Folding Peg-Board Cabinet
Click image to enlarge.
Peg-Board is a great way to organize
tools. It displays them in clear view so they’re easy to grab and, just
as important, easy to put away. This cabinet has the hanging space of almost an
entire 4 x 8 ft. sheet of Peg-Board, yet packs it into a compact 24 x 32 in.
package. Two overlapping doors open, utilizing the front and back of each for
tools. About 4 in. of space separate each panel, leaving a 2-in. depth for
tools placed directly across from each other. If you place fat tools across
from skinny ones, you can utilize the space even better.
Materials, Cost and
Tools
This cabinet costs $110 to build. The
knot-free poplar boards drive up the price, but the straight, stable wood
allows the doors to fit well, minimizes twisting, and keeps the cabinet square.
In addition to the materials listed below, we purchased four eye screws and
2 ft. of small chain to hold the doors open. All the supplies are available at
a home center or lumberyard.
You don’t need any special tools to
build this cabinet, but a pair of 1-ft. clamps are helpful when you’re
attaching the hinges.
FIG. C: Cabinet Details
Click image to enlarge.
Cutting List
1/4" Peg-Board panels (three 24" x 31-1/2", two 23" x
31-1/2")
1x2 spacers, 1x6 cleat, 1x6, 1x8 and 1x2 frames
—measure and cut to fit around panels.
Materials List
- One 4'x8' sheet of 1/4-in. Peg-Board Five
- 10' lengths of 1x2 poplar
- Two 10' lengths of 1x6 poplar
- One 3' length of 1x8 poplar
- One 6' piano hinge
- One lockable hasp
- 1 lb. of 2" finish nails
- 1 lb. of 1" screws
- Eight 3" screws
Cut Accurately for
Tight-Fitting Doors
Cut the 4 x 8-ft. Peg-Board sheet
lengthwise into two pieces, one 24 in. wide and the other 23 in. wide. Then cut
the two pieces into 31-1/2-in. lengths. You must cut the Peg-Board panels
accurately for the doors to fit evenly. Carefully measure and use a
straightedge to guide your circular saw cuts. Some lumberyards will cut the
sheets to size for you. Ask them to be precise.
Then assemble the Peg-Board panels
(Photo 2),
following the pattern shown in . You don’t have to make fancy joints. Cut
and screw on the 1x2 side spacers first, then measure and cut the 1x2 ends to
fit between them. You’ll have one 23 in. Peg-Board panel left over to
hang on the wall for items that won't fit in the cabinet.
Substitute one half of the cleat for the
top 1x2 on the back panel (Photo 1
and Fig. C). Watch the angle. Orient it so it hooks onto the other
half you screw to the wall (Photo 5).
Tip
Because you can’t hang hooks in the
cleat zone, fasten a shallow shelf there instead (lead photo).
Wrap The Panels To Form The
Cabinet And Doors
The frames for the three panels are all
slightly different. The back panel frame consists of three 1x6s and a1x8; the
middle panel has four 1x2s; and the front has four 1x6s (Fig. C). These
differences allow them to hinge together.
Measure the lengths and nail on the
frames. Make sure to run a bead of carpenter’s glue along the panel edges
and at the corner joints to make them stronger.
Clamp the piano hinge to a firm surface,
and cut it to length with a hacksaw (about 32-5/8 in.). Set the top, bottom,
and middle screws to align the hinge, then fill in the remaining holes
(Photo
4).
A hasp will hold the doors closed. We used
a chest-style one that pulls the doors tight together and has a slot for a
lock.
Tip
Punch a starter hole with a nail for the
piano hinge screws to keep them centered.
Hang It on the Wall
The mounting cleat is an easy way to hang
this heavy cabinet. If you’re mounting it over a workbench, hang it at
least 16 in. above the work surface so you can open the doors without
disturbing the project you’re working on.
To hold the doors open when working, we
installed eye hooks on the bottom of each door and on the wall. A short chain
with small S-hooks holds the doors open.
1. Cut the
peg-board to the sizes shown on Fig. C with a circular saw guided by a
straightedge. Cut the 1x2s to length and fasten the Peg-Board to them with
1-in. screws spaced every 8 in.
2. Cut the 1x6
mounting cleat in half at a 45-degree angle. For safety before cutting, screw
it to a firm work surface with one edge overhanging 3 in. Use one half of the
mounting cleat in place of the top 1x2 on the back Peg-Board panel.
3. Measure and
cut the 1x6 frame boards to fit around each panel. Glue and nail the top and
bottom first, then the sides, to the 1x2 spacers with 2-in. (6d) finish nails
spaced every 8 in. Fasten the frame board corners with two nails and glue.
Predrill all holes with a 3/32-in. drill bit to avoid splitting the wood.
Click image to enlarge.
4. Cut the
piano hinge to length with a hacksaw and screw it on with the screws in the
hinge package. Support and clamp the hinge sides in position to simplify hinge
attachment. Close the doors and attach the hasp.
5. Position
the other half of the mounting cleat about 40 in. Above the work surface and
fasten it to the wall studs with four 3-in. screws. Hang the cabinet and drive
two 3-in. screws through the bottom 1x 2 into the wall studs for extra
strength.
Pet-Food Dispenser
Click image to enlarge.
Build this bin and you can fill the dog
dish with the flick of a finger and do away with that crumpled bag of dog food
lying on the garage floor. It easily holds two 20-lb. bags of food and allows
you to dispense it right into the dish. This bin even holds two types of food
so the cat won’t get jealous.
You can put it together in a half day with
basic power and hand tools.
The materials cost $90, and most of it can be bought from a
home center or lumberyard. We used 3/4- in. clear aspen, because it’s
straight, soft and easy to work with. You can save about $20 by building it out
of No. 2 pine boards. If possible, buy the 18 x 24 in. acrylic sheet ($10)
already cut to size. To cut it without chipping it, you’ll need a
fine-tooth blade and a table saw.
“Blast gates” make handy food
dispensers. Woodworkers use them for dust collection systems, so they’re
readily available at woodworking shops or by mail order ($9). Get the metal
ones—the plastic ones don’t slide as well. (One source is Rockler,
800-279-4441, part No. 20864.)
FIG. D: Dispenser Details
Click image to enlarge.
Cutting List
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Two 1x8 x 18-1/4"—bin bottom and shelf
Two 1x8 x 40-3/4"—outer sides
Note: Cut a 45-degree angle on one
end set in 2” from the edge
Three 1x6 x 29"—inner sides and divider
Note: Cut a 45-degree angle on one
end set in 1” from the edge.
One 1x12 x 21-1/4"—lid and top
Note: Rip it to 22-1/2 degrees set
2" in from the edge. 2" is the narrow side.
One 1/4" x 29" x 18-1/4"—hardboard
back
One 1x6 x 18-1/4"—mounting cleat
Note: Rip in half at 45 degrees
One 1x2 x 18-1/4"—back brace
Two 1x1 x 8"—front cleats
Materials
- One 10' length of 1x8 aspen
- One 9' length of 1x6 aspen
- One 2' length of 1x12 aspen
- One 2' length of 1x2 aspen
- One 2' length of 1x1 aspen
- 1-3/4" x 8' quarter round or shelf molding
- 1-1/4" x 2' x 4' tempered hardboard
- One 18" x24" x.093" acrylic sheet
- One 24" piano hinge
- Two 4" dia. blast gates
- 1 lb. of 2-1/4" trim head screws
- 1 lb. of 1-1/4" screws
- Eight 1" No. 6 flat head wood screws
- Four 2-1/2" screws
- Sixteen 3d finish nails
These gates do have limitations. Medium-
to large-sized food works best; they can jam with small stuff like birdseed. If
the gate jams, quickly open and close it firmly.
Follow the photo series for step-by-step
assembly instructions. The acrylic requires special handling. Leave extra room
around it so it can expand and contract freely. Carefully nail the perimeter
molding so the nails don’t nick the acrylic and crack it (Photo
7).
Most types of hinges will work to secure the lid. We selected a
short piano hinge($5). Cut it to fit with a hacksaw. The cabinet hangs on the
wall on a cleat cut to 45 degrees (Photo 8).
1. Set your
saw to an angle and rip the lid (22-1/2 degrees) and mounting cleat (45
degrees). Clamp or screw the boards to your workbench and use a straight guide
for these cuts. Cut the other parts to length (see cutting list and
fig. D) using a speed square as a guide to keep the cuts square.
2. Lay out the
bays on the bin bottom using Fig. D as a guide. Find the center of each bay and
draw the circular cutout for the blast gates with a compass. Drill a 5/8-in.
starter hole and cut out the openings with a jigsaw.
3. Mount the blast gates in the openings. Replace
the bolts that hold the two sides of the blast gate together with four 1-in.
No. 6 wood screws. Don’t overtighten or you’ll pinch the gate
closed. (Note: We also drilled a 3/8-in. hole to recess a little nub and bolt
in the top of our blast gate.)
4. Glue and screw the two-piece sides together
(Fig. D). Use 1-1/4 in. screws and predrill with a 1/8-in. bit to avoid
splitting the wood.
5. Predrill and screw the center divider to the
bin bottom with 2-1/4 in. Trim head screws. Then add the sides, bottom, and
top. Next attach the back and the top half of the cleat with 1-1/4 in. screws.
6. Set acrylic in place, leaving 1/8-in. gap on
all sides for expansion. Cut and fit the moldings (Fig. D). Nail the sides and
bottom moldings to the bin with 3d finish nails, sandwiching the acrylic in
place. Set the center molding and predrill 1/16-in. nail holes through both the
molding and acrylic.
7. Remove the center molding and enlarge the hole
in the acrylic with a 1/4-in. bit to provide room for expansion. Press the
drill gently so the bit doesn’t grab and crack the acrylic. Replace the
molding and nail it on. Cut the piano hinge to length and screw it to the top.
8. Level and screw the other half of the mounting
cleat to the wall with four 2-1/2 in. screws driven into the wall studs. Hang
the cabinet on the interlocking mounting cleats.
Tip: The height of the cleat
shown is perfect for a 6-ft. tall person to operate the gate. Lower or raise to
fit your height.
