Lathe tool organizaton -- need ideas

[Jack Hogoboom]

I know there have been a few posts on this subject before, but I am looking for some new ideas for tool storage. I'd really appreciate seeing how people keep their tools organized and close at hand. I have way too many tools and need to figure out some kind of system....

Thanks,

Jack

[Bob Hallowell]

organizaton? I don't have any of that so I wouldn't now. I normaly move some wood chips around to find the gouge I need:eek:

Bob

[Bill Fleming]

No time to get organized..... gotta get back to the lathe. Well here is what I did. I did not have open wall space for a more traditional wall rack, etc. I use an old craftsman rolling tool cabinet for a sharpening station but the drawers aren't deep or wide enough to hold most of my lathe tools so until I can build a replacement sharpening station that is wider and will hold the tools in a drawer rack I did something temporary, so I could get back to the lathe.

I took a drywall compound bucket and then inserted on end a variety of one foot sections of 2" and 1.25" pvc pipe. Insert various wood scraps between the pipe sections to keep them from moving around. And done - a vertical storage solution. I keep it on the floor under the lathe at the far end. One thing I did do before adding any tools was to place into one of the tool slots a long wooden dowel that extends well above any of the tools - even with safety glasses and face shield it will help prevent bending over for one tool and poking myself with another.

For now it actually works great. So well in fact that before re-doing the sharpening station I will build a small lathe mounted storage caddy similar to the one shown in the Fine Woodworking Special edition mag. on Turning.

Cheers - Bill

[John W. Willis]

I'm with Bob on this one, for now. I have kicked around the idea of mounting one of those magnetic strips on the wall by the lathe. That was mentioned here some time ago and the question of the tools getting magnetized came up so I'm waiting until I get really disorganized to address it.

[Michael McCoy]

I wouldn't begin to call my method organized but I at least try and keep everything fairly close to the work area.

[robert hainstock]

What Bob H said works for me. :o
Bob

[Jess Wetherhold]

Well, this is what I have at the moment. The caddy under the lathe is somewhat temporary but the one at the end is great. It bolts to the lathe through existing holes...how convenient.
76795

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[Dean Thomas]

I have a bunch of thoughts on this. I've implemented a couple, well at least now and then... By and large, I just lust, er, LOOK through the chips, too.

I did buy a handy dandy little metal roll-around that is all wire. It has drawers and came from Costco for about $30. The holes are about 1" square so most of my tools fit down through the mesh, protecting my hands from sharp and pointy things. All but the large curly chips fall quickly through so that's not a problem. It sacrifices the top drawer to all but really small stuff, but that's fine. I try not to put anything in there that I'll need regularly.

My real problem with this is that the 18" square top is just SUCH a handle little place to STACK THINGS. I'm a stacker and a keeper. It will probably be my death at some point, stepping over reaching up for, tripping over while carrying more stuff into my already too-full space. :eek:

I had a chisel hanger on my shopsmith before I got a dedicated lathe. I liked it because the way it swung let me see the points of the tools without getting them in my shins! Safety is a HUGE factor for me. I bleed easily and heal slowly thanks to Mr. Diabetes. Getting old ain't for sissies.

Other thoughts: Things to be avoided or to be implemented "some time".

Rack all tools, organized by length and then by type. Or by type only so that all skews are together, for example.
Select from your "library" only those tools that you'll really use for a given project. And the hard part for me is the discipline to put 'em back when I'm done. Face it. if I'm turning a 10" bowl, I probably don't need my micro or even my mini tools, right? But will I move my feet and hands to get them actually put away somewhere so I can find them tomorrow for the tiny stuff?? :rolleyes:
I do practice this part of things, more or less. I have a nifty tool roll from Woodcraft that has become a good friend and ally in my turning, both at home and at the clubhouse on a regular basis. I keep my basics there and add the couple of special tools that I might need for a given project. Those tools are my most used, most sharpened, and thus the ones that I want to know where are at all times.
I'm going to make a simple travelling rack for when I take my tools to the clubhouse for projects. My intention is to take a piece of lumber and drill some 1" holes in it, all in a row, and then rip the wood in two so that I have a couple of little 8-10 space racks. That rack will just lay on the tables next to the lathes and keep my weapons of wood warfare as sharp as possible and off the floor! That will also keep them nice and visible so that I don't have to grope and look at each one to get the right one. That's my only problem with the bucket-o-tools thing. It's a great one, but not for me because of the ID thing.
I have a friend or two who have purchased large tool chests with nice 2" deep drawers and keep most of their tools hidden away. If I can't see my tools, I don't always remember all of the neat things I might could do. Makes for a neat shop, but they are part of my inspiration. And it's good for the occasional turner who doesn't regularly spend days at a time standing at the spinny thing maker.Safe and visible are my two main criteria.

[Bill Wyko]

This is a pocket tool rack. You could do a swinging door with more across the front too. The magnets have not been an issue what so ever durring sharpening or anything else as well. The only thing I'd do different is to make the rest at the bottom a through hole. The y fill up with shavings.

[Greg Just]

This is a pocket tool rack. You could do a swinging door with more across the front too. The magnets have not been an issue what so ever durring sharpening or anything else as well. The only thing I'd do different is to make the rest at the bottom a through hole. The y fill up with shavings.


heck with the tools....I was admiring the nice bowl!

[Mike Peace]

Here is my storage.

I made a wall rack to hold chuck jaws, wrenches, drive centers and other small accessories. It hangs on a french cleat for easy relocation as I reconfigure my shop.

I made a lazy susan to hold my gouges. The handle was from a broken snow shovel I recycled. The wooden shovel handle became a gouge tool handle. I made a small rack to set on the lathe bed to hold finishing type materials like sandpaper, friction polish etc. It has a piece of removable carpet I can take out and shake off the dust.

I turned a knob to keep my face shield from sliding off the peg.

[Glenn Hodges]

Organized, huh, shoot yea. I have a 5 gallon bucket near my lathe with some gouges and other tools in it, and I pick out ones I need for the job at hand and lay them on and under the bed of my lathe. I use them until they fall off or need sharpening or the shavings get so deep I can't find them when they are lying on the floor, but don't tell anyone. I don't let a little thing like organization get in my way, I might have to put things back where I found them.

[John Sheets]

Jack, I made a rolling cabinet that I just move next to the lathe when I'm working. The "drawers" are basically just plywood trays that are mounted on metal drawer slides from HD. The top has enough room to the left of the grinder/Wolverine setup to lay most of the toolsl that I'll use for any given project. Better than having them rolling around on the lathe bed. Ends had enough space for small sections of pegboard.

[Bill Wyko]

heck with the tools....I was admiring the nice bowl!
Thanks Greg. That was the first 1/2 of the vessel I call Monsoon. If you go to some of my old posts you'll find pics of it completed. Seems like every time a pic of it pops up it rains, hence the name monsoon. BTW It's raining here right now:rolleyes: