How do you organize your tools while carving?

[Slipstone]

Hi Everyone- Just curious what people might be doing in terms of displaying your tools while carving. I have been using a tool roll but I'm not thrilled with it for storage or while carving. While carving it is hard to see which tools are which and easy to cut yourself while putting one away or grabbing the next one. The tools are in opposite directions and too close together. For storage and transport I don't feel like it does a very good job of protecting the edges either. When rolled up, they are all extremely close or touching each other with nothing preventing the edges from coming in contact. Thinking about building a wooden rack that leans back a bit, maybe with some small magnets to retain the tools better. Does anyone do something similar or advise against it for any reason? Seeing some pictures of what you are using would be awesome.

[Arthur C.]

I store my tools on magnetic wall strips from Harbor Freight. I know some folks claim this isn't good as the tools become magnetized (true) and collect metal fragments as they are honed (also true, but a simple wipe with a cloth after sharpening remedies that). I've seen some professionals with the same set up, and the quality of their work tells me they're doing okay, and it won't hurt by emulating them.

While actually carving, I have the tools in use scattered around helter-skelter on my bench, knowing it would be more efficient to place them in an orderly fashion as I lay them down...problem is, when I get in the zone I don't want to break my rhythm by conscious thinking (sounds dumb, I know).

[Rodster]

This doesn't answer your question exactly, but I notice that most carvers use a plastic (or canvas) tool box. This always surprised me. I expected a wooden tool box, with slots to suspend each tool separately. Apparently not. Carvers tell me wood is too heavy to carry, so a plastic toolbox is better. I say, "We all need exercise. Carrying a heavier toolbox is good for you."

Here is my toolbox. I've never felt a need to build a frame within it to suspend my tools, but it wouldn't take much to do so.

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[Nebraska]

Not sure how organized this is but….

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[pallin]

I have two boxes for carving tools. The larger one is used only for storage. The beechwood box was offered by Pfeil (Swiss Made) as part of their Brienz Collection of 25 gouges, one knife, mallet, etc. It is no longer available. I have modified the box to hold eight gouges in the space previously taken by the mallet.
The smaller box is a vanity case I modified to hold 21 gouges and 3 knives. This is my working box. Both boxes hold the tools so they cannot touch each other.

[DiLeon]

Depends on where you live...here in Hawaii you leave anything out for a day, it going to start rusting due to salt air and high humidity or get stolen. So all of them are stored in air-tight waterproof containers. I made three of them one for palm chisels, one for long neck chisels, and one for large chisels. They fit in five-gallon plastic buckets and air-tight lids. When I am ready to use them I pull the wood holder out of the bucket and select the few I am going to use. Those chisels will go on the workbench. End of the day they must go back into the bucket. Leather and wraps are the worst for holding moisture which no matter how I treat them ...will rust. All knives are in special water-tight plastic storage. If I am not going to use the tools for a while...they must be coated in wax.

All containers and buckets go into a secure locking cabinet to prevent theft. Hawaii is super famous for people coming onto your property and stealing things, we call those kinds of people cockroaches. Because the cockroach bugs are so big they are said to move your furniture while you are sleeping. The many time in the past the cockroachers in different times have hauled off my scroll saw, a band sander, cameras, a clothes dryer, my parrot, my white german shepherd dog...he was too friendly, a scooter, and much more....today Di has got wartime security complete with a six-foot three-layer fence with a killer sticker bushes. Have not been robbed in a long time. They hit my neighbors instead many are rich show-offs...the other day they got his motorcycle and all her gold jewelry and thousand-dollar purses that house had the works, cameras, and security systems did not stop them.

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[Merle Rice]

I got this Idea from someone here on the Forum years ago. I use it for Storage, cover it with a Towel when not in use . Rust is not a Problem here . Usually a God Coat of Saw Dust Prevents that. The Window is for see the Type of Tool . I found that it isn't necessary because after awhile you remember what they are from it's location . Merle IMG_0002.jpg IMG_0005.jpg

[tbox61]

I use a Plano 4 drawer tackle box...large storage area in the top...each drawer has its own purpose...knives in one, gouges in another...stropping material in another.

[Eddy-Smiles]

PVC pipe epoxied to a wood platform.


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[Slipstone]

Lots of good ideas here. Interesting point in regards to magnets causing the metal filings to stick to the tool. I always wipe mine off as well.
I'm always torn because I like the idea of a secure box that closes and can be stored away but as dumb as it sounds, I like to walk past my carving table and see everything out and nicely organized. I'm not particularly organized in general but a nice organized workbench with all of the tools out is like a work of art in itself to me. It kind of invites you to come play and in a weird way helps with creativity.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Lots of good ideas here. Interesting point in regards to magnets causing the metal filings to stick to the tool. I always wipe mine off as well.
I'm always torn because I like the idea of a secure box that closes and can be stored away but as dumb as it sounds, I like to walk past my carving table and see everything out and nicely organized. I'm not particularly organized in general but a nice organized workbench with all of the tools out is like a work of art in itself to me. It kind of invites you to come play and in a weird way helps with creativity.

I've tried just about everyway possible; cloth, vinyl, and leather tool rolls; metal,plastic and wood tool boxes; canvas and vinyl tool bags. If one can reinvent the wheel I've tried. However, the one factor that you always have to keep in mind is the humidity level in which you keep them. Unless you live in a country or part of the states which has extremely low humidity levels you have to keep an eye on your tools to make sure they're not rusting. A couple of years ago I figured that I'd permenently solved the problem by keeping them in the drtawers of a Harbor Freight wood work bench. Then one day as I was looking them over to my surprise a couple of them had started to show rust. From that point on I keep silica gel packets in those drawers. Anytime I purchase something and it comes with a packet I save them and put them in my tool drawers. A secure box or bag will be okay to go back and forth to a carving meeting but not really a good idea for permenant storage without precautions. Tools are like people, they have to breathe!

[rickm]

everything goes into a wood box no Im not careful about edges. Dileon, I can loan you my Rottweiler, I dont have issues with people wandering around stealing my stuff.

[sos]

Silica gel packs can get saturated with moisture and stop working. You can put them in a toaster oven on low to drive off the moisture. What I use is camphor blocks. The ones I get are 1" sq. by about 1/4". I put them in a small ziplock bag (2x2) and snip one corner. These work well in closed drawers for about a year.

[Brian T]

Years ago, I found a furniture restorer who could easily sew denim. I had him make up several cloth tool rolls. Takes 1.5 legs of my worn out jeans for each one. The fabrics are all different so I kind of sorted out the tools/gouges that way. I wrote a lengthy piece for here in the WCI forums on the design and assembly. That was pre-hack so all the pictures are gone.

Maybe 10(?) years ago, I switched mostly to the adzes and crooked knives used so commonly by the coastal First Nations carvers here in the Pacific Northwest. I built a fancy box which doesn't hold half of them. My previous cat was a jumper and I didn't want her to land in a bunch of blades.
16 months ago, adopted an old stray cat that I named "Rumpuss." She can't jump at all. Now, the knives lay where I last used them. They get pushed out of the way but that's as tidy as I need to be.
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[Mark N. Akers]

I use a swivel tool rack similar to the one Di posted,very nice storage for allot of tools.