How Do You Carry/store Your Tools

[billymac814]

I have one homemade wooden case that came with some tools I bought years ago. Basic square box with a hinged lid. In the top of the box is a sectioned tray that can be lifted out to get to the stamping tools below. Each one has its own hole to go into.

I like the single holes, as it helped me notice any missing tools at the end of an event. The only problem that I have with them is not all tools have the same diameter handles. Some tools would flop around in holes for larger stamps, while bigger stamps won't fit into the smaller holes. I didn't make the case, but I may have looked at something that was adjustable to hold the tools in, and allowing for changing tools from time to time.

If I get a chance this weekend I will post some pictures.

I just thought of this, it might work, If you take two pieces of thinner wood to drill all the holes for the punches, drill them together so they are exactly the same and make the holes large enough to fit any, then sandwich a piece of foam rubber in between the two pieces of wood and cut a slit in each hole, that should keep the punches from moving around a whole lot and you'll only need one size. I didn't think of that when I made my rack but it's not really a big deal for me as I don't really move my stuff much.

[resqman]

Well I had a spare hour today and got around to building a tool rack. 1.5 inch diameter PVC pipe, 1/2 inch plywood, and a handfull of screws. I cut 1.5 inch diameter PVC pipe into 3.75 inch lengths using a chop saw and stop block. Ripped some scrap plywood into a strip 3.75 inches wide. Arranged the PVC tubes into a rectangle. Cut the plywood strip into 4 lengths that formed a 4 sided box around the tubes. Cut a piece of 1/2" plywood and screwed to the box to make a bottom. Propped up the box until I found an angle I liked. Cut some plywood into triangles and screwed to the side of the box to form supports. Stained the whole mess since the plywood was left over from several other projects and the stain helped to blend it all together.

Turns out the angle I liked is 45 degrees. You can turn the tool rack over and it is the same since both angles are 45 degrees. You could join the triangle supports and the short side of the box into a single 5 side house shape and save some lumber and screws. You could also make the "roof" of the house shaped piece have different angles, 45 and 60 degrees?, so you could have the box lay down or sit up more depending on which "roof" was being used.

All the tools have reflective orange tape for identication and retrevial. I teach stamping to Boy Scouts, often in the woods, on a picnic table, over leafs and other debris. The orange tape makes it easier to find any dropped tools. The reflective nature also helps for a second check at night. Shine a flashlight under the tape and sift through the leaves. The tape reflects the light back aiding in recovery.

Overall, maybe not the prettiest but it is functional. There is room to add many more tools. I can change the sorting of the tools easily. Cost to me was zero since it was made from leftover materials in the garage from other projects.

[ftnpenlvr]

Bit late to the party, but, figured I would throw this in