Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get 2,000+ tool plans, full site access, and more.

User Tag List

Results 1 to 3 of 3

Thread: Bench Top Tool Blocks

  1. #1
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Colorado, USA
    Posts
    42
    Thanks
    24
    Thanked 107 Times in 30 Posts

    dgbreggin's Tools

    Bench Top Tool Blocks

    When I first got into hobby machining, I made these two bench-top tool blocks -- one for my mini-lathe, the other for my mini-mill. They sit on the bench just to one side of the machines, and hold the most-commonly used tools for operating them.

    I made the blocks from a section of 4x4 wood commonly used for construction. They are heavy and stable enough that they don't tip easily, nor move around with vibration.

    I made the round holes with my drill press. The oval holes and other features were made using my mini-mill. The blocks were made without benefit of a router, hence the rough edges. Still, they have served me well for several years.

    The grooves along the front hold my shop-made scribes. You don't want to store a scribe with the point up, and if you put them in a hole with the point down they will stab into the wood and tend stick.

    The metal tube is a snipe that fits the drill chuck key (and is used only for loosening the chucks). The wrench with the brass attachment is a "nut buddy", used for the mini-mill draw bar. The box wrench end tightens it, the brass cylinder is used as a hammer to release it. Both are shop made.

    The T-handle hex keys have a ball end on the long shaft for easy access, and a straight end on the part sticking out of the handle for tightening and loosening while using the long end for leverage. I highly recommend these over the usual "L" style hex keys.

    Bench Top Tool Blocks-20220322_143850.jpg Bench Top Tool Blocks-20220322_143903.jpg

    Bench Top Tool Blocks-20220322_144013.jpg Bench Top Tool Blocks-20220322_144020.jpg

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to dgbreggin For This Useful Post:

    asterix (Mar 24, 2022), bruce.desertrat (Mar 23, 2022), flyfr8rs (Mar 23, 2022), Jon (Mar 25, 2022), rlm98253 (Mar 23, 2022), uv8452 (Mar 24, 2022)

  3. #2
    Supporting Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2019
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    127
    Thanks
    470
    Thanked 100 Times in 36 Posts

    uv8452's Tools
    Yes, I have plenty of these blocks too: Drill-bit forrest, reamer forrest, Forstner bits, wrench sockets, machine-specific spanners, ...
    (I update them from time to time (e.g.) with glued-on extensions.) The more you have - the more they are blocking space of your workbench. So I elevate them to 50...200mm by putting them on shelves of a wooden backdrop (or hooking them on it) .

    2000 Tool Plans

  4. The Following User Says Thank You to uv8452 For This Useful Post:

    asterix (Mar 24, 2022)

  5. #3
    Content Editor
    Supporting Member
    DIYer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    3,056
    Thanks
    773
    Thanked 1,852 Times in 1,653 Posts


    Thanks dgbreggin! We've added your Tool Block to our Storage and Organization category,
    as well as to your builder page: dgbreggin's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:






    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •