Wall holder for chisels?

[Tom Andersen]

I have a bunch of chisels that I want to hang on the wall. I guess that I should make some wood rack with slots but how do I keep the chisels upright? And I want to be able to swap a chisel for a new one and still have it fit into the rack. Any proposals?
Thanks
Tom

[Rick Shelton]

I used a unibit to drill the hole for the chisel to sit. The taper fits the chisels' pretty good.

[Alan Turner]

Tom,
I had hte same issue, and built a box, of sorts, with a bottom and two ends and a front. The three sided top is separated from the bottom by about 4". I drilled the front of the top, the keeper, with 1/8" holes, and made a bunch of 1/8" dowels, which can be located in any number of places. I then lined the bottom with leather, saturated with mineral oil, and the chisel edges sit in the oiled leather. If I change out some chisels, I move the dowels so that each is held pretty much straight up and down. Fully adjustable, with good visability.

Just for fun, and to show off a bit, I dovetailed the ends of the top keeper. Wood is 1/4" thick cherry. Mine are on the door of a wall hung tool cabinet, but on a wall would work just as well.

[Jim Becker]

I've seen Alan's setup and it's really nice...no sharp blades exposed, either. You can't damage them and they can't damage you as you pass in the night.... ;)

[Steve Stube]

Alan, a photo would be very helpful, TIA.

[Alan Turner]

Here is a link showing the chest.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=4097

Not the tidiest of construction,but quite effective. One of the issues in my basment shop is sapce -- there is not very much, so space must be used somewhat intensely. Right now, those two racks hold a total of 36 chisels.

[Tom Andersen]

Has anybody tried magnet strips as also used for knives? I saw one at Harbor Freight but it was way too weak to hold chisels.

[Dave Richards]

Tom, magnets come up periodically in magazine articles on tool holders. The problem is that they end up magnetizing the tool which make it kind of a pain when sharpening.

I have an idea for an adjustable chisel rack. Easier to explain with a drawing which I'll make when I get into work if you'd like.

[Timo Christ]

magnet strips will magnetize your chisels and that could be a pain when you sharpen them. also, magnetic dirt will stick to them.
I only keep wrenches on magnetic strips.

[Timo Christ]

Brilliant Minds Think Alike, Dave! ;)

[Dave Richards]

Timo, I think you have the brilliant mind. I'm just pah-sy-kick. :D

[Timo Christ]

Come on Dave ... ;)
show us your brilliant chisel rack!
I am interested as well.. my chisels sit in a plastic toolbox..
Timo

[Dave Richards]

You can tell me it's brilliant after you see it. :D Off to the drawing board now.

[Tom Andersen]

Alan's proposal seems excellent, but Dave, yes please also post a sketch, it would be highly appreciated. I hope to get my chisel rack done over the weekend.
Tom

[Dave Richards]

Timo and Tom, or should it be Tom and Timo, here is a very quick sketch of what I have in mind. I didn't dimension it or anything.

My thought is to drill staggered holes for little wooden or plastic pins. These would form the dividers to keep the chisels from tangling with each other. The pins would be a friction fit but not glued in. That way they can be moved as desired.

I drew a bottom in contact with the lower divider but you might leave a gap. I guess I'd make it so all the chisels would hang from their handles rather than standing on the bevels. The bottom could be a channel or could be omitted if you think you could keep your hands away from the business end of the chisels.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/weekender410/chisels.jpg

[Steve Beadle]

Tom, I find it handy to store my chisels in a custom-made caddy that I can take down off the wall (or wherever it's stored when not in use) and carry to the workbench. That way I can avoid laying the chisel on the bench where it might roll off or get dinged. I just put the chisel back in place in the caddy and select another size.

It should be easy enough to make your storage rack into a portable caddy, if you think that sounds useful.

Steve

[Per Swenson]

Hello All,


I try to keep it simple.

Sure there are two drawers filled with

both sharp and unsharpend chisels,

And there is a real nice set in a leather roll that goes with me

out in the world, but for, "I need one now" in the shop, this works fine.

Per

[Rick Shelton]

My chisel holder is like Per's. For socketed chisels, I use a unibit to drill a tapered hole. For chisel's like those shown in Per's picture, I just use a forstner bit to drill a shallow "tray" for the chisels to hang.

[scott bonder]

I don't mind a bit of attraction between my tools. Keeps them from getting lonely. As I redo my shop, I plan on putting up the heavy duty magnetic bars (highland hardware and lee valley). i will then build a quicky frame and sliding plastic doors. i am doing that so i can keep one of those anti-rust thingies in there. Atlanta is humid and even with two dehumidifiers going in the shop, things get some rust.

i plan to put planes and chisels there.

just a though on a quick and easy way to store them and make it look like a cabinet.

[Chris Giles]

Sheepdip! Is that why my chisels look like a science experiment in magnetism every time I sharpen them?:D

[Tim Sproul]

Here is another option that is quick and easy and......Woodcraft has their dowels at 25% off right now:



http://allservico.com/gallery/data/media/105/with_top_3.jpg

I glued up some leftover 2x lumber and bored out holes at ~4 degrees from square for 1/4 inch dowels. Hack off the dowels and hammer them in - no need for glue.

[Dave Loebach]

I store my lathe chisels using those cheap metal clips that are sold to hold brooms, brushes, etc. The clips are "C" shaped and springy so you just push the chisel into the open part of the "C" and pull it out. Cheap, easy, and works good.

Dave Loebach

[Keith Christopher]

I have the back right corner of my workbench (least used portion) setup to store my chisels. I have my 5 most commonly used there. I simply bored holes through the material and wala. I don't have any socket handle chisels so a tapered hole is not important to me. I haven't had any problems with dulling and they're always in handy reach when I need one.


Keith

[Bob Noles]

I store mine a like Keith's idea. You can look at my bench picture at this thread and get an idea.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=17648

I just took the apron out an additional couple of inches and wala.... great for storing chisels, saws and other goodies :cool:

[Tom Andersen]

Hi guys,

I finally got around to make a chisel rack using the design proposed by Alan. Here's a photo of the result.

I'd say that it works ok, except for the fact that I need to take care not to scratch the chisels against each other when I place them into the rack.

Thanks, Alan

Regards
Tom

[Bob Noles]

Timely reply Tom and nice job. I am needing to think in that direction very soon with a total shop rehab now under way. Alan had a great idea in that design and I also appreciate him sharing it with us.

Thanks for the post.