[TXFred]

I felt like showing off my latest upgrade to the shop.

One of my long term projects has been to make my own tool holders. This was a success, and so suddenly I had an enviable problem. Too many tool holders. This lead to a bit of a mess on my workbench.



I'd seen a tool rack made out of a cutting board, and I thought that it was a brilliant idea. Cutting boards are cheap, and they're made of oil and solvent resistant, high temperature plastic. So yesterday I set out to copy that idea.

$20 at the grocery store got me two of the biggest cutting boards they have. One became the top of the rack, and the other was cut up to make the supports. Here's the result.



The bottom of the rack, showing the support structure.



Most TTS holders will fit in the grid of holes. Some tools, such as the 1/2" drill chuck, or a 2" slitting saw, are too large. So there are six spaces dedicated for large diameter tools. All told, this rack will hold 62 tools. And it takes up the same amount of space as two Tormach tool racks, which could only hold 42 tools.

It's meant to be put together with countersunk screws, but I was out. On Monday I'll go buy the correct hardware. But for now, the button head screws work well.



Of course, now I'm back to my old problem. Too many holes. Not enough tool holders!

[Steve Seebold]

That's neat. All you need now is bench space to store it.

[TXFred]

That's the eternal problem, isn't it? The workbench is never big enough. The air compressor never pumps enough CFM. And you always need 100 more square feet of floorspace.

[Scott_M]

Nice job Fred !!

I did something similar a couple years back, but mine slides out from under my bench. No bench space taken and it does not collect chips either.
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...rack_pics.html

Scott

[Steve Seebold]

That's the eternal problem, isn't it? The workbench is never big enough. The air compressor never pumps enough CFM. And you always need 100 more square feet of floorspace.

Ain't that the effing truth.

[tbaker2500]

Nice!
I'm just approaching filling all the slots.

[Wog]

Looks great! Super idea using the cutting boards.
I'd think about getting stainless screws when you change over so that there won't be a rust problem on the black oxide steel from any coolant.

[Gerry Sweetland]

Looks nice Fred.
Are those just standard mailing labels you have on the tool? If so, how do they hold up?
I have a plywood tool rack with numbers on each hole and you wouldn't believe how many times I put the wrong holder/ tool # in the wrong slot as I'm working.
Your method for labeling seems like a nice way to go.
Gerry

[TXFred]

Those are from a label maker, so they're printed on plastic. So far, the labels are staying in place with no problems. And will peel off cleanly when I want to relabel a tool holder.

The problem with having a label maker and a CNC is that while the CNC is working, I spend all my time labeling things. My workbench is becoming a shrine to Obsessive Complusive Disorder.

Frederic

[Gerry Sweetland]

The problem with having a label maker and a CNC is that while the CNC is working, I spend all my time labeling things. My workbench is becoming a shrine to Obsessive Complusive Disorder.

Frederic

Ahh, OCD I have CDO. It’s like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order, LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

Gerry

[David Bord]

Ahh, OCD I have CDO. It’s like OCD, but the letters are in alphabetical order, LIKE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE.

Gerry

ROTFLMAO... Damn that was funny!