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How do you transport your lathe tools?

Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
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Location
Saint Paul, MN
Those of you that travel with your lathe tools (demos, attending classes, or just club meetups) what methods have you found to bundle up your tools to make them easy and safe to carry? If you have pictures or links to things you've purchased I'd love to see those too. I was less than thrilled with my plastic grocery sack solution.
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2005
Messages
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Location
Alexandria, VA
I can answer the sort of local transport ( not flying ).
It depends on the number of tools needed.
If I need an arsenal vs. a few for specialized use.
Tool rolls hold unhandled gouges. Handles go in a tool bag or box.
Sometimes I reverse the gouge in the handle to protect the grind.
Handled tools go in the tool bag or box. I will try and protect the edges of skews or gouges with an assortment of plastic tips and guards.
I do have a Thompson traveling set where several tools fit in the handle.
Face shields and dust masks have their own bags ( repurposed motorcycle helmet bags ).
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2018
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Location
La Grange, IL
My internet and in-store searching led me to this wheeled tool box from DeWalt. https://www.dewalt.com/products/gear-and-equipment/tool-storage/28-tool-box-on-wheels/dwst28100

I could not find anything larger on wheels that was still a tool box and not so big it could hide a body. Unfortunately the manufacturer's claim that this tool box is 28" long is a bald butt lie. The inside dimension at the bottom of the box is 24". My long tools are a bit longer. I was able to get around this by putting an inch of so of cardboard (or foam board) in the bottom. The sides of the tool box slope and that was enough lift to get me into a longer section. You could pack your shorter tools in the bottom layer, the false bottom made more sense to me. Holds quite a few tools, even with the false bottom, but they are loose and there is the potential to bang around. I put the sharp ends of the tools all towards the handle, so up when rolling. I also slip a 1" piece of snug fitting vinyl tubing on the business ends.

Lately I have been preferring handleless tools, these travel quite well in a wrench wrap, which can also go in the tool box along with their handles. My wrap is from Bucket Boss. I also make use of the canvas turning tool roll form Woodcraft ( https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodcraft-turning-tool-roll ). Particularly useful to cart just a few tools, otherwise rolling is how I roll.

Before the tool wraps or the tool box, I used a canvas firewood carrier with closed ends.

A quick word about tool handles for those who use handless tools. My set screws always seem to want to fall out if they are not tightened down on something. This happens in transport, but is particularly true for the double ended handles where the set screws on the idle end seem to have a black hole like attraction to the wood chip pile. My solution was to buy a set of reducing inserts for the two ends. The inserts are useful to have and when the handle is not in use I snug the set screws down on the empty insert.
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
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Location
Port Angeles, WA
I used to work in wildlife rehab, and at that point in life used 3M/Coban to protect anything with a sharp edge for safe transport. It worked fantastic... stays on, comes off with no residue left behind... It was especially easy since I had access to a lot of old, donated medical supplies through work. If you do it often, then it'll get expensive quick, but i it's only occasionally, it's probably cheaper than buying/making anything dedicated to the purpose.
 

hockenbery

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I use a canvas tool roll I bought from Brad Packard over 20 years ago. It is beat up a little, one pocket seam tore about 5 years ago. Anything with a sharper point or corner than a spindle gouge gets masking tape or cover of flexible micro 1/2” irrigation tubbing( skew, pyramid tool, small square scraper.....) so that they don’t cut the inside or the packer.
Also we have 2 rolls that the Towson Woodcraft gave us. I put hollowing tools in one of those for hollowing demos.

Goes in the truck or car for local demos fits in a duffle or my pelican case for air travel.

has 9 pockets. I almost always take 9 tools and try not to leave a demo without filling all the pockets.
For many demos I pack 5 Ellsworth ground gouges, 2 3/8 spindle gouges, 1/4 bowl gouge, round nose scraper,

Packed for my next demo
2A0A4568-48AB-4A77-BA8E-08E820A68BE7.jpeg

Ready to go.

7F3EDD9E-0D20-4BF0-B1FD-521624832D42.jpeg
 
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
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Location
Brandon, MS
Before I shifted to removeable tool handles I made covers of PVC pipe. You can use a heat gun to soften the PVC , insert the tool and clamp the PVC down till it cools. I might be too tight to remove and then heat a little more to relax the sleeve you have made. I mark the sleeves with the tool that fits. Also you can pinch one end of the sleeve so that the tool will fit snugly and not slip out. For oversize PVC the clamp will work and not have to buy several different sizes.lathe tool cover close.JPG
 
Joined
May 8, 2019
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Location
Funen, Denmark
I use a roll much like the one Al shows. To keep the edges from slicing the fabric, I use cut up knee pads/kneeling cushions. Don't know is this version is common on your side of The Pond, but here they are extremely cheap.
http://crownal.site/wp-content/uplo...ening-kneeling-gardening-kneeling-cushion.jpg
I cut them about an inch longer than the gouge. Luckily we have two competing brands, one where the inner diameter suits ½" gouges and one more suitable for ⅝".
Lars
 

Emiliano Achaval

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Maui, Hawaii
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hawaiiankoaturner.com
I include a typewritten note that says: Dear TSA agent, be careful, I'm a traveling professional woodturner, I have very sharp tools in here. Thank you for keeping us safe. I include my cell number and name. It's in a plastic sleeve at the top of everything.
 

john lucas

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Apr 26, 2004
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Cookeville, TN
I use a Craftsman behind the seat tool.box most of the time however I dont fly often. When i have to fly I take a set of tools that can be removed from the handles and they go into a larger lockable tool.box along with chucks and any other tools and supplies I need.
 

Roger Wiegand

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5 gallon bucket packed with pieces of PVC pipe in a couple sizes, sharp edges down (you don't need to ask how I know), disk of soft wood in the bottom. Not so good for flying, but easy to carry and use at drive-to locations. Increasingly I keep my tools there in the shop as well. Making distinctive handles is helpful for grabbing the right tool.
 
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
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Cleveland, Tennessee
My HF tools came in a wood box, lined with "felt." Several years ago, a fellow chapter member sharpened my tools. When I got them back, each one had blue painter's tape over the end. I go through a lot of blue tape.
 

Dave Landers

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I cut PVC pipe longer than the tool shafts. Pick diameters so that the handle will not fall through. Duct tape several pipes together. Enough pipes (all the same length) and the bundle will stand by itself and serves as a tool rack.
I travel (locally) with that in a duffle. Maybe some Coban or something to keep the tools in the pipes.
Easy, cheap, and works well enough for occasional travel to classes or demos.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
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Eugene, OR
Well, I don't travel to demos where I have to take my tools on a plane. I made a 3/4 inch ply wood box and just place the tools in that. Since I always bring my own grinder, if tools get dinged, no problem getting them sharp again and I don't have to adjust the club grinder.

robo hippy
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
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Location
Colorado Springs, CO
When I travel, I protect the cutting edges of my gouges with 3-inch sections of plastic tubing. I buy a foot or two at a time at Ace Hardware in all the inside diameter sizes I need -- 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", etc. -- and cut them into sections. The tubing is flexible and stretches to fit tightly over the end of the gouge. I also use the tubing to protect all my unhandled tools when I store them at home.
 

Tom Gall

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Hillsborough, NJ
When I travel, I protect the cutting edges of my gouges with 3-inch sections of plastic tubing. I buy a foot or two at a time at Ace Hardware in all the inside diameter sizes I need -- 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", etc. -- and cut them into sections. The tubing is flexible and stretches to fit tightly over the end of the gouge. I also use the tubing to protect all my unhandled tools when I store them at home.

I've been using the tubing that William mentions for many years now. Works well for protecting your sharp cutting edges and yourself :rolleyes:. In many cases I use a slightly larger ID tubing than the tool's diameter and cut it to fit all the way to the ferrule + 1"......easy on-easy off! The curve of the tubing (as it comes off the storage reel) will supply the friction to keep it on your tool. I also use the indoor foam pipe insulation for some of the larger tools like SRGs....just put a piece of duct tape over the open end.

I store these tool tips down in a 5 gal. spackle bucket (can be purchased from hardware & big box stores) because it is easier for me to recognize my tools by the handles sticking up. I also have a piece of thick foam in the bottom of the bucket (currently using Kaizan Foam) with a cut-out in the center to hold my 4-jaw chuck to keep it from sliding and shifting the balance. My bucket also has one of those canvas Tool Keeper type things that fit over the rim of the bucket. This has many different size pockets that are handy for keeping items from honing tools & utility knives to small tool rests and chuck keys. Here is a reasonable priced one from Home Depot. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-1...6?MERCH=REC-_-PLP_Browse-_-NA-_-307699286-_-N
 
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