What's the best way to store planes?

[Doug Hobkirk]

I currently keep my planes in a wood drawer under my workbench in my unheated garage. But I don't have any desiccants or oil, I store them sole-down, etc. I haven't had any problems so far, but I see all those rusty planes on eBay! And I am sure there is a better way - I might as well learn and start storing them in a kinder fashion.

My planes will thank you for your thoughts...

[Jim McFarland]

I use these (or similar from LN) with planes sole-down on 2-4" pegboard hooks for each plane. Pegboard is behind my wanna-be workbench.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=46832&cat=1,41182

I also apply a bit of camelia oil before extended storage.
http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/J02.167.htm

[Joe McMahon]

Get a decent paste wax such as Renaissance Wax and put a good coat of wax on your planes. It will protect the metal and give you added benefit in reduced friction when using them.

[David DeCristoforo]

The "best" way to store your planes in to leave them scattered around on your bench(s) where they are easy to grab when you need them;). Actually, if you simply must put them away, a drawer is not a bad way to go. But you might want to attach some small "sleepers" to the drawer bottom(s) so that the planes are not sitting right on the blades. Of course you could always retract the blades before you put the planes away but that might be too much for even a compulsive person....

YM (DD)

[Johnny Kleso]

Best way is under your bed in a box oiled down :)

How I do it is in a Cabinet or Drawer wiped down with WD-40..

Inside anything is better than on a wall in the open..

Also planes should be stored on there side when in use.. I store them sole down and blade retracted, many old timers just store them on there side ready to use..

[Terry Beadle]

While my woodies are in repose ( fancy huh! ) , I make sure that the wedges are backed out, blade retracted and the wedge lightly replaced so that there is no strain on the body.

Camila oil is the way to go for me. Wax occassionally. Use of BLO on leather sump when needed.

[Eric Sayre]

Best way is under your bed in a box oiled down :)

How I do it is in a Cabinet or Drawer wiped down with WD-40..

Inside anything is better than on a wall in the open..

Also planes should be stored on there side when in use.. I store them sole down and blade retracted, many old timers just store them on there side ready to use..

Johnny, I hope you weren't kidding. That's pretty much how I store mine. Oiled or waxed, in their original boxes on their sides, in a cabinet next to my bed.

I don't get out much!

[Robert Rozaieski]

The best way to store them is within easy reach. All my tools are stored this way.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/2407896958_cc8058d4da.jpg?v=0

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/2407896962_0dffea050e.jpg?v=0

I see no benefit to storing them inside boxes or anything for that matter that doesn't have them within easy reach for use. I have always stored mine out in the open and never had a problem. In addition, placing them down on their side and not on their sole is not necessary either. The wood benctop is not as hard as the steel iron and placing them on the bench top sole down will not damage the iron unless you are slamming them down with the force of Thor :D. I do it all the time and have noticed no problems doing so.

[Thom Sturgill]

I have just started collecting a working set and have not constructed a till yet, so they set on the shelves of my existing tool cabinet, on the work bench, and wherever else there is room. Some (the better ones) generally rest on blocks of gulf wax. I plan on lining the tool till with cork when I build it.

[Johnny Kleso]

Why its best to store them in some kind of box or cabinet is that if they are not used often they collect dust...
The dust collects moisture..
Moisture makes rust...

If you keep them oiled and use them often so rust doesnt have a chance to start there is no problem..

In general any tool stored in a box or cabinet will far better over years then one in the open IMHO

https://home.comcast.net/~rexmill/projects/tool_cabinet/images/cabinet_small.jpg

[Tom Stovell]

Why its best to store them in some kind of box or cabinet is that if they are not used often they collect dust...
The dust collects moisture..
Moisture makes rust...

If you keep them oiled and use them often so rust doesnt have a chance to start there is no problem..

In general any tool stored in a box or cabinet will far better over years then one in the open IMHO



Mine are on open shelves now but this summer I plan to make an enclosed cabinet for all my tools. Both to keep off the dust and to be able to keep them warm enough in the winter to avoid rusting.

Tom

[James Carmichael]

Drawer, stored on their sides.

[Charles Shenk]

bronze planes

[Harry Goodwin]

Mine do fine on the bench sitting on a small riser to keep blades off the bench. Those I store in drawers are resting on a like riser and I put any of that moisture absorbing stuff I can procure in with them. I get it from shoe stores, electronics and pills and I have very little trouble with a little ren wax applied. I was trained to put that plane on it's side when in use and will always do it. Harry

[Mark Singer]

For wooden planes, an old trick is to put a little oil on the sole and then let it sit on a piece of plate glass. This will keep the sole flat.

[Peter Quadarella]

I put them on the window sill.

[Hank Knight]

My hand planes were taking the place. My original storage in a wall cabinet had grown inadequate and my planes were stashed anywhere I could find a place for them. I decided this weekend to build a proper rack to keep them together and in some reasonable order. My shop walls are pegboard with a French cleat around the top. Here's the Plane rack I built that hangs with a french cleat at the top. Please ignore the grungy 608 in the photo. It's a project that hasn't made to the top of my to-do list. Soon it will look like the others in the photo. Each plane rests on a cork bed so I can store them without having to retract the blades. The cork is glued down with quick mount adhesive so I can remove and replace it if/when it becomes necessary. In the last photo, you can see that I still have some work to do to organize my shoulder planes, block planes and miscellaneous others that still inhabit my wall cabinet on the left of the photo. The OP asked for the "best" storage for hand planes. I wouldn't say mine is the "best" but it's better than what I had.
Thanks for lookin'.

Hank

[Jacob Reverb]

I've read that steel tools fare better in wooden drawers/cabinets than in metal ones, which is just the opposite of what I had originally thought.

Apparently the wood acts as somewhat of an insulator for temperature changes, which reduces the creation of condensation/rust, and it also absorbs some moisture, thereby preventing rust.

I know my Dad had some wooden cabinets he kept his planes, calipers, etc., in, and they never rusted much...YMMV.