Tooling organization

[lilscorpion]

Tool Organization

About three weeks ago I opened one of my tooling drawers looking for a 5/16 tap and it took me about 30 minutes to find it. Even In a pile of taps it never takes me that long. About an hour after that, I couldn't find one of my ball mills...and freaked out. Two weeks ago my son and I made some tap holders/trays and spent the whole day doing it. We used 1/2 red cutting board material I purchased at Woodcraft.

They turned out so well, last weekend I went back and got some green (they were out of red) and tackled another drawer. End mulls and collets are now much easier to get to. Wasn't sure of the color until I opened the drawer a couple of days later. Now I like it better than red.

I had a nice size drop so I made a holder for some small boring bars that have been rolling around in my drawer for years.

I still have to tackle the larger end mills and taps. I ordered some 3/4" HDPE and some larger ball mills so maybe next weekend.

 

[Jim Johnstone]

Nice!! I really like the collet holder, I will be stealing these ideas.

 

[bad_idea]

Wow. That looks good. Lemme ask the nitty-gritty questions though. How long did it take you and how much is that material?

 

[lilscorpion]

Today I tackled an idea that I had last weekend while making the end mill trays. I figured that I could make R8 holders that could be moved around between my bench, into the cabinet, or over by the mill. The design seemed simple enough using some aluminum angle iron and some more cutting board (HDPE - man it machines easy). I started by setting a stop and cut up three 4' sticks of aluminum angle. I picked a length that would result in zero waste.

Ran a file over the cut edges (wood blade works but doesn't leave a perfect burr free cut)

Next, I used the mill to cut the three profiles into the angle (for three, four, and five tools). Here's the five in process -

Then switched tools and drilled the holes that will be used to attach the plastic.

Then a rotation and drill the holes needed to attach them to the brackets

and a pile ready to go...

 

[lilscorpion]

Wow. That looks good. Lemme ask the nitty-gritty questions though. How long did it take you and how much is that material?

Stuff machines very easily. Plunge all the way in and move the cutter as fast as you can. Multiple passes is a waste of time. It cuts so nice you done need a finish pass. A 24" x 24" sheet is $30 at Woodcraft. I've seen white at other places for a little cheaper. I found some stuff called Starboard on EBay in various thicknesses (also HDPE) but its a little more expensive it seems. I spent a day (maybe 6 hours) on each drawer. My knee is CNC too. It would have taken me a little longer to do it manually with a DRO and quil stop but some of the ops might have been easier.

 

[nine4gmc]

you got me thinking now!! I have a sheet of opaque or white somewhere.

 

[lilscorpion]

Now back to the cutting board. Luckily enough, the optimized size if the angle (remember, no waste) worked out for the 24" x 24" cutting board sheet too. Started cutting it up on the table saw.

A table saw was made to cut HDPE (unlike Delrin that melts). Next cut was to rip the 2.5" wide strips.

For those wondering about me cutting while taking a picture, I had no worries, it's a Saw Stop and I've not tested the fail-safe yet so I figured I'd either get to talk about it or come through unscathed. The latter was the desired and realized outcome. Here's the stak ready for the mill.

And minimal waste.

 

[lilscorpion]

I started wi a 5/8" two flute end mill running 2k rpm with .250" overlap running 80imp. Seemed like it was running just fine until on the fourth hole it ripped the plastic out of the vise and slung it. LOL...got my attention. I dropped it to 60 and tightened the vise a little more and had no more problems.

To save some time, I used an 1/8" quarter round router bit to break the edges while the other pieces were running.

Now I just had to screw them all together.

Now for the mounting. I have fabbed french cleat walls around my shop and like how easily things can be organized, moved around, and how strong they are. I decided to hang them off cleats. Here's one mounted. When it warms up, I'll disassemble me and finish the wood (poly or something).

And test fit to the wall.

 

[lilscorpion]

Making the mounts the same width as the rack allows them to slide together and look like one long holder.

And the view after putting up four of them. Turned out cool.

I didn't have enough time to fab the cabinet where I will store the racks and the tooling when they're not in use. The plan is a slide out that has the French cleats in the back so they'll hang inside until I need them.

 

[paullie]

Looks sweet!!!

 

[2fat2fly]

That looks really good.

 

[Bib Overalls]

That is mighty cool. I personally prefer the red over the green. Although I can see how the green can grow on you.

 

[Shocker]

This would be a cool idea for punches.

 

[Krokodil]

Wow, that is a awesome storage solution!

 

[Tamper84]

That's awesome!!!!

 

[383 240z]

I am such a slacker. You guys ****. This board has really ate into my "free" time. The quality of my work has improved, but damn, I see so many cool things that went from wants to needs in one page refresh. Great job on the tooling holder, I've been getting by on blocks of wood with random holes drilled in them as tooling progressed. I guess it's time to update. Keith

 

[bad_idea]

How in the world do you find all the time to do this? It looks good! Maybe I am lazy, but after working 10-12 hours I can't bring myself to spend another 2-4 hours in the garage. Weekends get ate up with spending time w/ the wife (no kids) and maintaining the house. Sorry to whine. Those holders are nice looking. I will save those pics for future inspiration/use.

 

[redintex]

Awesome job!

Sent from my BlackBerry using Tapatalk

 

[wornoutoldman]

Posts like this are what make this site great!

 

[lilscorpion]

How in the world do you find all the time to do this? It looks good! Maybe I am lazy, but after working 10-12 hours I can't bring myself to spend another 2-4 hours in the garage. Weekends get ate up with spending time w/ the wife (no kids) and maintaining the house. Sorry to whine. Those holders are nice looking. I will save those pics for future inspiration/use.

I spend my share of time with the kids and wife. I'm also an addict. I have to be building something. I'm a software engineer by trade but that job is just mental gymnastics. I gotta do something physical or I go crazy. I jump back and forth between wood and metal and throughout the years, I've managed to learn a little here and there from friends or jobs I held at one time or another. So the way I keep from going mad is to build stuff. I have maybe a dozen projects going at any one time. Sometimes I work on the house (makes the wife happy), sometimes I work on the truck I'm building (when I need some greasy clothes), and other times I work on the shop and try to figure out ways to make working in it easier, faster, etc.. But to be fair, I only get a day here or there. It just so happens I'm burning some built up vacation. Life is busy and normally I have to steal a couple hours here or there...or I can't sleep at night.

 

[lilscorpion]

Today the material arrived. 3/4" thick Starboard. This is the first time I've used it for anything and it's very similar to the cutting board material except the surface texture is a little more aggressive. I pulled out the ball mills I bought off of ebay a little while ago. Man, if you're used to working with 3/4" end mills and smaller like I am, a 1" looks and feels big.

And next to the 1 3/8" ball mill, the 1" ain't squat. It makes the Kurt vise look small.

Against my better judgement, I left the RPM at 2k, the feed at 60 IPM, and set the cut depth to .5" with the big ball. Other than the plunge throwing off a spiral that should have knocked me down, the feed seemed to be just about right...if you like to sweep up a trash can full of plastic chips.

 

[lilscorpion]

Got the 1" tray done. BTW, I got those 4 1" ball mills (re-sharpens), a 7/8" ball mill, and the 1" I used to cut the tray with for about $25 shipped on ebay. If you're thinking of building some trays, give ebay a peek. They don't need to be new, just sharp. Plastic forgives.

I had a little extra space on the tray for the bigger stuff so I dropped a 7/8" slot between the 1 3/8" ones. After i did it it seemed kinda lame but leaving the space blank also looked wasteful. Somehow I'll deal with it. Here's the tooling drawer now. Getting closer. Now I have to figure out what to do with large shell mills and my misc. ****.

 

[lilscorpion]

About 5 years ago I had a single file. I couldn't find it one day so I went and bought a "kit" that had 3 or four different sizes/styles. Then a couple weeks later, a friend stopped by and gifted me a pile of his "left overs". He's a cabinet maker and uses files for breaking the edge of laminate (a raw edge will cut your hand like a razor blade). In new shape, they make quick work of the laminate edge. After a while they take a little more effort. To him that effort costs money. To me they look brand freakin' new. Anyway, I've found there's no good way to store files. Stack them and the stack falls over. So I used a 13" x 12" chunk of the new 3/4" Starboard and cut 1/4" slots 1/4" apart and then milled a relief groove so I could get my hand in there to pull them out. I also used the 1/2" ball mill to cut a couple of slots for round files.

It takes up a little more space but the organization of it is worth it.

 

[lilscorpion]

While the mill was running today I got my lathe tools moved from my box to the cabinet above the lathe. About 6 months ago I scored 4 Aloris holders on ebay and just now got them stuffed with tools.

Figure I'd share this cabinet with everyone too. When I built my cabinets for the shop, I really wanted to put cabinets over the lathe because space is at a premium in my shop and I didn't want to waste any of it. In my previous garage, I had a shelf over the lathe and I stopped putting much in it because I'd always get something on my pants every time I reached over the lathe and inadvertantly brushed up against it. When I was building the cabinets I had this epiphany that I could make telescoping cabinets that could be pulled out over the lathe so I wouldn't have to reach over it. Ya know, make the stuff come to me. Well, I went for it and it really works well.



Two pair of 100lb. drawer slides keep it in the cabinet (so far) and that's the lathe tooling cabinet sticking out. I rarely pull it out but when I need to, it's a really nice feature. I also used clip on door hinges so removing the doors takes maybe 30 seconds.

There's three of them in a row that span the full length of the lathe. I don't make a practice of filling them with the heaviest stuff in the shop but I think they could handle quite a bit if I wanted to load them down.

 

[lilscorpion]

And while I was standing there I figured I'd show off what my son calls the drill cabinet. I came up with this idea for storing my cordless drills. It was a good idea until I got excited and purchased a 12v kit. It's a slide out just down from the lathe, when closed, it's nice and clean looking...except that last one. I left it unfinished about a year ago hoping I would come up with another neat idea...it never came.

I'm right handed so with a pull of the left hand, every drill and/or driver is one motion.

Take a step back and there's a similar view of the nail guns. They're easier to get out than it appears.

 

[lilscorpion]

When I'm using my cordless drills/impacts/drivers I hate them sitting on the work surface for two reasons (1) I end up knocking them off onto the floor and (2) no matter how long I live I will always set the damn thing down in a way where I can easily reach it. It seemed it would be easier to have a holster-like perch where I could put it away and reach it easily with a single motion no matter what I had in my other hand. I used the same design (and spacing) as my cabinet.

I attached a french cleat to it so it could be moved on the wall to where I need it to be.

The first thing I did after building the perch was rebuild a t-case for my truck. To have less on the counter top and have such easy access was handy.

 

[The Slurpee King]

Those. Cabinets. Are. Cool.

 

[The Slurpee King]

Now that I've stopped drooling, could I create some of those trays with a router in some fashion? I don't own a router anymore than I own a milling machine, but routers are much more affordable, and easier to sell to/justify to/hide from the wife.

 

[archirelic]

This has been one of the best threads I've read on here in terms of workshop organization!

 

[bad_idea]

Watch out Jack Olsen, I think you have a competitor! Those cabinets are cool. I about spit coffee out when I saw the pic of the whole cabinet coming out from the wall! Love it. I just dragged a lathe home and when I saw the pic of the cabinets above yours, I said great use of space. Then you said you would get your pants dirty reaching over the lathe, I said nah I won't build any there then. Then they came out from the wall.... Ha! Love it.

I follow what you are saying about making time to get out to the shop. I think you have an advantage over me though. I imagine you would be twitchy wanting to work with your hands sitting behind a desk all day. I work with my hands all day in ship repair and I am physically exhausted at the end of the day (well, some days, lets be honest). It also sounds like you may be a couple years my senior. I can't imagine having all the tooling you have! I'm guessing accumulation over years of scouring? I am just breaking into machinist work. Where do you buy your tooling? Ebay? CL? Any other good sources?

 

[bdamico]

Absolutely amazing

 

[lilscorpion]

I can't imagine having all the tooling you have! I'm guessing accumulation over years of scouring? I am just breaking into machinist work. Where do you buy your tooling? Ebay? CL? Any other good sources?

Thanks for the props. I doubt I'm considered an old-timer by any means though I am old...pushing 40! LOL...I started "accumulating" just before my wife and I got married about 11 years ago. I attribute my success to building an maintaining relationships with professionals I've had the pleasure to become friends with, shopping intelligently at auctions (local and ebay), figuring out ways to turn a purchase into a money maker (I view saving money I would normally spend as making money), viewing my shop as the hobby and the products that come out of it as practice, and a non-quenchable thirst for leaning how to build something or solve a problem. I also think common sense comes in to play at some point but, unfortunately, common sense can't be learned or taught so a brief mention of it is probably good enough. My app keeps blowing up so I'll save off and elaborate in another post...

 

[lilscorpion]

I learned long ago that it takes way too long to learn how to do something by trial and error and that professionals typically sell experience (and machine time). If you wanted to build a cabinet, there are three basic approaches I think people take. Some just go for it. They go to the local big box store, ask any old employee how to do what you want to do and go for it. I learned quick that some of those employees don't have a clue and the result is a pile of ruined wood. Others spend hours researching on the internet browsing sites. Downside to this is that you can't tell which site has the best info. Less of a chance ruining a pile of wood but the risk is there. Some people take a class (Woodcraft teaches hobby classes using the common woodworking tools and I don't think it costs much if anything) and you can learn how to use the tool from someone who knows. I think this is an excellent source of knowledge and your initial results will be much better. The last group is the group I fall into. If you happen to know someone that does it professionally, ask them for advice. 9 times out of 10 they'll invite you in and share more than you can retain in a single 2 hour session. If you're lucky enough to have a resource like this, accept as much of the knowledge they are willing to give. Don't take advantage and don't wear out your welcome! If you can manage all of that, I've found it's worth more than just about any other type of experience.

 

[winnipegtibook]

Please share a picture of the lathe!

 

[lilscorpion]

I've found the best places to buy quality tools is attending auctions (local and ebay) and extensive study on the value of tools both new and used. You can do very well at auctions if you can have (1) an understanding that you don't have to have it (2) a good idea of what an item is worth and (3) an idea of the things you'd like to have. I've done fairly well at auctions. About 8 years ago I purchased two lots of drill bits for just under $200 after fees. Great opportunity to show off my drill bit drawers. 100% of the drill bits in this drawer (1/2" and smaller) came from one of the two lots.

all but maybe 15 of the drill bits in this drawer ( > 1/2") came from the second lot. The metric drills (left hand side) aren't organized very well but I rarely ever use them.

When I purchases retail, I typically order through Amazon. When I do, I prep myself by going to http://www.camelcamelcamel.com (free) to find out what the high and low prices are for the item I'm looking to buy. CamelCamelCamel also has alerting so you can sign up to have the site send you an email when the price you desire is hit. I usually set my buy point to be within a dollar of the cheapest it's ever been on Amazon (if I can't find it anyplace else for cheaper). Sometimes I have had to wait a year but that minimum price does eventually come around. Here's an example of the 1/2" Dewalt impact I recently didn't buy when it hit an all time low. Most people that shop Amazon just buy without any understanding of how the pricing works. I'd rather buy at $80 than $110. That's $30 I can put towards something else.

Another secret of mine is I have a list of items that I really could use. My next purchase is always well thought out. I rarely get a wild hair. I utilize a watch list on ebay, Amazon, and manage one on my phone for other places with the best price I've found. When I window shop, I'm looking for things on the list and I have prices to compare to. Saves me time and makes getting a good deal easy.

 

[lilscorpion]

Please share a picture of the lathe!

It's a Mori Seiki MS850. I tripped over this about 4 years ago when I was looking for a replacement for an old Clausing lathe I had. The Clausing was tired and had a lot of runout. I was familiar with Mori Seiki because, at the time, I had a SL-2 in my shop that I had learned to program and really liked and when I saw there was a manual one with a 2.1" thru-hole in driving distance, I thought I'd take a look. Turned out it was purchased new by the guys dad and used very rarely over the course of it's life (they had a machine shop that typically ran smaller parts on a smaller lathe).

And a closeup of the control panel.

I have an Aloris CA tool post which was originally purchased for the Clausing. On the Clausing it was too big - in my ignorance as a first time lathe owner I noticed that the range within the spec was just barely inside the range of the clausing and, for whatever reason, I thought bigger was better. Basically I always had to have the tooling bottomed out on the Clausing. On the Mori it's perfect.

Every so often I clean a portion of it. The grime that was on it was thick and takes some elbow grease to get off. So far I've done everything above the ways. I keep putting off cleaning everything below it because even 30 minutes kills me knees.

 

[lilscorpion]

This next drawer is one I've posted before so forgive me if you've already seen it but it seems like this thread is a good place for it. I was attempting to come up with a way to create access to the whole drawer with as few movements as possible. Really my second attempt.

The top drawer is the most used tools. The back is the soldering tools and heavy crimpers. The bottom is my seconds and some continuity testers.

The drawer utilizes 24" full extension heavy duty drawer slides which are way overkill for the size of the drawer.

 

[lilscorpion]

This drawer is the hardware drawer. I reserved it for the "household, misc, and everything that doesn't fit well in any of the other drawers". Stuff like replacement christmas bulbs and junk like that. It's a tackle box like drawer that slides two ways to make things easier to find. Closed you can't tell I'm crazy.

Slide it open and the top drawers are retained by little clasps. So that they don't inadvertently open.

You can see the entire contents of the drawer if you open the clasps and slide the drawers out. Sliding the drawers out requires 75% drawer extension.

 

[lilscorpion]

Here's another drawer I've posted before when I shared my hex bit holders. It's where I keep all of my hex bits, hole saws, and spade bits. I can access just about anything in it extremely quickly. Got those red hole saws (complete set from 3/4" all the way to 5") for $55 shipped on ebay. Only thing wrong with them is the entire set only had one pilot drill bit and most of the screws that retain it are/were rusted. A little penetrating oil and they were back in business.

The hex bit holders were made out of delrin block. In hind sight, delrin is a really poor choice for making tooling holders. I would have been better off getting some 1" thick HDPE like I'm using now for the tooling trays and making it out of that. The Delrin is more expensive and doesn't machine as well. It does machine well, not to say it doesn't, but it tends to string up and make a mess if you can't get the chip out of the way of the cutter. I think HDPE ends up with a nicer surface finish with less effort than the delrin too. I made this one with the drill press (before I got the mill back up and running). Took more time laying out the part but the end result was nearly the same.

To give the holders a slight incline I used some short screws to create a stand-off. The cavity below has been used for storing new packs of bits as you can see in the picture. The stand-offs keep them out of the way but still in visible sight so I don't forget I have them.

 

[lilscorpion]

Here's the drawer I keep all measuring aids in (with the exception of tape measures). I don't like the fact that the rulers are just laying in there in a pile but I haven't come up with a better way yet. Maybe something like the file drawer? Dunno. Top left are my calipers and my old graphing calculator from college. I use the simple one in the lower left corner more often though.