Tool rack for the shop

Tool racks are as varied as the people who use them, so it took a lot of research before I found a plan that works well, is flexible, and also is easy to build from scrap wood. 

This is a takeoff from plans for a rack published at Workshopics.com Entitled “Instructions for building the hand tool storage rack,” it was featured in American Woodworker Magazine. No matter what I’m about to say, you should go there and read this article for the original dimensions and technique. It’s a lot fancier and prettier than mine.

Here’s the rack above my all-purpose bench, featuring the hand tools I most often use, though you can’t see them all in this photo, nor is all the free space filled yet.

Tools are mounted in through-holes, slots, copper pipes, indentations, partial flat-bottomed holes and with miscellaneous hardware.

The photo below shows the basic construction: 1’ X 2” pine vertical slats nailed to the wall. To these are nailed 3/8” X 2” white oak hanger slats. Over these are the pine tool holders with 3/8” slots, about 3/8” deep and cut 3/4" from the back edge. The tight-fitting slot and the edge of the tool holder backed snugly against the wall keep the board in place until it is lifted straight up.

 

 The pine I used is Southern Yellow Pine that was, in its first life, the side of a barn. I’m not sure today’s mass-marketed pine has the same strength so you may need to go to hardwood.

Here’s a view from another angle. Likely you’ll never see another tool rack that displays more worn and mismatched tools. Notice the prominent position of the oil can and also the tool holder above that which is the shelf for my beer can.  You gotta think of these things as you plan.

The beauty of this thing, besides its simplicity and scrap-wood elements, is the fact that you can always change the holders by lifting the original ones off and burning them. And you can easily change the spacing of the tool holder slats by pulling the nails and re-nailing them higher or lower.