Lathe Tool Racks

[Rich Aldrich]

Over the weekend, I made two turning tool racks. They are basically the design that Jeff Wright used for his tool racks. I searched the site and found a lot of good designs, but this one fits my needs for now.

I made them out of pine. Normally, I would use hardwood.

[Brian Effinger]

Nice racks, Rich, but I see one problem with them - the rack on the right is nearly empty! :D You need to fill it up. It's not called the vortex for nothing. :p :D

[Jon Lanier]

Thanks for the ideas! I need to do something like that with my new(er) shop.

[Mark Hubl]

Those are nice.

[Mike McAfee]

Nice job on the racks! Your shop is wayyyyyyyy to clean though!;)

I've been making note of all the tool storage projects I come across for awhile now and need to start building (I suck at flat work)! One thing I have done is to put everything on a cleat system so it can be moved as needed or desired!

[Doug W Swanson]

Rich,

I never thought I would say this to another guy but 'Nice Racks'.

Where did you find the plan? I need to build some for myself.

I like the saw blade sign in your shop. Did you do that yourself?
I may have to copy that idea with a similar saw that's been in my garage for as long as I can remember.

Doug

[John Keeton]

Rich, I did a bunch of research, too, and that was the plan I settled on, as well. You will enjoy those! Nice work!

Doug, I don't want to hijack Rich's thread but I think you will find that Jeff Wright and Dan Forman have the most info on SMC on these racks, and I assembled that into a Word file that had kept. If you want to PM me your email address I can send the file to you, but I will put some of the info below.

These are the dimensions of Jeff's -

The overall length is 25 1/2 inches, 11 inch width, holes are 1.5 inches spaced about 5/16 inches from one hole's edge to the other, rack width is 3 1/8 inch, width of inclined tool rest is 4 1/2 inches, vertical support board just under the topped holed board is 2 1/8 wide, and the middle holed board is placed midway down the height of the rack.

And, this is the info from Dan Forman's -

11" high, 25 1/2" long, 3" deep. the small scallops were done with 1 1/8 forstner bit, the large with 1 1/2" bit. The piece with the large scallops is 3/4" x 1 1/2" The small ones fit my homemade and Sorby handles fine, but I have since picked up a couple of large scrapers from Taylor, and they are much fatter at the outer end of the handle, and consequently don't fit as well as the others. They still go in the rack, but store in a different plane, leaning forward rather than back. The middle scalloped piece is 1 x 3/4, and its bottom edge is 5 1/2" from the base.

Rich may have used these same dimensions. I altered mine a little, but very close to this. I used some scrap maple that was wormy and not good for anything else.

Sorry, Rich, for jumping in, but I had this info handy and thought it would save you the effort.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Looks really nice Rich! Convenient location for easy access but not in the way! Looking forward to seeing some of your turnings - soon!

[Paul Douglass]

That is the same type set up I built. When I built mine, I got the idea after building a rack for fishing poles.

Nice work on yours.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Rich those look really nice. Looks like you still have one to fill though.:D;):rolleyes::cool:

[Rich Aldrich]

Thanks. I am sure that other rack will fill up quicker than my wife will like.

If anyone wants the plan, I have it in AutoCad format, but I can save it as a PDF. Then you can modify it as you please.

[Brian Effinger]

I'd be interested in the cad file, Rich. I think that you can attach .dwg files in posts, if it is under 100kb.

[Thomas Canfield]

Nice looking racks. What is that jagged device hanging over the racks? Is that what you use to separate box lids? I have something similar inherited from my dad that I have hanging about 12' up on the wall where I hope my son(s) will take down since I never want to use it again.

[Rich Aldrich]

It isn't a finished drawing, no bill of materials, but it should be intuitive. The AutoCad file is saved as a 2000 version.

[Rich Aldrich]

Nice looking racks. What is that jagged device hanging over the racks? Is that what you use to separate box lids? I have something similar inherited from my dad that I have hanging about 12' up on the wall where I hope my son(s) will take down since I never want to use it again.

I will have to look for the picture that I took of that old saw. A friend of mine works at a machine shop with a water jet and cut out out my shop name, " Aldrichville Woodworking". It really looks good, but I can find the picture on my computer. I'll have to take another picture.

[Jim Underwood]

Thanks for posting this. I have built similar racks, but the problem is that shavings build up on the bottom support... I have drilled stepped holes in my originals, but the shavings still build up.

I see the tilted bottom on this one solves that problem....

Time to build some new ones. :D

[Greg Just]

Nice racks - I made a set just like them and they work rather well

[dean griffith]

Nice job on the racks. Heard you got a lot of snow up there last night????

[dean griffith]

Nice job Rich. Heard you got some snow up there.

[Rich Aldrich]

Dean,

It was the first snow since January. This was a strange year. We were pounded the last three years, so it was nice to have a break. We only had 4 inches out of this little storm. It is almost gone.

[Thom Sturgill]

It isn't a finished drawing, no bill of materials, but it should be intuitive. The AutoCad file is saved as a 2000 version.

For simple drawings like this, If you save as dxf more people would be able to use it.

[Rich Aldrich]

Tom,

I agree, but the file is larger than the site will upload and I have no way to reduce the size.

I can't send it to you in a PM, so if you send me a PM with your email, I can probably email it to you.

I didnt realize that DXF files are typically bigger. No resizing was necessary for the AutoCad format.

Rich

[Chris Barnett]

Rich
Question your drawing (or anyone who knows): the image indicates that the hole centerline is at 1 1/2 inches from the edge of the top piece (top as shown on drawing); the hole centerline is 1 1/4 from the bottom edge. If piece is drilled as one, then sawn down the center, seems the top edge of a 1/8 saw blade kerf would be at the hole centerline and require an additional 1/8 inch be removed from bottom. If the additional 1/8 inch is not removed, would just the 1/8 inch standard blade kerf width be adquate, so that the 1/4 inch dimension from the bottom part upper edge to the hole centerline, would be thus changed to 1/8?

Perhaps not a big deal but parts are cut out awaiting hole drilling. Since I cannot try a tool without the holes cut, want to rescue now rather than later. Thanks,
Chris

[Thom Sturgill]

Rich
Question your drawing (or anyone who knows): the image indicates that the hole centerline is at 1 1/2 inches from the edge of the top piece (top as shown on drawing); the hole centerline is 1 1/4 from the bottom edge. If piece is drilled as one, then sawn down the center, seems the top edge of a 1/8 saw blade kerf would be at the hole centerline and require an additional 1/8 inch be removed from bottom. If the additional 1/8 inch is not removed, would just the 1/8 inch standard blade kerf width be adquate, so that the 1/4 inch dimension from the bottom part upper edge to the hole centerline, would be thus changed to 1/8?

Perhaps not a big deal but parts are cut out awaiting hole drilling. Since I cannot try a tool without the holes cut, want to rescue now rather than later. Thanks,
Chris

Use a 1x3 and drill the holes on centerline. Cut the board so that one piece is 1 1/2" wide then re-cut the other piece so that it is 1 1/4" wide, cutting off the inside edge. The narrower piece goes on bottom. The hole size is not critical, just make sure it fits your largest handle and are spaced far enough apart to allow you to easily grab a tool.

[Chris Barnett]

Thom, thanks, exactly the info I needed. Cutting the extra material was the question; almost seemed the kerf alone was all that was intended, but I should have known that the drawing was correct as shown. I have the CL and holes already marked....now to finish. Again, thanks.
Chris