Cheap Easy Tool Box

I needed a tool box to put my tools. I wanted something I can take with me because I am always moving and have trouble working in one spot for long periods of time and I did not just want a store bought item, so I built myself a tool box for my wood working items. It cost me 1$ for the spray paint, everything else I owned. Some of you may not have been fortunate to have received the Hot Wheels Travel Case as a kid to store all of your cool rides but do not worry they cost 10$ on ebay and you could probably find them cheaper if you looked hard enough. I chose this box specifically for its grid system that is already in it, making it really easy to customize, and is able to accommodate any tool. There is endless possibilities to how you can design it, you do not necessarily need this exact case for something along the line of a portable workstation. You can use anything and I would love to see other ideas out there, I simply recommend using something with a grid pattern already integrated in simply because it eliminates the need to build around your tools and leaves you with the freedom to cut into the box to design your work, much easier and quicker.

Tools Needed:

• Dremel Multi-Max with a saw bit (Cut)
• Plyers (Help remove pieces)
• Exacto Knife (Cut)
• Shop-Vac (To clean)
• Spray Paint (Design)
• Sharpie (Design)
• Hot Wheels Travel Case
• Silica Gel Packet (Preserve)

Time: 4 hrs (Took me a weekend because I had to go buy more spray paint)

This case is not the biggest making it easy to carry and store but also restricts the amount of tools you wish to have at your ready. So first is to take your pile of tools and organize it from the needs and wants, deem what is necessary and what is not. Then using the tools you have chosen begin to layout where you are going to place them. I found that by stacking I was able to bring almost all of my chisels and knives. Chose the layout that is most convenient, with the heavier larger items on the bottom and the smaller ones on the top.

Once you have your preferred layout you can begin cutting the plastic grid that is already in the box. Carefully using the Dremel it is very easy to slice through the soft plastic to create molded 'pockets' for your tools. Be sure to have your cuts be close enough that the tool has to have a bit of a squeeze to get in. This will ensure that it will not simply fling around if it is tossed for a ride or dropped.

Make sure your tools fit and are flush.

Now the fun part. Once done with the cutting you can begin to customize if you wish. It is up to you from here on out, whatever you want go for it, make it your own by adding your own style to it. I chose to use black spray paint and coated the entire thing in black. I then used a silver sharpie to identify that it was my tool box and god forbid if i ever lose it I left a return number and address on it and simply wrote "If found please return to..."this will hopefully guilt the lucky person who found it, to return it to me. I added a list of tools in it and let it dry.

This is one of the most important parts of the tool box. While these packs of "deadly" balls are always found at the bottom of a beef jerky bag they are not completely useless. Take them and place it in your box and leave it there. These magic balls do a wonderful job of absorbing moisture that will form in a closed container. This means it keeps your tools from possibly rusting and decaying.