# Tool holder project



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Here's what I was working on a few evenings last week. Our woodturning club puts on classes for our members utilizing up to eight lathes at a time. We received some grant money from the AAW to buy some new tools for the lathes. This then required something to keep them organized and easy to transport from storage to the lathes. 
I made up these buckets mimicking another local clubs idea. Nothing high tech here but it was a fun project and a good exercise in duplication and building things in steps without backtracking. 
I made up a simple jig for my bandsaw that allowed me to cut the discs in about 15 seconds each, all the same size. I laid out the holes in the first disc and drilled them on a drill press using a 1 1/2" forstner bit. I used this disc as a template for the others by just placing it over each disc, adding a spring clamp, and using a second 1 1/2" forstner bit as a centerpunch to mark the holes. A small handheld router with a rounding over bit cleaned up the edges.
I had to turn eight tool handles for some tools that Doug Thompson so graciously donated. One of our other members is turning another eight handles also. These were done in an assembly line fashion, taking about 20-25 minutes each.
I have the handles taped at the ends getting ready to color code the sets. I also engraved our club initials and a number from 1-8 to ID each tool. Should be able to get everything painted today. All in all, it was a fun and relaxing way to spend some eves in the shop with Sadie the wonderdog keeping me company.
Mike Hawkins


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## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

Hey Mike,that looks great,you folks did a fine job there,should work out real nice. :yes: :yes:

PS Is that the supervisor


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## Jeff4woodturning (Feb 1, 2009)

Mike, I looked at your pictures first before reading your post and wondered just how many lathes you had..lol...but that's a great idea for the club and looks like you did a good job. Old Yeller looks to be relaxing in the shop or on duty to guard lathe?


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Mike, you are the guru of organization. Great job on the tool buckets. By the look of the last picture, Sadie has been paying attention and is getting quite good at turning peppermills. :laughing:
Ken


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

Neat idea. Definitely keeps things in order and easy to tell if one of the tools is missing.

John


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I got everything painted the other evening. John deere green and Jd yellow, cummins beige, white, black, red, hot pink, and silver hammer. I have a lot of old spraycans around. I got ahold of a piece of carpet and cut out circles from it and put them in the bottoms. I even color coded the buckets. Hopefully it will be easy to keep track of everything. Our club is starting to increase the number of classes we are putting on from a couple a year to four this year, and six next year. The more we do the more we have to streamline things to make things run smoothly.
Mike Hawkins


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## FWH47 (Jun 9, 2010)

Mike ... you and the club should definitely benefit from all the work it took to make the carry buckets.

I made one very similar, BUT I added several inches of plaster-of-paris to the bottom for weight purposes as I was forever tipping it over. I also have my wooden "collar" higher up and have used individual PVC tubing embedded about two inches in the plaster-of-paris to hold each tool ... this also keeps the ends in place and prevents the sharp edges from hitting each other. A plug of foam rubber in the bottom of each tube keeps the cutting edges from 'bottoming out' and is another sharp edge protector ... 

One thing about the PVC ... NOT all handles are the same diameter so watch out for that when/if using the PVC.

Just my $0.02 worth ... :smile:


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I really like those white buckets, where did ya get them.:laughing: Seriously...that was a great project.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Thanks Cabby,
The buckets were 6 gallon ones. Somebody donated them to us, don't know who. I have a buddy that has a company that makes the machines that pring the logos on buckets. He was going to donate 5 gallon buckets if we wanted. The 6 gallons are a little taller, and actually worked out better. They are now in service. We used them for a class last saturday. Everybody liked them, so that's what counts.
Mike


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

Mike
Does your turning club require its member to belong to the AAW as well as your club in order to participate in your classes? I joined a turning club in Northern Wisconsin and they say if you want to participate in events at other turners shops (I guess these would be classes) you need to join AAW because of insurance purposes. I was just curious.


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