Hideaway rack

[C-Bag]

I made this years ago all plasma’d out of some galvanized scrap at work to hide my cheap metric and standard HF T handled Allen wrenches. It was mouldering beneath the lathe and i pulled it out and it cleaned up good. So I mounted it on my main work station with a couple of magnets to keep my regular keys on top. One of my earliest sheetmetal projects.

 

[BWSmith]

Nice. While this isn't "sheet" or hideaway.....Might spark a synapse?

New gunsmith screwdriver rack,serving as a replacement drawer pull. Piece of aluminum channel with different sized holes and spacing. Then some aluminum standoffs and through bolts.

 

[C-Bag]

Nice. Simple and right where you need it.

The only reason I made the hideaway was the place I was working also employed install crews and those guys would come through at night when nobody was there and hoover up anything that was not nailed down. So out of sight, out of hoover.

 

[Toolmaker51]

Out of sight, out of hoover; what if they sneak in with kirbys, kenmores or electrolux?
I appreciate manifold stationary holders 'displaying'tools at hand, few hand tools fit rotating variety in a stable fashion, unless each aperature custom cut.
Which ruins the utility.

 

[C-Bag]

Most times it seemed like barn shovels. When I complained that our one and only portaband saw disappeared to one of the bosses he mentioned we in shop had only lost one this year. The field crew typically ran through 15+ a year. They had started including one in every install. I’ll bet nobody at the installs ended up with one.

 

[Toolmaker51]

Two observations:
Tools disappear with those who collect, yet rarely use. I'm sure simple guilt is part of that.
Tools are misused by those who didn't pay for them, or didn't work hard enough to fund a substantial purchase.

 

[C-Bag]

The way I understood it, the main perp was a heavy meth user/dealer and the de facto leadman. He along with his main cohort were finally sacked not long after i bailed. Their ex boss who had gotten sacked when caught falsely submitting invoices was going to be rehired and the CEO mentioned it to me. I asked if a drug test was part of the process and he looked at me like it had never dawned on him. Later he told me the rehire candidate stormed out indignant that he had to take a drug test. How shocking.

 

[Toolmaker51]

Shocking indeed! I imagine some of the invoices included Portabands, pre-scheduled for theft.
Never refused a drug test, though my discern for 'voluntary' injections quite the reverse.

 

[BROCKWOOD]

Came out great C-Bag! I don't bend up sheet metal often - but when I do: it involves clamps & a hammer. Never very happy with the 'look' - but functional.....

Really, at this point it is either a 30" brake / roll / shear or just go about avoiding sheet metal bending LOL

 

[C-Bag]

Thanks Brockwood. This particular project was just done with the plasma. The 3n1 didn’t come along till almost 20ys later. This was done with a technique I came with for making chain guards in the field. Laying the pattern out flat and making interrrupted cuts on the bend lines with the plasma. This way I could bend by hand. If needed I could tack weld the ends. The hideaway box was so thick I didn’t need it as it doesnt have that much strain on it. I’m glad I finally have both, small plasma and the much modded and improved 30” 3n1.