Methods of storing air tools

[Toymeister]

I have a few 4” diameter ceramic magnets and I thought I can mount the magnets to the wall and stick air tools to them. I know air tools shells are aluminum, titanium and plastic but the components inside should contain enough ferric material to stick to the magnets. What do you think?/how to you store your air tools?

 

[chris142]

in a drawer.your going to need one hell of a magnet.

 

[pepi]

Good luck with the magnet thing. Hope you did not spend a load on the tools..... Put foam, thick on the floor below the tools, you will be picking them up often.

 

[zmotorsports]

Nothing special here, just in a drawer within easy reach. I can grab them almost without looking.

Mike.

 

[vartz04]

I am going to redo my storage. I have a cabinet from my kitchen remodel. I am going to mount it over the compressor or near it and put a piece of pegboard in the back and hang all the tools on pegboard hooks (pegboard is steel) that way it closes and keeps all the dust off of them.

The other and probably best method where they don't go in a drawer or cabinet is a piece of steel with a bunch of couplers mounted to it where the tool clips into the coupler and hangs there.

 

[thebeekeeper1]

Even if a powerful enough magnet were available I would NOT want the internals (gears!) magnetized, as they would then accumulate metal fragments. Not good that.

 

[bcradio]

In a drawer... don't see the need to do anything else. It's not THAT hard to open a drawer and pull one out.

 

[stikman56]

They make holders that hang the tools from the air fittings. You can screw them to a wall or whatever. All my stuff is in a drawer at home and work. It's easy and my air and cordless tools go with me at work in my 44" tool box/roll cart.

 

[wagzilla]

my new holder

James

 

[fordbroncodave]

I put specific air tools with other tool drawers such as 3/8 impacts and air ratchets in the 3/8 drawer with the sockets and ratchets.

same thing with 1/2's and 1/4's.

then all I am left with is drills which is in a drawer with drill bits

grinders in a drawer with the electric grinders and accessories as well as sanders

 

[gte718p]

In a drawer, though I am thinking about picking up a bunch of those cheap chucks at HF and building a mount above my work bench for some of the more commonly used tools. Sort of like the display rack at Home Depot, Northern, etc.

 

[Kevin54]

I have a piece of 3' angle aluminum that I cut slots in, and I hang them by the air fitting. The aluminum is hanging off of the bottom of my Gladiator cabinets. No pics because I have a ton of stuff piled in front of it at the moment.

 

[Toymeister]

in a drawer.your going to need one hell of a magnet.

The magnets were used to hold jamming antennas on vehicles traveling in Afghanistan. They are 'one hell of a magnet".

 

[Jere]

I have a piece of 3' angle aluminum that I cut slots in, and I hang them by the air fitting. The aluminum is hanging off of the bottom of my Gladiator cabinets. No pics because I have a ton of stuff piled in front of it at the moment.

I like this idea the best!

Maybe use magnets and steel disconnect fittings in addition to lock the tools in the rack.

 

[Askme42]

The other and probably best method where they don't go in a drawer or cabinet is a piece of steel with a bunch of couplers mounted to it where the tool clips into the coupler and hangs there.

This is what I'll be doing when the time comes.

 

[V70R]

http://pitposse.com/airtoolcaddy.html

$20, no fab required

 

[zkling]

In the bottom drawer of the tool box. If they leak oil I'm not too concerned. The die grinder gets stored by the grinding stuff in a plastic bag.

 

[crewchief888]

most used air tools are in a drawer in my tool box.
seldom used stuff (sanders and lg grinders) are in a side box on the right side.
electric grinders, wheels ect in the big cabinet on the wall

side box in my service truck that stores all my work air tools

 

[Joelk]

I have a fairly unique method of storing most of my air tools.

Several years ago, I "upgraded" all my air tools and airlines to some larger couplers that have a much larger opening than a typical coupler, for increased airflow. The male portion of the couplers is also much larger than most, and is just slightly smaller than 1/2" copper pipe.

I made holders out of 1/2" copper pipe and T Fittings.

I cut pieces of pipe about 2" long and soldered the Ts in between them. I put the Ts at slight angle and insert the air tool couplers into them. I have some that are 10 Ts long and attached to the wall with a screw through a T on each end. I have one that is (IIRC)40 Ts long. I have a screw through a T after each 10 angled Ts. This seems to provide adequate support as I have not had any failures and I store some fairly heavy tools in them, including Impact Wrenches etc. The copper is soft so I assume it should not wear out the couplers too fast.

"The system" keeps the tools off of my work areas, but provides easy access.

 

[Bogey won]

Magnets distort or wipe out credit cards drivers licenses, an assorted stuff on cards that require wiping in a machine. Removes the ability to use or activate the strip.

 

[JonnyMac]

I spot weld the female quick release onto my fab table and plug them in hanging.
probably doesn't show it that well..

 

[Canadian Charlie]

I keep all my air tools except an air stapler in one drawer

 

[pepi]

I have a piece of 3' angle aluminum that I cut slots in, and I hang them by the air fitting. The aluminum is hanging off of the bottom of my Gladiator cabinets. No pics because I have a ton of stuff piled in front of it at the moment.

Another vote for hanging them by the air fittings, always handy and where you need them.

 

[chicane]

Another vote for hanging them by the air fittings, always handy and where you need them.

I think that could put undo stress on the threads.

 

[jmm]

I think that could put undo stress on the threads.

That's typically how they've been arranged on tool trucks for years. Shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Bogey won]

Here ya go.

i spot weld the female quick release onto my fab table and plug them in hanging.
Probably doesn't show it that well..

 

[pepi]

I think that could put undo stress on the threads.

Think again.. That makes no sense .....

 

[emeraldcoupe]

this works for me

 

[woody 73]

Funny thing I have a 30inch long air swivel hose on a lot of my tools, and even though they take up a lot of room you would be surprised that they all fit in the drawers without to much trouble.

 

[Shadowdog500]

this works for me

Never saw anyone put that type of tip on a milton inflator before.


Mine are piled in a drawer like your photo.


Chris

 

[emeraldcoupe]

Never saw anyone put that type of tip on a milton inflator before.


Mine are piled in a drawer like your photo.


Chris

it was on there when I got it. I put the right one on though.

 

[PKile]

I took a bunch of floor flanges, added reducers and *******, then screwed female quick disconnects to them. Right under a shelf near the compressor:

 

[Lbcwanabe]

pkile that is ingenious

 

[rtole]

I took angle iron and welded a handle replacemnet for my snap on krsc46. The angle iron wraps around the back of the cart. I welded 1/4 pipe plugs to it, then threaded on couplers. They hang on the back and they dont stick out much. I can hang 16 tools there. I dont have it finished. It is in use and rock solid, I have some fill in welding and grinding to do to make it look the way I want. I love that it opens up a whole drawer, and they come with me on my cart. The metal was salvaged from the scrap bucket......and our welding gear is kind of meh at the shop. It will not look perfect, but it will look good. I make a crappy one for my last cart........none of the threads have suffered on my air tools. Same principal as the guy with his fab cart. I just couldnt drill holes in my krsc46. I was going to weld it solid all the way around.......but it would have scratched the paint going on and coming off. So it bolts on in 3 pieces. I can stand on it.....and I am 265. Its not going anywhere.

 

[PKile]

pkile that is ingenious

Thanks Lbcwanabe! My only further plan is when I plumb the shop for air next year I may relocate the flanges nearer to my workbench, and leave the tire inflator hooked to a retractable hose reel.

 

[RBailey]

This is where mine live.
Its a lot fuller now than in the photos and some of the tools have improved in quality as well.