Tooling organization

[akdiesel]

lilscorpion

Nice work as always.
Once I saw this thread I wanted to build things out of plastic sheets. I am going to use some PVC sheet for doors for my cabinet project since they will be easy to tool and sturdy enough to keep shape.

 

[lilscorpion]

lilscorpion

Nice work as always.
Once I saw this thread I wanted to build things out of plastic sheets. I am going to use some PVC sheet for doors for my cabinet project since they will be easy to tool and sturdy enough to keep shape.

That sounds cool. Make sure to post up so we can check it out. I ebay'd PVC, it doesn't look cheap. What thickness would you be using?

 

[akdiesel]

lilscorpion

I have been trying to price it out as best I can with HDPE or PVC or even Delrin. I found 24" x 48" sheets of PVC at Grainger for around $60 and shipping would be free if I pick it up there.
Have you done much work with the expanded PVC sheet?

 

[lilscorpion]

lilscorpion

I have been trying to price it out as best I can with HDPE or PVC or even Delrin. I found 24" x 48" sheets of PVC at Grainger for around $60 and shipping would be free if I pick it up there.
Have you done much work with the expanded PVC sheet?

I've not personally used it before butive seen it used in the 80/20 aluminum setups as panels and shelves. http://www.8020.net/Quick-Frame-28.aspx. I couldn't find it but I swear they use it for doors.

I've machined some PVC tubing during a home theater project and it machines easily. All three (PVC, Delrin, and HDPE) machine easily but Delrin is stringy and the chip doesn't break so it easily loads up the cutter.

 

[IONH]

How have I missed this thread for so long? I'll have to come back later to read all 11 pages.

 

[lilscorpion]

Re: Tool Organization

This is how it goes for me when it comes to organization. I live with a lack of it then, when I can't stand it anymore, I go hyper-organized. It's been about a year or so since I've sprayed (my term for shooting material out of an HVLP) and with my recent push, I've done it probably 50 times ow in the past month. Given the number of coats and each time I get the gun out, clean it, and put it away, I've had plenty of time to reflect on how much I hate it's drawer. Here's where it goes.

Each time I need something I have to move half a dozen things. Even in a shallow drawer it's not quick to grab what I want as I open the drawer. The guns should be accessible in a single motion. The drawer I keep them in is just deep enough to stand them on end like this.

The cups on the guns are all about the same dimension. ~1.55-inches in diameter and maybe 1.5-inches from tip to trigger if I were to make a holster like thingy. They'd need to be spaced just over 1.5-inches apart to clear the regulators. So I cut 6 2-inch diameter holes 1-5/8 inches apart in a 3/4-inch piece of ply using a forstener bit on the drill press.

Checking the angle at which thus needs to sit, it's 20 degrees.

So made a little standoff to tip the surface and cut a relief in it to give some additional clearance where the triggers are going to be and glued it up.

Now to make some plastic inserts to turn the holes in the board into cup holsters (for lack of a better term). I had some white Delrin/Acetal that I bought about 5 years ago to make RC wheels but ended up using black instead. At 2 1/2-inches it'll leave a nice shoulder in the 2-inch holes I the ply. A couple of zips on the table saw and I'm ready for the lathe.

I really like machining plastic. If you can hang on to it with the chuck, you can go from no hole to Mac drill size in one plunge. This one was a full 1 1/2-inch hole.

You can take almost as big of a cut as the face of the cutter. In this case it's a full .250 and the a light finish pass (more because I undershot the first cut intentionally). Sweet thing about plastic is you can get a mirror finish with a very aggressive feed.

A quick bevel on the OD and ID and its ready for a test fit with a slight tap into the hole.

6 more times.

Now I kinda got excited to see it in the drawer so I failed in documenting the gun grip support but here it is with the other with a couple coats of poly.

Once dry, I tap in the sleeves.

And unload and reload the drawer.

Way more organized. There's not as much stuff in the drawer now (the masks and other filters will find a new home) but all of it is easy to get to and will stay right where I left it. I'm considering making an organizer for the needles, cups, and other smaller items so they aren't free floating in the drawer and maybe something for the paint cups to keep them from rolling around.

 

[thoraudio]

 

[Kevin54]

I noticed the bevel on the bottom. Will that also hang on a French Cleat so you can use it for filling the cups when in use?

 

[lilscorpion]

I noticed the bevel on the bottom. Will that also hang on a French Cleat so you can use it for filling the cups when in use?

Now that's a neat idea...wish I thought of that. I just tried and had I done a few things slightly different it would have worked by mistake. Maybe at some point I'll make a single or double and try to make it work on both a flat sure face and hanging from a cleat.

 

[hookedontronics]

very cool. I like your cordless drill holder as well, can you snap another pic of that?

 

[Kevin54]

Now that's a neat idea...wish I thought of that. I just tried and had I done a few things slightly different it would have worked by mistake. Maybe at some point I'll make a single or double and try to make it work on both a flat sure face and hanging from a cleat.

I know that when I fill mu gun cup, the metal holders that come with them tips the cup back, when filling. I end up slopping the paint where it shouldn't be. I may just have me an afternoon project tomorrow and make myself one. And I need something like you have to store my guns. I hate laying them on their side up in the cabinet.

 

[lilscorpion]

very cool. I like your cordless drill holder as well, can you snap another pic of that?

Sure. Fairly simple and I use it all the time. I made it a double for woodworking so I could have one impact setup for Phillips screws and one for a countersink. Not havering to switch saved me time but the rack made it even better.

The width of the slot was picked to allow the guns to sit either upside down or right side up.

Upside down allowed the rack to be used for other Dewalt 18v tools.

I mostly use it with the drills/impacts though.

 

[lilscorpion]

I know that when I fill mu gun cup, the metal holders that come with them tips the cup back, when filling. I end up slopping the paint where it shouldn't be.

.

I know what you mean. Same thing happened to me last week. They must make the stands like they do for ergonomic reasons 'cause it sure isn't designed to get the cup level. You'd think in testing they'd figure it out.

 

[lilscorpion]

Re: Tool Organization

And wrapping the drawer up, I decided to make an organizer for the paint cups so they can't roll around. I had the exact side hole saw for the cups I have but figured I don't know for sure it that's the size they'll always be so I went upto the 4-inch.

And a shot of the finished drawer.

I finally finished the last of the cabinet doors. The cooler weather is brutal on finishing. Waiting for ~70 degree weather combined with prolonged dry times made four coats take about a week and a half. All summer four coats could have been done in a single day. Nothing like procrastination. Here's the finished door I posted up the how to a few weeks ago.

And the last of the cabinet doors. I can say I'm done.

Now back to the truck. If I can get it running again I'd be able to get it out of the way and do my Garage Gallery post (which was a personal goal I set for myself for 2013) though with the weather turning, I'm probably going to have to get serious about getting the heater installed.

 

[Duker]

Oh... I am so stealing that idea for the cups and guns! Very nice!

 

[ihredo4]

Wow, very impressive with what you have done here.

 

[lilscorpion]

Re: Tool Organization

Even though I said I'd work on the truck today, I had a few things I wanted to wrap up for the summer. I'm tired of chasing the paper towels around the shop so I figured I'd knock out the holder I've been contemplating. Simple design and made out of scraps (except the doweling).

the idea was the retention clip. I decided to do something like used on the brake lines on my truck. I set the lathe for max rpm and used a parting tool to make a groove that's a hair wider than 1/4-inch and ran it in until I had an OD of about 7/8-inch. Used a piece of black melamine and cut a slot with the jigsaw. With the diameter of the dowel right, the clip fits tightly over the dowl.

The slots were done exactly the same as I did in the doors and lined the groove of the dowel up with them.

The "clip" slides in with minimal resistance and holds everything together.

And all put together...there's just enough room between the sides and the paper towel roll to keep it from slopping all around when I grab one and the holder isn't any bigger than it needs to be for the towel roll. if the diameter of the rolls ever change I'll have to make a new one. As most of you guessed, I also added a french cleat on the back so it can move around the shop with me.

 

[akdiesel]

lilscorpion

Great ideas and skills.
The HVLP drawer is a perfect solution for clutter. Too many times have I purchased thing twice cause I could not find it earlier being on the bottom of stuff.

 

[JustinS]

Your attention to detail in your organization is impeccable!

 

[sakurama]

Re: Tool Organization

And a shot of the finished drawer.

Okay, seven guns, six holders and space for the seventh...

Knowing you that's intentional but what's up with that?

Nice work as usual. Thanks for the inspiration.

Gregor

 

[lilscorpion]

Re: Tool Organization

Okay, seven guns, six holders and space for the seventh...

Knowing you that's intentional but what's up with that?

Gregor

Man, nothin' gets by you guys...yep, intentional. The entire time I was building the rack I was pondering pitching that little gun. Of the lot, it's the only one I don't like - trigger spring is tight, trigger itself is sloppy because the pin holes are oversized. Ive also never got the "touch up" thing. Little needle size and cant I touch up with a full sized gun? the little stuff I've done in the past I used an airbrush anyway. It's bigger brother is on the end to the right and it suffers from similar issues but I deal with it because it's been a decent primer gun and it came with a couple of needle sizes. I intentionally left that space for a touch up gun that I like if I ever buy one so I can be sure it fits. I may just do something else with the space since I'm not even sure I want one.

I'm surprised it didn't bother you that I only have space for 5 cups...bugs the **** out of me but since I've thrown a few away over time, I actually only had 5 so I got over it fairly quickly. I never have used more than two guns at a time anyway.

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's been several months since I last checked out your thread. I've passed it up when I shouldn't have. Still a great and informative thread.

The black center of the cabinet doors looks way better than the white inserts. Sometimes I think contrast makes things look better than a color close.

I love the paint gun drawer. Simple design but so functional. How deep in that drawer ?


Love the paper towel holder too. It's another simple design that you add your flair too. Something to consider, if you design has the room at the top, is adding a top to it. I made a few paper towel holders for my garage. Mine are not movable like yours (french cleat) and screwed to the wall. By adding the top, it becomes a small shelf for small towels to get them out of the way or glue bottles. I doubt under the cabinets you would have the room for anything above them though.

 

[lilscorpion]

It's been several months since I last checked out your thread. I've passed it up when I shouldn't have. Still a great and informative thread.

Thanks, it's fun sharing and gets me motivated to keep moving a long. Getting other's ideas in the process is a cool benefit too and I wouldn't be getting them if I didn't post.

The black center of the cabinet doors looks way better than the white inserts. Sometimes I think contrast makes things look better than a color close.

Yeah I'm very pleased with the contrast. The last step is make the counter tops which I plan on making black which should tie it all together. I'll have to wait until summer though.

I love the paint gun drawer. Simple design but so functional. How deep in that drawer ?

6 or so inches deep I think. There's less than 1/4-inch clearance between the **** of the gun and the face frame. They just barely fit.

Love the paper towel holder too. It's another simple design that you add your flair too. Something to consider, if you design has the room at the top, is adding a top to it. I made a few paper towel holders for my garage. Mine are not movable like yours (french cleat) and screwed to the wall. By adding the top, it becomes a small shelf for small towels to get them out of the way or glue bottles. I doubt under the cabinets you would have the room for anything above them though.

I thought about adding a shelf but wasn't sure it made sense given its moveable. I am thinking about adding another dowel with a spring assembly to keep the roll from spinning so one-handed grabs are easier. Maybe I'll work a shelf in at that time.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Just another thing I forgot to ask.

How well do you like that Dewalt 18V jigsaw ?

 

[CharlestonJoe]

LilScorpion I know you have been told it many times already but your shop is awesome! I know its been years in the making and a lot of hard but enjoyable work and thanks for posting all the pictures and info.

I'm just starting on a new garage/shop space. Its a condo with a garage under it and I don't see us living here for years and years. So I think I will copy your french cleat system on any more cabinets that I build so I can just lift off the whole cabinet and take it with me! I wish I would've read this section a few days ago before I started on my work space.

To the others out there amazed by all the organization ideas and set ups you see on here. Don't feel overwhelmed and think you can't do anything like what you see. Just do one small project at a time. (I'm writing this for my own good as well!)

 

[nolimits76]

First off, wow, great attention to detail. You have produced some quality pieces and inspired alot of people with your work and attention to detail.

Usually a teflon sheet is used between the actual hot-plate and the parts.
It doesn't melt them enough to cause them to start drooling, just enough that the two parts can bond on the molecular level and cross-link when they're pressed together.

Here's an over-head image of the typical setup. The middle hot plate heats up and the two parts are moved in to heat the weld joint. Once they're heated the part plates pull away slightly and the middle hot plate is pulled back. The two part plates are then pushed together to bond the parts.

You may be able to do something similar with a propane torch and heating the two pieces before putting them in a press/clamping.

I also have some experience with HDPE materials, but from a different perspective. I used to work for a company that installed rolls of HDPE liner as well as HDPE piping in landfills, secondary containment applications, etc.

We used a process similar as above to "weld" our pipe in the field. If you ever try to this method, be aware that you will end up with a seam (from material "pushing" out). It looks similar to the attached picture, although not identical. The attached picture shows an extruded weld. Again, they look similar, but not identical. The extrusion process is more typically used in detail work such as constructing an HDPE box, creating boot sleeves for gas vent pipes (when working with liner), etc.

I just wanted to make you aware of the seam in case you tried something like this. I haven't tried to weld 2 flat pieces together like you are doing, but I think you would get a seam of some sort, which would need accounted for in your measurements.

On a side note, have you noticed any contraction/expansion with the HDPE blocks? When doing a liner job, during the day when temps reached near 100 degrees, we may have 2-3' tall wrinkles. At night when it cooled, the liner would be tight again. Granted, you probably aren't seeing exposure to sunlight and temps in those extremes, but being in the garage, I would be curious if they are "moving" any.

 

[Cameo]

I stumbled on this forum about a month ago, and tripped on this thread today. Read through it (most) and wow. I need to do a lot of work in my garage. I thought of myself as a master storage shelf builder, but no matter how tidy shelves are, they look like a mess. Doors are the way to go. and finding a place for everything!!

You have a real good eye for making use of space.

Thank you for all the ideas..

Time to get lost in the garage!!
Keep up the great work

Let me guess your beer fridge has detents to keep the cans from sliding around too

 

[lilscorpion]

Just another thing I forgot to ask.

How well do you like that Dewalt 18V jigsaw ?

I really like it. I have the same saw in a corded version and I haven't used it since I got the cordless. It's just too damn easy to whip out, make a cut, and put it away. On occasions where I need to make a lot of cuts (or really long ones) I sometimes have to swap the battery mid cut. No biggie though.

 

[lilscorpion]

LilScorpion I know you have been told it many times already but your shop is awesome! I know its been years in the making and a lot of hard but enjoyable work and thanks for posting all the pictures and info.

I'm just starting on a new garage/shop space. Its a condo with a garage under it and I don't see us living here for years and years. So I think I will copy your french cleat system on any more cabinets that I build so I can just lift off the whole cabinet and take it with me! I wish I would've read this section a few days ago before I started on my work space.

To the others out there amazed by all the organization ideas and set ups you see on here. Don't feel overwhelmed and think you can't do anything like what you see. Just do one small project at a time. (I'm writing this for my own good as well!)

Thanks for the compliments and you make very good points. This thread is over three years of weekend work and my second garage. Something as simple as the HVLP gun rack took days from inception to finish all summarized in half a dozen pictures which hides the time spent. The one constant is that I'm always thinking, designing, planning, and constantly searching for the "what would be cool" epiphany. Half my hobbyist my shop, the other half is using it.

 

[lilscorpion]

First off, wow, great attention to detail. You have produced some quality pieces and inspired alot of people with your work and attention to detail.

I also have some experience with HDPE materials, but from a different perspective. I used to work for a company that installed rolls of HDPE liner as well as HDPE piping in landfills, secondary containment applications, etc.

We used a process similar as above to "weld" our pipe in the field. If you ever try to this method, be aware that you will end up with a seam (from material "pushing" out). It looks similar to the attached picture, although not identical. The attached picture shows an extruded weld. Again, they look similar, but not identical. The extrusion process is more typically used in detail work such as constructing an HDPE box, creating boot sleeves for gas vent pipes (when working with liner), etc.

I just wanted to make you aware of the seam in case you tried something like this. I haven't tried to weld 2 flat pieces together like you are doing, but I think you would get a seam of some sort, which would need accounted for in your measurements.

On a side note, have you noticed any contraction/expansion with the HDPE blocks? When doing a liner job, during the day when temps reached near 100 degrees, we may have 2-3' tall wrinkles. At night when it cooled, the liner would be tight again. Granted, you probably aren't seeing exposure to sunlight and temps in those extremes, but being in the garage, I would be curious if they are "moving" any.

I haven't played with welding HDPE together yet, still pondering the approach. What expanded I the heat, the seam/joint or the material? I haven't noticed any of the stuff that I have changing size in the heat but haven't measured it because I didn't know to look.

 

[lilscorpion]

Re: Tool Organization

Had a little time today so I thought I'd knock out the clipboard rack I've been thinking about. Up until ow, the clipboard kinda floated between the top of the toolbox, the top of the lathe, the top of the mill...basically where ever I was last. It works well when I'm spending days in front of a given machine or location but ***** when I'm working all over the shop - either a project with many ops or a bunch of short projects. Anyway, I'd been planning on adding a rack to the center panel of the white door. iI's the first door I made when I thought I wanted white center panels and will need to be remade someday so it's perfect to try the rack idea on.

I grabbed some simple aluminum from the big box

Cut two 8-inch strips and attached them to the center panel.

Cut a piece of the rod and drilled and tapped the end.

For the button head screws

And attached it to the angle on the door.

Now the clipboard has a home. Easy shop upgrade.

 

[FarmerPete]

Not that I don't like your clipboard holder idea, but why not just use a hook? Isn't that the idea with clipboards having a hole?

 

[sakurama]

Not that I don't like your clipboard holder idea, but why not just use a hook? Isn't that the idea with clipboards having a hole?

You're asking the guy who makes French cleats for paper towels?

 

[ratdoggy]

Not that I don't like your clipboard holder idea, but why not just use a hook? Isn't that the idea with clipboards having a hole?

You're asking the guy who makes French cleats for paper towels?

That is pretty funny

 

[FarmerPete]

You're asking the guy who makes French cleats for paper towels?

Well, you could put the hook on a French cleat, and then it would be moveable.

 

[Southernbuild]

Your thread is inspiring; both the projects, and my increasing awareness of my "need" for machine tools. Its evident that you put a lot of thought into your projects, and it shows.

Btw, the clipboard rack is infinitely cooler than a mere hook

 

[lilscorpion]

Not that I don't like your clipboard holder idea, but why not just use a hook? Isn't that the idea with clipboards having a hole?

Stupid hook doesn't prevent the tablet/paper from falling out of the clip. Especially when I blow everything off with the air chuck. Funny thing, I had the clipboard on a hook, then screwed a French cleat to it (which really sucked), and then decided to do this. I get it seems overkill but I have a plan for the rod - a hangable/clip-on pen/pencil/marker/scribe gizmo...I'll need a better name. Anyway, I'm only a part of the way there with this.

 

[lilscorpion]

Well, you could put the hook on a French cleat, and then it would be moveable.

The clipboard itself is moveable but I get what you're saying.

 

[paranoid56]

heres my attempt.
using a 1/4" ball mill (max size my cnc router can go) and first time trying something like this. this was with 50% overlap, but going to need to do much more on the next test.
i cut two samples at .5" deep. still need to mess with a bit.
one was just a rectangle hole and the other was my attempt to couture to the handle.
not sure which one i will do, but seems interesting. I will say the rectangle is much easier to draw

i only cut the outline on the contoured one, but next test i will cut the shank too.

with the screwdrivers.

 

[Kevin54]

heres my attempt.
using a 1/4" ball mill (max size my cnc router can go) and first time trying something like this. this was with 50% overlap, but going to need to do much more on the next test.
i cut two samples at .5" deep. still need to mess with a bit.
one was just a rectangle hole and the other was my attempt to couture to the handle.
not sure which one i will do, but seems interesting. I will say the rectangle is much easier to draw

i only cut the outline on the contoured one, but next test i will cut the shank too.

with the screwdrivers.

With a ball nose end mill, you can't use a 50% overlap or you end up with the ridges. The smaller overlap you can do the better. It takes longer but gives a better finish. For what you are doing, try a flat bottom cutter, 2 flute, then you can run a 50% overlap. For a ball nose, I wouldn't go more than 5-10% at the most overlap for a decent finish.