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My latest project was to take the hammer holder that I got at Metalmeet and make 

it better. The stand works very well but it doesn't use the space very well. I'm very 

short on space in my garage. I wanted something that could keep all my hammers and 

clamps in one place and would make them all easily accessible. Wrestling with a box 

of hammers is not my cup of tea. I decided that I was smarter than that box.

This is what I started with:

Empty it looks like this:

It needed a second level that would spin easily. I tried a couple of different 

lazy-susan bearing plates but none of them worked very well under load. a box

of hammers and clamps and vicegrips is HEAVY.

I decided to use a planetary gear set left over from a parts tranny I had and 

welded it to an axel I had laying about. If it could move a car this should be no big deal. Plus I wanted it to spine VERY easily.

Next I fabbed up a nice hat for it out of 1/8" plate:

Then I welded the other part of the planetary gear to the underside: 

Then I added some rods that were extras from a bucket of pegboard hooks 

I got a long time ago (Please do not laugh too loudly at the welds):

Here it is with its hat on. I bolted the second deck on instead of welding 

it just in case the idea didn't work. I didn't want to screw up a pretty good 

tool:

I took it outside and added a nice shiny coat of Metallic Blue paint. 

I mean ya gotta have some bling, right?

Then I brought it in and loaded it up:

 

The most used hammers and dollies get places of honor on the front row:

The rest sit in the bleachers:

The top carousel spins with one finger. The planetary gear REALLY worked well.

The final part of the project will be to attach a mid-level holder for dollies.

AND BEST OF ALL THERE IS STILL SPACE FOR MORE TOOLS!!!!!

The PERFECT project!