Finish on tool holders?

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I've been fitting tools into my tool cabinet over the last week; finally using up some scrap I've had kicking around forever, making little brackets and holders out of scraps of plywood and poplar, a bit of maple and a few oak pegs.

Wondering, however, if I should put finish on the wood where metal tool rest against them? I can't imagine it really makes a difference, and wasn't planning on it, but I didn't know if I should have concerns about it aiding in rust forming. Seems like the tannin in oak pegs might be an issue, but they are only touching wooden parts of tools.

I'm pretty judicious about keeping my tools clean, and I can't think of having seen a tool chest with finish on the bits that touch the tools unless you're talking about the fancy ones, but figured if I only want to do this once, I might as well plan ahead.

[David Dalzell]

I just finished a wall hung tool cabinet with various tool holders made of scraps I had laying around. I put a coat of shellac on everything. Mainly to keep the wood from getting grubby looking from dirty hands. Also because I had some shellac that I was about to toss. Where I live (high Sierra Nevada mountains of California) the humidity is very low so I never have a problem with rust. However I recently returned from a one year stint in Fort Bragg Cal. where any ferrous metal will rust overnight. The solution we used was to wipe down our tools in the evening with a rag dampened with camelia or some other protective oil. Still had to dissasemble tools and clean/oil tools throughly from time to time.

[Mark Wyatt]

When I finished mine, I put a coat of paste wax on the cabinet. A little protection and I use wax on the sole of planes anyway.

[Tom Scott]

FWIW I left mine naked, but I used mostly pine for the holders. No issues since I made it several years ago.

[Ed Barry]

I left my tool hangers unfinished as well. Made my tool cabinet out of sassafras, mainly because I got a good deal on the lumber. I did finish the shelves on which my hand planes are stored using shellac.

[Frank Drew]

Joshua,

Unfinished wood holds moisture more than finished wood. I had some rust issues in my shop once and my chisels developed small rust patches where the steel shanks touched the unfinished wood of my shop-made chisel rack. If I did it again I'd slap some finish on the wood.

Inside a closed cabinet, though, you might have less of a problem.

[ian maybury]

A water based clear acrylic e.g. floor coating is another quick and dirty way of seal coating utility stuff. Wipe it on with a cube of sponge, or if needed a brush - either of which are easily cleaned under a tap.

ian