Rack 'em Up, Trial of a Storage Concept

One of the items on my to do list is to get my shop a little better organized. Many of my tanged bits (for use in a brace) are stored in boxes, trays or in a drawer. This project is a test of concept for the storage of tanged bits.

Using a protractor gauge the tangs of a few bits were determined to be 10º. A bevel gauges was set to 85º for marking saw cuts.

Some half inch scrap of vertical grain fir was used. A line was marked for the depth for the tang.

The bits were set on the bench and a divider was set for the centers of what seemed like good spacing. The centers for the bits were stepped off:

Attachment 403687

After penciling in the vertical center lines, a 1/4” hole was drilled for the bottom of each socket. This was also done with a piece of scrap to test for best sizing. Holding the pencil inside the bore then bringing the bevel gauge to the pencil made for a tighter fit. The exposed part of the bore for the socket being marked is visible:

Attachment 403686

If you got ‘em use ‘em. Having rounded edges on things seems nicer than sharp square corners:

Attachment 403688

The center was rounded with a 3/4” hollow and the sides were rounded with a quarter round.

Getting ready to put it together:

Attachment 403689

One of the things that seems to catch me on an all to often basis is when using screws, even with pilot holes, the pieces separate due to the fastener pushing one piece from another:

Attachment 403690

The screw was backed out and a different clamping strategy was used to a much better result. The bits were set in their sockets and all looks good:

Attachment 403691

The backside has three screws and the visible side here has two.

And there is still room on the shelf, that until recently was a mess, to have a resting place:

Attachment 403692

This may become part of a larger project ot make an auger bit cabinet with a few rows of holders like this that can stand upright or be tilted forward to facilitate bit removal and returning bits to storage. Something like the index boxes for twist drills.

jtk

Good ideas Jim. Tool storage is always an issue. I find myself overwhelmed trying to find another space to put something. Your index idea sounds good. Finding a space to put it, now that is a problem:)
Jim

Jim,

I'm with Jim P, Good idea, I also like your brace storage,it beats my pegs in the overhead joist but finding space to store is a big problem. I expect the only real answer is to have fewer tools :o. Looks like your shop might be a bit cold with the fingerless gloves,I looked to see if you had a 55gal drum fire going:).

ken

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Originally Posted by ken hatch

Jim,

I'm with Jim P, Good idea, I also like your brace storage,it beats my pegs in the overhead joist but finding space to store is a big problem. I expect the only real answer is to have fewer tools :o. Looks like your shop might be a bit cold with the fingerless gloves,I looked to see if you had a 55gal drum fire going:).

ken

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Jim, Ken, Thanks for the kind words.

There is often space that can be used in a different way to hold more tools. In reality though, many of my duplicate tools could be jettisoned, especially some of the dust collectors.

With my new quartz shop heater it was actually getting up to blistering 38º by the time this project was done. That was one reason why screws seemed better than glue to hold this together.

jtk

Jim,

Intersting idea, I may have to try it.

I see in picture three you have a couple of interesting mallets in the background.

Ken

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim Koepke

One of the things that seems to catch me on an all to often basis is when using screws, even with pilot holes, the pieces separate due to the fastener pushing one piece from another:

jtk

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This is most often the result of failing to drill a clearance hole (for the unthreaded shaft of the fastener), in addition to a pilot hole.

Failure to do this results in a screw-joint often referred to as "jacked" or "bridged".

This is equally true on a screw threaded its entire length.

Attachment 403716

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ken Martin

Jim,

Intersting idea, I may have to try it.

I see in picture three you have a couple of interesting mallets in the background.

Ken

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The small one is used for adjusting the blades in the molding planes:

Attachment 403714

It is about 7" tall. If my memory is working the head is a piece of lignum vitae and the handle is either maple or myrtle wood. The handle was one of my earliest attempts at turning a handle for a socket chisel that failed in use. It was repurposed.

The other mallet is one a friend made and came to me through his estate. It looks to be a piece of oak salvaged from a pallet:

Attachment 403715

It is used when a good rap is needed on the back of a woody to release the wedge & blade. It is also good for light taps on a chisel.

The mallet next to it was based on the original and made to sell at the farmers market. Two or three of them were sold over the course of the last summer we sold items at the farmers market.

jtk

Great idea and I'm sure it will be stolen by many of us. I really like your "cordless" screwdriver in the 5th photo. I need to organize the various bits and pieces in my own shop.

I can see my newly acquired Cleveland Twist bits finding a home in a rack like this

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jim Koepke

Attachment 403691
This may become part of a larger project ot make an auger bit cabinet with a few rows of holders like this that can stand upright or be tilted forward to facilitate bit removal and returning bits to storage. Something like the index boxes for twist drills.

jtk

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Also on my list is getting a better organized shop...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Joe Bailey

This is most often the result of failing to drill a clearance hole (for the unthreaded shaft of the fastener), in addition to a pilot hole.

Failure to do this results in a screw-joint often referred to as "jacked" or "bridged".

This is equally true on a screw threaded its entire length.

Attachment 403716

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That looks to be exactly what took place. My bit for drilling pilot holes is an old 3 in 1 bit that drills the pilot, clearance and countersink all at once. The clearance part of the bit is only about 1/4" which isn't enough for a longer screw.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don Orr

Great idea and I'm sure it will be stolen by many of us. I really like your "cordless" screwdriver in the 5th photo. I need to organize the various bits and pieces in my own shop.

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Steal away, surely someone else has done something like this before.

The "cordless" screwdriver is one of my favorite braces, gifted to me by a friend who is still to be met, thanks Joe.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phil harold

I can see my newly acquired Cleveland Twist bits finding a home in a rack like this

Also on my list is getting a better organized shop...

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Great minds think alike. :D

One idea is to make it with shorter pieces that can be joined in a hexagon or an octagon. It could have multiple rows. It could be a spiral. Even the flat holders could have more than one row.

Lots of ways this could be put together. This was a test of concept to see how it works and if any changes should be made. My initial plan was to re-saw all the pieces on an angle to make the mortise angled on all sides. This might be given a try if another one is made.

jtk

The posts about drilling for screws put me on a quest to find something. The best drills I ever had were Craftsman I believe. They were flat like a paddle bit and had a counter sink that fit all if the bits in the set. They weren't what you could call precision but for predestrian work they were great. Drilled for the screw, stepped for the shoulder and counter sink that went on with a set screw. No stop for the counter sink but that was okay by eye. Sharpen with a flat file. Now I'll have to go looking again.
Jim