Tool Caddies for the Tablesaw and Lathe

Long time in coming: simple tool caddies to collect my most commonly used tools in a designated place. Construction is super simple, butt joints, glue, and brad nails. Bottom of both is 1/8" oak/poplar ply. The TS caddy bottom fits into a dado. The lathe caddy bottom fits into a rabbet and is tacked with glue and 5/8" brads. Why are they different? Because I wanted to see if one way would be more durable than the other.

Caddy holds a Nova G3, Nova Midi & tommy bars, Delta centers, Nova centers, PSI centers, Bondhus 4mm hex wrench, knockout bar, and extra jaws.

I have two lathes so a caddy is more convenient than a fixed location like a drawer, a cabinet, or on the wall. Now I can bring my chucks and centers to whichever lathe I'm using in one easy to carry box. I may add holders that will attach to the backside of the caddy for a few lathe chisels.

The TS caddy was badly needed. These are tools I use constantly, like tape measures, a marking knife, pencils, a 6" combo square, pocket calipers, center punch, scribe, Wixey, 12" rule and 6" rule. In the past these tools wanted to clutter my tablesaw and end up on the fence. Since my TS is in the center of the shop, this caddy is within a step or two of any other tool. 

  

The Tools

Why do I have 3 tape measures? Good question, guess I have tape measure fetish. The yellow Stanley is both inch and metric. Once upon a time I planned to convert entirely to metric but it isn't very practical as American woodworking is still inch centric. The green tape is my newest and is a center finding tape measure, regular inches on top and half scale inches on bottom, I like it. The black and chrome center tape is a Lufkin engineer scale (tenths of inches). Some other tools of note are a BluePoint 12" combo square, a Lufkin 6" combo square, a Bluepoint automatic center punch, a Stanley scribe, a General pocket caliper, an iGaging digital caliper, a 6" Craftsman rule, a 12" rule (can't remember the brand).

More pictures of shop made lathe tools

I get more questions about my carbide lathe tools than anything else, mostly about grinding, so here are more pictures of the business end.

The diamond tip is ground with a taper then flattens for the cutter. Nothing holds the carbide in place except friction and it hasn't budged. A few folks expressed concern because it isn't form fit like Easy Wood Tools but that isn't necessary for holding it in place.

I've had less success with the radius cutter and will eventually replace it with a round carbide. Radius cutters don't do anything the other shapes don't do better. I suggest that you use square bar for square, radius, and diamond cutters otherwise the tool tends to spin when using the corners. This cutter has several chips where catches have flung it against the tool rest.

The tapped hole goes completely through.

The grinding doesn't have to be pretty to be functional. Leave steel under the cutter for support then grind a relief matching the angle on the carbide.

Soon I will be making a new one with a square bar. I purchase my carbides from AZ Carbide, excellent prices and customer service along with fast shipping. I have no financial interest in the company and receive no compensation for recommending them.

Chip deflector for Easy Wood Tool or other carbide tools.

One night after turning I washed up and my hands were on fire. Wood chips flying back at my hand and fingers had left hundreds of little paper-like cuts. You couldn't see them but I sure could feel them. The next day I made two chip deflectors. Video at bottom on how to make your own.

You'll need a piece of scrap hardwood, some small rare earth magnets, and 2"x4" piece of plexiglass.

Watch this video for step by step instructions.

Wood turning tip: Pattern Stick

The idea is nothing new, in carpentry and woodworking they are called story sticks and are simply a strip of wood with pencil or knife marks: a way of transferring measurements without a ruler. In wood turning they are called pattern sticks or sizing sticks and include a cut-out or silhouette of the piece.

Here is a very simple version for a socket chisel handle. Make your image on graph paper or computer, print and spray glue to 1/8" plywood, then cut away the notches. Hold the template against a roughed out turning blank and use a pencil to mark where each notch falls.

A slightly different version with half circles that can be drilled or cut out and used as a gauge.

A different socket chisel handle with more measurements.

How to Use:

The temptation is to grab a parting tool and buzz each line down to the dimension but first think about where to make your cuts because some will be directly on the line, some to the right or left. Deeper cuts should be made downhill of the line. If you straddle the line then your parting tool will cut into the wider diameter uphill side. Transitions like coves or beads should be cut directly on the line.

Here is how the turning blank would look on the lathe, overlaid with the template. Then cut off the corners and blend the curves to match your pattern.

Cap'n Eddie Lathe Parting Tool

A parting tool is used to cut through wood while spinning on the lathe. Credit to Captain Eddie Castelin who featured the original on his YouTube channel.

Start with a 9" x 2" universal edger blade, $5 at Home Depot. Scribe a line at some angle. I chose 30°, or 60°, depending on how you look at it.

Cut along the scribe with your tool of choice, I used a Dremel w/ cut-off wheel.

Again I forgot to take intermediate pics but you get the idea. Remove the paint and clean up the cut with a grinder. It was necessary to flatten the blade as it had a slight cup. Flattening can be done on a belt sander, disc sander, or 80 grit sandpaper glued to a flat surface. The blade doesn't have to be perfect but the flatter it is the better it will slice wood. Also flatten the top as this will be one cutting edge.

Cut 2 pieces of scrap wood approximately 5" x 2 1/4" x 3/8", the exact length and thickness is up to you. Drill a hole for the binding post which will fit through the existing slot in the blade. Drill a hole and countersink on the opposite handle for the machine screw. Secure the handles to the blade with epoxy or CA glue and secure with the binding post. If the screw protrudes on the back just grind it flush. Sand the handles flush to the top and bottom of the blade and apply a coat of oil or your finish of choice.

I didn't bother polishing the blade.

After thoughts:

It's ugly. If I were to do this over I would cut the blade to 1" wide because it doesn't need to be this bulky. That said, I wouldn't bother making another. This one works okay and I use it but there are better options for homemade parting tools. A thinner blade generates less heat and is less metal to sharpen. Sometime soon I plan on making a parting tool from an old carbide saw blade. 

Making carbide lathe tools and handles

Carbide lathe tools are simple to make and substantially cheaper than commercial versions. I own a couple of Easy Wood Tools and my homemade versions work equally well. These are built with maple harvested from my property, 1/2" steel rod, and carbide cutters purchased from AZ Carbide. The ferrules are cut from copper pipe, fixed with CA glue and then polished. 

Tips were shaped on the grinder then holes drilled and tapped for 6-32 screws.

Diamond and radius cutters. The diamond cutter is handy but the back corners have a tendency to catch. The radius cutter gets less use than I expected. My recommendation is use square bar for diamond, radius, and square cutters as it will give more support and help prevent the tool from rolling in your hand. 

Finished handles. The size and shape is very comfortable but are front heavy, I may go back and add weight to the handle. [update: balance hasn't been an issue since the tool rest supports the front but I'll use a heavier wood on future handles]

In a former life this beading tool was a file, now it has a handle to match the others. Shape of the bead is cut into the handle so it's profile is known at a glance.

Long term update: In addition to these I also own Easy Wood Tools and a variety of gouges, skews, and parting tools. In general, I get a better and faster cut from gouges than I do from carbide tools but the carbide scrapers come in handy for very hard woods and roughing in general.  If I were to do this over, I would use square bar for square, radius, and diamond shaped cutters because they need the extra support and it will help prevent the tool from spinning in your hand. Round or square bar is fine for round cutters.