Rack'em Up

Lathe Gouge Rack

I got some new bowl gouges and a new roughing gouge and decided it was time to figure out were to put all my gouges, large and small, so I could get to them at the lathe without them being in the way and falling on the floor.

I saw some great ideas online and copied them.

I am still in the process of making my racks. I might end up with just two to start with, a large and a small, each holding 10 gouges. Here are the images of what I have come up with so far:

 

These are what I have to rack. I won't rack all of small ones, since I won't ever use some of them. I got a crappie set with the lathe and I can keep most of those stored away somewhere else.

 

This is the idea. You cut holes (I used 1 3/4" diameter holes) in a strip of wood, and cut the strip into two halves, then position them along with a slanted bottom piece so that the gouges lock into place with gravity.

   

For the small gouges I had to reposition the guide strips. I marked the position of everything in each configuration , large and small, and will make one for each size. 

 

I got the small one made and mounted on the wall behind my lathe. 

I added a couple blocks to the front rail of the small one to hold a few items. I also finished the large rack and installed it. Now I can get back to turning.

Storage Chest 5 Plus a storage box for my carving tools

Last Look at the Chest

Well, I added the cross piece to the lid to make the Z pattern. I threw a couple desiccant bags I get from work in there with my hand planes and have been using it for a week or so. I set it up on the floor on a couple of pieces of wood to make it easier to get into. I love the way the lid and lock works. That was a fun project.

  

Storage Case for Carving Gouges

A while back, I got a set of Ashley Iles dove-tail chisels plus a couple optional chisels making the total set have 8 chisels. The little chisel roll that came with the set had six pockets. Last year I got a Two-Cherries 6-chisel set which came in a nice leather roll with, like, twelve pockets. I swapped chisels and rolls and now my chisels all have a home. I also keep a cheap 1/4 inch bench chisel with my dove-tail set because I use it for any heavy chopping I need to do if I leave too much waste after sawing out the waste with the jeweler's saw. Now I just needed somewhere to put my carving gouges.

I bought the gouges a while back and have just kept them in the postage box they came in, in there individual plastic sleeves. I saw the chisel case that David Barron uses to keep his dovetail chisels handy, and I thought I would make a similar deal for my carving gouges and other carving tools.

I used some scrap for everything, because I am not confident enough to tear into the nice wood I bought in St. Louis a few months ago. I get a piece of zebra wood, birds-eye maple, and wenge. I can't believe how expensive that was. The scraps I used were from my bed project, plus one old piece of Alder (I think), from an old bed repair I did years ago for a friend. Anyway, here is the finished case. I stained it with Gun-Stock Minwax stain, and then a couple coats of shellac.

 

I made it roughly 12 x 16 x 2 1/2 inches. The lid was from a piece of oak that was 3/4 inches thick, and 6 inches wide. I resawed it to make book matched, 5/16 inch pieces that I edge glued to make the panel. I used the alder for the sides.I used plywood for the bottom.

 

The lid slides along the slots cut into the back and sides. The supports are made from the leftover pine from the storage chest. I just drilled 1 1/4 inch holes for the handle supports, and 5/8 holes for the smaller supports that keep the pointy ends from touching. I made room for 9 gouges, but only had six, so I was able to put my carving knifes and small carving tools/pouch in there as well.

 

The Alder I used for the sides (or what ever that old wood was) didn't take the stain very well. It didn't really have a visible grain, so it looks kind of splotchy. This was the first time I used shellac. I like it.  The dovetails turned out pretty good. I am trying to perfect my technique so I can use some of that fancy wood I bought.

Here is a link to the SketchUp model at 3dwarehouse.sketchup.com:

Model of Sliding Lid Dovetail Box