# Sanding Disk Storage



## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

This month's issue of Woodsmith magazine has a project in it's "Tips & Techniques" section contributed by Butch Stutes. He built a cabinet to organize his sanding disks with 8 cubbies, each of which hold a piece of 6 inch PVC pipe to hold the 5 inch sanding disks for his random orbital sander.

His project inspired me because I have my sanding disks stored in a drawer and they are piled in on top of each other.

For me, the PVC pipe was a deal breaker. There was no way I was going to buy a ten foot piece of PVC pipe just for 24 inches worth. So off we went to the 99 cent store. We found some plastic casserole dishes that hold the sanding disks perfectly. Not too big and not too tall.

*The plan*

I drew my plan in Sketchup to fit my existing cabinets. I am cramped on wall space so I could only build a cabinet with four cubbies. That's the way it will have to be. 80, 120, 150 and 180 grit is what I use the most, so that is what I planned for.
*
Construction*
I built a simple cabinet using 3/4 inch plywood for the sides, top and bottom. The back is 1/2 inch. The shelves are 1/4 inch plywood.
Yay for me. More cutoffs going to good use. It is hard to tell but the pile is getting smaller. :grin:

The joints are simple butt joints. Glue and 18 ga brad nails hold it all together. I cut a dado in the top and bottom for the center divider. I used my exact width dado jig and cut both pieces at the same time. Perfect fit. 

I attached the plastic bowls to the shelves with a single truss screw in the middle.

When I cut the shelves to the final size, I decided to include a little extra material in front so I would have a finger pull. I taped the four pieces together and cut out the finger pull on the band saw, then dressed 'em up with the oscillating spindle sander.

A little trim and paint and this will be a done deal.

Now my sanding disks are organized and I have a drawer I can remodel for more router bit storage.

Thanks again to Butch for the inspiration.

Here are some pictures of before, during, and after.

Hope you like it.
Mike


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Great imagination Mike - look good too


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Great idea and build Mike . Your killing me here as I can't keep up with all your storage ideas lol

Mike what did you use for middle dividers for separating your drills . That's my next project 
I really like how you curved the fronts too


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> Great idea and build Mike . Your killing me here as I can't keep up with all your storage ideas lol
> 
> Mike what did you use for middle dividers for separating your drills . That's my next project


Thanks Rick.
The dividers are 1/4 inch plywood.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Nice job MT,

I made something kinda sorta like that a bunch of yrs ago for sand paper, it holds from 80 to 600 grit. Originally I intended to add chains to the sides to hold it at horizontal for loading paper, (the eye bolts)then discovered I didn't need it, the DC does the job just fine.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thanks Mike. I will have to build a jig with mdf to replicate those curved fronts as I'm liking that idea .

We're going to start calling you the "storage king " here pretty soon


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> Thanks Mike. I will have to build a jig with mdf to replicate those curved fronts as I'm liking that idea .
> 
> We're going to start calling you the "storage king " here pretty soon


I have run out of wall space. :frown:


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

MT Stringer said:


> I have run out of wall space. :frown:


That could be an issue lol .I can't wait for that to happen


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## Ratbob (Apr 6, 2015)

Thanks for this Mike, looks like I'll be stealing another of your projects (with pride)! I just copied your pocket hole jig this weekend and really like the way it turned out.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

RainMan1 said:


> That could be an issue lol .I can't wait for that to happen


Are you doing the insulation as you go along Rick?>>


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

old55 said:


> Are you doing the insulation as you go along Rick?>>


Hahahaha Ross cracked a funny >


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

I store all my sandpaper and sanding disks in a hanging file. I cut down the hanging file rack, put it in an old milk carton, labeled the hanging files and keep it on a shelf in my shop. It's surprising how much you can get in it! :surprise:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I manged to score a bunch of these on a dumpster diving foray and now hold all of the sandpaper...
your casserole dish idea would be a great improvement to hold the disks...
I wonder the used stuff store has.. maybe some Tupperware containers would work...
thanks Mike...


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

@Stick486

I've got the same setup - got the in/out baskets from work.

Great minds????


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

old55 said:


> Are you doing the insulation as you go along Rick?>>


HEY! Your stealing my line, Ross.:surprise:

Well, Rick, are ya? Huh, are ya, Rick? When you gonna insulate?:no::no::no:

In all seriousness when I saw the the holder in the new issue I though the same thing as you did, Mike. PVC and wood bases. NOT! The dollar store was a perfect choice.

Bill


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

I love it.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Rick, I wouldn't take much to get a couple of rolls of insulation and some OSB and put the insulation in the studs and the OSB on the wall then, then screw your cabinets to the Wall. You would be glad you did in the long run. You can surface run the E.
Herb


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> Rick, I wouldn't take much to get a couple of rolls of insulation and some OSB and put the insulation in the studs and the OSB on the wall then, then screw your cabinets to the Wall. You would be glad you did in the long run. You can surface run the E.
> Herb


I have insulation between the studs and 7/16" OSB on the walls. wish now that I had run the electric in conduit on top of the OSB as it would be so much easier to add an outlet if needed - all 20A circuits, but none have more that 4 outlets so extra capacity if another outlet is needed somewhere. I ran the recent 220V line for my mini split in conduit across the ceiling, way easier than climbing up in the attic. Having the OSB does make it easier to hang things on the wall, nut I still try to hit a stud if it's something heavy going up.

Tom


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## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

The workshop in my dreams, it looks like yours. N


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

Disc storage








Sheet storage


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

old55 said:


> Are you doing the insulation as you go along Rick?>>


Geez Ross I hadn't planned on it lol. I better stop buying tools and get the insulation done instead I guess . How cool would that be working in the winter time in my garage! Well actually it wouldn't be cool as it would be warm for once 





Herb Stoops said:


> Rick, I wouldn't take much to get a couple of rolls of insulation and some OSB and put the insulation in the studs and the OSB on the wall then, then screw your cabinets to the Wall. You would be glad you did in the long run. You can surface run the E.
> Herb


Herb fortunately it's a little more involved than that . The previous owner only made the conduit big enough to feed the garage with 10/3 ,so in order to get up to something half decent I'm going to have to run a whole new line which will have to be dug in at another location of the garage as there's concrete in the way .
So after that's done the electrician has to re wire the outlets to the newly relocated panel and add some others , at which point I can start insulating . I have a feeling I'm not going to get all this done in time before freeze up though


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> Geez Ross I hadn't planned on it lol. I better stop buying tools and get the insulation done instead I guess . How cool would that be working in the winter time in my garage! Well actually it wouldn't be cool as it would be warm for once
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Mid 90's here today! Mid 70's in the shop! >


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> Geez Ross I hadn't planned on it lol. I better stop buying tools and get the insulation done instead I guess . How cool would that be working in the winter time in my garage! Well actually it wouldn't be cool as it would be warm for once
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you ever thought of surface wiring in plastic conduit? that way you can go ahead and finish the walls and then the electrician can leave the outlets already in the walls and wire everything else on the surface. Then in the future you can move outlets without cutting and patching walls. I did it in my shop and it is a slick way to go.

Herb


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> Have you ever thought of surface wiring in plastic conduit? that way you can go ahead and finish the walls and then the electrician can leave the outlets already in the walls and wire everything else on the surface. Then in the future you can move outlets without cutting and patching walls. I did it in my shop and it is a slick way to go.
> 
> Herb


Yes Stick mentioned it and it's tempting and I like the theory


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

MT Stringer said:


> Mid 90's here today! Mid 70's in the shop! >


That would be awesome Mike


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## mbar57 (Apr 20, 2015)

Nice Mike, thanks for inspiration!!


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Today, I added some trim to the front so the cabinet would look like the others.
I am calling this a done deal. I may paint and I may not. :laugh2:


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Herb Stoops said:


> Have you ever thought of surface wiring in plastic conduit? that way you can go ahead and finish the walls and then the electrician can leave the outlets already in the walls and wire everything else on the surface. Then in the future you can move outlets without cutting and patching walls. I did it in my shop and it is a slick way to go.
> 
> Herb


use metal over plastic...
way more expandable, reusable and movable over plastic...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

MT Stringer said:


> Today, I added some trim to the front so the cabinet would look like the others.
> I am calling this a done deal. I may paint and I may not. :laugh2:


Definitely liking the front trim idea . Something I should probably be doing to my garages storage cabinets .
Like the way you mitered out the area for the shelves


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Very nice job Mike!! Altho, I must say this... you organized people are VERY frustrating for the rest of us....


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