Machinist's tool chest

[Winegrower]

I have 6 boxes, 4 Kennedy, 1 pre-war wood from Hawaii, one Craftsman. What I like is enough drawers that every notable tool has its place, not piled in a lump. I’ve organized each box for a particular function...Setup/Layout, Workholding, Cutters, Inspection/Measurement, etc. I put labels on each drawer face reminding of the contents. Of course classy tools have their own storage boxes and have space on shelves in a cabinet.

I was surprised to realize that while it speeds up gathering tools to start a project, the biggest time saver is in cleanup.

This is the most organized facet of my life, sad to say.

 

[Packard V8]

Just my mode of operation, but I prefer each machine to have its own tool box and I prefer to keep all the small round/flat drills, countersinks, hole saws, chisels, punches, files, taps, dies, et al, in small drawers.

To that end, every time I see a Kennedy 7-drawer or 11-drawer for less than $50, I drag it home and fill it with whatever needs a home the worst.

jack vines

 

[Video_man]

There totally is. There was a thread somewhere on here about a guy putting like WallyWorld felt in his box and it messed up his tools. If I remember right it was not clear if it was the glue or the felt.

If I recall correctly, there was a post years ago in HSM about the felt-rust problem, the problem was the owner used common white wood glue to glue the felt in place. It apparently has acetic acid -- or something similar, I'm pulling this out of my fading memory --- and that was the cause of the problem.

 

[kiwi_007]

Looks great, I am trying to find some drawings to build me one. If you created drawings please let me know.

There is a set of plans in American Woodworker Dec/Jan 2011 for a 26 drawer tool chest and there is a book called "The Toolbox Book" by Jim Tolpin to get some ideas out of.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

If I recall correctly, there was a post years ago in HSM about the felt-rust problem, the problem was the owner used common white wood glue to glue the felt in place. It apparently has acetic acid -- or something similar, I'm pulling this out of my fading memory --- and that was the cause of the problem.

I came across a few similar discussions when looking for an alternative to the toolbox liner sold at the big box stores. There seems to be a belief that felt retains moisture, which could be a plus or a minus - in low-humidity environments, it draws moisture away from the tool, but in high-humidity environments, it just means even more moisture in the toolbox micro-climate.

Two comments on the use of felt. One, I put some proper (non-synthetic) felt in a couple of toolboxes last year, and after two humid summers there has been no rust. Two, in purchasing felt, I came across some warnings about synthetic felt (no doubt the Wally-World stuff referred to earlier): it will be destroyed by oil. Now, I can't speak for everybody here, but there is a lot of oil on my tools and in my shop. So steer clear of the synthetic stuff.

 

[mickri]

Since this thread still seems to have occasional interest this is what I ended up. Picked up these 3 chests for $60 off CL. The seller didn't clean out the drawers. There was a fair amount of misc. wrenches, sockets and other stuff in the drawers. So far I am not using the small top chest.



I will never have much in the way of machinist tools. I added two drawers to a rolling cart that I picked up at a garage sale for around $10. All of my tool holders, tool bits, boring bars, collets, etc are in the top tray. The first drawer holds all of my measuring stuff. Middle drawer holds my drill bits and end mills and the bottom drawer holds taps and dies. The bottom tray holds junk that I never use. I have found this small cart to be very handy. It lives by the lathe, metal drill press and mill/drill. What's a "metal drill press" you ask. I have three drill presses. Two wiltons and a small HF. I never use the HF drill press since I got the wiltons. One wilton is used exclusively with metal. It is my "metal drill press" and lives between the lathe and mill/drill. The other wilton is on the dirty side of the shop and gets used/abused drilling anything and everything that comes its way.

 

[Janderso]

I use a Snap On roller cabinet for getting out to the lines .

All the guys in the shop are using these. Very good at saving time.

 

[C-Bag]

I came across a few similar discussions when looking for an alternative to the toolbox liner sold at the big box stores. There seems to be a belief that felt retains moisture, which could be a plus or a minus - in low-humidity environments, it draws moisture away from the tool, but in high-humidity environments, it just means even more moisture in the toolbox micro-climate.

Two comments on the use of felt. One, I put some proper (non-synthetic) felt in a couple of toolboxes last year, and after two humid summers there has been no rust. Two, in purchasing felt, I came across some warnings about synthetic felt (no doubt the Wally-World stuff referred to earlier): it will be destroyed by oil. Now, I can't speak for everybody here, but there is a lot of oil on my tools and in my shop. So steer clear of the synthetic stuff.

That’s useful info. I wonder how you tell synthetic from non? I’m always surprised I’ve not had any problems with my faux Gerstner HF box. It doesn’t have the metal drawer bottoms. And is obviously not as nice as the real thing or the ones made by bhigdog but with the usual tweaking I have to do with all HF stuff I’m happy. One of the things I didn’t expect to like was the ability to pull the drawer easily and take it to my portable workbench. I feel like my tools are staying in better shape in this thing than in my main steel box I’ve had for decades.

 

[ThinWoodsman]

I wonder how you tell synthetic from non?

Whenever I ask the Mistress of Fabrics such questions, she says "burn a piece!". Nice to know that textile-workers (textilers? textileists?) have an equivalent to the spark test.

If I have two pieces side by side, I can distinguish them by feel. Otherwise, if it's under ten bucks a yard, it's synthetic. If it's ten or more a yard, it's a wool-rayon blend. If it says 'merino' or is forty bucks a yard, it is proper felt.

 

[silverhawk]

Whenever I ask the Mistress of Fabrics such questions, she says "burn a piece!". Nice to know that textile-workers (textilers? textileists?) have an equivalent to the spark test.

Just wait until they mention something akin to bringing a bigger hammer.