Toolbox organization - what do you guys do?

[steve911]

I just got a new Craftsman tool box -- one of the top boxes 26" wide and 12 inches deep. 6 drawers, ball bearing slides, etc.:




How do guys organize your tool box? I've probably got 4-5 (or more) sets of sockets (1/4, 3/8, 1/2). How do you keep them from rolling around the box? Then there's wrenches, screwdrivers, hemostats, and all the other assorted 'stuff' we all accumulate.

Sears had strips for different socket drives, plus pegboard type organizers.

Show me how you keep your stuff so you can find it.

Happy Holidays!

[Grady Clay]

There are two distinctly different philosophies:

1) Perfect organization with a place for everything and everything in its place. This works best if more than one person uses the tools. Easy to spot a missing tool.

2) LIFO – Last In First Out. This works well if you are the only one using the tools and are cramming lots of tools in the box. The most used tools gravitate to the front, the least used to the back.

Of course there are infinite variations. It is what suits you best that counts.

Best,
Grady

[john walker's workshop]

the sockets are held in order by strips with tits on them to plug the sockets onto. metal or plastic. pop rivet them to the drawer bottom. wrenches sit in angled wrench racks. i use the plastic ones from snap-on and they have stickum on the bottom to keep them in place. to separate various other items, get some 1" aluminum angle stock, cut to length, drill a couple of holes and pop rivet to the drawer. then trim some rubber mat to fit in the spaces and you only see the top part of the aluminum.

[724doorE]

An excellent way to organize the sockets is to use a piece of 1X whatever will fit the top of the box. Drill it for wooden dowels and install the dowels. Use three different dia. of dowels for the 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" drive sockets. Organize the dowels to space out and put order to your sets of sockets. It'll take an afternoon, but you will never loose a socket again unless it fails to make it to the box Its something I need to get done again.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Steve:

As Grady said, everyone develops their own system for "filing away" tools and creating a system to show whether something is missing or not.

For starters, I'd suggest getting some of the Hansen socket trays that use a labeled peg to store shallow & deep sockets. They are made in different colors for Metric & SAE tools. Sears has 'em.

I use Snap-On's wrench trays to store my combination wrenches (of all kinds) as its easy to grab or spot whats not in its place,....

This ought to get you started.

[H20911]

your going to need a bigger box . but what I would do as before mentioned last in first out. More directly in my case the open part for socket racks
then screw drivers Drawer
wrench drawer and odd ratches
hammer and biggers stuff drawer

the top open parts should have a few tools that you use often too.

don't try and get everything in the box because it will be hard to find stuff.

make a separate place for special (once in a while tools that you do not use frequently) not in the box.

[Grady Clay]

At a beginning level of tool collection careful planning is essential. A general mechanic’s set today probably pushes $20K. The tool vendors (Snap-On, Mac and others) supply tools but they are really in the finance business. Tools are just the means. Don’t hesitate to demand a discount when paying cash.

Many who have been in the business for a long time have accumulated tools that would be replaced for close to $100K. For beginning DIY care is appropriate.


There are five categories of tools:

1) Normal mechanic’s tools used for service and normal repair. These are necessary for tune-ups, pulling engine & trans and similar operations around the 911. Some are very specialized.

2) Repair tools. Everyone (including professional mechanics) has to deal with broken, rusted, damaged or stubborn parts. Being able to recover from some distress is critically important. Removing broken bolts, repairing damaged threads and more are the mainstay. At the extreme, knowing the outside repair services is important.

3) Specialized tools. The P-tools fall in this category. Engine and transmission assembly requires these for proper results. Many can be of “local manufacture.” Some have to be the Factory original.

4) Measuring tools. You must be able to measure the crankcase bore dimensions better than the vendors can do the machine work. Usually that requires a second vendor but you get the best work done if you can measure. Of course there is wheel alignment, run-out on various components and much other.

5) Fabrication. Many times you need to fabricate a special tool for a specific purpose. This is where access to a lathe, drill press, mill, TIG welder and more are very useful.


Remember, a tool is an object that is an extension of your hand and brain to accomplish something you can’t do otherwise. Some tools simply make the job easier, others make it possible.

I have yet to find someone who claims to have too many tools.

Best,
Grady

[randywebb]

I have too many tools.

I also don't have enough...

[Grady Clay]

Randy, Well said. I'll second that.

Best,
Grady

[john walker's workshop]

metal clip strips for the sockets, and you can see the aluminum angle sections separating the extensions, ratchets, and misc.

[VaSteve]

I'm just a hobbiest, but mine is organized as follows:

3 top drawers (like your box): jewler's screwdrivers, small things like spark plug tools, tiny picks, etc. wire strippers

D2: screw drivers: phillips point one way, standard the other. oddball torx in the middle. messiest drawer

D3: nut drivers (don't use much), allen keys, offset screwdriver and all the little bits...can't recall what else

D4: All socket wrenchs, breaker bars (that fit), ratcheting screwdriver.

D5: Inch measure sockets. Rent in what's left of the plastic sears 124 piece starter set case which I cut up with a dremel last Christmas (tool box was a gift) All extensions.

D6: Metric sockets. Many in the other half of the sears case. Other metric sockets (1/2" drive, flexheads, allen heads, torx) on rails or the holder they come in from sears.

D7 (1st drawer in the middle case): Metric wrenches laid out like a sergeon's tools. All lined up. It's sick really.

D8: Extra metric wrenchs acquired from yard sales and throughout the years. Inch wrenches in the holder. Other metric offset wrenches.

D9: Empty: reserved for air tools when I get my compressor.

D10 (1st in the bottom case): pliers, tin snips, needle nose pliers, anything with a pivot really.

D11: hammers, files, tools of mass destruction

D11: Torque wrenchs and precision instruments, DVM

D12: Misc things: pop rivet guns, wire crimpers, timing light (other stuff I don't use much)

D13: All I can recall is the gas torch... oh, and the BFH!!!

The garage is the one part of the house I have absolute domain over. When my son gets older, I'm going to have to start locking this thing!!

[VaSteve]

Here's a sick photo:

[PCA7GGR]

Here's what mine looks like after 40 years of wrenching:





Oh, and a separate box for my standard wrenches and sockets - some are from the $49 set that I got in high school.

[randywebb]

No one has mentioned the magentic socket hodlers yet.. nice as they can stick on the side of the box.

A pro will use the tools enough that they memorize nearly all locations. Not me & prob. not most amateurs. So, a way to help yourself with that might be in order.

Ultimately, different folks are going to organize their tools in different ways... as one example, I'll bet some people put 1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" drive sockets all toghether with wrenches in a different drawer. But I bet some have medium sized (say 13 mm to 19mm) wrenches and sockets together in one drawer...

I'm not kidding about too many -- I have a couple of big wrenches I never use. Gonna sell 'em.

[masraum]

Mine is pretty similar to PCA7GGR's setup.

[kycarguy 935]

If you do alot of your own work you will eventually need a few tool boxes for all the tools, dremel bits, fuses, precision stuff etc.

I'm learning CNC machining and programming and building many of my own tools now. Bought a brown Kennedy box and in the progress of filling it.

[rnln]

wow, are you guys professional mechanics?

[VaSteve]

Originally posted by randywebb


A pro will use the tools enough that they memorize nearly all locations. Not me & prob. not most amateurs. So, a way to help yourself with that might be in order.

Randy, I typed in my whole list from memory.

[5axis]

Great topic. I have another twist on it. What are you guys doing for tools in a race hauler? My brother and I had a well organised box with the socket holders and wrench trays. Upon ariving at a track, we might as well just tip the box over and dump the tools on the floor.




For your precision tools, these boxes have been favorites with toolmakers for many, many years. http://www.gerstnerusa.com/

[Dixie]

and you can see the aluminum angle sections separating the extensions, ratchets..

Great idea john! I have more than one drawer I need to subdivide...