Modified shelving and tool storage
Well, as you read in my previous post, you will learn that I did a little investing in some new tools to add to my collection. Of course ALL my tools are not new. i have had a hammer, tape measure, some screwdrivers, and a basic socket kit for some time. when i undertook the bed frame project, i began to wonder where and how i would store tools, as most of the other ones were just scattered around different places in the house. By house, i mean duplex. we rent a side-by-side from a property manager here in Ankeny. this is property #3 i have rented from Tony since living in Ankeny. one of the downsides to an affordable rental is lack of customization, aside from being able to use really small nails to hang photos and such. I would love to just mod the heck out of this basement. i would coat one far wall in pegboard, attach shelving to another, paint scheme a portion of the living area, build a home theater around my hi def projector, and the list goes on. So how do i solve some of these problems? One solution is to modify and make-to-fit the things i already own and that can be moved or removed easily without leaving a footprint of my existence in the property when i leave. An example is the kitchen. we obviously wont be able to build wall shelves to hold things, so i added a lifetime folding table for prep and microwave as well as a couple plano shelf systems built up to the ceiling. we store all manor of pans and such on them. So back to the tool storage idea. back when I worked in Walnut, Iowa, i obtained some pegboard from a gas station that was discarding it. through the years i have used it to hang up paintball markers and equipment. now, after having moved from place to place, the same pegboard is attached to the back of wire shelf unit. the inside of the shelves have controller platforms for the xbox, and the back, which faces my desk, has a few hooks and a light attached. the shelf was like this when i had a little apartment and i have just never taken them down. this project is super easy and solves problems of permanently committing to a wall space ore bench as well as taking care of the “i live in a rental and can’t mod it” problem. I can throw a shelf into a trailer when it comes moving time. i cant explain to Tony why his wall is all full of screw holes. so again, scroll on and view my next undertaking. A wire rack shelving system from Home Depot, some pegboard, and the magic ingredient…zip ties.
i forgot to take a before photo of the tools etc on the shelf. but here you can see what I am working with.
box of tools and such
these wire shelves come with these black round clips to support the shelf once mounted on the post. i added a strip of electrical tape to them once mounted to hold them in place and give the shelf more to clamp on to when tapped down.
simple and affective when re arranged and hammered the shelves onto it.
i got creative on how the heck to cut such a large, wobbly peice.
the peice is cut, time to mount it
the secret ingredient to the success of this working is zip ties. placed in certain spots around the board, they secure it to the back of the shelving. with no frame or fanciness to it, you might say it looks tacky, but it works.
i took my handy leatherman and pulled tight the ties and cut the excess off.
using mostly hooks and hangers i got in a pack from wal mart, i organized and hung the tools
You may be thinking, “that’s not very many tools”. Its not. but I am starting somewhere and as my tool collection grows so will my storage space. In the future, i might cut sides for the tool portion with more pegboard. we’ll see. In a smaller place like this, believe it or not, things become disorderly, as with any house or apartment. my goal was to come up with a way to consolidate and store my tools without having to go overboard with drilling holes in the walls and such. i can now move this tool stand anywhere and still have the organization i desire. Hope you enjoyed. it was short and simple, but I still took the time to photograph it along the way to share. Success.
Jared-
Projects and DIY 