Suggestions Wanted: Woodturner's Tool Rack

[Jeff Wright]

Do any of you have some pics of your storage rack for your woodturning tools? I am new to turning but already amassing a collection of turning tools. I'd like to build a wall cabinet or rack, preferably one that is two racks deep rather than one rack deep and extending farther along the wall. I want to conserve linear wall space for other cabinets. I am thinking about maybe two doors on piano hinges that each hold a number of turning tools with another rack behind those two doors. Photos of your solutions would be a great help.

[Nathan Hawkes]

I seem to have lost my camera, but I can describe it well enough; I used sections of 1.5" dia. PVC pipe, at varying lengths depending on the length of the handle. I screwed the pipe to the back of my stand, but will be moving them to the wall shortly, as I keep catching and ripping my t-shirts when I'm not paying attention. To attatch them to wood, I used two screws for each pipe, one in the top and one at the bottom. For the top hole, I first drilled a 3/8" pilot, to get the head of the screw through, then a 1/8" hole through the other side of the pipe. For the bottom hole, no pilot was used, so that the screw length keeps the bottom of the chisel from falling through. The bottom screws were 3" I think, and the top screws were 1.5" or 2". I didn't put wood bottoms because they fill up with shavings, and its easier to clean out if it has an open bottom. I also would place it further away from the lathe; like on the wall next to the lathe, high enough so that they aren't in the "line of the fire" for shavings.

[Harvey M. Taylor]

Check w`ith Wood Magazine. They are asking for pictures of tool racks to be published[I suppose]. They have a website with a woodturning forum.

[Charlie Schultz]

There was a fairly simple rack shown as a tip in one of the magazines not too long ago (American Woodworker March '08?) that could probably be stacked like you're thinking. I'll try to remember to take a picture of mine.

[Paul Heely]

There was a thread not too long ago that had some ideas and pictures.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=84593

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Paul

[Bob Hallowell]

"Somago" Some a go here and some a go there then search to try to see were you put it last. You should try it it works well although sometimes it can be fustrating looking that small parting tool. But if you move enough shavings around your bound to find it.

Bob

[Mike Ramsey]

I made this 2 layer cabinet before I got ac in the shop, I added
dessicant to absorb moisture.
DSC00649-2.jpg

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DSC00653-4.jpg

[Jeff Wright]

Mike (Ramsey): That's the kind of cabinet I'm thinking of making. My concern is that it not extend too far from the wall, that the hinge be strong enough to prevent sagging, and that it have a transparent cover to minimize chips from covering the tools.

Thanks, all, for some great ideas and pics!

[Jeff Wright]

There was a fairly simple rack shown as a tip in one of the magazines not too long ago (American Woodworker March '08?) that could probably be stacked like you're thinking. I'll try to remember to take a picture of mine.

Found it Charlie. Thanks!

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Jeff if you ever played pool you can recognize my tool racks. You want to make two racks deep? You can make one of these with piano hinges on two doors and make it deep enough and end up with three racks. Modify the dimensions to look like a wall cabinet and only use wall space of one cabinet. Picture not so good, didn't realize my flash was off. On the right on other side of my shower curtain I have another rack, same thing. Used a forestner bit to cut holes in top and bottom for tools to rest in and never move. Good luck.. Mitch

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jeff

I am using a the low tech approach of storing my tools in a 5 gallon pail. Thru some old golf towels in the bottom and loaded up the tools. Fits my shop and I haven't seem any detremental effects. Smaller pail holds the small tools on the bench.

Frank

[Burt Alcantara]

Since I made my first rack, I've found that I like having my finishing supplies on it (blo, tung, sealcoat), my measuring sticks, knockout bar, small saw, rag, air hose, caliper, and big rag on it.

So, the next rack will be larger and have more space to accommodate these extras.

As Mr. Murphy aptly puts it, you'll always want more space then you planned for.

Burt

[John Staerk]

P5070885.jpg

Attached is a photo of the tool holder I made from scrap melamine and 1/4" plywood for partitions and bottom, leaving space for adding future sections as needed. Magnetic strips didn't work well for me. Now i use them for holding calipers and compasses. john