Day 26, My simple tool caddy

Published on 2025-05-12 by Mark VandeWettering

Tool caddy

Another of my home built projects: a simple tool caddy that was one of my first projects that I made when I got my little DeWalt table saw. It's constructed from some 1/4" plywood, and the dimensions were copied from a similar caddy that I got at (as most things) from a garage sale. It's base is an 8" square, and is 6" high. The center divider/handle is 13" high. It's meant to carry some basic tools, like maybe a hammer, some fasteners, clamps and the like, and to be able to carry them to the work you are doing.

It really was just practice in a few basic skills:

  • copying the basic design
  • modified to use the 1/4" plywood I had on hand (the original was constructed from 3/8")
  • cutting accurately
  • using rabbets and dados to both enhance the accuracy and strength.
  • held together with glue and brad nails

A few things that may not be obvious:

  • the center partition is held in a dado
  • the bottom is resting inside a dado cut into the sides
  • the corners are rabbets, not just box joints

Later I would experiment with using finger joints, which would probably be an even better way to hold this box together, but I was shocked at how sturdy and useful this little tote is.

Happy Monday!