# Display / Storage for handplanes



## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I have been finding flaws with every plan I have drawn up or seen in magazines for handplane storage.

I would like to have them sitting at about 40 degrees (or 50 if you look at it the other way) so they are easy to see, grab and display as well. I have a fairly large area I could make into a case/cabinet/shelf unit, but can't seem to be happy with it yet. Still looking for the *AHA!* moment…

I don't think I am one of those guys that has to have it perfect, but I would spend a fair amount of time and money (lumber) to make it right, and if I don't ask, I may miss a great idea. Thanks!

Anyone care to share photos or ideas of their displays or storage?


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## wingate_52 (May 14, 2011)

That is a project that I am waiting to do. The inspiration has not appeared to me yet.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Right now, I really dont have good storage for my hand planes.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Are you thinking something like this? Or is the design going to be within a cabinet.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

When I made mine, I tried to make the angle horizontal enough to keep them from tipping ut, but vertical enough to keep the case from becoming too deep. I'm happy with the design…. I just wish I had made it larger now that the bug has bitten me.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I haven't seen that Aha moment either. For now its like this.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

I really like the LN shelf on the wall above and have been thinking about something like that but there are a number of drawbacks that I do not like. First, my shop is in my garage in a surburban area, I am not sure I would like all of the tools visable. Second, I really want to keep the dust of the tools, which says the storage environment should be able to be closed and finally It not all that efficient from a storage perspective. I would like design some extra storage space into the dead areas for storing spare blades, etc.

What I do is the way you can see everything and gain access to it.


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## dbray45 (Oct 19, 2010)

This is good, I need to expand my wall cabinet because it is too small - new chisels, more saws, more planes, etc…

So I am getting ideas as well.


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## derosa (Aug 21, 2010)

Was there ever a historical design for storing them? My collection is at the point I should consider building something as well but still small enough that there is lots of room for expansion and I don't want to make something that will be too small in the future.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I do like the LN display, a little steeper than I had thought would work, but it would save more space.

It is similar to what I have my shoulder planes on now, and they somehow took over from the chisels which used to be there.

Also have to agree with Wayne, I would like the planes to be dust free as I still use power tools on occasion…  but I cannot figure out a way to have an efficient door system. Without building a whole new cabinet, I can't have doors like David and Charlie show in their cases. Don't know if I can use those upper cabinet doors systems that disappear inside the top of the cabinet…

I have a fair bit of space to build mine, but I don't like too many empty shelves or the thought of building too small either…maybe I can't be helped.

I will sketch up what I am thinking and of where I am building mine, maybe that will help?

Thanks for the photos and suggestions so far, at this point everyone has a better storage system than I do!


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

I don't.










That's not even all my planes any more. I have them tucked all over. A Toolchest is SO going to have to happen next year.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

This is the area I was considering converting into handplane storage. I tried to draw straight lines with the editing program, but not skilled that way.

Perhaps some drawers on the bottom to make use of the depth, maybe even a door on each side as the cabinet is about 80" long, and probably store the planes similar to the cabinet Charlie shows, but w/o the doors. I just can't see how doors will work here.

As you can see now, it is primarily a "catch-all" and not used to its potential.










Any ideas other than get rid of it and start over?
Because this doesn't work…


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

You definitely need more shoulder planes, Randy. Go tell your wife, now!


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Thanks Jay, she said go ahead… she is very understanding, and it helped that her father was a carpenter. She understood that he needed tools to do his job, and has never said much about my purchases.

But, I take good care of her too, and she has a great sewing and quilting machine that are twice what some of my big shop tools have cost, and the house is packed with fabric (as the barn is with hardwoods).

When my son moved out, we saved over $500.00 per month just on food (him and friends), so there's an extra 6K to buy shoulder planes…


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Did you ever think of a rack that angles the shoulder planes? So you can see them on their sides sort of. I am thinking along the lines of a modified Japanese chisel rack.

Or donate some of the planes less fortunate souls like Al, Wayne and maybe if you feel the need…me. This is only so you can buy more without causing too much of a storage issue..rather selfless I think you'll find.

Seriously the more I see of your collection the more I drool. Is that jointer an ECE? I own a few saws from them and they are wonderful.


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Lol. I got caught sneaking a Bedrock 606 in the house tonight… Got a dirty look, but no comment.

Thanks RG, I could use a couple more shoulder planes… : ^)


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I'm starting to hate to come to a thread where jusfine is posting. I'm going to have to start dipping into my 401k.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

RG, the jointer is Veritas. I will definitely think about sending each one of you a plane… 

Don, at least you have a 401k, whatever that is…
No such thing in Canada as far as I know.

I will stop posting after I get a brilliant idea for the cabinet. Fair enough?


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

For what is worth, here is mine. Pretty happy with it, got it from FWW mag.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Justine you cant stop posting. We need someone to look up to besides Al.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

One of these days, I'm going to make one about like the one RGtool posted above, but it will be a little steeper in slope in a cabinet with doors and have relief so teh blade isn't resiting on anything. I am thinking that relief will merely be a slim block in the bottom that is custom cut for each plane.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

I am not sure about that Don…

Topa, that sounds like a great plan, I like the relief idea.

JGM, that is a handsome display!
I have seen a few being held by a dowel or what looks like a leather strap, but never seen one in person to see how they release, I like to reach over and grab the one I want, then put it back. Can you do it one handed with that system?


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## JGM0658 (Aug 16, 2011)

To reach for the plane you can do it one hand, to put it back you need both to secure the plane on the loop.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I have mine hanging by dowels or 5/8" steel rod that makes up my shelf. I made a prototype of a plane hanger. Its a piece of 1/2 dowel with 2 strips of wood that will swing up out of the way. You can hang the plane or take it down with one hand. Of course its only for bench or planes with a front knob. Post #5 above.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Don I liked the look of yours, but it won't work for most of my planes, so I think I am stuck on the sloped base for them to sit on.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Mine hang on bootlaces like JGM. They pop out one handed and go back in with the motion in reverse. Pretty quick really. If I do a tool cabinet I will keep the bootstraps if I can because it is so efficient. Not really an option for the shoulder planes though. I really think your design had to show off that collection but I am stumped at this moment as to how to do it while having considerations made for other tools.

AH!!!!! I have an idea. Instead of a slope or a shelf combine the two. Add little mini shelves/steps to your sloped storage rack so that you can set the shoulder planes safely ion them and still view the sides (kind of like stadium seating for hand planes). No straps or cleats to deal with and it uses the space efficiently while giving you a good display area.

my 401k turned into a 201k in 08. Oh well. I'm young yet.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I want to build the cabinet with at least 2 layers of tools plus the door. Too many tools and not enough space ;-)) the first layer that is sloped can lift up out of the way to access the back layer or 2. My inspiration comes from the Studley tool chest augmented by my over active imagination!!


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Topa, I also like the Studley, but would like it to be more "accessible" since mine will be built only for the shop.

RG, I like the idea of stadium seating for the smaller planes, as long as it doesn't get too complicated.

Since we have a long weekend, I was hoping to spend tomorrow in the shop roughing it out, maybe using baltic birch for the exterior frame, trim w hardwood (see the cabinet I want to build it in above post), then fill in the sloped areas for full size planes, "stadium seating" for the shoulder planes and add a row of small drawers on the bottom for additional storage.

First thing is to clear that whole area, then start.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

WAIT A MINUTE!!! I did not think Veritas made wooden planes where are those sold?


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Lee Valley does….

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=55597&cat=1,41182 
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=46873&cat=1,41182
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=41200&cat=1,41182


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Those are all E.C.E.'s, my brain is spinning. I don't mean to derail the thread, but if veritas does in fact make wooden planes there is a lot of drooling (er, research) I need to do.

The stadium seating should not be too hard. Just a lot of triangles glued and pinned to your angled base board to create the steps, you could even put a slight lip on the front edge to keep them from sliding off and to gain some finger space for when you grab the tools.

Wayne with your hand in the cookie jar that made me smile…I missed that post the first time.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

Jusfine have you thought of having a roletop thing as door 
hen they will be displayed right away when opened and still dust free in a secund when you close it

Dennis


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Sorry if I misled you, RG, Lee Valley sells ECE, sometimes I interchange the names…Veritas is the manufacturing arm of Lee Valley.

Dennis, that just might work, will see if I can make one. Thanks!


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

I forgive you Randy. It does not look like they sell that long one anymore. I really love wooden jointers.

The other option for dust protection is to build a door on roto hinges so it can be opened and slid above the rack and out of the way (like a barrister bookcase).


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Nuther thought, for some of my planes that simply sit on a wooden (flat) shelf,
I used a frostner bit just a bit widerthan the blade, drilled into the shelf where the blade sits..it's safe from whatever might happen and no need to back off the blade when storing.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Thanks RG! I was a bit worried… 

I had thought about hiding the doors above the case, but if you look at the photo, it is not nearly as deep as it is high, so it doesn't seem to me that they would recess completely, unless I had a tambour door and rolled it down the back.

I am thinking it really wouldn't be that hard to use a vacuum with a soft brush and clean up the planes once in awhile, maybe after planing a large amount of lumber. Or even just blowing the dust off with compressed air.

Glen, I could see that the forstner bit idea would work for me too! Thanks.

I am off to the shop, first to clean up, then start on the case.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Have fun.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Well, it wasn't quite that easy RG, back in for lunch now, but my wife reminded me I had promised to fix a broken old wooden wagon that had two wheels broken off, so I got out a scrap of cherry for the axles, used a drawknife, plane and chisel to make the dowels, so I did get in a bit of hand tool work.

Hope to get a good start this afternoon.


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## jeth (Aug 18, 2010)

A simple enouigh solution to the door issue that hasn't been mentioned would be sliding doors. Put all your planes racked on angles shelving on one side so you have access to the full set when it's open, the other side use more for storage of items you don't need constant access to, finishing supplies or whatnot. You could use a glass panel on the plane side and a solid panel the other side.

If you wanted to go so far you could maximise use of the space with the shelving on some kind of parallelogram mechanism, longer planes towards the bottom and back and upper tiers shorter with smaller planes. They would all sit at near vertical until you pull out the rack and they slant back to become more accesible.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

Nothing is ever easy.

But it can be worked out in the end.


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