Lathe tool rack

- LATHE TOOL RACK -

The exact dimensions of the rack are going to depend on your needs and the tools you wish to store in it. I built mine big enough for the tools I have while allowing room for me to add more.

I started out by cutting all the parts that will make up the case. For this I used 3/4" oak and I needed two pieces at 25" long and three at 27" long all of these are 5 1/2" wide except for the one that is for the top of the rack, that one will be 1 1/2" wide.

Next I cut a rabbet at both ends of the two boards that are 25" long these are the boards that will make up the sides of the case. With all four rabbets cuts I then cut a groove in both of these boards at 4" away from the top of the rabbet, this will be for the shelf of the rack.

With the joinery cut for the case I cut a tapper in the two boards that will make up the sides of the case. I cut this tapper about a 1/2" above the groove for the shelf and ending at 1 1/4" away from what will be the back side of the case. Then after a some clean up I was able to do a test fit of the case.

Now I needed to cut a rabbet this will accept the back panel for the bottom of the cabinet.

At this point I glued the case together and let it sit in the clamps over night.

The next day I cut a piece of 1/2 " thick oak to the same length as the inside width of the cabinet, this will be used to support the back insert panel at the top and to hang the cabinet I used a french cleat, so I also cut a 45 degree angle on one edge of the board then glued it in and let it sit for a couple of hours allowing for the glue to set up.

Next I cut my insert panel out of a piece of 1/4" thick material, and the panel set in the the cabinet up I used a pencil and drew a line where the insert meets the sides of the case.

Following my pencil line I attached a 1" by 1" strip to the back side of the line with glue
and brad nails.

Then with glue applied to the strips I attached the insert panel using pin nails to hold everything in place until the glue dried.

Next I started working on the dividers for the tools cutting them out of 1/2" thick oak, but for the dividers to sit flush at the bottom of the cabinet I needed to find the angle going from the insert panel to the bottom of the cabinet I did this using my bevel gauge then setting the miter gauge on my band saw allowing me to cut the bottoms of dividers to fit.

I spent sometime shaping the dividers then attaching them using counter sunk screws. I did use a spacer block as I installed them and I did not glue these in because I wanted the option of being able to adjust them down the road as my tools might change.

Now I able to install the insert panel on the back side of the cabinet at the bottom with glue and brad nails. The last thing to do in the assembly was to attach a rail to the bottom front of the cabinet to act as a catch to hold the tools in the rack.

I used my block plane to flush the top of the cabinet to the sides. Then some sanding. For a finish I used a wipe on polyurethane applying five coats with sanding in between coats.

Then it was just a matter of screwing the other half of the french cleat to the wall and hanging the rack on the wall.
I really like the look of this rack and I'm sure it will serve my shop well for many years to come.