Shop Tree Holds Tools In Plain Sight

2014 - Volume #38, Issue #5, Page #37

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There’s no digging through cabinet drawers or toolboxes when Brian Haubrich needs a 3/4-in. wrench or socket. Every tool he needs is out in plain sight.
  “I got tired of looking for tools in cabinets, on hooks or on my workbench,” says Haubrich. “I built a tool tree with long hooks and shelves to hold practically every tool I have. The best part is I can reach most of my tools without moving far from my vise.”
  The list of what the tree holds includes hundreds of sockets, and dozens each of wrenches, punches, chisels, cutters, calipers, pliers, screwdrivers and more. There is even room for a welding helmet as well as hacksaws, hammers and clamps. Amazingly, the entire tree takes up only a few square feet of shop space. Yet each item has its own spot with duplicate wrenches lined up on the same hook.
  “I can hang a dozen 3/4-in. combination wrenches on a single rod,” says Haubrich. “I keep lots of duplicates around. Even so, when you outfit a couple of air seeders or combines in season, the rack gets emptied out pretty quickly.”
  Haubrich used a baler flywheel for the base. He welded 1 5/8-in. pipe stubs in opposing holes of the flywheel. The actual rack, which is made from 2 by 2-in. square, 1/4-in. thick steel tubing, slips over the pipe.
  Shelving is fabricated from 1/4-in. flat steel and hooks are 1/4-in. steel rod. Heavier wrenches are hung on 5/16-in. rod. Each socket sits on an upright peg on the shelf so they won’t get knocked out of position.
  “Each hook is marked for the size wrench that’s on it,” says Haubrich. “Shelves for sockets have the socket size marked as well. It makes it easy for my son or our hired men to grab the tools they need for the machine they are running.”
  Haubrich likes his shop tool rack so much that he made smaller versions for each piece of farm equipment. Racks with needed wrenches, sockets and other tools hang on the doors in the cabs or stand upright so they’re easy to see and grab as needed.
  “We all love these racks,” says Haubrich. “When you get back in the cab, you see the tool rack and can immediately tell if any tools are missing. When you get back to the shop to put away the machine, it’s easy to hang the tools back on the tree.”
  While it may be easy, Haubrich admits that it doesn’t always happen, and the in-cab tool racks don’t prevent tools from getting lost.
  “I watch for sales at the stores and will pick up a couple sets,” he says. “We always need more tools.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Brian Haubrich, Box 21, Glenbain, Sask., Canada S0N 0X0 (ph 306 264-3809).

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Shop Tree Holds Tools In Plain Sight FARM SHOP Miscellaneous There’s no digging through cabinet drawers or toolboxes when Brian Haubrich needs a 3/4-in wrench or socket Every tool he needs is out in plain sight “I got tired of looking for tools in cabinets on hooks or on my workbench ” says Haubrich “I built a tool tree with long hooks and shelves to hold practically every tool I have The best part is I can reach most of my tools without moving far from my vise ” The list of what the tree holds includes hundreds of sockets and dozens each of wrenches punches chisels cutters calipers pliers screwdrivers and more There is even room for a welding helmet as well as hacksaws hammers and clamps Amazingly the entire tree takes up only a few square feet of shop space Yet each item has its own spot with duplicate wrenches lined up on the same hook “I can hang a dozen 3/4-in combination wrenches on a single rod ” says Haubrich “I keep lots of duplicates around Even so when you outfit a couple of air seeders or combines in season the rack gets emptied out pretty quickly ” Haubrich used a baler flywheel for the base He welded 1 5/8-in pipe stubs in opposing holes of the flywheel The actual rack which is made from 2 by 2-in square 1/4-in thick steel tubing slips over the pipe Shelving is fabricated from 1/4-in flat steel and hooks are 1/4-in steel rod Heavier wrenches are hung on 5/16-in rod Each socket sits on an upright peg on the shelf so they won’t get knocked out of position “Each hook is marked for the size wrench that’s on it ” says Haubrich “Shelves for sockets have the socket size marked as well It makes it easy for my son or our hired men to grab the tools they need for the machine they are running ” Haubrich likes his shop tool rack so much that he made smaller versions for each piece of farm equipment Racks with needed wrenches sockets and other tools hang on the doors in the cabs or stand upright so they’re easy to see and grab as needed “We all love these racks ” says Haubrich “When you get back in the cab you see the tool rack and can immediately tell if any tools are missing When you get back to the shop to put away the machine it’s easy to hang the tools back on the tree ” While it may be easy Haubrich admits that it doesn’t always happen and the in-cab tool racks don’t prevent tools from getting lost “I watch for sales at the stores and will pick up a couple sets ” he says “We always need more tools ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Brian Haubrich Box 21 Glenbain Sask Canada S0N 0X0 ph 306 264-3809

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