Magnetic tool wall?

Hello folks,

I’d quite like a magnetised tool wall so that I can essentially just throw my tools at the wall rather than hooking them or whatever. So something like a full board version of a knife rack like this http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Deluxe-Magnetic-Knife/dp/B000RDIXC2

Could of course just buy a load of knife racks but would prefer a sort of blackboard type affair, is this possible or just stupid?

Google doesnt seem to be giving me the answer 🙁

A very good idea and one my wife and I discussed last weekend – if you find something let me know !

Make your own. Old speaker magnets from charity shops, free cycle etc. Inlay speakers on to mdf, 2mm steel plate over the top, job done

Not really that handy so would rather buy one so long as they aren’t stupid expensive

I got a magnetic set from Aldi a few years back – comprising two approx 2′ long magentic bars that screw onto the wall / whatever and two different shaped magnetic containers. I just slap the allen key / spanner / cable cutters onto there and spend vastly less time patting my pockets, looking on shelves, the floor, the workstand for misplaced tools! It was pretty cheap too.

The advantage of a bar over a large slab of magnetic surface could be that you hit the middle of the tool onto the bar and it’s easy to remove – not sure how fiddly it might be if the whole tool is attached? Never tried it though, so there’s no substance to my argument! 🙂

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Haha, yes fair point about the flush surface, magnet strips it is then

something to consider about a “tool board” or “shadow board” is that you develop a memory of exactly where the tools are located on the board, rather than randomly throwing them onto a magnetised surface?

as a professional bike mechanic and workshop manager, I spend a lot of time working on shadow boards which includes actually building them and setting them up logically with reference to commonly used tools and sequence of tool use during common workshop jobs

these are some shots of my recent workshops

I’d highly recommend setting up a shadow board using 3/4″ ply and painted black with silver / white marking pen to outline your tools, and a mix of fixing to secure different shaped and sized tools to suit your needs

Tool jealousy! Yes agree with the memory thing, original plan was just to draw round theagnetoc board in pencil as I currently have a fairly basic and/ or poor quality setup so wanted the flexibility to allow for different tools rather than making new fittings. Think a combo of the magnetic strips and ply with hooks is the way to go. Any more good pics of tool Walls out there?

If you are near a machine mart they sell these

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/magnetic-tool-holder-set-3-pce

I have two sets in my workshop (OK , its is a small shed) and I can get every tool I need on. As has been said above, these work well because you can pick tools off easily. I also use boards with hooks and shaped dowel pegs for larger tools

Mine while I was testing the layout on the floor before comitting it to the wall.

I think I got the layout right.

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My new tool board[/url] by tomlevell[/url], on Flickr

I used to use some magnetic tool boards – problem is that they magnetise all your tools, which can get annoying especially if there are metal filings about. I now use hook board stuff:

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Luckily for me, work was ditching loads of old PC’s. I went through them, getting the magnets out of the hard drives.
Perfect 🙂

james may’s man lab has already sorted this issue for you 🙂 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFI1m1Lv5RE just put it on the wall and not the roof.

an issue I have had with peg and hook tool boards is marking tool locations (especially as many peg boards are blue or silver i.e. not ideal for marking with a pen)

not a problem for “home use” but in a bike workshop you can go away for your days off, and come back to find several tools missing (borrowed by over enthusiastic shop staff who should know better…or quickly borrowed by a fellow mechanic and not replaced)

it can be hard working out what is missing, and where the missing items go when retrieved

the beauty of the shadow board is the instant visual identification, I can come into work, and immediately realise someone has borrowed my stanley knife, scissors and 15mm ring spanner, and go about finding them and putting them back in the right place.

That is a good point, and if I shared the workshop with other people I’d definitely do that. The advantage of this system is that it’s easier to change the layout if tools change.

Loving esher shore’s classic workshop layouts. Beautifully organised tools above. Randomised shelves of tat below.