Too many drawers?

[Rounder]

I posted this here as it may give some help to those setting up their shop.

Yesterday, in an effort to make room for a lumber rack, I took apart a 9 drawer cabinet that had become a catch all. It had been in the building when I moved my shop in there. It had three rows of three drawers. As I emptied the drawers, I realized that I had not used all of them. I alos realized that I had put stuff there and had forgotten about it. I used the top of the cabinet more than the drawers.

That got me thinking. As I looked around my shop, I realized that drawers where not the right storage for me. I prefer having my tools on a peg board or a shelf, where with a glance I can see them. I started opeing all the drawers (24) I had and went through them. I was amazed at what I found in some of them.

I am not saying that drawers can't be used for storage, but for me I am going to limit what I store in them. I guess "out of sight, out of mind" really applies to me and drawers.

[lrogers]

In the current REDNECK WORK SHOP, I have two work benches with drawers. One has two and the other three. Since I too prefer to hang items on the peg board, this works well for me. The biggest drawer is the one that gets opened the least and catches the most "junk".
I'm not sure how I'm going to do things after I move. Since the garage is just going to be a temporay shop, I don't want to spend much time or money fixing it up. I'm still working out details in my mind for after the new shop is built, but I think the mitersaw/storage system Norm built on one of his shows is going to figure into the equation.

[Tom Miller]

Hmmm, too many drawers? Maybe when you end up with too many clamps, you can put them in the extra drawers! []

But seriously, I kind of see your point, but I think the difference is implementation. I, too, keep a lot of tools out -- I have ~8ft long span of magnetic bar over my workbench for the frequently used stuff.

But I'm definitely a drawer guy. In 3 workbenches I have 8, 9, and 15 drawers. Including the 2 drawers in my saw stand, and 3 drawers I just made for my drum sander cart, I have 37 drawers in a 220 sq. ft. shop.

Out of all those drawers, though, there's really only one, maybe two, that barely come close to being a catch all. Otherwise, each drawer holds a specific group of items, and I know without opening it what I'll find (drill accessories, tape, abrasives, measuring/marking, etc.).

I think it's because my shop is so small that it's more important that I keep it picked up. Having a place for everything helps me get everything in its place a lot faster when I need to clear an area for a glue-up, for instance.

Anyone else see a correlation between shop size and drawer usage?

Regards,
Tom

[skipwill]

I too have a small shop (1/2 of a 2 car garage) and am a drawer person.

This summer I plan to build mobile bases for my BT3100, BS, lathe, etc that function as mobile bases as well as a cabinet with drawers.

I like drawers in that it keeps the sawdust away, keeps hard to store items hidden, and I can usually find stuff if i only can remember which danged drawer i put it in<g>.

Skip

[Jim-Iowa]

When I bought my place the previous owner had built a cabinet with drawers and doors undr the front windows of the garage.
Measured it last night because it needs a new hardboard top 10 ft long. There is only one drawer not in use(not for long.
I also have two tool cabinets full and one cabinet on the wall.
I need to build a mobile base under my BT3100 and it will have drawers too. My garage is 28 X 30 and a 1 1/2 stories, so I`m not cramped. But can`t imagine having too many drawers?

[RodKirby]

Too many? NO: drawers=clamps.

Having said that; about every 6 months, I check them all out - amazing some of the things I find [)]

[JimD]

I agree with Rod - drawers are nice and it's hard to have too many. I also find things I forgot I had sometimes - almost an extra Christmas sometimes.

My most useful drawers are the ones at the tool that hold the things I need for that tool. I have a few drawers in the little extended top for my drill press. They hold the twist bits (2 sets), adjustable hole bit, 2 sets of forstener bits, etc. I can remember what's in them because it's all for the drill press and there are only 4 drawers (each small). I have 6 drawers on the BT3100 so they are more than needed for the tool. It sits next to the router table so the extra drawers hold extra routers and router stuff. The router table has 4 drawers for stuff plus 6 kind of drawers for bits (they're the NYW method with a thick drawer bottom (only) with holes for the bits). In addition, the counter top my RAS and CMS sit on has about a dozen large drawers for tools and miscellaneous. I also have three mobile cabinets with drawers in them.

Jim

[Rounder]

I didn't say I was totally anti-drawer (would that make me drawerless?), but I had too many and it was becoming a problem. I have a cabinet and drawers (4) located behing my BT3100/Router and lathe. In each drawer are items associated with each of the machines. The cabinet space below the drawers are dedicated to jibs and bigger items.

It is the drawers around the shop that become catch-alls that are the problem. I prefer to look on the wall, or open a cabinet to see what tool I need for the job. I can also tell what tool I have not returned to it place with a quick glance.

It has been mentioned a couple times in the replies about open the drawer and it being an extra Christmas. That is what I am trying to avoid. I have would up with doubles and triples of things, cause I could remember which drawer or where I put it.

[Deadhead]

Being a 'small shop' person, I alway need more drawers. And like someone said, the best drawers are the ones under the tool that hold things for the tool.
Does that make them underdrawers?

[rbfunk]

Rounder
Drawers are only as good as your abilty to organize and label them.
Plus the strenght to put things back!
Bob

[Rounder]

Bob,

You are absolutely right. I really think I suffer from drawer disorder.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by Rounder

You are absolutely right. I really think I suffer from drawer disorder.

The first step is admitting you have a problem.

We're here to help.

Regards,
Tom
There's gotta be a twelve step program for this somewhere....