The Logic of a Tool Cabinet

Okay, let's face it, people who have tools tend to want lots more. They also want a big beautiful tool cabinet to put them in. We could ask why they want more, but I think we all know the answer to that already. Any self-respecting tool gatherer surely has an instinctive understanding of the underlying reason why more is better. But let me break it down here for the uninitiated.

The reason more is better is that tools mean power, and power means happiness. So, if you want to be happier then you have to have more power, and therefore more tools. Seems logical enough to me. So now, for the sake of argument, let's assume that the previous bit of astounding logical reasoning is at least valid, if not true, and let's say that tools, happiness, and power are all good things. And let's say that good things are something worth having.  Since tools are good things, getting more of them must be good as well. But don't get me started.

All joking around aside now. I grant that tools and the right tool cabinet are not the stuff of logic and formal reasoning, I get that. They are tools for crying out loud! They help people do stuff. Period. But that doesn't mean that the place we choose to store them in has to be dull or boring. Oh contrare mon frere. A tool cabinet should be as sophisticated or as fancy as we want. I once saw a tool cabinet that had tons of space, lots of drawers and doors, and it even had a built-in stereo and refrigerator. Cool, I know. I couldn't believe it. When my brother and I saw that thing we both nearly fainted. The Holy Grail of all tool cabinets was truly in our presence. We felt so unworthy.

On the other hand, a bare-bones tool cabinet can be pretty awesome too. Just a simple box hanging on the wall that has a couple shelves will pass inspection.  A bit fancier one might include some drawers, or may even be one that has wheels so it can be easily positioned in the shop. It doesn't really matter what the bells and whistles are, as long as the tools you have are stored in your tool cabinet are stored in such a way that you can easily find and use them when you need them. This usually amounts to identifying a set location for each tool that you store in the cabinet.

The logic of having and using the right tool cabinet is pretty clear. If you have lived and worked without a tool cabinet, then you know how messy and unorganized your tools can get. No matter how many times you clean out those tool boxes, the tools just seem to keep getting lost. If you had a cabinet to store them in that frustration would be gone.

A tool cabinet truly is an important part of any shop. Putting the right tools in an accessible and convenient place can make all the difference. If it is frustrating to be in the shop spending all your time looking for the tools you need, then you won't be happy with those tools because they will represent  all the frustration you feel. And we've already established that happiness is what it is all about. So, you do the math. The right tool cabinet means tools in the right place, which means less frustration, meaning more happiness ...... but enough of that - you get the idea.