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.

Attachment 42319 Attachment 42320

Attachment 42321 Attachment 42322

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) .

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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:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-tool-block"> <img src="/uploads/254169/homemade-tool-block.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-tool-block">Tool Block</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/dgbreggin">dgbreggin</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/tool-storage'>tool storage</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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