# Building a Hand Tool Display Wall



## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

I had something crudely done that worked for years, consisting of a pallet hung from the joists and tools just hanging from nails and such. Well as the collection began to grow I quickly ran out of room.

So the task here is to fit all of these




























Onto a nice looking display wall. 

Started by hanging a 40" x 80" sheet of osb from the joists over my workbench.
Gave it a coat of black paint, this helps for the next step.



















I took a bunch of 2x4s and ripped 1/2" strips of all different lengths. these would be pin nailed to the osb and be the nice looking backer for the display wall. The black paint on the osb helps with any cracks gaps in the 2x4 strips, makes it look just like a shadow. Well at least i think it does.


























Filled the nail holes and sanded smooth. Then used a danish oil for a finish, mostly because its what I had and liked the way it looks.

















From the old tool wall I used the pallet wood ripped down as a border trim.

















Next up and sure to be a long and tedious process is all the specific tool holder. I want all of them to be made just for that tool, not just the generic holes in wood for chisels and screwdrivers. I'm using cherry and maple for some contrast. Its gunna take awhile but once its done it'll be something to be proud of. 



























Ill post updates as the wall continues to fill up. Thanks for looking.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

That looks fantastic, Jeff! Are you going to put a finish on the tool supports? That'll make them pop, for sure.

David


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

difalkner said:


> That looks fantastic, Jeff! Are you going to put a finish on the tool supports? That'll make them pop, for sure.
> 
> David


Absolutely, at this point they still have pencil and saw marks, once everything gets put up in its place, its all gunna come down and get sanded and finished.


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Very nice!


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## AmishElectricCo (Jan 3, 2018)

Wall looks great!

A few words of advice: Looks like you've got a basement shop, so be sure to run a dehumidifier to keep the moisture in the air under control. Otherwise, your tools will rust at an accelerated rate. Also a good habit to get into is to wipe down the metal parts with a light coating of 3-in-1 oil after use.


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

AmishElectricCo said:


> Wall looks great!
> 
> A few words of advice: Looks like you've got a basement shop, so be sure to run a dehumidifier to keep the moisture in the air under control. Otherwise, your tools will rust at an accelerated rate. Also a good habit to get into is to wipe down the metal parts with a light coating of 3-in-1 oil after use.


Both great habits, I'm in Atlanta, Ga so I know all too well about humidity and tool care. I also make it a habit to rub on some paste wax to the flat surfaces of the machines (tablesaw, jointer, planer). Helps with rust and makes it a slicker surface.

If you haven't already made one, the oil in a can from Paul Sellers is a must have. Simple to make, all you do it take a soup can/ mason jar/ etc and tightly roll a old rag in it. saturate it with 3 in 1 and when your using your hand planes run it across one time backwards, helps make the plane slide and keeps the bed of the plane rust free. its such small amount getting on the plane bed itself I've never had a issue with the oil being visible on the wood being planed. 

Here's a pic of mine. Glass probably wasn't the best choice in case it gets knocked off the bench but I didn't have a can at the time so I used what I had.


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## Onefreetexan (May 3, 2018)

Sorta off topic,,, a few years ago I ran across a ‘tool chest’, that had been used by an old piano maker,,,,in a factory,,,All his tools fit in special places he had made,,,,it was real impressive. I’ll try to find pictures....Of course it wasn’t really a display as much as a place to keep all his tools,, it was old,..


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## amckenzie4 (Apr 29, 2010)

Onefreetexan said:


> Sorta off topic,,, a few years ago I ran across a ‘tool chest’, that had been used by an old piano maker,,,,in a factory,,,All his tools fit in special places he had made,,,,it was real impressive. I’ll try to find pictures....Of course it wasn’t really a display as much as a place to keep all his tools,, it was old,..


Was that the HO Studley chest? That one is fantastic.


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## Onefreetexan (May 3, 2018)

*Yes*



amckenzie4 said:


> Was that the HO Studley chest? That one is fantastic.


It is, thank you for the name, I couldn’t remember.


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## AmishElectricCo (Jan 3, 2018)

jeff100 said:


> If you haven't already made one, the oil in a can from Paul Sellers is a must have.


Yep! I used a small mushroom can for mine - very handy!


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

Update Time,

Got some more odds and ends into holders and onto the wall. Im trying to layout the wall with planes being in the center, saws/drills/chisels/rasps on the right, and layout/mallets/screwdrivers/etc on the left. Well see how well that goes, i thought this toll board would be plenty of room for everything but the real estate is slowly shrinking and its becoming a game of tetris to get everything up.

Heres some pictures:














































Still to go:

Brace and bits (haven't figured out best way to minimize the space they take up yet)
hand crank drill
Spoke shaves (2)
card scrapers (I'm thinking of magnets might help keep them in place)
Draw knife
files/rasps (need to make some (5) handles first)
some more layout tools (mortise gauge, calipers)
dovetail saw
push chisel, pairing chisel, and 2" slick

I wanted to get the 2 coffin style wood planes and the molding planes up there somehow but I don't think its gunna happen with the remaining space.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Hey, that's a great idea! Wish I had some wall space to do something like that. Nice job.


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

Update!

When i hear the words "everyone should self quarentine", I hear "plenty of time to work in the shop"

The wall is getting filled up, starting to run out of space with just a few tools left to put up.



















Heres what it all looks like so far:










Left to go up is the drawknife, coping saw, card scrapers, some calipers, and a micrometer. Hopefully there is room... until another tool happens to join.


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## jpl500 (Nov 26, 2018)

Looks great. I just built a much smaller wall cabinet tool storage unit. Wish I'd seen yours earlier, you've got some nice ideas I could have incorporated into mine.

cheers,
pat


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## GSXRFanIM (Jan 16, 2019)

I really like your mallets
Did you make them?
What material is the one with the design on the handle made from? 
And your tool board looks pretty awesome. 
I ran out of garage wall space (its only 12x22) or I was planning on something like this.


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## BedRock_Fan (Apr 17, 2020)

*Impressed ... taking your time is paying off!*

The wall is coming out fantastic. You are using simple, but very effective solutions for each type of tool. It will serve you well.
Congrats,
Dave


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## Pat Meeuwissen (Aug 3, 2019)

*space saving suggestions*

Hi, love the wall build. Because my space is so limited I made myself a till of sorts for my planes, and a simple square shelf which houses several tools in one. The image for the shelf isn't mine but just to show an example.


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

GSXRFanIM said:


> I really like your mallets
> Did you make them?
> What material is the one with the design on the handle made from?
> And your tool board looks pretty awesome.
> I ran out of garage wall space (its only 12x22) or I was planning on something like this.


thank you,

the round mallet i turned out of a chunk of walnut

the smaller round one i used a 2" round rod of iron i bought from mcmastercarr and attached a turned handle, its nice for fine work and carving.

the square mallet i bought off amazon or something and just added a little carving to it when i got bored one day.


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## jeff100 (Nov 20, 2019)

Pat Meeuwissen said:


> Hi, love the wall build. Because my space is so limited I made myself a till of sorts for my planes, and a simple square shelf which houses several tools in one. The image for the shelf isn't mine but just to show an example.



Those ideas are great, luckily i had just the exact amount of room on my wall to both store and display the planes from the side, if i had less space, the veritcal til would be the way to go.


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