Tool storage while working

I built a stand with holes to accept the various turning tools and tool rests. There is also a compartment to house the faceplates, chucks and chuck parts. The thing stands about 16" high and sets nicely on a bench near the lathe. I am going to put it on a roll around stand, so I can move it out of the way when not in use. I will eventually add a place to store sandpaper and finishing things underneath.

Before I made this I just had the tools set out on my RAS or workbench. It was cluttered and not very efficient.

Leslie Gossett

Hello Terry,

When I built my lathe bench (I have a Nova DVR 3000), I built a short rack using PVC pipe as the holder with five slots to contain the five most used tools by me. I use the tool and drop it back into its slot. Each tool has its own slot so that it is easy to find without much thinking. I have a machinist roll around set of drawers that I mounted similar PVC tube slots around three sides. The tools used less frequently are kept in there. When I use a tool, I lay it on the lathe bench when I need to do something like check the chuck. When I'm through with the tool, I return it to its slot.

With a 70 plus year old memory, one needs something like this to keep track of things. Without, it would spend half of my time looking for the tool that I need.

Hope this helps.

Fred Holder

I use magnetic tool holding strips. Something like this (as an example):

That ought to be fun when you put a magnetized tool on the tool rest!!!

I hate it when my tools get magnetized. They pick up every bit of metalic dust around. I have always avoided magnetic tool holders for that reason.

Y'know, I've never had a problem with a tool which stayed on the toolrest, only one which didn't!

I've got magnetic bars, but I'd rather put them in the pile of shavings on the lathe stand so I can cut myself digging for them.

IT'S SNOWING OUTSIDE!

I used to have mine on a small table next to the lathe, and stuck into a cardboard box, point-down, an arm's reach away. This caused no end of confusion and broken concentration, like you, having to hunt through the tools that were on this little table.

I solved that problem by putting my tape player and grinder on that table. Now, I put the tools that I am using (in this instance, "using" means "utilizing for the current project, the last 3 or 4 projects and probably 2 or 3 projects into the future") directly beside, behind, and under the bed of my lathe, and cover them liberally with shavings, so only the handles are sticking out. Since I have tools with about 6 different handles, I'm never sure exactly which tool that I'm going to pick up.

When I finally have all of my tools removed from the cardboard box I store them in, and there's no more room for shavings on my bench, I pick them all up, put them all back in the box and start over again.

This may or may not work for you, but it's cheap and it's a system, of sorts.

-- Chuck *#:^) chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply. <

September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Hi, Terry. This has been the subject of much discussion. I have tried all of the routes listed above and finally settled on industrial strength magnetic tool bars. I haven't noticed any problem with the adhesion to the tool rest. On the contrary, it seems to hold the tool steadier. Magnetic tools do not cause all the grief that is prophesied here! I have three magnetic strips mounted on 1 x 4 across my window behind the lathe. Regardless of this, the tools end up lying on the lathe bed bench and do attract shavings under which they hide. Deliberately it seems! What is that word for the perversity of inanimate objects/tools? Make sure you get the really strong strips as some of the tools we use are fairly heavy.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll give a few of them a try.

Yes, it has Leif, but that never stopped us from dragging it and all concerned throught the wringer again.

I don't use a magnetic holder for my tools, but my tool rest is magnetized anyway. I think it's from the rare earth mags attached to the bed and stand to hold things like my dust collector intake, rulers, chuck keys, etc. There's a definite magnetic attraction of the tool to the rest, but I've never noticed any detrimental effects. So far it's only noticeable when placeing the tool on the rest. I figure if it ever gets so strong as to inhibit my efforts at moving the tool as desired during a cut, then I'd better give Charles Atlas a call.

_____ American Association of Woodturners Cascade Woodturners Assoc., Portland, Oregon Northwest Woodturners, Tigard, Oregon _____

I hold my tools up w/a magnet and sometimes notice them sticking to my toolrest, but heck, when I'm contacting wood that's exactly where I *want* the tool to be. The gouge or skew still seems to slide laterally just fine. Easiest way to get a catch is when the tools waving around in the air. At least anymore. Used to be I just had to look at the tool and it caught. But w/a little practice...

...Kevin

Hey Owen, Wow! "Charles Atlas" Either you have been reading the ads in some very old magazines or you are elder than I thought. Hope you never got sand kicked in your face at the beach, (You kids can look it up) To stay on topic, he did have a magnetic personality. ;) Arch

Fortiter,

I'm only 34 and there were a lot of Charles Atlas ads in magazines from Boys' Life (is that the Boy Scout or Cub Scout mag) and Popular Science when I was a kid.

Derek

Yep, Boy's Life mag - and 41 at last count tho the next one is quickly approaching.

_____ American Association of Woodturners Cascade Woodturners Assoc., Portland, Oregon Northwest Woodturners, Tigard, Oregon _____

Apologies to Owen and Derek, and maybe to Charles Atlas. I last read 'Open Road for Boys' and 'Boys' Life' in Jr. High. Glad they existed so recently.;) I know Popular Science and Popular Mechanics did. I'm nowhere near 90 lbs, but I might be a weakling. Arch ********************* This isn't OT rated because AMT tool storage cabinets & lathes were advertised in those magazines.

Fortiter,