wrench rack, DIY style

[t100]

It all started with a piece of scrap aluminum plate and a plastic wrench rack. use the plastic as a template to draw the each opening.

then punch the center for drill a 1/4 hole at the bottom of each ****.

cut each **** with my modified Milwaukee Porta-band saw

then clamp it on to the edge of my welding table, make the bend.

here it is finished, deburred

it took me about half hour, it's not perfect, but it is MINE....

 

[mkdive]

Great pictures, with a very nice end result! That's very neat you made your own rack! Gives me some ideas now. Thanks!

 

[DHS]

Those came out great, I think I need to get on the ball and make some of those.

 

[Monte]

Very nice !!! I also like the stationary portable band saw !

 

[Mickey O]

Very nice. I had a scroll saw that I sold not to long ago, wish I'd kept it, I'd like to try making some wrench racks with a variety of materials, acrylic, wood, plastic, thin lexan would be nice and it can be bent and retain it.

 

[pirana]

Good Job! I love home made stuff.

 

[LoneGunman]

Very nice, can you post some detailed pics of what you did to the portaband to mount it like that?

 

[tslabaugh]

Now you should coat it in plasti-dip!

What brand is the plastic rack?

 

[t100]

Very nice, can you post some detailed pics of what you did to the portaband to mount it like that?

I got the idea from this place:

http://www.swagoffroad.com/Porta_band_Product.html

but, with the same amount of buying a plate, I bought some square tubing and scrap 3/16" plate, welded up a welding table. then cut an open sl0t, drilled 3 counter sunk holes, 3 flat top screws. that's it. it doubled as my welding card when I had my small MM130 welder.

Now you should coat it in plasti-dip!

What brand is the plastic rack?

I cut it out from a Harbor Freight wrench organizer, there was a thread about it my I can't seem to find it. it's only $10 and U.S. made.

 

[alex71]

Nice wrench rack... but you're killing me... its slOt, not ****. Please...

 

[t100]

selective memory at its best.

 

[Mickey O]

Any possible problem with electrolysis with aluminum racks and steel tools?

 

[Danglerb]

Makes me want to give something a try as well.

 

[Thumper]

I like it !

 

[justinmc]

Nice work.. pretty labor intensive but nice if you want a custom wrack to hold an exact amount of wrenches, etc. Maybe line the valleys with something to keep them from marring up the chrome? Powdercoat for color coding?

 

[Jononon]

Any possible problem with electrolysis with aluminum racks and steel tools?

Negligible, chrome plated steel and common aluminium alloys are not that far apart on the galvanic table and the environment is likely to be dry. Also the aluminium will preferentially corrode, damaging the rack rather than the tool.

 

[old salvage]

Any possible problem with electrolysis with aluminum racks and steel tools?

Do you mean galvanic corrosion ?

 

[Jononon]

Do you mean galvanic corrosion ?

I assumed so, stray currents not being a common problem in toolboxes

 

[Mickey O]

Do you mean galvanic corrosion ?

No, I meant electrolysis which would lead to corrosion.

 

[Jononon]

No, I meant electrolysis which would lead to corrosion.

Electrolytic corrosion requires a current source. Where would that be found ?

 

[Mickey O]

Electrolytic corrosion requires a current source. Where would that be found ?

Moisture in the air (Humidity), an electrolyte, and two dissimilar metals will create an electric current, electrolysis, which will lead to galvanic corrosion.

 

[ourkid2000]

I have a quick question as I'm thinking about making a few of these......

The plastic wrench rack that you made the template with is triangle shaped, which helps it accommodate the smaller size wrenches towards the bottom. I noticed you didn't go this route and your smallest size wrench just barely fits.

Any reason for this? Would making the aluminum rack more like the plastic holder design be a more complicated fabrication? Or is that your smallest wrench and didn't need to complicate things?

Thanks!

 

[t100]

it is just random, the size of the rack is limited my the material and tools I have on hand. if I have a finger brake, and a shear, a full sheet of aluminum, I can pretty much make for any wrench I want, but I don't.

as for galvanic corrosion, even these is any, the one to be corroded will be the aluminum anyway. I'm in the process of making few more but not finished yet. one tool I got to use on the new ones is a Whitney punch, it made the hole so much better, even more, not need for de-burring.

picture will follow maybe later tonight.

 

[Jononon]

Moisture in the air (Humidity), an electrolyte, and two dissimilar metals will create an electric current, electrolysis, which will lead to galvanic corrosion.

Right, so when you answered 'No...' to old salvage, you meant 'yes'.

 

[ourkid2000]

That's cool....was just wondering because we have all kinds of sheet metal tools at work and I'm just getting into making a few things for myself.

It just seems that every time I get a sheet metal project idea and get started, I run into some problem in the fabrication that I didn't foresee or I make some stupid mistake and have to start over.

 

[Mickey O]

Right, so when you answered 'No...' to old salvage, you meant 'yes'.

What? Who's on first.

I originally stated what I meant, electrolysis. What I was asking about was does he think there will be a problem with corrosion (caused by electrolysis) and wondering if he took any preventive measures, tape, plastic dip, etc. I have a few metal wrench racks (not sure if they are aluminum or steel) and I'm just looking to hear what other people's thoughts are on the matter. I'm thinking of spraying mine with some clear paint (poly or varnish).

 

[jjarrell4]

Love the rack idea I have to try that out

 

[Moose-LandTran]

That's freakin' awesome! Definitely have to try and make some myself. I haven't found any that are right for Snap-on angle wrenches. All i need now is a bandsaw..

 

[tonydanzah]

Electrolytic corrosion requires a current source. Where would that be found ?

I think he is trying to say dissimilar metals.

 

[rodm1]

Very nice, can you post some detailed pics of what you did to the portaband to mount it like that?

+1

 

[t100]

the Portaband mode is very simple, just cut one open slot and 3 holes using the portaband's own blade guide as a template.

I went through the sheetmetal room at school last night found more scrap aluminum. this is the new batch, punched and cut, ready to be bent. I'll wait till I find a finger brake to have cleaner bends.

 

[Mickey O]

the Portaband mode is very simple, just cut one open slot and 3 holes using the portaband's own blade guide as a template.

I went through the sheetmetal room at school last night found more scrap aluminum. this is the new batch, punched and cut, ready to be bent. I'll wait till I find a finger brake to have cleaner bends.

Why do you need a finger brake for clean bends?

 

[t100]

friend of mine has one, but he's 50 miles away I don't want waste all these gas just for 3 wrench trays. the one I made yesterday isn't at straight. the newer ones were cut using a pair of left-right hand tin snips, straighter cut than a band saw.

 

[fordbroncodave]

good idea and good work. you just saved yourself $15

 

[t100]

here are the new ones I made. again, from scrap sheet metal, aluminum was not available.

these are trays rather than racks. the reason for that is the space for wrenches in my box is getting crowded, I need to find more efficient way to keep them. racks are convenience but they waste too much space.

I came up with those different configurations just to tinker around.

the piece of white paper just a mock-up, I'm gonna weld a piece of strip there as a divider.

 

[PhantomEB]

Very interestin ideas here, i do like the OP's idea since I can add on for the bigger wrenches I cant fit in my store brought wrench tray.

 

[Cryptic1911]

I just looked all over at wrench trays and didn't find any that I particularly liked (all plastic), and surprisingly never thought to DIY some out of sheetmetal... which is very odd since I work at a sheetmetal shop

 

[herbet99]

I love the box trays. I was thinking of making a few myself but with dividers to separate my wrenches by size. So I would have a 1/2 inch slot, a 9/16 inch slot, etc. I can't say I'm a tool connoisseur so I don't mind mixing up my tool manufacturers.

 

[bry@n]

Looks great. Thanks for sharing.

 

[383astro]

could you stack those trays in your drawers? like use some small angle iron and attach it to the drawers and then the trays can slide on the angle so you can get to whats underneath? if that made any sense, im not sure. if it was possible that would save some space