Tools and tool boxes

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • leehljp
    Just me
    • Dec 2002
    • 8429
    • Tunica, MS
    • BT3000/3100

    Tools and tool boxes

    It seems like I wrote something about this before (a long time ago) but can't find it. Anyway this is slightly different than I asked before. I have too many hand carry tool tote boxes. I can't seem to find a good combination of all the tools I have - BUT I am getting there.

    I have two HF tool chests similar to this one: https://www.harborfreight.com/30-in-...ack-64030.html

    EXCEPT mine is enclosed on the bottom and has a top chest on the top. My two are long discontinued Click image for larger version

Name:	64030_W3.jpg
Views:	294
Size:	1.6 KB
ID:	848908

    I "thought" those large tool boxes would solve my tool problem. In one I had mechanics tools: wrenches inch and metric, sockets, long and short, crescent wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, Allen wrenches, nut drivers mm and inch, and hammers in the top. IN the OTHER tool chest I had wood working tools, tape measures, angles and angle checkers, thickness and depth gauges, small saws, magnets, markers, scribes etc.

    MY PROBLEM is that I rarely did the work in the tool shop as projects were almost always outside or in the house. Then tools would end up in a box or two at the end of the day. THIS is my problem. I would work past the time allowed (always happens) and no time to put tools up. Then boxes of used tools stacked up and placed in the wrong place.

    I then started collecting tool tote boxes and put my often used tools into these. Wow, that made it worse. Where is that tool, or those tools I used two weeks ago? I have two of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-20...9-02/306052568.

    AND two of these: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-10...8-02/306052560 .

    I have moved my pliers and multitude of screwdriver bits assortments to the Electricians bag. For the other electrician's bag I have things devoted to electrical. I use the two 20" bags above for my Ryobi 18V tools: Drill Impact driver, and related tools; In the other 20", I currently have the Ryobi 18V solder tool, hot melt glue gun, the 18V Dremel like tool, plus assorted tools & supplies for those tools.

    And I have two of these: https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-P...Box/1001107526
    In these, I moved my 1/2 inch sockets into one, including a set of impact sockets. Into the other I moved the 3/8" sockets and 1/4" sockets. Neither tool box is full but both are so heavy that they are at their limits weight wise.

    NOW, my one of my big tools boxes, the one for mechanical tools is half empty, but it is more convenient now, as I can take the needed tool box to the site with all the sockets I need, The big mechanical box does have the mm and inch wrenches, open end, open/closed combo, closed in tools. Most are in organized holders so that I can pick up and take them to where the work is; and being in holders, it is easier to keep track of.


    FORGOT TO ADD IN: I have a two part shop, half enclosed (AC Heat) 14x18, and half semi-open 8x18 with window screens but not windows. It is NOT a garage shop, or in the basement. And it is not large enough to drive the lawn tractor inside to work on. Therefore, the shop houses my tools but most work has to be done outside or under the 4 car carport if raining. (I am including this as we all have a tendency to see tool layout in according to how we each individually store & use them.)

    It has taken me ages to figure out what I need and get adjusted to how I work.

    Comments?
    Last edited by leehljp; 03-06-2022, 09:07 PM.
    Hank Lee

    Experience is what you get when you don't get what you wanted!
  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #2
    The large US General harbor freight tool boxes roll really well.
    I have one of the harbor freight mechanics 2 drawer roll around seats that I use when playing mechanic. It has several holly shelves for screwdrivers and pliers and 2 drop down sided shelves for clutter, nuts/bolts etc.

    Overall it works better for mechanics work than tripping over several small tool boxes, and invariably you need a short stool to sit on anyway.

    Comment

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

      #3
      1st things 1st I admit I am being rather muddy headed right now so it might be me but I just read your post 4 times and I can't make heads or tails of tales of it. Probably not your fault it's just not sinking through my thick skull right now.

      I get the impression you were talking about thing about carrying tools is tools to a worksite in some sort of Box or bag to keep them organized and from getting strewn all is getting strewn all over the place.

      I tend toward 18 to 24" big mouth tool bags. I use AWS yellow bags for greasy tools, blue Hercules bags for electrical/ data com, red Husky bags for clean or saw dusty stuff..

      its an imperfect system but works well enough until the tools get big...

      I should note I hauled my own tools to a job site where I had to rip the transmission OUT of a 2004 F150 4x4 (mine) replace a moronically designed rubber hose that allowed ATF to spew all over the place, reinstall the transmission, button it all up, fill it all up, and drive home with the same said bag of tools...
      Last edited by dbhost; 03-06-2022, 07:38 PM.
      Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.

      Comment


      • LCHIEN
        LCHIEN commented
        Editing a comment
        I sympathize. It was hard reading for me too with all those links, I wish the pictures were posted right by the paragraph discussing their faults and merits to instantly visualize instead of driving allover the internet to see them. I really could not follow his problem either. Other than too many boxes not the right shape and in the wrong place at the wrong time.
    • LCHIEN
      Internet Fact Checker
      • Dec 2002
      • 20920
      • Katy, TX, USA.
      • BT3000 vintage 1999

      #4
      For me I work mostly in the shop and have one box that seldom moves for working on stuff in the house that doesn't move.
      So I keep all my tools mostly in the one roll around chest with three drawer units stacked on it.
      And one tool chest next to the drill press. And one more tool chest on the bench next to my old drill press.
      The main problem is they are getting full; I have a moratorium on buying new tools if I can help myself.
      Loring in Katy, TX USA
      If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
      BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

      Comment

      • twistsol
        Veteran Member
        • Dec 2002
        • 2893
        • Cottage Grove, MN, USA.
        • Ridgid R4512, 2x ShopSmith Mark V 520, 1951 Shopsmith 10ER

        #5
        I feel like I've walked this path with you. I have two large rolling tool cabinets, one from harbor freight and the other from Home Depot. I also had a number of Plano red plastic toolboxes that were project specific, e.g. plumbing, electrical, etc. Add to that I used to have a garage attached to the house and the shop was a separate building. After we moved and everything was unpacked into a single space, I wondered why I had three caulk guns, four hacksaws, multiple socket sets, six stud finders*, etc.

        When I switched my shop over to mostly Festool, that helped a lot. I was able to quickly look at my tool inventory and grab what I needed when I went to the kids' houses or even to do a project in the house. I carried that same philosophy over to the rest of my tools and organized them into a number of well labeled DeWalt Tough system toolboxes.

        One of the big rolling toolboxes is in the garage and has the few tools I need for maintaining bicycles and my wife's small gardening tools

        The other is in the shop and holds shop only stuff like wrenches and push sticks for the table saw, or basically the accessories for stationary machines.

        The big tool cabinets are great if you are shop based and your work is done in the shop, but In my world, that is rarely the case. For on site work I found I need a bunch of well organized and well labeled tool boxes.

        I just got home from my daughters house where I did a dryer repair, ceiling fan install, and installed some shelves in a closet. Tooling up for the trip only took a few minutes, three toolboxes and a couple of spare items.

        *At some point I probably should have bought a stud finder finder.
        Chr's
        __________
        An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
        A moral man does it.

        Comment

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

          #6
          Originally posted by twistsol
          I feel like I've walked this path with you. I have two large rolling tool cabinets, one from harbor freight and the other from Home Depot. I also had a number of Plano red plastic toolboxes that were project specific, e.g. plumbing, electrical, etc. Add to that I used to have a garage attached to the house and the shop was a separate building. After we moved and everything was unpacked into a single space, I wondered why I had three caulk guns, four hacksaws, multiple socket sets, six stud finders*, etc.

          When I switched my shop over to mostly Festool, that helped a lot. I was able to quickly look at my tool inventory and grab what I needed when I went to the kids' houses or even to do a project in the house. I carried that same philosophy over to the rest of my tools and organized them into a number of well labeled DeWalt Tough system toolboxes.

          One of the big rolling toolboxes is in the garage and has the few tools I need for maintaining bicycles and my wife's small gardening tools

          The other is in the shop and holds shop only stuff like wrenches and push sticks for the table saw, or basically the accessories for stationary machines.

          The big tool cabinets are great if you are shop based and your work is done in the shop, but In my world, that is rarely the case. For on site work I found I need a bunch of well organized and well labeled tool boxes.

          I just got home from my daughters house where I did a dryer repair, ceiling fan install, and installed some shelves in a closet. Tooling up for the trip only took a few minutes, three toolboxes and a couple of spare items.


          *At some point I probably should have bought a stud finder finder.
          That is me and my exact needs. Thanks. Constantly needing to take specialized tools to daughters, or helping local elderly save a $100 service call for a $5.00 part and install.

          Last weekend, I had to gather a number of tools to fix LOML's MayTag washer. Two central shaft bearings went out after 6 years. Seemed to be quite common according to YouTube. I spent $60 for bearings, new shaft and install kit. It took some muscle to get the shaft out and back in. it would have cost $300+ for a service call. I had to gather tools from 3 tool boxes. Sockets, small sledge hammer, large pliers, impact driver and bits. it worked. But that made me start re-arranging my tool boxes.

          I found my stud finder yesterday, well hidden in the bottom of an unused tool box. Battery was still good and I haven't used it in at least the last three years. It is a non-digital but a high quality one that works well.

          Thanks for your input!
          Last edited by leehljp; 03-07-2022, 07:52 AM.
          Hank Lee

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

          Comment

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

            #7
            Most of my hand tools are stored on a pegboard wall of the 12'x22' basement shop. There is an 8'x1'x8' wall shelf on the opposite wall that houses other powered hand tools and jigs. I use tool totes to carry tools to jobs outside the shop. Storing the tools on the wall helps me find stuff easier, but it does take more space than a rolling chest. I still lose things when the work bench gets cluttered though. When I laid out this shop 6 years ago, I started with a clean slate and spent a lot of time examining how I worked in the shop.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	New Shop South Wall.JPG
Views:	249
Size:	106.4 KB
ID:	848933
            Click image for larger version

Name:	New Shop North Wall.JPG
Views:	202
Size:	97.8 KB
ID:	848934
            Jim Frye
            The Nut in the Cellar.
            ”Sawdust Is Man Glitter”

            Comment


            • capncarl
              capncarl commented
              Editing a comment
              This shop is disgusting! No sawdust anywhere. Must be a showcase or something!

            • Jim Frye
              Jim Frye commented
              Editing a comment
              Never fear. It only looks like this between projects. After I finish a project piece, I always clean things up, put stuff away where it belongs, sweep and mop the floor. Right now it is awash in sawdust and the work bench is covered in cutoffs, tools, and finishing supplies and I spend a lot of time looking for things I just used the day before. Over the last few decades, I've learned that neatness in a small shop is essential to having an enjoyable work space for me.
          Working...