Homemade Tools Or 'Stuff' Fence

by Michael
(Candor, NY)

You can use my very efficient homemade tool organiser to maintain a little order in your workshop. It's a bit like a Do It Yourself peg board, but much better. This is great for people that spend time working on crafts or DIY projects, and folks that just own a lot of hand tools.

Items You Will Need

• To begin with you must decide what size you would like your organiser to be, then take some 1/4 inch plywood and cut it to size.


• 3/4 x 1-1/2 wood long enough to make a picture like frame for the edge (buy a little extra to be safe).


• A roll of chicken wire


• 16 3/4x8 flat headed screws.


• Two picture hangers (metal). These must be able to hold the tool organiser on the wall without it moving around (small mending plates, three inches long would be the best).


• Two wall studs or anchors and two 2 inch screws.

Tools Needed To Get This Job Done

• A small saw


• A screwdriver


• A hammer


• Wire cutters

Here's how to make one just like in the picture

1. As mentioned above, go ahead and cut your ¼ inch plywood to size. Choose which side of the plywood will be the rear, then drill two holes on each side of the panel, roughly 2 inches from each corner and about ¾ of an inch in from the edge.



2. Now take that 1x2 wood, place it along side the panel so that you can measure and mark the four frame sides to cut. Take a piece of paper and fold it diagonally in half to make a 45 degree template, then use it to mark and cut the 1x2 ends to 45 degrees.



3. Cut some of the chicken wire to 1/4 of an inch smaller than your plywood, then tape it lightly to the middle of the plywood. Place the chicken wire so that the triangular end of the mesh is top to bottom rather than from side to side.



4. Now lay the frame pieces together on a flat surface, and put your plywood panel onto the frame pieces, making sure you have it wire mesh side down. It's important to make sure that your frame is flush with the ends here. Next screw in the 2 screws per frame side until they are flush with your ply wood back. Then add a couple more screws to the middle area of each frame side.



5. Turn your panel over, and raise the chicken wire a little from the panel surface so that it bulges out.



6. Screw your 2 picture hangers six inches from each end of the frame, positioning them so that they extend over the top edge by ¾ of an inch. Then screw the picture hangers to the wall using studs or wall anchors (whatever is best for fixing in your home).



7. Go ahead, hang up your tools as you like, and remember to save your excess wire, you're going to make more of of these homemade tool organisers ;-)

Other Uses & Refinements
There are many ways you to refine this idea. You could use picture moldings on the frames, you can paint the frame and/or the plywood, or maybe you want to cover the back with a fabric..etc

You don't have to use the homemade tool organiser just for tools, it also works well with pots, pans and utensils (use S hooks), small storage bags of organized things hanging up with clothes pins, sewing kits, your hardware or garden tools (for heavier tools you may want to upgrade the chicken wire to something stronger like heavy duty farm fencing).