Hardboard tool crate

I really don't like to using a 5 gallon bucket or a milk crate to carry my tools to the job site. So I needed something better. After looking around for some ideas(both online and offline). I stumbled upon it right in front of me. This design was inspired by a mandarin orange crate (you know the kind that has 5lbs of oranges at the grocery store), that I have sitting on the top of my refrigerator. The mandarin orange crate uses 1/8" hardboard with pine corners. So I'll have to beef up the design to hold up to heavy tools, but while still trying to stay true to the simplicity of the original design. If you don't feel like flipping through this whole instructable, I made a slideshow just in case.

Step 1 Parts and Tools

You will need the following materials:

• 1qty - 4' x 8' x 1/4" Tempered Hardboard ~$11.00
• 2qty - 1" x 4" x 8' Quality pine board ~$6.00
• PVA glue
• Narrow Crown Pneumatic staples

Tools

• table saw or circular saw
• pneumatic stapler and compressor
• lots of clamps
• miter box
• drill/driver with hole saw bit
• jigsaw
• files
• flux brushes

Optional Tools

• router and pattern bit
• glue stick
• poster board

Comments

[bratan]

Great article, thanks a lot! It was very helpful for my project (I made smaller non-stackable boxes out of MDF using same design). I didn't use staples at all (cause my boxes were for light stuff and I don't own staple gun) only glue. I actually found it seems better to glue pine planks on the bottom piece first, and then attach large sides, this way they can be clamped better form underneath. Then I glued vertical sticks to larger sides and finally attached sides with handles. These sides are clamped from the bottom and top. Unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to clamp them in the middle, but they seem to hold pretty well :)
And you are absolutely right, you can never have too many clamps, I ran out instantly :)

[chiok]

I've never seen 6mm (1/4") hardboard before, we only get 3mm over here. How does it compare to MDF? Nice thought on the stacking. I love having power tools for these sorts of jobs, makes the whole thing a breeze yet still satisfying.

[ausable]

At my lumber yard they have 1/8" and 1/4" hardboard, so I really don't know what to tell you. I know that both Roseberg and Georgia Pacific have a product finder, so that might help you in finding a retail location. Hardboard is stronger and denser then MDF(pegboard is made out of hardboard). Also hardboard is smooth on one side and textured on another. While MDF is smooth on both sides.

[bratan]

Yeah they told me at Home Depot that they never had 1/4" hardboard, so I got MDF instead. For my purpose it works just fine, I made smaller boxes for clothing.

[goodner]

Nice. I knocked out 14 of these from scraps this weekend. I scaled them down to hold electronic bits rather than tools.

[kparton]

Thanks for posting this. I have access to plywood panels at work that are just under 4 ft square. I've been looking for a simple storage box design.

[rokclmb]

Great looking crates. In one of the comments you mentioned pegboard. That made me think that a possible upgrade for future plans would be to use peg board. You would have the ability to install movable dividers.

[lizette]

Hi,first time commenting on this awesome site.I live in South Africa and I'm lucky enough to get loads of crates similar to this from my veggie supplier,we actually refer to it as a tomatoe crate since that's generally what gets packed into it.But it doesn't look quite as sturdy as your's thats obviously been made with love!

[ausable]

thanks.....could you post a picture of those tomato crates, because I'm curious to what they look like. It also might help me improve the design for future models.

[AT]

That looks like a very nice storage crate! How much does this crate weigh when it is all done (without the stuff in it?)

[ausable]

I just weighed it out today, and empty weight was just a couple of ounces over 10lbs.

[ausable]

The batteries are dead on my scale, so I'll have to get back to you on the empty weight.

[seamster]

This is a very nice, simple design. I like it!

[ausable]

thanks.....I tried to make the design and construction as simple as possible.

[CaseyCase]

Very solid project. How about cutting your pine blocking/corner supports in a triangular shape--it'll be as durable and will look better.

[ausable]

Thanks......I thought about using triangular corner blocks. But then I would have had to reset the fence on the table saw after two cuts from each pine slab. With it being 3/4" x 3/4", I could zip it all through all the blocking without resetting the fence. Saving me a lot of time and hassle.