This simple rack provides easy access to your lathe tools. Yet it still holds them securely in place.

TOP

(2W RGH. x 23Vz")

Lathe

Tool Rack

I walked into the shop with a box under my arm, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. New tools do that to a woodworker.

As I removed each item from the box, I looked it over carefully and set it on my bench. Soon, seven brand new turning tools were lying in front of me. This was the set of turning tools I'd wanted for a long time.

The new tools were a replacement for a set I'd been using for many years. Although the old set had served me well, these new tools had blades made from high-speed steel. As a result, the blades would hold an edge longer than the carbon steel in my old tools.

So I wouldn't have to stop and sharpen them as often.

Of course, now that I had my new tools, I wanted a rack to keep them from accidentally falling to the floor and getting nicked up. But I also wanted to be able to remove a tool and put it back quickly and easily.

So I decided to make a simple, wall-mounted rack, see photo above. To hold the

(C BASE

(5¹/4" X 23V2")

EXPLODED VIEW

OVERALL DIMENSIONS:

21¹/₂"H x 23¹/₂"W x 5V₄'V

6

BOTTOM JOINERY DETAIL

ShopNotes

tools securely in place, they're tilted back at a slight angle, and the blades rest in a series of curved notches. Yet I can quickly grab a tool, do some turning, then set it back in the rack.

Over time, this constant repetition of taking tools out and putting them back in can loosen the joints of the rack. So a strong mechanical joint is a must.

joinery. To accomplish this, we've included two different versions of the tool rack, see photos on page 7. One is held together with hand-cut through dovetail joints. And the other is assembled with rabbets, wood-screws and plugs. (For more information on the rabbeted version, refer to page 9.)

Design Note: Both of these racks are designed to hold tools up to 20" long. But you can easily modify them to fit any number (or length) of tools.

DOVETAILED RACK

Although dovetail joints are a practical solution to strengthening the rack, I'm also quite fond of how they look. To make this rack even more special, I used quartersawn white oak.

No. 39