How do you store your Cat tooling? Any size may respond

[Jim Shaper]

I'm just now acquiring a collection of this stuff and I'm wondering what the most practical way to organize it is?

My machine lacks a tool changer, so some form of quick access for the readily used stuff is needed, but I'm also curious about more long term for things that don't need to remain out.

Show us what you've got.

[macona]

For my 30 taper stuff I just use a shelf of my rotatable 5c collet shelf for that. Otherwise Huot and others makes Cat 40 roll around carts. You could also make a similar cart by getting a cart and cutting holes in the top for the taper to drop in to. If you use one of the rubbermaid carts it might be better than a steel top cart.

[Dan Dubeau]

We have one small rack on the outside of the Haas, but the extra that's not in the tool changer, resides on benches. Making a nice roll around cart/rack, has been on my list for a while now, but I just never seem to have the time.

[Jim Shaper]

I've been thinking of making something similar to the side shelves that haas come with, only mounting it to the wall next to the machine. Maybe make them on adjustable shelving racks? That way I could vary the height for longer installed tooling.

Roll around carts don't do me any good, since I only have enough room for one of these machines, and it's not exactly going to be moving around much.

I need to save the floor space for material carts and such.


Jerry, Your lazy susan system is something I've considered for on-machine storage. I could mount something like that where the ATC would normally go and it'd be completely out of the way.

[Steve Seebold]

U.S. Shoptools has some really nifty tool racks that hold 10 tools each. They're about $25.00 each, but you could have a few on a shelf, and one at your machine. If I remember correctly, the holes are numbered so you can identify your tools.

[moldmonkey]

Huot is right there in St Paul. Maybe they sell scratch & dent??

http://store.huot-store.com/tool-storage/category/ctci.html

I have made my own for Kwik Switch 300 holders and collets from 1" angle iron and MDF:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/moldmonkey/P1010072.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/moldmonkey/P1010071.jpg

[ARFF79]

For limited space, I would look into a counter top height Lista style cabinet or similar height roll-around box and incorporate it into the workbench for the mill. This gives you a place to store un-used holders, collets, and other mill tooling in a chip free place. For those tools currently in use, a couple of pieces of 2x6 cut on an angle with a plywood top having the required number of holes drilled in it and sealed to keep it clean, will sit on top of the bench. This will also give you a place to mount a holder block for setting tools off of the mill. You could use a bench vise instead and just clamp the block in it as needed.

[Jim Shaper]

I'm leaning towards an array of shelves that keep the tools accessible, but out of the way. Without a tool changer on the machine, I need to be able to store and use the stuff pretty readily.

The idea of another cart or cabinet is just too much floor space. I already have roll cabs and service carts in use, so one more flat surface is asking for trouble.

[Dan Dubeau]

I'm leaning towards an array of shelves that keep the tools accessible, but out of the way. Without a tool changer on the machine, I need to be able to store and use the stuff pretty readily.

The idea of another cart or cabinet is just too much floor space. I already have roll cabs and service carts in use, so one more flat surface is asking for trouble.

Flat surface syndrome. I suffer from that. I also suffer from no tool changer (has one, but doesn't work properly). It's a deadly combo.

[John Stevenson]

Sorry about the crap phone picture.
I have an old fridge out of a caravan because space is short.
Tips and other tooling goes in the fridge and there is a sloping top made out of MDF to hold the INT40 holders.

http://www.stevenson-engineers.co.uk/files/INT40%20tooling%20cart.jpg

Fridge doesn't work and was got from the local dump and the gubbins ripped out.

.

[Jim Shaper]

It's not so much the flat surfaces, it's that they don't efficiently use the given vertical space.

So if I made some shelves that were 2 tools deep, but then stacked them along my 9' wall (up to where the bridge crane roams) I could store dozens (a hundred or more) of holders in no more than a couple square feet of floor space.


I'm not out of room, but it's getting crowded. I've been contemplating selling my fabrication table so I can build one that's a few feet shorter and another foot narrower. When I built it, I had no idea I would be getting a cnc lathe that sits 5x8' and needs 2' off the wall.

[j king]

This is for my cat 30 holders. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/ikimjing/my%20stuff/cncmillpics007.jpg

[madman]

I use my homemade die cart (i call it the cadillac) I installed a pair of sturdy roller glides and made up a rack out of a old Table rop section. It can hold 246 holders, Handy I try to use up any air space anywhere in my shop. Even with 3 shops im running out of space.

[outback]

#30 NMBT Bridgeport tooling storage.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v30/jglass/30toolholderrack.jpg

Outback

[CNC Viking]

Hi folks, new to this forum and this is my first post.

I made my own cart for the 70+ BT40 tools I have so far for my VMC, Feeler FV-800.

It is made of 15mm plywood while the tool shelves are made of 30mm heavy duty multiply plywood, so they dont bend being completely swisscheesed by those 41mm holes. And don't be cheap on the cart wheels as they will carry 200+ kg of tooling and you want them to roll easily.

Each shelf holds 7 tools except the bottom one that has larger spacing for facing tools etc.
http://forumbilder.se/images/b022009125920ffb4.jpg

It is heavily tapered towards the top. This gives great weight stability.
http://forumbilder.se/images/8e2010111505P2f74.jpg

Top shelf holds longer tools, long ugly mills etc..
http://forumbilder.se/images/ab2200910149A9f7d.jpg

Handles on backside so I can easily move her around the shop...
http://forumbilder.se/images/b82010110128P5867.jpg

Just my 2 cents...

[Jim Shaper]

That's a nice looking rack!

[CNC Viking]

Thanks Jim,

Hope that the ideas on construction can be of use to some DIY'ers.

[Paul Alciatore]

Well, it's R8 tooling, not CAT but the basic idea is the same:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v55/EPAIII/P09CleanedWColletRack.jpg

This is very handy and I have very little room for floor carts or wall racks. It is 0.050" aluminum.

Some thoughts: I like to use either a softer metal, like aluminum or plastic or wood for such racks as you can get more damage to a taper from steel. Second, you want to pick a hole diameter that is close to the large end of the taper: I went for the middle and wish I had made them a bit larger.

[Jim Shaper]

Paul, putting cat holders that close together is asking for trouble. You have a huge probability of hitting the taper on a tool next to the hole you're aiming for. You're also looking at tool holders that weigh no less than 2# each, so it'll take a substantial frame and platen to hold the number we're talking about here.

What you did is very similar to the holders that all the bridgeports I've ever used have. It works for them, but only because the tooling is much smaller.

The major diameter of the drive flange on a cat 40 is 2.5". Minimum tool spacing is going to be 4" OC and that doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room at that.