Organize Your Garage: Three Storage Projects (page 2 of 2)

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Storage Solutions and Tips

Drilling an Access Hole Is the Trick to Mounting the lazy Susan
If you’re placing the base on a concrete floor, rest it on treated 1x2s to avoid rot. Level it with shims, if needed, for smooth rotation. Fasten the support shelf to the walls.

Anchor the base to the floor with masonry screws set in the exposed corners. Predrill the holes into the concrete with a 5/32-in. masonry bit or the size the screw package recommends.

The vinyl base provides an edge for the shelves. Buy the type that’s not preglued. The 4-in. wide type is most common, but buy the 3-in.wide type if you can. Otherwise, use a sharp utility knife to trim an inch off the 4-in. one.

Folding Peg-Board Cabinet

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.

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.

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, 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. Watch the angle. Orient it so it hooks onto the other half you screw to the wall.

Tip: Because you can’t hang hooks in the cleat zone, fasten a shallow shelf there instead.

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. 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.

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.

Pet-Food Dispenser

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.)

Click image to enlarge.

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.

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.

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.