Hex key rack

[OccupantRJ]

I wanted a rack for my long series hex keys that I keep in my workshop, so I whipped one up out of 3/32" aluminum sheet stock. The sizes of keys are 7/64, 1/8, 9/64, 5/32, 3/16, 7/32, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, and 3/4 inch. The sizes are stamped into the metal of the rack along the lower edge, to make finding the proper size easier.

A 20 oz bottle is included in the pics for size reference. As you may have already noticed, I like racks for some of my tools, and they can be fun to design and make. A previous thread of mine has a few more if anyone's interested. The color is Rustoleum Sail Blue.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54643

 

[Griff93]

That turned out really nice. I've got my t handles just stuck through a piece of angle with holes drilled in it. It works but your setup looks much nicer and easier to id what size it where.

 

[Brad54]

You know... This just inspired me to build a rack for the wrenches and allen wrench needed to make adjustments on my horizontal band saw. The allen wrench is stuck in a hold on the table, but I don't like that method. And since there's no easy place to hang the metric box wrench, I just keep it in the tool box drawer and get it when needed... but I really like having all the tools required at a piece of stationary shop equipment.

Thanks! This was a handy post!!!

-Brad

 

[MadMark]

Looks great, would you tell us what kind of break you used.
Also how did you cut the slots so square and where did you get the number stamps with fractions?
great job.

 

[sscustom]

damm i like that .good choice of colour

 

[Krokodil]

What a work of art!

 

[OccupantRJ]

Looks great, would you tell us what kind of break you used.
Also how did you cut the slots so square and where did you get the number stamps with fractions?
great job.

Thank you.
The brake used was the one pictured below. It is a Di-acro 24" finger brake that was converted to a standard leaf break. I bought it for $15 from a metal salvage yard, and it was rust frozen solid. After months of application of Kano Kroil, I got it to break free.

Having no fingers for it, but having access to a knife blade grinder, I made the upper plate and welded it in. This was 25 years ago, and I am now looking for fiingers for it to convert it back to it's more versatile use. Fingers allow it to make boxes by using the gaps between them. This allows the sides of the box somewhere to go during bending.


Slots were cut narrow by hand with a hacksaw, while the plate was sandwiched flat between two pieces of wood. This keeps filing chatter to a minimum, and retains control. The tang left over was sheared out with a cold chisel on a steel surface, then the slots were filed smooth and to size.

The fractions were created with regular single digit metal stamps, using the freehand method.

I have all the tools available at both work and home to accomplish most things, but I like the challenge of keeping my skills honed, and to let others see just what can be accomplished by using simple hand tools. Big bucks are not needed for good results. I like to inspire people. We're losing enough young people in the skilled trades these days as it is. See my sig.

 

[Elroy]

That turned out really nice.

 

[bchee]

The fractions were created with regular single digit metal stamps, using the freehand method.

That turned out awesome.

 

[A_Pmech]

Looks good!

In fact, it "looks factory" as my neighbor would say.

 

[Brad54]

Thank you.
The brake used was the one pictured below. It is a Di-acro 24" finger brake that was converted to a standard leaf break. I bought it for $15 from a metal salvage yard, and it was rust frozen solid. After months of application of Kano Kroil, I got it to break free. Having no fingers for it, but having access to a knife blade grinder, I made the upper plate and welded it in. This was 25 years ago, and I am now looking for fiingers for it to convert it back to it's more versatile use. Fingers allow it to make boxes by using the gaps between them. This allows the sides of the box somewhere to go during bending.
Slots were cut narrow by hand with a hacksaw, while the plate was sandwiched flat between two pieces of wood. This keeps filing chatter to a minimum, and retains control. The tang left over was sheared out with a cold chisel on a steel surface, then the slots were filed smooth and to size.
The fractions were created with regular single digit metal stamps, using the freehand method.
I have all the tools available at both work and home to accomplish most things, but I like the challenge of keeping my skills honed, and to let others see just what can be accomplished by using simple hand tools. Big bucks are not needed for good results. I like to inspire people. We're losing enough young people in the skilled trades these days as it is. See my sig.

If it were me building it, I believe I'd have drilled a hole, and then made two cuts from the edge of the piece to the hole on the band saw, then dressed the edges with a file. Just another way to skin a cat.

As for you looking for fingers to convert your brake back to a box and pan brake with the fingers, you already have them--you just haven't cut them out! Take that upper plate, clean off the weld, stand the plate on end and feed it through a horizontal band saw, cutting from the sharp end down to the back end.

-Brad

 

[OccupantRJ]

If it were me building it, I believe I'd have drilled a hole, and then made two cuts from the edge of the piece to the hole on the band saw, then dressed the edges with a file. Just another way to skin a cat.

As for you looking for fingers to convert your brake back to a box and pan brake with the fingers, you already have them--you just haven't cut them out! Take that upper plate, clean off the weld, stand the plate on end and feed it through a horizontal band saw, cutting from the sharp end down to the back end.

-Brad

Brad, I have used the hole method you describe quite often, but I find that the chisel method is quicker on aluminum sheet metal. I could have cheated and used my Rotex punch, but I held myself in check. I could cut slots in the brake plate, as I have on one at work, but the factory fingers come in various widths, and are combined on the mounting bar of the break to make up the specific width one needs to use. I'm planning to upgrade some of my larger equipment as I go along, since I have to restore some of it anyway. I think that will now be as much of my new hobby as building cars and bikes was before everything got wet.
I have included a stock photo of the Rotex I have. It punches 1/8 to 2 inches diameter in sheet metal, and has a 24" throat.

 

[ajchien]

My problem is that any attempt to organize them, causes them to take up more space in my box than Im willing to allow them to have. therefore, they're just all randomly stuffed in a corner of a drawer.

 

[Kevin54]

I need both of those items right there. I have a complete drawer of hex wrenches that WERE all laid out fairly nice until I went to get one yesterday. When I rolled my box around in the garage, they scattered all over.

Pics of the holder are now saved to my "Things to Make" folder

 

[Applesauce]

Awesome! I'm currently making a rack out of teak... Wish I could just "whip" things up from aluminum plate!