ALLEN KEY, PUNCH AND CHISEL RACK

[morsa]

Tool racks are a great way to organize the workshop; with them, the tools are at hand, and besides, you always know where to find them.
Some time ago, I made this rack for a punch and chisel set, and for a T-handle Allen key set, with a leftover 2 x 4.











Regards, morsa

[olcrs]

Great idea we all need to organize our tools. My problem is putting them back after use. My bench top seems to be a gathering place that all my tools like to meet at. LOL

[morsa]

Thanks, olcrs.
Besides racks, I love to use pegboard to organize hand tools; once you end a task, it’s easy to return each tool in its place, and that will certainly save a lot of time looking for tools next time you’ll need them. Besides, it’s easy to rearrange the pegboard each time you get a new tool; and that’s for sure: none of us will ever have enough tools.

[DIYer]

Thanks morsa! We've added your Allen Key Punch and Chisel Rack to our Racks category,
as well as to your builder page: morsa's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Allen Key Punch and Chisel Rack by morsa

tags: rack

[Steve Sawyer]

Pegboard has one problem though - you're restricted to mounting tools where the holes happen to be, and the hooks that are available, all of which I find to be very wasteful.

I've put up 3/4" good-quality softwood plywood (anything without voids, like marine plywood) all around my shop, primed and painted a light gray.

Now, I can run screws, or "L" hooks or cup hooks, or eyelets into the plywood, and can mount things like this scrap 2x4 rack anywhere on the panel. I'll use long construction screws run through a short piece of plastic tubing to give a soft non-marring surface for anything that is delicate.

I can get stuff all nested together making very efficient use of the space. If I have the need to do any re-organization, I can easily remove the screws/hangers, fill the screw holes with some kind of filler (plastic wood works well) cover with a dab of paint and continue with my re-organization.

[morsa]

Thanks for your comment, Steve.

I’m not trying to advocate for a system, but if you use pegboard with holes every 0.5” (instead of every 1”) you’ll hardly find it wasteful. Besides it is also possible to hook racks like this, and you can make usual and custom hooks at home.

I know, besides pegboard, there are many other ways to organize the workshop: slotted panels, French cleat systems, and of course, wood panels. Each one has pros and cons, but most of all, each one of us will use that of his preference.

I’m sure none of us will change his mind about which system is better; I propose you to start a new post, showing your panels, and I promise to show the pegboard panels I have. Not competition intended, just sharing several ideas to the forum, this way everybody wins.

[Steve Sawyer]

I was thinking as I posted that, that I wish I had some photos handy. I started with one panel about 9' long, and am in the finishing phase of a complete shop re-model, and put up two more panels and may even put up a third. Unfortunately, getting everything properly re-organized keeps getting pushed off until I get the dust collection ducting and ceiling installed and the wiring for the lights finished, so the original panel is looking a little moth-eaten as I've moved stuff to more appropriate spots around the shop!

But you are absolutely right - we all have our little quirks and preferences, and what works for me won't necessarily work for others. And I meant no criticism of pegboard, just that I found it somewhat limiting as you'll see when I post some pictures. And I'll do so in a new thread as you suggest.

[morsa]

Please, take pictures of the remodeling process, and I hope you can share them; I lack and I am interested in dust collecting systems. For your next tool panel, it will be nice to watch the arrangement process.