Useless Jigs, Storage etc You Have Made

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  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    Useless Jigs, Storage etc You Have Made

    I use my cordless Impact Driver 2 to 1 over my Cordless Drill, but I use those two together way more than all of my other tools. I have several tote-able tool boxes - one for electrical with electrical stuff and tools specific to electrical; I have a totable tool box for general mechanical (wrenches & etc). Since I use the Impact Driver and Cordless Drill the most, I decided to make a tool box to hold them to keep them from moving around, and a tad bit of space for drill bits, rule and hex shaft small impact sockets plus varies driver bits.

    Well, it went together well, but it is too large and heavy. Most of my tool boxes are heavy canvas or strong plastic of some kind.

    The box below weighs twice my other tool box totes, plus I made it too long and not wide enough. Should be 3 to 4 inches shorter and 3 inches wider to be effective for the way I use things. This one "could" work if it wasn't so heavy with everything in it. Half inch bottom, ends; 3/4 center span; 5/16 sides.

    I used it on 3 projects and then started using my older Husky Tool Tote again. (I really need one size larger the tool tote.)

    CARE TO tell or show us some of your failed or inconvenient jigs, storages etc?

    Useless for the way I use it:

    Click image for larger version

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    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!
  • twistsol
    Veteran Member
    • Dec 2002
    • 2892
    • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
    • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

    #2
    I don't have a photo of it, but my biggest failure was my first plywood rack that once loaded collapsed the the casters it was on and eventually had to be dsassembled.

    I wouldn't necessarily call the toolbox below a failure as it was used as a tool chest by my grandpa for about 50 years before it was retired. The bottom of one of the inside tray says "Made at Haddorf Piano Co March 4 1922 by Gust Lager and G Hallberg" Grandpa was George Hallberg.

    Grandpa's Oak Toolbox
    Sometime in the 70's my mom hit it with the car when it was at the front of the garage.

    Toolbox Signature
    Chr's
    __________
    An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
    A moral man does it.

    Comment

    • Carlos
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2004
      • 1893
      • Phoenix, AZ, USA.

      #3
      Hmm, my boxes and jigs are usually built after going way too long without them, so they are pretty much always right. The failing is in dealing with the problem for too long before solving it. The bright side is by then I know exactly what I want. I've also migrated through various iterations of solutions, but usually it was just "this is good, let's make a great version." Like my small rolling tool, part, and in-progress cart. I started with one of the cheap metal carts with three shelves and hangers on the side. That was extremely useful. Then I built my "ultimate perfect" solution based on actualy usage.

      Comment

      • Jim Frye
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 1051
        • Maumee, OH, USA.
        • Ryobi BT3000 & BT3100

        #4
        Back in the late '90s, when NiCad batteries were the thing, I had a bunch of them because I was always running out of charge on a work site. My usual jig, or fixture is made from stuff lying around the shop that most folks would consider throwaways. Anyway, I came up with a battery tote that held six packs and had two chargers with a bit/blade/fuse drawer. It started out as plastic tote that was just too small for any sort of task. Initially, it was quite usefull. Then LiOn batteries came along with their dual chemistry chargers. Yep, none of the new stuff fit in the tote, so it now sits in the shop with the other stuff that most folks would throw out
        . Click image for larger version

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        Jim Frye
        The Nut in the Cellar.
        ”Sawdust Is Man Glitter”

        Comment

        • leehljp
          Just me
          • Dec 2002
          • 8429
          • Tunica, MS
          • BT3000/3100

          #5
          Originally posted by Jim Frye
          Back in the late '90s, when NiCad batteries were the thing, I had a bunch of them because I was always running out of charge on a work site. My usual jig, or fixture is made from stuff lying around the shop that most folks would consider throwaways. Anyway, I came up with a battery tote that held six packs and had two chargers with a bit/blade/fuse drawer. It started out as plastic tote that was just too small for any sort of task. Initially, it was quite usefull. Then LiOn batteries came along with their dual chemistry chargers. Yep, none of the new stuff fit in the tote, so it now sits in the shop with the other stuff that most folks would throw out.
          Things like that remind me of oil can spouts!
          Hank Lee

          Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

          Comment

          • leehljp
            Just me
            • Dec 2002
            • 8429
            • Tunica, MS
            • BT3000/3100

            #6
            I found the ideal tool tote for me: Husky 15 in tool tote. I can find it on HD's web site but they don't have any. I found it on eBay an ordered one.
            https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-15...AN18/307751251

            Just right for my cordless impact driver and cordless drill. I need to add a couple of jigs inside to keep them in position. Has room for another battery, small drill bit pack, a pack of insert driver bits, nut driver. Just right for those things. As I mentioned, I use my cordless impact driver and cordless drill more than all other tools put together.

            The weight is about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs lighter than my wood one above and 3 inches shorter.
            Hank Lee

            Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!

            Comment

            • dbhost
              Slow and steady
              • Apr 2008
              • 9209
              • League City, Texas
              • Ryobi BT3100

              #7
              No pics, maybe I will be unlazy and go out to the garage and snap one, but here goes...

              When I got the better set of Harbor Freight hole saws, they came in 2 size ranges, let's just say small, and large. And what's worse, no blow molded case for either of them. I slapped together the worlds ugliest, quickets box that fits them, all nested together, and a hinged lid. All made from scraps, leftover / pulled out screws, and flap hinges I literally found in my garage when I bought my house. It has no closure just gravity to hold the top shut...It's bug ugly, but it does the job and I don't want to redo it...
              Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

              Comment

              • cwsmith
                Veteran Member
                • Dec 2005
                • 2737
                • NY Southern Tier, USA.
                • BT3100-1

                #8
                Way back when... I find myself saying that more and more, I built a tool carrier similar to Lee's in the first picture above. Not nearly as nice workmanship though. That was just after we bought our first house and I had only a handful of tools. The only power tool I had was a 3/8" Sears "Companion" drill which I think was only around $6. So, I had sawed a piece of 2 x 8, about 16" long, using my brace and bit cut a few holes along one edge in the center and rasped it out smooth to make a handle. I screwed a couple of thin boards on each end and used some old paneling (back then it was more like sub-floor in that it was real wood) for the sides and bottom. I don't have a picture of it, but it worked well for me for quite a number of years, until the bottom. I had cut the sides longer than the center piece so there would be boxes on each end. Ideal was to put the drill there and later a scroll saw on the other end. Problem was that I had a tendency to overload it given the space and every time I carried it someplace, I felt one arm was going to be longer than the other.

                Now I do much like Lee described, I've got a couple of bags for electrical, another bag for the drills, another for this or that and then of course the individual tool bags. I've been at the point now for some time, when it's almost easier to take the project to the shop.

                CWS
                Think it Through Before You Do!

                Comment

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