Greetings fellow woodworkers,
I recently had back surgery and haven’t been able to do much in the shop other than draw and sketch out ideas. My surgeon told me a way to deal with chronic pain is to get almost “obsessed” with a hobby or project, so that the first the you think of in the morning, waking up at 3 or 4am, is your project, not your pain. I am also a professional pianist, but can’t sit at the bench a practice for very long.
So here is the result of my first obsession. I pulled out every tool I have and made a place for it in or on the tool chest. I drew inspiration and continue to do so from Studley, (of course,) and many of you, so thank you, thank you, thank you.
The first post is here
I put all my chisels and carving tools upfront. Nicer layout tools on the immediate inside and cheapie layout tools on the back side of that. My creative process, and I know it’s different for all, works in kind of a frenzy. I need to know exactly where all my tools are, and have them ready to go, otherwise the spark and momentum will dissipate, as I’m searching for a tool, or fixing a tool, or trying to figure out how I need to do what I need to do with a different tool, when I know that I have the exact tool that will do the job and just can’t find it!
This was actually a very relaxing project and it did keep me from thinking about the pain.
I welcome all comments, ideas for improvements, ideas for other work flow, order etc.
Thanks for looking.
6 comments so far
TimWood
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145 posts in 439 days
#1 posted 317 days ago
Nice build! Everything at your fingertips. Question…why did you choose holes instead of slots on some of the brackets? I understand the holes with the narrow profile carving tools on the left top, but below it, some chisels are in slots and some in holes. I know you have a rationale and it’s in 4/4 time!.... I’ve added your build to favorites and asking these questions because I need to build the same thing. I like the peg board approach…relocating a bracket is easy if needed as you EXPAND your collection. I said ‘as’ not ‘if’ :) ....can’t ever have too many tools!
Thanks for sharing.
Tim
-- Tim Harrelson
dragonnotes
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61 posts in 1229 days
#2 posted 317 days ago
The chisels seem to work better in slots. The carving tools held better in holes. I tried both. The 3rd rack up from the bottom on the left side is made up of 2 rails that held the butt chisels better than holes and slots. The ferrels on those were ever so slightly different sizes and having one high and/or lower than the others drove me crazy. It also ended up holding some making gauges as a bonus. I know some people hate the pegboard, but I don’t mind it. Like to said it allows me to reconfigure when necessary. Some brackets are resting on pegboard hooks. I drill some pegboard hooks into a rack at a slight angle to have the rack sit straight and some are held by finish nails, driven in and bent at a 90˚. Hope that helps. Oh, and the knives are held by rare earth magnets, resting on a base. Does anyone have any links and/or ideas for a combination plane/saw till?
a1Jim
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89134 posts in 1775 days
#3 posted 317 days ago
Nice work and very well organized
-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/
helluvawreck
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10924 posts in 1064 days
#4 posted 317 days ago
Now, that is a really nice tool chest. Congratulations.
helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com
-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau
Kookaburra
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744 posts in 422 days
#5 posted 317 days ago
This brings tears to my eyes. If your surgeon tells you that you should continue doing whatever project obsessed you, I have a shop full of tools lying around that would love a nice home like this.
-- Kay - Just a girl who loves wood.
Ken90712
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12859 posts in 1386 days
#6 posted 316 days ago
Well done and very organized!
-- Ken, "Everyday above ground is a good day!"
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