that if they are all on the bench then I have to take them into the railway room a handful at a time, whereas with something moveable I can wheel it in.

I see.  I think that changes things then and it becomes easier to justify a mobile drawer unit of some kind.

 

Do you really have that many tools that you use for DIY and for modelling?  So far, the difference in size means I haven't found too much overlap that some minor duplication can't deal with.  However, as you know, I am a less experienced modeller and significantly less experienced carpenter.

 

[chris p bacon]

6 minutes ago, teaky said:

Do you really have that many tools that you use for DIY and for modelling

 

This is just modelling tools...  The (work) workshop is another entity all together. I rebuilt it some years ago and put some spur shelving up, just the power tool cases took up 15' of shelving, I also have a 20' container with scaffold etc ....

 

I have amassed so much stuff over the years even I'm surprised by how much there is!   I haven't even thought about paint of which have several hundred tins.......

[teaky]

[LBRJ]

It seems a lot of money for doing something that I find a few old mushroom crates are more than useful for (and they are no less pretty!)

Then agin I must be getting old, cos as a callow youth I worked at a Motor Engineers where snap-on was the only supplier of big red chests allowed (there is some crudity hinted at in there for those who like calendars :D)

[chris p bacon]

16 minutes ago, LBRJ said:

It seems a lot of money for doing something that I find a few old mushroom crates are more than useful for (and they are no less pretty!)

 

I've got some of those with unmade Kirk kits in, the trouble is that they go brittle after a while and aren't really that good for handfulls of files etc.

[Enterprisingwestern]

8 hours ago, chris p bacon said:

 

This is just modelling tools...  The (work) workshop is another entity all together. I rebuilt it some years ago and put some spur shelving up, just the power tool cases took up 15' of shelving, I also have a 20' container with scaffold etc ....

 

I have amassed so much stuff over the years even I'm surprised by how much there is!   I haven't even thought about paint of which have several hundred tins.......

 

Don't ever move house!

 

Mike.

[chris p bacon]

2 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Don't ever move house!

 

Mike.

 

Now funny you should say that.......

[AY Mod]

Really Useful stuff comes in really useful here.

 

The A4-ish drawer tower works for me for paints, roughly 70 pots per drawer - https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/really-useful-clear-desktop-storage-tower-4-drawers/644865-1000

 

I can't be bothered with individual holes for individual tools, a regular supply of baked bean and soup cans keeps pace with tool acquisitions.

 

 

The big 11-drawer tower does for tools (roughly sorted into random what was I doing last contents). http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/html/onlineshop/rub/tTower11x4lDraw.php

 

 

 

[Clive Mortimore]

After many years, tool storage systems and attempts at keeping things tidy I seem to return to the pile of "it was on here last week". So I am now resigned to the fact there will be much effing and jeffing when the tools go walk abouts and to the realisation that my tools seem to enjoy being dumped in the middle on what is supposed my modelling bench.  And the pile by the fiddle yard and the other pile by the other fiddle yard and "how has that pile accumulated on the platforms."

 

Question from punter at a show "How long does it take to scratch build a loco in plastic?"

"About 30 to 40 hours" and under my breath " and 3 to 4 weeks to find the craft knife between each session".

[Enterprisingwestern]

2 hours ago, AY Mod said:

Really Useful stuff comes in really useful here.

 

The A4-ish drawer tower works for me for paints, roughly 70 pots per drawer - https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/really-useful-clear-desktop-storage-tower-4-drawers/644865-1000

 

I can't be bothered with individual holes for individual tools, a regular supply of baked bean and soup cans keeps pace with tool acquisitions.

 

 

The big 11-drawer tower does for tools (roughly sorted into random what was I doing last contents). http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/html/onlineshop/rub/tTower11x4lDraw.php

 

 

 

 

That looks scary, a plastic box version of Jenga, an accident waiting to happen IMHO!

 

Mike.

[Liam]

You may have made your decision already but at Warley I bought an organising contraption from Squires. Unfortunately Humbrol 28ml bottles do not allow the lid to be closed when they are in it, but as you can see from this photo I have been able to fit in numerous other stuff which has helped to keep my layout area tidy. It also means that they’re no longer lying around in an old Airfix box in the conservatory...