M.B. Naegle
Diamond
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2011
- Location
- Conroe, TX USA
I know, if it fits and closes, you're good! I'm just curious if anyone has made things like fitted inserts for certain tools, etc.
In our shop, stuff like fixturing, tool holders, and expendables, get ferried between the machine and the Tool Crib on job carts, but each machinist has a tool box for their measuring tools, wrenches, and other day-to-day tools. My toolbox is an old Gerstner that sits on an old craftsman bottom. It's a bit of a family heirloom set of tools that my dad bought from the guy who taught him machining. That guy worked for Wright Aircraft way back before and during WW2 and he ended up with a neat collection, most of which he etched his name into and sometimes a date of when it was added. Everything was given a bit of emerald green paint to keep it separate from other machinists tools. My dad and I have also added a bit to it over the years.
He made a little aluminum insert to hold telescoping bore gauges, and as time goes on, I'd like to do similar inserts for other tools. Some are kept in their own wood cases in the lower tool box, but many just rest on the felt at this point. It would also be handy to keep adjusting wrenches and measuring standards nested right next to the tool.
One item I'm think of doing first is a holder for my radius gauges. I think at one point they were in one of those plastic or leather pouches, but I'm thinking of sawing a bunch of slots in an aluminum block that they could index into.
So anyway, does anyone have any pictures of how they did their tool chests? Anything that made tools more accessible, safer to store, easier to keep clean, etc.?
In our shop, stuff like fixturing, tool holders, and expendables, get ferried between the machine and the Tool Crib on job carts, but each machinist has a tool box for their measuring tools, wrenches, and other day-to-day tools. My toolbox is an old Gerstner that sits on an old craftsman bottom. It's a bit of a family heirloom set of tools that my dad bought from the guy who taught him machining. That guy worked for Wright Aircraft way back before and during WW2 and he ended up with a neat collection, most of which he etched his name into and sometimes a date of when it was added. Everything was given a bit of emerald green paint to keep it separate from other machinists tools. My dad and I have also added a bit to it over the years.
He made a little aluminum insert to hold telescoping bore gauges, and as time goes on, I'd like to do similar inserts for other tools. Some are kept in their own wood cases in the lower tool box, but many just rest on the felt at this point. It would also be handy to keep adjusting wrenches and measuring standards nested right next to the tool.
One item I'm think of doing first is a holder for my radius gauges. I think at one point they were in one of those plastic or leather pouches, but I'm thinking of sawing a bunch of slots in an aluminum block that they could index into.
So anyway, does anyone have any pictures of how they did their tool chests? Anything that made tools more accessible, safer to store, easier to keep clean, etc.?