May 22, 2020
In my personal workshop, I keep my most important tools within reach and sight. I can instantly find whatever I’m looking for, and know if it’s missing. Most of my tools hang on a sheet of plywood hung on the wall. Something that I find to be overlooked in many storage systems is whether a tool hangs in a way such that when removed from its fixture, it is in a usable position in your hand. I like a process that looks like this: Grab tool, Use, return tool. No searching, or flipping tools around in your hand in awkward ways.
This requirement led to one of my favorite 3D printed designs. A simple, modular, holder for pliers, but also wire strippers, scissors, and wire cutters. I did the design in Autodesk Inventor and printed it on my FlashForge Finder in PLA. Since I could only print a holder large enough for 2 tools, I added dovetail joints for a larger system.
