Drew Watson

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Location
Salt Spring Island, BC Canada
I bought a tool roll bag from LV as something temporary to keep the turning tools in but it just seems to trap all the wood chips and curlies. So I was thinking of building something more practicle. I have some ideas but thought I would ask all the turners out there what you use or have built. I have a wall behind the lathe so I have some wall space availible. Looking for more ideas that I can use in my situation.
 
I built one recently, but don't have any pics...yet. I'm headed out to the shop now to do some other stuff, but I'll snag a photo or two while I'm in there.
 
I have a lathe tool storage rack, for when I'm done turning, but while I'm turning the tools stay just under the lathe (I really need to put a spacer between the lathe stand the the bottom on my lathe) or on a nearby bench. Anything you make near the lathe, or maybe I should say TOO near the lathe is going to end up full of curlies :dunno:

I'll interested to see what you have come up with Vaughn!
 
Nothing fancy, by any means...a bit of scrap plywood and some PVC pipe. This rack just holds the tools I use the most often, and a few that are too long to store conveniently in the drawers where the rest of my turning tools are stored. (I'll post some pics shortly in the Shop Tours area to show the whole area where this tool rack is sitting, including the tool drawers.) This rack is freestanding, and so far it's just resided on the benchtop behind me when I'm standing at the lathe, but I can set it on the dropped bed at the end of my lathe if I decide I want to. The ends of the PVC are cut at 45º to give me access to drill and countersink screw holes to mount them. (I think I stole that idea from Chuck Beland.)

Sorry for the poor pics...they are what they are. ;)

Turning Tool Rack 01 - 800.jpg Turning Tool Rack 02 - 800.jpg Turning Tool Rack 03 - 800.jpg
 
Here is a quick one I put together a couple of years ago. I want to redo it but you know how it is. I will make a new one like it and mount it on the wall next to the lathe.
 

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Here's the stand I made for my Jet Mini.

I actually moved the tool rack from the left to the right hand side.

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Nothing fancy, by any means...a bit of scrap plywood and some PVC pipe. This rack just hold the tools I use the most often, and a few that are too long to store conveniently in the drawers where the rest of my turning tools are stored. (I'll post some pics shortly in the Shop Tours area to show the whole area where this tool rack is sitting, including the tool drawers.) This rack is freestanding, and so far it's just resided on the benchtop behind me when I'm standing at the lathe, but I can set it on the dropped bed at the end of my lathe if I decide I want to. The ends of the PVC are cut at 45º to give me access to drill and countersink screw holes to mount them. (I think I stole that idea from Chuck Beland.)

Sorry for the poor pics...they are what they are. ;)

View attachment 45843 View attachment 45844 View attachment 45845
color me confuse but did you cut the ends at a angle of 45 degree or is 45 the outside temperature ? [NO PUN INTENDED ]
 
It works fine for me. All 4 wheels lock on it and being as how its only a mini lathe, I don't turn anything too big on it. Just pens and other small projects.

It's got a channel underneath the lathe that directs the shavings out the back, and I did end up putting a plastic sheet over the front to keep the shavings from getting on the shelves.
 
I use a system...

From Left to right

Parting Tools, Roughing gouges, Bowl Gouges, Scrapers, etc...

From Top to bottom, Smaller on Top, getting bigger as you go down...

That being said, I usually forget my system and have to search through them to find the one I want. Been planning on marking the ends of the tools with a sharpie, just haven't gotten around to it... :D
 
Thanks Guys for lots of great ideas. I like all of them though the stand idea will not work for my system as I have a cast iron stand but, i have thought of building a box with multiple small drawers under the lathe for extra chucks and such. I like the idea of the plastic box's Vaughn. I have one that I have been trying to find a home for and I never thought of using it for the lathe. The plastic shower curtains are a great idea too. Do you get any sparks melting the plastic? I like the simplicity of the rack you built Paul. What sized drill bit did you use? Do you get any chips accumulating on the upper shelf?
 
...The plastic shower curtains are a great idea too. Do you get any sparks melting the plastic?...

Never been a problem. The curtain is pulled to the side and any sparks are going away from the curtain. Plus, I don't create many sparks touching up my tools. (Especially on the wet grinder.) :p If I'm doing heavier, non-sharpening grinding, I use a 6" Wilton grinder sitting on a Workmate or covered tablesaw top in the middle of the shop. (Cheap little number I got at Costco years ago, but it runs great and the bearings appear to be real good...takes it a few minutes to wind down after being shut off.)
 
Never been a problem. The curtain is pulled to the side and any sparks are going away from the curtain. Plus, I don't create many sparks touching up my tools. (Especially on the wet grinder.) :p If I'm doing heavier, non-sharpening grinding, I use a 6" Wilton grinder sitting on a Workmate or covered tablesaw top in the middle of the shop. (Cheap little number I got at Costco years ago, but it runs great and the bearings appear to be real good...takes it a few minutes to wind down after being shut off.)

Is that a Grizzly wet grinder Vaughn? I was looking at one of those but wanted to hear a review from someone that had one first.
 
Brent's right...I've got a Tormek 2000 (the model before the current T-7, which is blue). I was looking pretty hard at the Grizzly and planning to buy Tormek jigs to go with it, but someone offered me a good deal on a lightly-used used Tormek so I ended up going with that. I'm a big fan of them, but I don't know that the machine itself is worth the price they charge for them when new. The Tormek jigs, on the other hand, are well worth the money, regardless of the brand of wet grinder you have, IMO.
 
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