Handyman Guide > Build a Tool Rack

Tool Rack. A rack for chisels, screwdrivers, files, and other such tools is convenient and easily made, though it is not wise to leave edge tools continually in such a rack; they ought to be collected and put in a tool box when a job has been finished.

The rack shown in Fig. 4 is intended to be screwed to the wall of the workshop at the back of the bench. Holes for rawl plugs should be made in the masonry, if any, and the rack held by about four screws (for the length shown in the diagram). Some people fix the rack to the bench, but in this case the vertical piece must be made higher to give clearance. An objection is that hammering or planing on the bench will jolt tools in the rack, dulling sharp cutting edges.

The rack shown is 5 inches wide with a back piece 7 inches high; the length illustrated is just over 2 feet but the rack can be made any length that is desired.

Three-quarter inch stock is suitable for all parts, but a strip of hardwood is preferable for the horizontal ledge because of the number of holes which are bored in it. Plane the wood to the chosen dimension. The ledge can simply be attached by screwing it, from the back, to the back piece, but a stronger rack can be made by housing the ledge in the backing to a depth of 1/4 inch. This necessitates cutting a shallow groove along the back piece. In either case, fit the ledge to the back, bore holes for the screws and put in about half of them, temporarily leaving out alternate ones. Mark the position of the ledge carefully, apply glue and quickly fit together again and screw tightly. The screws previously inserted should be turned in first. Then, insert the remaining screws and put the rack in a warm place until the glue hardens.

The screws should be countersunk deeply so that the heads are well below the face of the wood.

Holes for Tools. The proper way to space and bore the holes for the tools is as follows. Measure at each end of the ledge to find the center point in the width and connect these points by a penciled line. The width shown in the diagram is 5 inches, so that the lines are 2 1/2 inches from the front edge. Measure and mark two parallel lines, 1/2 inch on either side of the center line. Use the new lines as guides for the front and back rows of holes. Starting on the back row, place a point for the center of the first hole two inches from the end of the ledge. Set a pair of compasses or dividers to span 3 inches and place the rest of the holes in the back row at 3-inch intervals. Start the first row of holes 3 1/2 inches from the end of the ledge, with a 3-inch interval thereafter, so that the holes of the first row are intermediate between those of the back row. Leave enough wood between the rows so that there is no chance of splitting. The front row can be omitted, if desired.

Get a piece of waste board and place it on the bench. Put the ledge over it and clamp both firmly to the bench. Put a 3/4-inch center bit in a brace and bore the first hole, going through the ledge and into the waste piece far enough to leave a clean hole in the ledge itself. Proceed with the rest of the holes, boring slowly and carefully. If the brace has a ratchet action, use it for more gradual boring.

It can be seen from the diagram that some of the front row holes are slotted to the front; this is to allow chisels with wide blades to be inserted from the front and turned with the blade broadside. The slots are cut after the holes have been bored. A center bit is best.

Another useful rack can be made to hold other tools, or to hold metal boxes in which screws and nails are kept. The ledge in this case would be without holes, and would have a shallow guard screwed to the front to prevent articles from falling off. It need not be more than 1 inch high.



Tools and Materials
Hammers - Handsaws - Screwdrivers - Chisels - Brace and Bit - Hand Drill - Brad Awl - Planes - Files - Measuring Tools - Rules - Squares - Marking Gauge - Levels - Pincers - Nail Set - Drawknife - Cabinet Scraper - Small Tool Kit - Putty Knife - Pliers - Wrenches - Paint Scraper - Sharpening Tools - Nails - Wood Screws - Corrugated Fasteners - Mending Plates - Bolts - Abrasives - Woodworking Glue - Splices and Joints.

The Workshop
Equipping the Workshop - Heating - Fire Precautions - The Workbench - Saw Bucks - Tool Rack.

Home Construction
Elements of the House - Building Materials - Lumber - Molding - Kinds of Wood and their Characteristics - Plywood Wallboard - Roofing Materials - Concrete - Mixing Concrete - Cement Mortar - Concrete Forms - Concrete Blocks - Cinder Blocks - Bricklaying - Fieldstone - Anchoring in Masonry - Soldering.

Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

Painting
Paint Brushes - Storing Brushes - Varnish - Water Paint and Plastic Paint - Types of Paint - Paint Thinners - Mixing Paints - Preparing the Surface - Painting Flaws - Removing Paint - Exterior Painting - Painting New Wood - Repainting - Metal - Interior Painting - Calcimine - Painting Woodwork - Old Wood Trim - Staining - Fillers - Varnishing - Bleaching - Enameling - Painting Radiators - Painting Concrete - Shingles - Stoves and Stove Pipes - Whitewash.

Heating
Home Heating Systems - Chimneys - Coal Furnaces - Fuels - Burning Wood - Furnace Dampers - Starting a Coal Fire - Removal of Ashes - Coal Stokers - Oil Burners - Kerosene Heaters - Thermostats - Boiler Dampers - Fuel Economy - Warm Air System - Steam System - Vacuum System - Hot Water System - Radiators - Boilers - Maintaining the System - Insulating the System - Home Insulation - Storm Windows - Weather Stripping - Insulating Your Home - Blanket and Rigid Insulation - Unfinished Attic and Exterior Walls - Winterizing a Cabin - Preparing the foundation - Winterproofing a Cottage - Fireplaces - Reducing Condensation - Humidity.

Plumbing
The Plumbing System - Fresh water supply - Low Water Pressure - Hot Water System - Hot Water Heaters - Hot Water Tanks - Dirty Hot Water - The Sewage System - Sewage Disposal - Cesspools - Septic Tanks - Clearing Sewer Pipes - Clearing Drains - Plumbing Traps - Toilet Traps - Noisy Plumbing - Leaks in Water Tanks - Frozen Pipes - Clogged Water Pipes - Hard Water - Faucets - Shower Mixing Valves - Leaky Flush Tanks - Flush Valves - Removing Toilet Bowl - Leaky Pipes - Draining the Plumbing - Sealing Traps - Draining the Heating System - Types of Pipe - Insulating Pipes - Water Corrosion - Cleaning Fixtures.

Electricity
Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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