Magnetic tool holder

[Jmanb13]

I am in the process of re-arranging and organizing my garage and considered getting a magnetic tool bar to hold all my CXA tool holders.

However that got me thinking that my CXA tool holders would then become magnetized and start attracting every little bit of ferrous metal that shows up near my lathe. Has anyone else used one of those magnetic tool holders and had issues?

Right now I just have a small wood shelf that they sit on and would continue using that if the magnetic bar was an issue.

 

[Cactus Farmer]

You are correct on the attraction of the chips. Make one that has a 2" thinwall square tubing core and add pieces of 1/4" strap cut to just fit the dovetail and bend them out about 30 degrees. CXA allows you to use two sides. I made my first one for AXA and can use all 4 sides. I mounted it on the right rear portion of my chip pan and it is on bearings so it swivels like a lazy Susan. It holds a lot of tools! the CXA is mounted on a square plate and sets on a bench. i was going to attach a pic but they are gone from my phone. New pics tomorrow if you need them.

 

[kvt]

I have AXA and took some AL angle and made hangers for it. Then mounted other pieces to it that the holders go on. That hangs over the back of the lathe, Depending on which one I am using as both use AXA holders.

 

[Jmanb13]

You are correct on the attraction of the chips. Make one that has a 2" thinwall square tubing core and add pieces of 1/4" strap cut to just fit the dovetail and bend them out about 30 degrees. CXA allows you to use two sides. I made my first one for AXA and can use all 4 sides. I mounted it on the right rear portion of my chip pan and it is on bearings so it swivels like a lazy Susan. It holds a lot of tools! the CXA is mounted on a square plate and sets on a bench. i was going to attach a pic but they are gone from my phone. New pics tomorrow if you need them.

If you can post pics, that would be great if it is not too much trouble. I'm not quite able to picture what your describing.

 

[tjb]

You are correct on the attraction of the chips. Make one that has a 2" thinwall square tubing core and add pieces of 1/4" strap cut to just fit the dovetail and bend them out about 30 degrees. CXA allows you to use two sides. I made my first one for AXA and can use all 4 sides. I mounted it on the right rear portion of my chip pan and it is on bearings so it swivels like a lazy Susan. It holds a lot of tools! the CXA is mounted on a square plate and sets on a bench. i was going to attach a pic but they are gone from my phone. New pics tomorrow if you need them.

I'd like to see those pix. Your description reminds me of something similar in a youtube video posted by a gentleman in Sweden or Norway (I think) who built an amazingly efficient small shop inside a shipping cube (I think that's what you call them). His tool holders were oriented a little differently from yours, but the idea seems to be the same. I've been thinking of making one for my BXA tool holders, and I like the swivel feature you described. Pictures would be very much appreciated.

Regards,
Terry

 

[Larry42]

I modified a piece of Unistrut and mounted it above my lathe with a wooden shelf below it in case I slipped and dropped one. BXA tool holders hook over it nicely.

 

[tjb]

I modified a piece of Unistrut and mounted it above my lathe with a wooden shelf below it in case I slipped and dropped one. BXA tool holders hook over it nicely.

Any pictures?

 

[Bob Korves]

Unistrut? Tool holders? How about this one?

I mounted a shelving unit to the back of my Kent 13x40 lathe, then added some vinyl shelving material to protect the wood from soaking up oil. Then I added a length of Unistrut to the bottom of the available area above the lathe, in the middle another tool rack I cleaned up and painted that had been laying around for decades, and at the top, well above the chips, I mounted two HF magnetic strips to hold other tools I want to grab quickly like rules, wrench for the top of the QCTP, and a couple tools for pulling out stringy chips, about as far from the spindle as possible (first move away!)


The Unistrut is mounted to the shelving unit with a 3' length of 1/8" brazing rod under the lowest part to tip the tooling upward a bit so the tool holders do not want to slide off. Left side of the QCTP mounted tooling has the dovetails to the right, rear mounting tooling has the dovetails to the left (mostly, so far...)


The brackets mounted to the Unistrut are chunks of 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8" aluminum angle that have the edges beveled a little for the final fit of the tool holders. This stuff is easy and cheap to build. I might have $20 in the whole project, mostly scrounged stuff.


This is an end view of the Unistrut and the shop made brackets that hold the shelving unit to the lathe back splash. I used the standard spring loaded Unistrut nuts to mount the brackets for the tool holders. They make it quick and easy to change the position of the brackets.


Here is a peek at the other side of the shelf unit. Mostly stuff there to drill holes in nearly anything. My bigger drills are in several drawers of tool cabinets.

 

[tjb]

Unistrut? Tool holders? How about this one?

I mounted a shelving unit to the back of my Kent 13x40 lathe, then added some vinyl shelving material to protect the wood from soaking up oil. Then I added a length of Unistrut to the bottom of the available area above the lathe, in the middle another tool rack I cleaned up and painted that had been laying around for decades, and at the top, well above the chips, I mounted two HF magnetic strips to hold other tools I want to grab quickly like rules, wrench for the top of the QCTP, and a couple tools for pulling out stringy chips, about as far from the spindle as possible (first move away!)
View attachment 254751

The Unistrut is mounted to the shelving unit with a 3' length of 1/8" brazing rod under the lowest part to tip the tooling upward a bit so the tool holders do not want to slide off. Left side of the QCTP mounted tooling has the dovetails to the right, rear mounting tooling has the dovetails to the left (mostly, so far...)
View attachment 254752

The brackets mounted to the Unistrut are chunks of 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 1/8" aluminum angle that have the edges beveled a little for the final fit of the tool holders. This stuff is easy and cheap to build. I might have $20 in the whole project, mostly scrounged stuff.
View attachment 254753

This is an end view of the Unistrut and the shop made brackets that hold the shelving unit to the lathe back splash. I used the standard spring loaded Unistrut nuts to mount the brackets for the tool holders. They make it quick and easy to change the position of the brackets.
View attachment 254755

Here is a peek at the other side of the shelf unit. Mostly stuff there to drill holes in nearly anything. My bigger drills are in several drawers of tool cabinets.
View attachment 254757

Very nice, Bob.

A little off the point of your post, but I'm curious as to how you mounted your light (somewhat visible on the second from last photo). Is it on a tapering attachment? Can you post another picture of that?

Regards,
Terry

 

[Bob Korves]

Very nice, Bob.

A little off the point of your post, but I'm curious as to how you mounted your light (somewhat visible on the second from last photo). Is it on a tapering attachment? Can you post another picture of that?

Regards,
Terry

The light is the factory supplied one that comes with just about all Chinese lathes of this size. It is actually not a great light and is not mounted correctly for easily and handily getting the light on the subject. So, no pic.. If you want one, look for a photo of most any Chinese 13x40 lathe. You may have given me enough of a kick in the pants to finally replace the damn thing with something useful and convenient. If I do, there will be pics...