My NOE & Lee sizer storage

[CWLONGSHOT]

My Pop picked up a Harbor Freight Tool Chest on sale short time back. He mistakenly bought two. I got the extra!!

So I re organized my benches & made room.


Today, I grew tired of the small dies kept in plastic bags. Thinking a bit, I decided 3/4" board cut ta fit then drilled with forcner but might be real nice. The NOE dies ( I have) have rim so lifting out is nice n easy. I decided only ta drill 3/8" deep holes. This allows drawer to close yet securely holds die.

Here is example.


So I marked out my board. Then using a fence drilled all my holes.




Came out great! Room ta expand too! Good cause I ordered more dies earlier today!!
CW

 

[hporter]

I love that tool chest, and what a great idea for organizing the push through dies. I have mine in a small fishing organizer box. That is a much better solution.

Are the lower drawers tall enough for LE Wilson case gauges? I might have to pick a chest like that up and get rid of all my plastic organizer boxes.

I have a mini engineers box like that chest. The little drawers are perfect for holding cleaning brushes and jags for each caliber. I might have to try the bigger version now. I can see that would work good for Star Lubesizer dies too.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Ill measure later today.

 

[Spindrift]

Very nice set-up! I might copy that concept!

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Very nice set-up! I might copy that concept!

THANK YOU!
Thats why I show it! I like ta share!!

Got a idea for storing Lee 3/4 head turrets too... Stay tuned!

CW

 

[Jeff H]

THANK YOU!
Thats why I show it! I like ta share!!

Got a idea for storing Lee 3/4 head turrets too... Stay tuned!

CW

Well, sharing, you almost cost me some money today.

I found it very hard to drive past HF on way to pick up groceries, because I really wanted to go in and see if they had one of these I could touch.

My hand-loading bench (cabinet) is pretty well laid out and organized, but I've not had time to really ponder how to do my casting bench. Having minimized to a great degree, I'd like to store all my moulds and sizing dies in one place at or on my casting bench. I thought I just might be able to fit all eight or nine 4C/6C moulds I'm down to in the top compartment.

 

[Ian]

I store machine tools and instruments in mine. You won't find a better wood chest for $70 unless you buy the same thing from one of the direct-from-China websites.

The only thing I wish they'd do is make a traditional two or three drawer bottom add-on box to go with it, one with at least one deeper drawer, like Gerstner did. Easy enough to fab a matching one from pallet wood if you have a planer and a good table saw.

 

[hporter]

Ian, did you mean something like this?




After reading CW's post this morning, I looked up the chest at Harbor Freight and then took a look at Northern Tool since it is closer to my house. They offer the rolling base (you have to order it in) and they show the middle box in the photo of the product, but I didn't see where I could order it too.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Ill measure later today.

The six thinnest drawers are just over 1" deep.



The bottom drawers are almost twice as deep @ almost 2".




I was able to finish my projects today! (No small
Feat!) Not that it was difficult I just dont usually get the opportunity.

Anyhow some more 3/4 pine a lil glue and my box of Forcerner bits, ooh, and a couple '06 cases.



Its not my idea, I saw one of the guys in a chat make it. I borrowed his idea!

 

[Jeff H]

...if you have a planer and a good table saw.

...and time.

 

[Brad]

...and time.

And desire

 

[hporter]

The bottom drawers are almost twice as deep @ almost 2".

Thank you so much for measuring them. I think I will pick one of those chests up too.

 

[Ian]

Well, yeah. That's why I wanted to buy one. Thanks Jeff.

 

[hporter]

I like the idea of using the shell casings to hold your tool heads.

I had to use little decorative thimbles from Hobby Lobby to rig up something for my Dillon 650 tool heads.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I avoided buying the Gerstner chests due to the price but those Harbor Freight chests look to be a good lower cost option.

Nice Work CW!

 

[Walks]

My FIL had a Gerstner chest. It's now up in WA.
Those will last many lifetimes. Drawers moved as if they were floated on oiled ball bearings.
Seen the HF, like it but no room.

 

[KeithB]

When I started working at Bucyrus-Erie as a machinist 50 years ago I noticed that all the best machinists had dark oak toolboxes. I couldn't afford one of those so I got a metal box from Sears. No ball bearings on the drawers. I used it at BE, then donated it to the machine shop at the University. I looked at the HF boxes and while the ones I saw weren't up to Gerstner standards they still looked sturdy and were fitted up pretty well. For the price they are a real value. If I hadn't just bought a metal toolbox a couple weeks ago I might get one of those. If I was just starting out as a hobby machinist I'd definitely get one.