Tool storqge

Re: Tool storqge

John K Jordan

Someone mentioned a magnet bar recently. I found out magnetized tools are a pain, especially when dry grinding on the Tormek with a CBN wheel. I have to keep a demagnetizer handy and unmagnetize the tools every time. Magnetized tools also stick to the tool rest and annoy me.

I have one rack (in picture, near left on back wall) that I like for large tools but not so much for some of the shorter tools I put there. I want to do something different for the small tools.

A friend of mine made slanted racks which I like. I don't have a picture handy but the tools rest on a little shelf on the end of the handle, pointy end up. Each tool leans forward resting against a horizontal wooden bar. Two or more of these angled racks can be nested to save space, with the upper row of tools a bit behind the lower one, still giving access to both rows.

BTW, I don't like to try to remember or guess from the handle so I always store tools so I can see the working end. Of course, a clumsy fall in the shop could be messy...

JKJ

Here is the tool holder I have near ......

JamieDonaldson

...my lathe, and the magnetic knife bar has never caused any noticeable residual magnetism in my tools. The bar is old and not as strong as some newer ones, and high speed steel doesn't seem to be as easily magnetized as other steel alloys. I keep only the tools on rack for the job at hand, and the base is made from an old desk chair.

Re: Tool storqge

john lucas

OK I went a little overboard. I"m a tool nut. what can I say. I do have a magnetic holder on the wall with some of my large tools and few skews that don't fit in the cabinet. I have never had a problem with magnetic tools. I don't sharpen those particular tools on the CBN so I'll have to pull one down and see if it causes a problem.

Re: Tool storqge

John K Jordan

>. I don't sharpen those particular tools on the CBN so I'll have to pull one down and see if it causes a problem.

The problem i have is only with the CBN on the Tormek, running with the wheel moving away from the edge. If magnetized, the tool, especially a skew, pickes up a big comet trail of fine steel dust. This obscures this obscures the edge which I like to watch closely while grinding and, of course, when inspecting. No problem with the conventional grinder with the wheel moving towards the edge. Maybe I'll get a picture later. Off to a class of woodturning kids for now.

For now, I keep an old bulk tape demagnetizer nearby to zap a magnetize a problem tool.

Maybe a strong magnet held close to the wheel below the tool would catch most of it.

JKJ

Re: Tool storqge

Ron Borowicz

John, I see you have a CBN wheel for your Tormek. I am looking at buying a CBN for my Tormek but am not sure what grit to get as I would like it for sharpening and "occasional" shaping. Do you mind telling me if you do "shaping" on your Tormek and what grit do you have? Are you satisfied with it. Thanks!

Re: Tool storqge

Lyle Jamieson

Magnetized strip produces magnetized tools. Magnetized tools are a pain.

Mine looks like John's

steven antonucci

Same cabinet, except plastic top. Tormek sits on top of it.

All of my handles are different, so I can find things easily. I have about 1/3 the number of tools John does...out. Smaller stuff sits in a drawer.

Re: Tool storage

Barry Rockwell

Here is a picture of my tool rack behind the lathe for larger tools and a modified bucket filled with pieces of fluorescent light tubes for smaller tools. Works great for me.

Re: Tool storqge

Ron Bauer

This works for me. 2" pcv around a large lazy susan, points up so I can see what to grab, made any size you like, mine was to small so I just put a bungee around and doubled the capacity.

Ferrules?

Rich Pearson in Mill Creek, WA

It appears that you make your own handles. What is your source for the ferrules you are using?

It looks like a great system, in that the handles all fit in the "rack" well.

Re: Ferrules?

Ron Bauer

Rich, Yes, I do make my own handles. The tri-lobe is so comfortable to hold and it doesn't roll off a flat surface. I make my own ferrules, or adaptors, out of mild steel. I am fortunate to have a metal lathe so this operation is within my capabilities. They are threaded about 1 1/2" on the handle end and then are turned in to a appropriate undersized hole in the handle. You could epoxy them but then they are tough to move to a new handle. The tool is held by set screws and I remove it for sharpening.

The rack seems to work for me but like everything on this site there are a million ways to "skin a cat".

Re: Ferrules?

John K Jordan

>I make my own ferrules, or adaptors, out of mild steel

Hey Ron, nice setup!

I've made a bunch of adapters out of steel too on the metal lathe. But someone without a metal lathe may be interested in this - I made the last one out of aluminum on the wood lathe. It is fairly slow to turn but works well! Tapped for 1/4-20 set screws.

One big advantage to making your own is you can make them smaller than the big ones I've seen for sale and bought. The smaller fit small tools better and feel a lot better in my hand.

CBN wheel for Tormek

John K Jordan

Ron,

I can't really answer your question yet.

I bought a 600 grit for the Tormek and a 240 grit for the 8" grinder. Both are more aggressive than I imagined BUT I understand they will be less so after broken in (according to Reed Grey/robo hippy). For now, the 600 grit is aggressive enough to do occasional shaping but it is no where near as fast as the 240. I have to be careful with the 240 or it will take off too much metal too fast.

The 600 also does not give as smooth a grind as I hoped, but that too may change with time. If the 600 tones down, I'm afraid it might not be good for shaping. I plan on writing up something after I used them for a few months.

BTW, years ago I made a fixture for my bench grinder to use my Tormek jigs. This is perfect for shaping before final sharpening on the Tormek. I see Tormek offers something like this now.

I'm keeping my eyes open for a used Tormek so I can keep the CBN on one and the water stone on the other.

JKJ

Re: Ferrules?

john lucas

You can make Ferrules out of all sorts of things. Go to Lowes and just browse up and down the plumbing isle. Remember you can turn Brass, copper and aluminum on a wood lathe. My favorite is brass pipe fitting section. I buy various threaded caps or adaptors. You can turn the Hex down to round and the threading helps hold it on the wood. I turn the wood down until I have to sort of force the thread on. Then I put some epoxy on and screw the piece down. Then just turn away the hex as I turn the rest of the handle.

Thank you!

Rich Pearson in Mill Creek, WA

I guess it is time to turn brass on my lathe...I can see that it makes a very economical handle system do-able.

Using a mini/midi lathe?

Geoff Whaling

.. to hand turn non-ferrous metals is very possible however remember to keep tool overhangs and tool engagement to a minimum. Protect the motor and components from the swarf as under the lathe bed motors and VS components don't like ingesting brass or aluminium swarf. Reduce lathe speed and a light spray of WD40 also helps to improve cutting performance. I like to place a plastic tray on the lathe bed under the work piece to cath any drips and as much of the swarf as possible.

Its advisable to use more traditional tool profiles for metal machining as wood turning tool profiles are much to brittle for non-ferrous metal turning. Handy guides such as

http://www.steves-workshop.co.uk/tips/toolgrinding/toolgrinding.htm

http://littlemachineshop.com/instructions/grindingtoolbits.pdf

Remember not to engage to much of the cutting tool.

Re: Tool storqge

Keith Tompkins

One of mine

Re: Tool storqge *LINK*

Mike Brazeau

I am still using this a dozen years later. Have added more holes but basically still happy with it.


Article I put together in 2003