Gemstone Bead Jewelry

How To Make A Hand Tool Holder For Jewelry Tools

Work benches become very cluttered when making jewelry. An easy way to organize the workbench is to make a holder for tools which makes them visable and easily accessible.

Materials needed:
safety glasses
6" x 2" x length negotiable piece wood
Scrap lumber
drill or drill press
3/16, 1/4, 1/2" drill bits
saw
ruler
sharpie pen

A holder for jewelry tools as pliers, small cutters, pin vises, crimpers, files, and sharpies will make your work bench much neater and assist you to quickly find the right tool for the job at hand. Inventory the tools you have in each category. It might be feasible to make a holder for each group of tools.

Cutters will stay sharper if the cutting edge is not in contact or jostled against other tools. Using calipers check the widest part of the end of the tool that will be inserted in the holder. Most jewelry tool handles measure 1/4" and 1/2". File handle diameters are much smaller.

Hold two tools upright on the board and decide how far apart to place them, keeping in mind the different sizes of the handles. Organize groups of tools and decide on the overall length of wood needed for all the tools or groups of tools.

Insert the drill bit in the drill or drill press. Make two practice holes in a scrap of wood to see how the pliers fit, checking the width and depth of the holes. Set the drill press to the needed depth or mark the depth on the drill bit by placing a bit of tape or a sharpie mark on the bit. Measure the spread of the handles. Use an average spread number since a slight amount of tension will help the tool stand upright. Draw two parallel lines on the board with an X mark for placement of each hole.

Files can be stored in a wooden tool holder made with 3/16" holes or together in a small tomato paste can. Fasten the can to a wooden base to prevent being frequently tipped over. Place a hole in the bottom of the can and place a screw through the bottom of the can into the wood to prevent tipping. Sharpies and simple pin vise will fit in one half inch holes. These can be grouped along with files and scribe. You can find many more tools to include in holders.

My workbench is made from an old oak table. To quickly measure wire, I mounted a metal ruler on one edge of the bench.
Tool Holder without tools

Tool Holder with tools

After using my holder, I have decided that tool holders should be fairly short in length. I pull the group forward that I am currently using nearer to my work area. Infrequently used tools can be pushed to the back of the work table and pulled forward as needed.

As you can see from the photograph, my holder is quite long. I am presently deciding which tools I will group together and cut my holder into pieces. I am finding using the holder much quicker and more efficient than rambling through a container or drawer. Organization will certainly improve your efficiency and help you remember tools you had forgotten you had.

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