A woody question in a metalwork forum!

[neksmerj]

Right, now that I've got my beautiful ER32 collet chuck and a set of collets, it's only befitting that I make a wooden box to store them in.

I know, this post should have been over in the "girls" forum, but since I reckon a mill will be involved, it's here.

I'm thinking two slabs of say 25mm hardwood with milled out pockets for the chuck and collets. One slab on top of the other, hinged together with some sort of catch.

1. What's a really nice timber to use?
2. Let's see some cases you have made.
3. Got some good ideas for hinges, catches, etc

Ken

[Greg Q]

Ken...I am about to embark on a larger project using Myrtle timber.I'm sure I can find some nice offcuts for this project. Two slabs are cruder than a proper dovetailed box bandsawn in half and fitted with inserts to hold the bits.

I favour brass piano hinges. Catches and clasps I don't know about lately...try the Lee Valley hardware section for ideas.

Lee Valley Tools

[neksmerj]

GQ, welcome back to Melbourne, arms still tired?

Myrtle, that sounds interesting. I have a fetish for red coloured timber, is Myrtle redish?

I was thinking of something like Redgum or Jarrah. We'll put this on the agenda at the next meeting.

Ken

[Greg Q]

uh-uh, in ADL right now, back in a couple of days. Yup, it is reddish timber, and I have lots. You can enhance its tone with chemicals too, just like me. (tea, I mean)

[Kody]

I would be wary of any timber that had a tannin content. The tannin will seep out from the humidity and it can make the tools rust up very quickly. I would favour an oily timber and my favorite for small tool boxes is Cypress Pine. This comes in some beautiful colours and it machines extremely good with metal working tools. Definitely worth checking out.
Kody

[Big Shed]

Whilst this would make a nice woodworking project I personally wouldn't keep ER sockets in a box. I have 2 sets and they are both used daily, both on the lathe(s) and in the mill.

So I keep mine in easily accessible racks, one is made from HDPE cutting board, works a treat.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/ne...1/#post1263417

[Anorak Bob]

I use these.

ER-32 ER-16 ER-11 COLLET RACK MULTI -SET METRIC INCH - eBay (item 300396649867 end time Apr-08-11 11:54:32 PDT)

[neksmerj]

mmm, ok, now I've seen everything. Reckon a rack might be the way to go.

Looks like I need to buy a spare plastic cutting board from the supermarket, bore a few holes in it, and AB's your uncle.

Probably not as much satisfaction as making a nice timber box, with the lovely smell of Western red cedar.

Ken

[Anorak Bob]

Come on KJ, make a box. Here's one I knocked together in 1985. It was made to hold a jig, a hammer and steel number and letter punches. To deal with the movement of the jarrah. the box was made to look like it was one solid piece. It was hollow. I concealed brass ribs in the lid ends to reduce the chance of the lid cupping. Before someone slips into me for not aligning the screwheads, I never have and never will.

I do need to make some boxes up for quite a bit of my gear. Maybe something along the lines of the ubiquitous finger jointed type box used to contain machine bits and pieces. From memory, Bunnies sell 12mm dressed pine which would do.

[Woodlee]

I made a box for my collets I used 12mm ply for the exterior and the racks for the inside , two layers about 8mm-10mm apart with tapered holes to match the collets , utilitarian but it does the job .
The lower layer has the holes slightly smaller that the top layer .
I made a cut out for the collet chuck and the c spanner .
The ply inside was left natural & oiled with linseed , Ive never had a problem with rust ,I keep a couple of clean oil soaked rags that I wipe every thing with before I put it away.I have to do this with all my tools due to the high humidity here and because I don't sweat , I leak.
The pics shows the collets in thier plastic bags , I took these pics when the collets were new , I don't keep them in the plastic at all.
The box is mitred and is stained Feast and Watson mahogany and has steel case corners .

Kev.

[neksmerj]

Hi Kev, that's pretty smicko. I guess fabricating a box up would be a lot lighter than from solid timber.

However, when I do make mine, it will be two solid pieces. It will be a lot less work, I think, and give me a very plain look, except for a good coat of polish. I reckon linseed oil on the inside is a good move. That should keep the rust at bay.

Would love to take a peek at Katherine one day, on my journey to Darwin.

[Woodlee]

You'd be more than welcome to drop in and take part in refreshment or two .

I made the box from off cuts so basically it cost nothing ,I didn't need a jewellery box to hold collets .
The chuck that's in the box is the first one I bought ,it's an MT2 which I bought top use in the lathe ,I bought another chuck with an MT3 to fit the mill .
Then I bought a screw on Er32 collet chuck to fit the Myford and the MT 2 doesn't get used as the screw on one allows longer lengths to pass through the spindle.
The ER collets are great and I use them for 95% of my tool holding in the mill.
I've made a couple of other boxes for my 123 and 246 blocks and my machinists levels spent a bit more time on them and used solid timber .

Kev.

[neksmerj]

Great stuff Kev.

Was that a refreshment or two, ....or three? It's a long drive from the airport.

Nice looking boxes, I like the olde world appearance, like something you would find in an old tool shop.

Few and far apart now-a-days.

Ken

[eskimo]

you guys just are'nt pretty faces eh... lovely box making there, Bob and Woodlee

"this post should have been over in the "girls" forum"...you wait till they hear about that Ken...you gunna be in trouble....

[RayG]

you guys just are'nt pretty faces eh... lovely box making there, Bob and Woodlee

"this post should have been over in the "girls" forum"...you wait till they hear about that Ken...you gunna be in trouble....

Ha... that explains the angry mob gathering, armed with chisels, saws and beautifully turned wooden clubs.....


As far as collet storage, mine are still kept in the little cardboard boxes they came in.... I like the plastic tray AB is using, but the freight from the US is a killer.

Regards
Ray