Tool Holder

Having got frustrated looking for that elusive Allen key, wrench or other lathe accessory in the swarf under the lathe. I decided something had to be done about it. This was the result. Now all the normally used items are readily accessible and not covered in oil or swarf.

I claim no credit for its' originality as, if I remember correctly , I based it on a picture that I saw in ME in the early 80's. I've looked but can't find the original picture.

I thought others might be interested to seen how I solved this, what I considered was a frustrating and often time consuming situation.

Nice work, I remember a much less polished version of this from college, where various cut outs were made into wooden blocks to give seats for all the tools next to each lathe, each tool had a different coloured stripe that matched it with the colour of the wooden container, a good way of making sure each lathes tools dont go walk about.

I haven't got anything as wonderful as this creation, but i did make my own shelves with cut outs for tapers and collets.

I expect after a few months work they will take on a nice oil brownish hue, which some might say mars the pristine finish but i like to call it work patina.

Looking at the tools themselves, I can see you have a nice height gauge, similar to the hemingway design, i built mine too and found it's ALWAAYS in the way of what i'm doing, yet oh so essential. Now it may finally have a home in your setup.

I also have the same moore and wright 1-2" micrometer.

Happy machining.

Looks good to me.

That first shot is beautifully crisp with great subtle tones.

I could do with more pictures like that for MEW!

Neil

Maybe a cover shot for the mag Neil ?

I use something similar ( although not as nicely made ) for my lathe and it can swivel around so i can swing it across and use it for my X2 mill . It wouldn't matter if it was as big as a dining room table i would still pile it full of tools -usually left there from the last operation ! I really must learn to put my toys away after playing with them.

Ian

Neil,

Funnily enough, those are almost the exact words I uttered to Wifey earlier after cracking open a nice bottle of red!

John,

A nice solution to a problem I can sympathise with only too well. It might also keep those often used items out of the reach of the workshop elves who constantly move stuff to the opposite corner of the workshop as soon as you put it down! I've got a redundant trolley that I made a few years ago that currently houses a mig welder that I very rarely use so I might just crib your idea and turn it into a mobile tool trolley for use between the lathe and the mill.

Martin.

Neil:

Thanks for the complement, but I can't take credit for that shot as my daughter took it ! ( the rest are mine though).

Michael:

The height gauge is to George Thomas's design from his " The Model Engineer's Workshop Manual" book.

The whole unit swivels around in the mounting tube screwed to the back of the bench so as to get it out of the way if necessary.

Nice job, John. (Sigh), yet another of those round tuit jobs that never seem to happen.

Although those mikes look a little precarious for my slippery fingers.

Roger

Anyone noticed the cute little tray for the chuck jaws too?

Michael W

If that was mine it would be covered in oil, dust & chips in a couple of weeks I would forget to put parts back in their correct slots & end up just laying them in between the other bits. As there is insufficient room to get a brush between the parts I would end up using the airline to clean it & blow some important part in the bin. So business as usual really !!!!!!

Other than that-- a neat solution constructed between jobs. Might try something like that myself

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 18/09/2016 15:10:19