Tips On Selecting The Right Tool Storage To Fit Your Needs

If you have been researching toolboxes for any amount of time, you may be overwhelmed at the staggering variety of choices out there.

Regardless of which style or type of steel you choose, there are a few key things you should look for when shopping for tool storage.

Size & Mobility

That 72" monster chest sure would look good in your garage, wouldn't it? As Americans, we are all about 'bigger is better'. But do you really need that giant tool chest? Are you going to be able to move it when it is full of tools?

A fully stocked 60" box can weigh upwards of 1500 pounds. Do you really want to push that behemoth around? Will you have room to move it to where you are working?

If it is going to be a stationary tool chest that you are going to leave in one spot, this won't be as big of a concern for you. But if you will be rolling it around, consider the room you have to move around in and how much weight you want to be pushing around.

Casters

Small casters will catch on uneven surfaces, resulting in a toppled tool chest, or even injury. You want at least 4" casters, preferably 5" or 6". You will also want to make sure the tool chest you purchase has at least two locking casters to prevent roll-aways.

Drawer Sizes

The type of tools you own largely will determine what sizes of drawers you will need. Along with size, it is important to ensure the drawer's weight rating can handle what you plan on putting in it.

Drawer Slides

You will want two on shallow drawers, four on the deeper drawers. Again, the weight rating is an important factor. Ball bearing slides aren't a necessity, but once you own a tool chest with ball bearing drawer slides, you will never buy one without them.

Material

There are two main choices of materials to choose from, Stainless Steel and Mild Steel. We will look at these here and break them down into a couple more sub-choices:

Stainless Steel. These have really become popular in the past five years or so, and it's not hard to see why. A nicely appointed garage with a Stainless Steel tool chest is an impressive sight. But these can be a pain to keep clean, and the look isn't for everyone. Most Stainless Steel tool chests are constructed with a mild steel frame and drawer inners with Stainless Steel outer walls and drawer fronts.

All Stainless Steel. Same as above, but the frame and drawer inners are also made of Stainless Steel. There are very few of these on the market. If the manufacturer doesn't specifically say the tool chest is ALL Stainless Steel, it probably isn't. You really only need one of these if you are in a sterile, high humidity, or salt water environment.

Powder Coated Mild Steel. These are the ones to get if you are concerned about all the smudges that would typically show up on a Stainless Steel tool chest, or if you have magnetic tools and accessories you plan on using. Powder coating is a baked-on finish that is tougher and longer lasting than paint. The finish I really like is the wrinkle-finish powdercoat. It is tougher, resists scratches, and looks professional.

Painted Mild Steel. This is usually only seen on cheaper and low-end tool chests. These will scratch and fade much easier than the powder coated variety. After tearing up a few of these, I won't even buy one anymore. Spend your money and get a tool chest that will last. That brings us to the final point:

Warranty

This should go without saying, but make sure you find a company that stands behind their products. I personally won't buy any tools or tool chests that don't offer a lifetime warranty.

So when choosing a tool chest, first decide between Stainless Steel or Mild Steel, then make sure it has the features you want before purchasing.

You may want to ask yourself, do you really want a stainless toolbox? If you work in a high humidity or sterile environment, you will probably want a completely stainless toolbox. If you are building a show-quality garage, a standard stainless box will fit your needs.

One thing to remember about stainless is that it is not magnetic. This may not be a big deal to most people, but I have many magnetic accessories and tools that I use quite often, and I like to be able to stick them to the side of the box while I'm working on something.

Also, fingerprints and smudges tend to show easily on a stainless toolbox. You know how your stainless refrigerator door looks after the kids make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Well, imagine what your nice stainless toolbox will look like when you're done changing your oil!

You are now armed with the knowledge you need to fill that empty space in your garage. Now go out there and find that tool chest you have been dreaming about!

Antique Blacksmith Tools

by Chris Campbell

There's something about being a blacksmith that hearkens back to old and ancient times. Blacksmithing is considered an ancient profession, and one that is rarely practiced today. While there is some truth to that, it is not as extinct a profession as many would believe.

The ABANA (Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America) has been around since the early seventies, and has over 4000 paying members. Considering the age of the profession, it's no wonder that there are so many different types of tools that have been used historically, and new tools that are available to the aspiring blacksmith.

While modern technology as influenced blacksmithing and the equipment used by blacksmiths, the old, vintage tools are still much sought after.

Part of the attraction I think, for becoming a blacksmith, is to be part of a tradition that has gone on for generations. So, it's inevitable, that collecting and acquiring antique and vintage tools would be part of the whole blacksmithing gig.

While many blacksmiths make their own tools, it makes sense to augment your own creations with those of others. Not only does it give you some insight into different ways of doing things, it gives you and your shop a connection with the past.

Being able to craft useful tools for your own projects is a wonderful feeling, but so is holding in your hands, a tool made by a fellow craftsman, that was created to do a similar or perhaps entirely different project than the one your currently working on.

Be sure to visit this Antique Blacksmith Tools website, for more info.

Ever wondered about the value of antiques you may have lying around?

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Campbell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Antique-Blacksmith-Tools&id=2194349

The Tool Chest Is A Mobile Tool Storage Solution

If you have a lot of tools that need to be easily moved around the shop, the tool chest is the answer. The tool storage chest is essentially a large metal cabinet mounted on wheels. The chest often contains multiple stacked drawers only a few inches deep, but that are wide and long so that tools can be easily located.

It can be moved to any area of the shop where the tools are needed. This saves multiple trips to and from a stationary tool cabinet or workbench.

Tool chests are designed for strictly indoor use. Their small lockable wheels roll best on flat smooth surfaces such as concrete or tile. Chests of tools would be impossible to move outdoors on dirt, grass, or gravel surfaces.

Outdoor locations require either a smaller toolbox, or a truck mounted toolbox. Wheeled chests are excellent storage units for woodworking or metalworking shops.

The wide, shallow drawers of these tool chests allow tools to be seen easily. The drawers open fully, allowing easy access to the back corners. The screwdriver drawer can contain a large selection of screwdrivers arranged in whatever order makes sense to you. The wrench drawer of the chest might contain your socket or box wrenches arranged from smallest to largest.

Label each tool chest drawer with its contents to make your shop project easier to complete. You'll know exactly where each tool is located. Be sure to return the tool to the proper drawer when finished.

On projects that require repeated use of specialty tools, consider creating a drawer specifically for that project. That way, you won't need to have multiple chest drawers open and possibly tip the tool chest's balance.

Some tool storage units contain various sized drawers. These can store nuts, bolts, nails, screws, washers, and other tiny objects. Large drawers of the chest can hold power tools such as drills, circular saws, routers, and belt sanders. Some tool chests even have electrical outlets built in to power your electrical power tools.

For working outdoors, use a regular or truck-sized toolbox. A large permanent workbench works best for table saws, planers, and drill presses. If you need to bring the tools to the project, however, invest in a wheeled tool chest.

Latest Trend in End Mills and Cutting Tools

by Dave Butry

A new line of aluminum cutting end mills have recently been introduced to the mix. These tools are made from sub-micro grain carbide and are available in regular and long lengths. Additionally, they can be ordered uncoated or with a high performance zirconium coating. We have been marketing American made tooling on the internet and have been serving customers for over 2 years. We offer a full line of metal cutting tools such as…end mills, drill bits, threadmills, micro end mills, hand taps, NPT Pipe taps, S&D drill bits, and center drills.

End mills are fluted tools designed specifically for periphery and slot cutting applications. They can be used to machine steel, plastic, wood, stainless steel, aluminum and many other materials. They are sought after because of their precise ability to cut to exacting tolerances when utilizing a manual or CNC milling machine. A flute is simply a cutting edge, sometimes with a helix, sometimes straight, your application will determine which style you choose. Helical flutes pull the chips up, and out of the way, the cutter can then cut more freely reducing heat buildup and decreasing machine cycle times.

End mills can have a vast number of flutes. Most common in machine shops are 2, 3 and 4 flute tools. Four flute cutters give you four cuts per rotation and are preferred in profile milling applications. Four flutes are not as useful in softer materials because they do not provide enough space between the flutes to evacuate chips sufficiently, whereas the two flute cutters are not as durable in very abrasive materials. Therefore, two flute end mills are superior in softer more flexible materials and four or more flute cutters are generally preferred in very hard or abrasive materials.

When using an end mill to cut a slot in a work piece, it’s best to have a hole already in the part. That way the end mill will not have to cut to center. Kodiak cutting tools offers a wide variety of hss, cobalt and carbide drill bits for your slot starting needs. Also, a two flute end mill is the best tool for a slotting cut. When a 2 flute end mill is used, the chips are lifted out of the slot. If the chips don’t get up and out of the cutters way, the end mill will re-cut the chips causing premature failure. Additionally, if a four flute end mill is used, the chips may become lodged in the flutes causing the tool to break. Kodiak Cutting Tools offers a wide variety of 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 flute end mills.

 

Written By Dave Butry, An associate of www.kodiakcuttingtools.com.

Antique Tools Are Functional Works Of Art

Antique tools can be defined as tools that are at least 100 years old. Another definition describes these antiques as tools manufactured prior to World War II, which is nearly as long. Regardless of the definition, tool antiques give fascinating glimpses into older, simpler days when pride in one's work was paramount. There are many types of vintage tools to collect, and several different ways of collecting them.

Collectors of tool antiques often do so for the exquisite craftsmanship of the tool itself. Antique toolmakers often created tools that were as beautiful as they were functional. Innovative engineering, immaculate details, and exotic materials were the hallmarks of these tools. Such tools are often associated with a single craftsman or shop, and hold much higher value for antique tool collectors.

Vintage tools from specific crafts are also popular. Antique woodworking tools might include a Stanley block plane, a hand-cranked drill, or a treadle-operated lathe. Antique watchmaking tools include tiny screwdrivers, gear making jigs, and magnifying glasses. Leatherworking antiques can comprise antique punches, awls, carving knives, and stamps. Seeing such tools makes one realize that someone earned their living with those tools, using them day after day in conditions that now seem primitive.

There are many antique tool sources. Garage sales may have them, but check the ad for tools or call ahead first. You'll have more luck with swap meets and flea markets, where people are likely to be selling whatever was clogging up Grandpa's basement or attic at cheap prices. Online auction sites have tool antiques, but don't get into a bidding war you cannot afford! Many websites, catalogs, and tool collecting organizations can guide you to places where vintage tools are sold.

Once you start collecting tool antiques, you won't be able to stop. Every old toolbox at a garage sale, every crate at an estate sale, and every rotting toolbelt holds a potential antique collectible tool. Let your friends and neighbors know about your interest in vintage tools, because they might not even know they have the perfect antique tools hiding in their garage.

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