In 2014 as my collection of tools and cutters for the shaper was growing, it started to become urgent to find a way to store all these expensive and delicate cutters. up to then I would just lay them on the bench next to the shaper, with the occasional accident.

I came up with a cabinet with lift out shelves so I could take out the shelves and place them on the shaper table as you should always avoid placing them on a hard metal surface (carbide cutters are brittle). I also designed it so that the shelves are angled forward which gives you a nicer view and makes it easier to identify them.

The cabinet is placed right next to the shaper

 

Cutter storage on both ends and storage in the middle for the different tools and spare cutters.

 

Construction

I made the cabinet out of 18mm melamine particle board, the doors out of solid beech, the rear panel out of peg board and the shelves out of plywood.

In the video below you can see the construction (this took place in 2014 in my previous workshop)

I made one shelf for the different rings, this was probably the best idea as these used to be all over the place, they are sorted by type and thickness. The ones marked “S” are specific to the dado cutters for the Felder table saw as they have specific holes. I also labelled the shelves to indicate the diameter and thickness of each cutter, some can be extended with these extension rings and therefore you must know the exact thickness of the cutter.

Cutter and ring shelf on the shaper table

 

Note the groove on the underside of the shelves, this locks onto the pegs in the cabinet sides and keeps the shelves in place, even when angled forward