Show Me Your French Tool Racks! – Popular Woodworking Magazine

I’m not looking for racks full of French tools, you understand – I want to see your pictures of tool racks inspired by Christopher Schwarz’s “I Can Do That” Tool Rack from the April 2011 issue (shown above – this link will take you to the article). It was based on a picture he saw in an engraving in a French book, and he likes it enough to still use in his home shop.

I put the image on our Instagram feed a few weeks back, and got a few in response – but I’d like to see more so I can make an image gallery of them for the website. Why? Well, I’ve seen a lot of these in the wild (and was too brain dead to take pictures), so I know it’s been a popular project. Heck, I liked it enough to modify it into custom-sized pot rack for the kitchen at my old house (sort of a combo French/Shaker peg shelf look), then build an even simpler version (with a wooden dowel instead of stainless steel) for the I Can Do That column.

Maple and stainless steel pot rack.

I love seeing what readers have built from the articles in our pages – and I’m particularly intrigued by modifications. Show me yours, and I’ll add them here. (Click on my name below to email me.)

Michael Keller changed up the sides on his tool rack with a pattern from E.J. Warne’s book “Furniture Mouldings.”

Michael Hull’s is in walnut (with a fir cleat).

Matt Bukrey’s French tool rack is awfully clever – it’s integrated into his mechanic’s chest.

Jake Swogger’s tool rack was one of his first projects. He made a 3/4 scale version to fit his available space.

J. Baker made only the part of the rack he needed – the peg board with slots behind.

And I’d of course welcome pictures of your other PW-inspired projects as well.

— Megan Fitzpatrick