File racking

Could anyone suggest a propriatory source of workshop racking for metal file storage please. Plastic or metal.

Web searches not delivering.

I know I should make one. But too many projects.

Rod, the best is plastic tube cut to the length of file and stacked or glued to each other. heavy files at the bottom of course.

Clive

I guess you could try one of those magnetic kitchen knife holders. Not sure if they are powerful enough to hold a 12" file though.

Unless you only file nonferrous metals you don't want your files magnetised, high carbon steel makes good magnets. A shallow draw is the ideal place, with dividers to keep the files apart. Ian S C

I have mounted a piece of material, chipboard/wood/plywood or similar, underneath an existing shelf. Said undershelf also has appropriately located spacers thus a series of slots are created under the shelf proper into which my files, and other long tools, are slid.

Costs? A few screws, perhaps. Some wood glue, perhaps. Some scrap bits of offcuts. In other words, next to nothing.

Location is quite high up above my workbench so the tools are handy and don't get in the way.

Regards,

Peter G. Shaw

I have seen somewhere the suggestion of using the honeycombed plastic used on conservatory roofs, I have not tried this myself. A similar option is the plastic steps on scaffolding, they are hollow with dividers. Cutting these to file length and stacking them should give a good storage rack.

Baldric

Edited By Baldric on 05/11/2012 16:01:34

I've got a row of these

**LINK**

to hold my files , also anything else that fits.

Roy.

PS sorry I cant figure out how to shorten links with the forum software.

Edit............. it appears to have done it for me.

Edited By wheeltapper on 05/11/2012 16:48:50

Hi Rod,

I always make a simple wooden wall mounted rack e.g. sometimes holes in a suitable length of say 1 1/2" x 3/4"with another piece below to support the end of the file, i.e. the file is not supported by its handle. Depending on the number of files I have and the space available. Are they in a drawer, in a rack on the wall, in a cupboard. What size are they, what profile? E.g. flat ,hand, warding, three square, round, square, needle files etc,

All of these factors will decide what you need to do, there is no one solution all situations are different.

Best regards

Terry

I picked up a couple of these when they were on sale ... although you could make something similar.

Glad you said 'make' Sid.

Cardboard tubes that come inside a variety of sizes in things like clingfilm, kitchen foil, freezer bags etc. Then into a wine rack which also holds bar material. Or glue them together for a vertical honeycomb stack.

I used a system similar to Peter G. Shaw's. I find that the foam cored facsia board planking often found in skips is an ideal material for specialized racking material. For the files I used 8mm thick and cut of 20+ strips 6" long and 10mm wide. These were then glued to a plank like board which was then inverted and screwed under an existing shelf. A short section was equiped with 2 X 8mm thick to give room for large round files. The thicker stuff can be bored with a seies of holes to hold collets, again screwed under a shelf.

Frank

Not a very good shot as it was just a general shot and not taken for the file rack.

Part of the rack is visible RH side on the front of the bench.

Just a bit of flat sheet screwed to the bench with a smaller flat strip bolted to it and spaced off with two old nuts.

Files drop in the gap, my setup doesn't give me any sides to the bench but they fit as good on the side of a bench.

This rack holds about 12 - 15 general files of different shapes, anything else isn't as commonly used or it would be in the rack and they live in drawers.

John S.

Snap-on Tools and Sealey Tools (and others) sell pairs of crocodile teeth spanner storage racks. These are ideal for storing both your spanner sets and your engineering files in a convenient and orderly fashion.

Search your friendly e-auction site for 'Spanner rack'. There are a number of sizes to chose from. They do not cost a fortune and a perfect for the job. Just stick them to the bottom of an empty drawer.

Mike