This was caused by frustration.....

[Tim Tucker]

After having my tools in drawers, and on a rack on top of a workbench.....I was frustrated at how much they accumulated sawdust and shavings. I went to visit Glenn Schmidt, who is the most organized and logic driven turner I have ever seen, and this was how his wall was arranged. More to come, but at least now - I can air-wash the wall down and keep everything cleaner and visually available. Less excuse to order a tool that I already own....

 

[odie]

Now, there is a space saver!

How do your tools hang?......screw eye on end of each tool handle?

If so, does it interfere with your sharpening jig(s)?

edit: Probably not for swept back grinds, but for my traditional grinds, it would.....



-----odie-----

 

[Tim Tucker]

Yep Odie - very small screw eye. Tell me about your grinds that would interfere - I may have overlooked something important in my adventure ...

 

[odie]

Yep Odie - very small screw eye. Tell me about your grinds that would interfere - I may have overlooked something important in my adventure ...

Howdy Tim......

I posted my comment about interfering with sharpening jigs, before I was thinking clearly. For most turners these days, they are using the swept back grinds. These are done on jigs, such as the Wolverine in combination with the Vari-grind jigs. For that, there would be no interference. I mainly use a "traditional" grind on my gouges, and this is done by rotating the length of the gouge while the butt of the handle rotates in the V-arm pocket.

A screw eye in the butt of the gouge handle, you see, will interfere with the traditional method. My comment applies to me, and very few other turners.....because darn near all other turners are using the swept back grinds.

-----odie-----

 

[Tim Tucker]

Thanks for your input. I thought that was what you meant, but did not want to presume - and miss something. I actually gave that some thought, and drilled a hole in the "end plate" of the V arm pocket - The hole is oversized enough that the small screw eyes can protrude through without touching anything,
I am also setting up a Pro Edge. For the sake of space - I am thinking that the 2 grinders will be mounted on a lazy susan which locks into position when I rotate it to the preferred grinder for the tool I am sharpening.

 

[Lou Jacobs]

So here’s an idea that I’ll have to try. If it works, it would address Odie’s concern. How about drilling a small recess for a strong rare earth magnet in the butt end of the handles, and suspending the tools from a steel strip in place of the hooks? If the magnet were strong enough, it would be infinitely adjustable along the strip.

 

[Tim Tucker]

Sounds like that would work Lou. I used very small closed screw eyes, so no chance of them "biting me". But the magnet idea sounds very interesting.

 

[John Kennedy]

I think Lou got the ticket. Get neodymium magnets, strongest fixed magnet we have created so far. Used them for years doing guitar modifications and drew blood once from them flying thru space with my finger inbetween. Get the N5 classification since these are strongest. Can drill into the handle and place a disc with epoxy. Have a hobby of collecting beach agates and making refrigerator magnets with the neodymiums since they cling like a vise to the refrigerator door. Iron or magnetic strip in the tool cabinet and nothing will move until you move it.

John

 

[Doug Freeman]

If you decide to use neodymium magnets to hold the tools, I recommend the type that have a center screw hole to hold the magnet in, and use a little epoxy as well. I have tried solid magnets epoxied into the end of some non turning tools (not as heavy so a weaker magnet) and all eventually pulled out.

Personally I prefer heavy turning tools to have a more positive anchor. If the screw eyes dont get in the way, they are better than magnets. Removable handles will take car of the being in the way, but would not solve Odie’s issue. I think he rests the butt end in the extended arm, so no handle doesnt solve that.

 

[Lou Jacobs]

When John posted about neodymium magnets, I did a search on Amazon. Most I find with holes, as Doug suggests, are pretty large - 1” +/-. I wonder if anyone has a suggestion about the minimum size that would be strong enough to hold a good sized tool?

 

[Dave Landers]

Finding magnets of a particular size and/or strength on amazon is challenging - most of the vendors just don't say. I've bought magnets from https://totalelement.com and been happy with their service. They have various sizes, shapes, and strengths (they do list pull force of their magnets).

Neodymium magnets are brittle and could be prone to breaking or chipping when the tool is snapped into place. You can get Cup or Pot magnets which are disks in a protective metal cup, should help.

I'd probably do a test with a couple tools for a while before committing your entire tool rack....

 

[William Rogers]

I guess for me it wouldn’t matter for me to have the eyes in the handle end. I initially sharpened the way Odie does. I then used the vari-grind and prefer to have wings. I didn’t see any advantage either way. I have since acquired the Hannes Vector jig and that works very well for me and it is the best profile I have used. I also have the ProEdge and it will sharpen similar if not the same as the vari-grind. Neither the vari-grind or ProEdge uses the handle in a V pocket. I think the ProEdge standard gouge fixture produces a grind very similar to Odie’s grind. So unless you want to sharpen the way Odie does it is a non issue regarding the handle. We all have our preferences as I like the Vector jig, but I doubt there are very many that use the V to sharpen that way.

 

[Tim Tucker]

...tiny eye hooks are cheap and easy...and you can always unscrew them and then use the hole left behind as a pilot should you want to install magnets....jus' sayin'....

 

[William Rogers]

Or use a different method without eyes

 

[robo hippy]

This is all too organized for me... Keep mine laying flat on the bench, and I have a couple of benches.....

robo hippy

 

[Tim Tucker]

Very nice. But point up. Not for those among us prone to find hose points with parts of our body....like...me

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I think a powerful magnet at the end of the tool handle will interact with the V pocket and will interfere with the sharpening motion.

 

[William Rogers]

Very nice. But point up. Not for those among us prone to find hose points with parts of our body....like...me

Yes point up. But notice they are angled and handles are no where near a point when you get a tool. You are not reaching near a point when you select a tool and easier for me to identify. Properly spaced it is not a problem. Each row is individual and on a wall. I reaching over any point.

 

[odie]

When John posted about neodymium magnets, I did a search on Amazon. Most I find with holes, as Doug suggests, are pretty large - 1” +/-. I wonder if anyone has a suggestion about the minimum size that would be strong enough to hold a good sized tool?

I bought some of these 3/4" dia magnets a few years ago for other applications. I believe I bought a 20/pack for about a buck apiece at that time. I believe they would be strong enough to hold a turning tool. A slight bump would probably dislodge them from their holder, though. If I went this route for holding turning tools, I'd probably go bigger.....

4PCS N52 20x3X5mm 3/4" Strong Powerful Neodymium Magnets Round Disc/Office/DIY | eBay

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-----odie-----

 

[John Kennedy]

Friends,

Many sources for these and cheap. I've had trouble with the strength of some of them and sure I didn't get what was advertised. I used to get most of my project magnets from KJ Magnetics. Not the cheapest but excellent quality. In this link, look at the D62-N52 magnet. This should hold up most tools securely: Rating is N52, but the ratings have to be balanced with thickness. A thick weaker N35 will have more power than a thin but stronger N52. KJ website supplements the N ratings with pound pull which gives a more accurate picture of the strength.

Disc Magnets & Cylinder Magnets | K&J Magnetics

www.kjmagnetics.com

Good points and concerns brought up here. Can share my experience regarding some issues.

Neodymiums are very brittle. Dull gray things that fracture easily and also will not withstand temperatures above 180 degrees or so without losing power. Only way to keep them in one piece is to coat with nickel as current standard. The small discs (and thin discs) break and chip easily. The larger ones like in the link have a thicker coating and put up with more abuse. I do a lot of scoring and breaking which can be done cleanly with a hack saw and snapping in a vise. Fun part is getting the magnet out of the vise.

Magnets of this size should not interfere with holding the tool near other metal. Bigger ones will interfere with a heart pacemaker. One accident happened a few years ago in an auto body shop where they had a several pound neodymium magnet on a shelf. The magnet flew off several feet through the air and fractured the mechanic's arm against the car door. I've drawn blood from much smaller bars slamming together with my finger in the way.

It is hard to get a good adherence with epoxy, superglue if you don't first roughen the surface in a cris cross pattern with about an 80 grit sand paper. If you were to roughen the edges and one side, drill a hole deep enough that the magnet is flush (not sitting on top) it should be permanent.

John

(edit) The KJ Magnetics site does have strong neodymiums with a center countersunk screw hole. In there somewhere among the products. Hopefully a good size.

 

[Dave Hulett]

Finding magnets of a particular size and/or strength on amazon is challenging - most of the vendors just don't say. I've bought magnets from https://totalelement.com and been happy with their service. They have various sizes, shapes, and strengths (they do list pull force of their magnets).

Neodymium magnets are brittle and could be prone to breaking or chipping when the tool is snapped into place. You can get Cup or Pot magnets which are disks in a protective metal cup, should help.

I'd probably do a test with a couple tools for a while before committing your entire tool rack....

I use RE magnets all the time. I bought my last ones at kjmagnetics

 

[Tim Tucker]

My concern about magnets is that they are not permanent. They do weaken with time. As well I can drill and tap a hole for a 6-32 screw hook....but the hole needed for a magnet is much larger. Availability and knowing how strong they need to be for a wide variety of tooling is also a consideration. Lastly...simplicity. if the screw hooks prove insufficient for any reason I can go to the route of the magnets....the other way round ....not so easy.

 

[John Hicks]

I always just use pieces of PVC mounted with wood on the bottom to set the sharp edge of the tool on. With the bottom of the PVC cut at a 45 and mounted several inches above the wood; you can see the ends of each tool without the sharp tips pointing up