This rolling tool cart with storage for my air compressor, nail guns, drills and other tools I use on a daily basis is one of my best projects to date! I can roll this bad boy from room to room while I’m working on my ongoing 20 projects. It keeps my tools organized and saves my sanity! I’m slowly building lots of organized storage for my tools and lumber in my workshop. But I need a way to keep track of the tools I’m using “on site”. My rolling tool cabinet literally holds EVERYTHING I need while working on a project. It holds all my nail guns and a couple drills, tons of nails and screws, clamps, glue, squares, pencils, extension cords and battery chargers. Literally EVERYTHING. Want to build one? Keep reading!
This post is sponsored by Scotch Brand.
Rolling Tool Cart
Materials:
- 3/4″ plywood
- 1/2″ plywood
- 1 1/2″ wood dowel
- wood glue
- pegboard
- 2×4
- furring strip
- 4 locking swivel casters (3″ is what I used)
- 1 1/4″, 1 3/4″ and 3″ screws
- Scotch Bundling Straps
Build it:
I designed this cart to hold my pancake compressor and my nail guns and drills — so you’ll need to measure your own tools and make sure to modify any part of this cart tutorial to fit your tools.
- Cut sides out of 3/4″ plywood as shown in diagram to provide easy access to air compressor.
- You can use a piece of thin MDF or plywood to create your curve. Just put a nail on either side where you want the curve to start and end and then force the wood to bend to the angle you want it.
- Use a jigsaw to cut the curve.
- Secure 3/4″ divider to sides using wood glue and 1 3/4″ wood screws.
- Divider is 8″ from cart cart back.
Storage for Drills and Nail Guns
- Next I build the section that will become the work cart “top” as well as the nailer/drill storage section.
- For this part, it’s really important that you measure your nail guns and drills to see how tall this section needs to be, how wide each box needs to be and how narrow a space you need to create at the bottom to allow your tools to slide IN but not FALL OUT.
- This entire section is 3/4″ plywood.
- Dividers are secured with wood glue and 1 3/4″ wood screws.
- Each section has a different sized bottom plate to secure my specific tools in each compartment.
- Once that part is build, use glue and 1 3/4″ wood screws to secure it to the “TOP” of the cart.
Casters
- Now is a good time to flip the cart upside down and install the bottom and casters.
- Use wood glue and 1 3/4″ wood screws to secure bottom.
- My cart has 4 locking, swivel casters so I can pull it in any direction and roll it around in a circle to access all four sides but lock it in place so it won’t roll away if I’m on an uneven surface.
- You may choose to use different casters to fit your needs.
Flip the cart right side up and this is what it should look like so far!
Pull out tool caddy
- There is some space behind my nail gun/drill storage section and above my compressor that I didn’t want to waste so I built a 3 sided box out of 1/2″ plywood to fit into place (the cart divider became the 4th side of my box).
- This space will be different depending on the height of your compressor and depending on how deep you built your nailer/drill section.
- Secure this box to the cart sides with wood screws.
- This space is most likely a very deep cavity which is not the most functional way to store tools — everything piled on tope of each other. Avoiding that is the reason why I built this thing in the first place!
- I built another box to fit inside, taking up about half the depth.
- This box is slightly smaller on all sides so it will slide in and out easily.
- Leave space on the sides to install a cleat on both the box and inside pocket to hold box in place.
- Cleat is 3/4″ plywood and about 1 1/2″ tall.
- Drill several holes in the bottom of the deep box too allow air to escape when the smaller box is put in place.
Shelves for additional storage
- Use small wood cleats (whatever scraps you have laying around) to secure shelves in that 8″ space we left in the back of the cart.
- Depending on what you want to store here, you’ll want to adjust the quantity and height of your shelves.
- Create one shelf that leaves a 2″ gap in the back. Battery chargers can sit on the shelf but the cords fall through and can be stored out of the way under the shelf.
- I installed 1/2″ plywood “aprons” on my shelves so things would not fall off.
- Use glue across the bottom of this apron and secured on the side with screws.
Handles
- Use plywood about 5″ tall and 13″ long and shape the ends as shown in my drawing.
- Cut holes for a 1 1/2″ wood dowel.
- Insert dowel.
- Trace the shape of the handle that is showing on the outside of the cart.
- Cut that out and glue and screwed it into place. *These pieces keep the dowel from falling out.
- Add a 1/2″ strip of wood across the font of the cart (at the bottom of the handles where it is flat) to create another shelf “apron” to keep your battery chargers in place.
Now you just need to fill ALL those screw holes and sand all the edges super well. No one likes rough plywood edges that snag your sweaters and give you splinters!
Finish with poly or paint
Now protect your work cart in whatever way will make you happy. Since it’s plywood, I chose to paint mine.
- I chose to paint my cart red but protected the handle so I could stain and poly that as well as the storage box. I wanted a little contrast
Now it’s time to accessorize!
Clamp Storage
- I installed clamp storage on one side of my cart.
- Secure 2×4 blocks to the cart side and then secure a 2×4 on top of those blocks to create extra depth for wide clamps.
- I used 3″ screws to secure these 2×4’s.
Pegboard Storage
- Screw 1×2 cleats to the other side of your cart to create a grid to hold pegboard.
- Use a bit of double stick tape to hold the pegboard in place to free up your hands while you secure the pegboard to the cleats.
- You DO NOT need to go crazy with the screws like I did! Three screws across both the top and bottom would be plenty. 😀
Cord Management
- To keep those battery charger cords from becoming a hot tangled mess, I used Scotch bundling straps to keep wrap them up into tidy, managed bundles.
- I created a ledge under my battery charger shelf to hold a power strip so they can all be plugged in at once.
Now, load your rolling tool cart up with tools, supplies and your air compressor!
I seriously LOVE using this thing. I have never been so organized with this much tool storage in a rolling work cart!
If you liked this post, check out my other free woodworking plans and consider sharing!
Sarah says
Sandra, this is just the best. Wow! I love it. I wish I had a tidy place in my garage to put it when I wasn’t using it. Maybe I’ll have to create one. Although going from my garage to house there are three steps. But it’s so cute, maybe I’ll just keep it in my house, instead. 😉
denise says
Sandra, I absolutely love this. We moved and now have a workshop/art studio house in the backyard with ac/heat etc. But I cannot tell you with all the fixing up that comes with a new (older) home. We have made more trips back and forth just to get the tools we need to complete something in the house. Along with those trips I typically end up injuring myself by running into something usually my potter’s wheel on a cart I built on wheels for it. More trips = more chances of me tripping! Love that you shared this idea.
ANge says
Wow, I am so impressed. Wish I had your talents. Thanks for sharing, great instructions and photos. Love reading your blog!
Kim says
You should get an award for this newest creation! It’s a masterpiece! 🙂
Ayisha says
I love it. Since I occasionally try to build things myself, I have as much appreciation for building “utility” items as I have for the pretty stuff. You are one clever gal.
Bonnie says
I built a rolling pedestal so that I can swing my air compressor through my house; this is a much better idea that I will be borrowing! thanks for the really good posts.
Michelle says
I hope you’re getting a patent on that design. That is phenomenal!!!
Mary Ruth says
I so agree! I also can’t stand tools and useful home items being abused… the need to re-purchase is just a waste!
Mary Ruth says
I meant to add to the ‘I agree’ that I think you should patent this too!
Annet M says
I really love this and such a great tutorial as always. Wouldn’t work in this house though – lots and lots of steps.
Cathy Michels says
This is great!! I built a cart for my large compressor years ago but I may need to build this one for my smaller compressor. You are so smart to take good care of your compressor and share that info with others. I had a seasoned carpenter working with me last year and he broke the stem off of my beloved pancake compressor and never drained it once in the 5 months he was using it. Made me so mad I had to replace it so I would quit fuming. Tool abuse really bugs me since I consider them my close friends. 🙂
Tania // Run to Radiance says
Wow this is amazing!!! I am so impressed!! I just got my first jigsaw- going to play with it a bit tonight and practice!! Maybe in a few years I’ll be able to build something like this. 🙂
Jake's a Girl says
Love it!!!
John @ azdiyguy.com says
This is great. I’ve wanted to build something like this for a long time. It seems like I’m leaving a trail of tools and materials in a 15 foot radius around my work-space as well as along whatever trail I took to get there.
Sandra says
I know what you mean. I wish I would have built this 10 years ago. A place for everything and it just wheels around with me.
Trudi says
It is a thing of beauty. Truly!
MarieRoxanne says
Super awesome! Love the color and personalization of the copyright of sawdust girl on the side.
One question… why do you need so many nail guns? Are there that many different sizes of nails for the guns so you need a separate gun for them all? (curious because I would like to own a nail gun)
Sandra says
Thanks. Yes, I use different gauge nails for different things. I have 3 nail guns that I use regularly and then a drill and an impact driver.
bryan patterson says
love the project!! you have a much better mind for design than i do 🙂 keep up the great work!!
Feral Turtle says
This is fantastic!
kim massa says
That is beautiful Sandra. Don’t take this post down as I hope to build one of my own someday. How long did it take you to build?
Sandra says
Thanks Kim. I worked on it over a couple days. It took me longer than it should you because I was making it up. Now that I’ve figured it out — it should be easier to recreate. ;-D
Tori says
This.is.awesome. Seriously! Awesome! Is it just me that sees the resemblance to a grocery cart? Haha! I have “inherited” some of my husbands tools for my workshop. Things he gave me to use since he’s a handyman and has duplicates of a few things. I have they tiniest pancake air compressor ever! But, it just enough for my needs right now. We used to have one just like yours, I’d like to get another, so I would make my cart along the same-ish measurements as yours for that part. That way I can upgrade eventually!
Linda says
Awesome! Is there a pdf of the plan?
Chris says
When you say 3/4” plywood. Did you use a full sheet?
Raymond Chojnowski says
Great looking project!
Mary says
So, I googled “can I put wheels on my pancake compressor”! Wow, this would really take my organizing to the next level. I just hate having the compressor be stationary on the ground and all the attachments splayed all over. I’m not sure I can make this as nice (I hit a slight panic as soon as the instructions mentioned jig saw), but I think I’ll go find my big-girl pants and sign up for the mailing list!