Converting Stronghold cabinets for toolholder storage

[Garwood]

I have been storing Cat40 and Cat50 toolholders in Tennsco metal cabinets, but they are not stout enough for the weight. A shelf buckled so time for an upgrade.

A couple weeks ago I picked up a pair of 36W 24D Stronghold cabinets at auction.




Last week I ordered 216 Heyco 2417 bushings for Cat40 and 160 Heyco 2424 bushings for Cat50. I got the bushings from Mouser for around $350 total ( a lot of bushings!)



Initially, I was planning to cut holes in the original shelves. I decided it's much less work to make new shelves.

I spaced the holes for 40 Cat50 per shelf and 54 for Cat40.

Four shelves per cabinet for toolholders and the bottom shelf for tools and pullstuds.

Price shopping laser vendors at the moment.

I'm considering powdercoating the shelves a bright color. Figure I best do it before they go in or I'll never Unload them to do it later.

 

[Barbter]

With mine, I got the fab company (who were next door) to bend-up new shelves with holes punched in. Also there were some 1/2 strips welded underneath running left to right (along the longest length to stop bowing when loaded).
Then powder coated them.
Then on installation (the important bit) - pop riveted them in position into the sides of the cabinet.
I would also add - if you can - screw the things to a wall with very large washers as spreaders under the screw heads....

 

[Mud]

I may have posted this before. I made shelves for cheap cabinets. I used plywood, screwed bent angle along the sides and back to engage the slots in the cabinets, and added an angle down the length in the center for reinforcement. Adjustable wood cutting holesaw for the holes. I wound up getting tired of this because it was a PITA to reach to the rear rows and put it in dead storage for tools I don't use and put the modified Vidmars in place.

BTW I have several tool carts to make go away, if you have some cheap way of transporting them from me to you.

 

[Garwood]

I may have posted this before. I made shelves for cheap cabinets. I used plywood, screwed bent angle along the sides and back to engage the slots in the cabinets, and added an angle down the length in the center for reinforcement. Adjustable wood cutting holesaw for the holes. I wound up getting tired of this because it was a PITA to reach to the rear rows and put it in dead storage for tools I don't use and put the modified Vidmars in place.

BTW I have several tool carts to make go away, if you have some cheap way of transporting them from me to you.

View attachment 2978

I've seen your vidmars before, but not that cabinet.

I'm planning to do the same thing, just shelves spaced further apart for access to the back.

I used to have a few large tooling carts and still do for nmtb50. I felt I was always cleaning the tools and the carts were shit collectors.

I find the carts are always in the way and don't hold very many tools. I can fit 200 Cat50 holders in a 24D x 36W x 72T cabinet. That cabinet is against the wall, never in the way and I can put more stuff on top of the cabinets. With the doors closed the shop looks tidy.

I only have a few Vidmars already used for other tooling and rarely find any deals on them.

I picked up the Stronghold cabinets for $600/pr, and they came filled with a bunch of nice shop supplies I can use too.

Hopefully these work out. I'm pretty committed at this point. But if a truckload of vidmars fell into my lap....

 

[Mud]

But if a truckload of vidmars fell into my lap....

I lucked into a few that were missing drawers, that's what started me building those. 2 were from a guy who bought a lot of them from a closing business and swapped drawers around to sell them and somehow ran short, the other 2 had pharmaceutical company logos on them and had the shallowest drawers but only every other position had a drawer installed. I guess they wanted to be able to see into the drawers while closed.

Want a CAD file for building high density storage? I was ready to fly into building this when I got the Vidmars.

 

[Mud]

Would angled shelves in your cabinets make them easier to access?

 

[Garwood]

That's a good question!

I'll have to model it up and see how much angle can fit.

 

[Barbter]

Bigger (larger) shelf gap at the bottom - fit the longer nosed heavier holders tools/facemills there.
At the top - shorter gap - small nose lighter holders there....basically the rear top 2x shelves of Muds photo, I'd have at the bottom. Lowers the weight/tipover too!

 

[Kustomizer]

I really like these but I keep tools and offsets for many of my jobs and 10 covers that for many jobs, though some need 2 racks. plus I can carry them.

 

[Mud]

I really like these but I keep tools and offsets for many of my jobs and 10 covers that for many jobs, though some need 2 racks. plus I can carry them.
View attachment 2993

What do you guys use for tool ID when out of the machine? I've seen expensive hi-tech methods, I'm looking for easy and cheap. Stick on labels don't last. I've started putting an O-ring in the V groove and attaching a wire tag to the O-ring. Then I can pull the O-ring and tag off and hang it on a hook next to the toolchanger window while the tool is in the machine.
Many of mine are C45 and no one makes the plastic tags in that size and they would be too small anyway.

 

[Kustomizer]

I keep my tools for a specific job in a rack with a paper note, as I understand you are tracking individual tools?

 

[Mud]

I keep my tools for a specific job in a rack with a paper note, as I understand you are tracking individual tools?

Right. I might use a given tool on 6 or more different parts, and also for one offs. I have a couple hundred tools in holders ready for use, ID help avoid measuring diameters to find the right drill or endmill, and avoids toolholder collisions on similar diameter tools, and just helps remember what custom tools are used for. And helps allow reuse of holders no longer needed to be kept set up.

 

[Kustomizer]

I might be inclined to engrave a number 1- whatever on the holders with an electric pencil and reference that number in the program.

 

[Barbter]

I keep my tools for a specific job in a rack with a paper note, as I understand you are tracking individual tools?

For a couple of jobs with specific tools, this is exactly what I did. Post it pierced onto the the tool with T# and tool length written on it (diameters saved in prog via G10).

 

[Freedommachine]

I may have posted this before. I made shelves for cheap cabinets. I used plywood, screwed bent angle along the sides and back to engage the slots in the cabinets, and added an angle down the length in the center for reinforcement. Adjustable wood cutting holesaw for the holes. I wound up getting tired of this because it was a PITA to reach to the rear rows and put it in dead storage for tools I don't use and put the modified Vidmars in place.

BTW I have several tool carts to make go away, if you have some cheap way of transporting them from me to you.

View attachment 2978

What info do you write on the tags? I assume; Pgm #, tool #, length and diameter comp?

@Garwood I just picked up a stronghold auction find myself. My brother was laughing at me for getting all excited about a cabinet lol.

 

[Mud]

What info do you write on the tags? I assume; Pgm #, tool #, length and diameter comp?

Right now just part ID, tool # for that part, dia and angle if relevant, sometimes some other ID info like "extended length #4 center drill". Running out of room on the tags, but don't want to computerize it because I don't have a tool crib attendant to manage that and I know I'll do it sloppily if at all.

 

[Vancbiker]

I use the same tool assembly across multiple parts so I just put length and radius info on the tag. I use my tool list for the job to tell me what tools to get and what magazine spot to set it in.

 

[Garwood]

I probably should figure out a tool management plan too. I just try to remember it all. Then I end up with 3 toolholders all setup with the same drill.

 

[Garwood]

150-ish Cat50


200+ Cat40


Way bigger project than I figured it would be. I'm relieved it's done and I can take figuring out toolholder storage off my to do list permanently.

 

[Garwood]

I ended up holesawing all the holes with China carbide holesaws in a vmc. Forgot to take pictures except this one I snapped of a "Clearance is clearance" moment.



I braced the shelves with two pieces of 3/8" x 1.5" flatbar. I plug welded it through from the top and did a short little weld to the flange at each end. Shelves are STOUT.



Plug welds