Advise On A New Tool Rack

[electrathon]

Question: Can the tool rack be stained and varnished or should it be left raw? I am worried about getting something on the stamps and ruining a project on a humid or rainy day.

I would coat it with spray varathane. Easy to apply and it will seal the wood.

Aaron

[Sylvia]

That looks really nice. I am a little late to this party, but I thought I would toss out a suggestion anyway. I know when I'm working I don't always put my tool back in the rack. There has been times when the knive rolled off and hit my bare foot. I've also had things get dragged off while I turned the leather. My space is very small. So I would suggest a fairly strong magnet on one side, right side if you are right handed, left if you are a lefty... then when switching between tools you can slap one on the magnet. It will stay there until you need to switch again. I might have measured your dye bottles too and made a "cup" to hold it upright while dying and if you use the quarts of dye... it could be your beer holder too. Of course Ipod interface and speakers built in would make it totally awesome... name it "iRack" or Rock-n-Rack or something. lol

At any rate, now you need to make a leather case to fit.

[CGish]

That looks really nice. I am a little late to this party, but I thought I would toss out a suggestion anyway. I know when I'm working I don't always put my tool back in the rack. There has been times when the knive rolled off and hit my bare foot. I've also had things get dragged off while I turned the leather. My space is very small. So I would suggest a fairly strong magnet on one side, right side if you are right handed, left if you are a lefty... then when switching between tools you can slap one on the magnet. It will stay there until you need to switch again. I might have measured your dye bottles too and made a "cup" to hold it upright while dying and if you use the quarts of dye... it could be your beer holder too. Of course Ipod interface and speakers built in would make it totally awesome... name it "iRack" or Rock-n-Rack or something. lol

At any rate, now you need to make a leather case to fit.

iRack might get me sued, so I pass on that. Like the idea of a magnet, though. Might have to find one at Harbor Freight.

Here are final pictures. I decided not to stain it, so here it is in use.

Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions and ideas.

Cody

[Sylvia]

iRack might get me sued, so I pass on that. Like the idea of a magnet, though. Might have to find one at Harbor Freight.

Here are final pictures. I decided not to stain it, so here it is in use.

Thank you to everyone who provided suggestions and ideas.

Cody

LOL! So no iRack huh? Looks like it works really well, you might consider a couple of those little magnets at the bottom of an old shower curtain for those wells too. It will help keep small fiddly bits from moving about... like your needles and the allen wrench. maybe there's enough space to even sink it into the board.

Anyway... I'm envious.

[Newbee]

Cody,

I love your design! I have learned so much on this site. Here is two tool holders I made because I am pressed for space. I used some pvc pipe I had left over after I replaced the water and sewage lined in my house a few years ago. I cut the pieces about 2 1/4 in. long and held them at an angle and hot glued them together making each tier a little taller. In the middle I used large pieces of pvc to hold punches & so on. On the bottom I purchased a box of little long round Styrofoam pieces at hobbly lobby in the kids craft section and hot glued them to the bottom of each the 2 1/4 long pieces. I used a round piece of wood for the bottom and placed it on a 6in turn table thing. Of course gluing them together in a circle pattern, each tier didn't fit in a circle, but it came out ok to serve my purpose. I have been using it for about 1 year and it is very sturdy. I made a smaller one to keep at my little work bench. I don't have a lot of time to do leather craft, ( I gained custody of 2 of my Grandchildren, 3 yr and 1 yr. )but I enjoy it very much. Maybe someday I can get them interested in leather craft!

Edited January 15, 2012 by Newbee