Tool Organization Question

[72Subby]

Okay, this is keeping me up at night. It's a general question, but I didn't see a better place to ask, so I'll ask my friends here:

I am about to embark on my occasional re-organization of the garage and tool box. I sort and clean things, note things that need replaced, toss some things, inventory things for the insurance man, etc.

I'm adding another Craftsman roll-away and chest (that will be 3) so there will be more tool re-organization than the last time. Here are some questions that probably have no right or wrong answers, but I'd appreciate some viewpoints:

- do hole saws go with "saws" or "drill bits"?
- I keep mechanics tools separate from household/wood working tools (but some overlap...)
- I keep SAE and metric tools separate (but they share some things, like ratchets...)
- do you keep "supplies" with your "tools"? (are their crimp connectors with your crimper?)
- do you keep consumables (thread loc, tubes of adhesives, etc.) in your tool box?
- I'm thinking of keeping saw blades and files together (maybe with drill bits?) but the power tools separate. As opposed to now, where all my jigsaw blades are in the ratty box that holds my jigsaw...

(add your own suggestion or comment)

Horribly anal, I know, but I've been paying attention to how tools are organized in stores and at some professional shops, as well as my gear head friends.

Lastly, in case anyone things this is a huge waste of a thread, let me give a shout out to the most useful tool I've recently discovered and added to my arsenal:

* A Pop Nut Insert Tool (and inserts) *

works like a pop rivet gun but installs threaded barrels that secure against the sheet metal to take screws/bolts. Awesomely useful tool, amazingly hard to find however.

--steve

[hounddogs!]

Good to see I'm not the only neurotic one...

Hole saws definitely go with drill bits. My rule is that the tool or consumable goes with the driver.

Hole saws and drill bits go with the cordless drill
Boring bits and mixers go with the spade handle drill
Punches and chisels go with the hammers
Wire terminations go with the stripper/crimper


Many things are grouped by task:
Grease gun, filter wrenches, drain pan, filters and oils all live together on a shelf.
Caulk, roof tar and liquid nails all are close to the caulk gun.
Anything welding is on the cart.

For the household stuff, I've taken to using individual small toolboxes for copper plumbing, electrical, black iron plumbing etc.

Keep improving. I've had three different garage layouts in seven years here.

[stope4]

1. no supplies with tools. tools are tools
2. I'm opposite from hounddogs. I keep hole saws with saw blades, grinding wheels, sawzall blades, wire brushes
3.chisels with punches
4.metal and wood drill bits
5. 3/8" metric and sae sockets but opposite sides of drawer
6. 1/2" metric and sae sockets but opposite sides of drawer
7. small sae and metric wrenches but opposite sides of drawer
8. large sae and metric wrenches but opposite sides of drawer
9. air and electric power tools
10. specialty auto tools like engine oiler, rivet guns, frame alignment pins, windshield tools etc...

[72Subby]

punches with hammers... that makes sense. I've always kept my punches with screwdrivers (either because they are all long and thin or because sometimes you use one for the other...) My hammer drawer could take punches and chisels, that's a good idea.

I currently have SAE in one chest, metric in another. 1/4" & 1/2" ratchets and accessories together, 3/8" separate (used more often, have more pieces, ...)

I also have 2 screw driver drawers - one with a full proper Craftsman pro set plus a few others, the second drawer has the third string screw drivers (or paint can openers) and things like Torx and Clutch head screw drivers. I will probably do the same with my pliers, that drawer is a mess.

Where to put hex keys? They don't warrant a drawer to themselves...

I also have some separate small toolboxes for house stuff, but my house stuff organization currently really blurs the line between tools and supplies.

But then my current garage is not ideal; I'm renting at the moment and missing the garage I remodeled with all the frills and then sold the house in the divorce... :-(


--steve

[hdflstf]

- do hole saws go with "saws" or "drill bits"?
Drill bits

- I keep mechanics tools separate from household/wood working tools (but some overlap...)
Yes.

- I keep SAE and metric tools separate (but they share some things, like ratchets...)
Not exactly but different sides of one drawer (metric on left)

- do you keep "supplies" with your "tools"? (are their crimp connectors with your crimper?)
No
- do you keep consumables (thread loc, tubes of adhesives, etc.) in your tool box?
Yes
- I'm thinking of keeping saw blades and files together (maybe with drill bits?) but the power tools separate. As opposed to now, where all my jigsaw blades are in the ratty box that holds my jigsaw...
Saw blades with saws where practical.

[cdowns]

popnut tool is very usefull i've had mine for many years and get supplies for it from jcwhitney and great prices

i've had a tendencey over the years to sort tools by frequency of use//stuff like hole saws grinding stones and bits pullers electrical kit i like to have in individual smaller tool boxes that i store on shelves in the tool room

[beautimus]

you sound alot like me on this issue. i used to have 2 craftsman roll around boxes and needed a third. but came into a great deal on a lista brand cabinet, its 5 ft long, 6 ft high, and 24 inches deep. with big ball bearing mounted drawers. one drawer was damaged that was about at the belly button level. so i removed it and mounted a work surface in its place. when i get done with whatever i am working on, the work bench rolls back into the box.
now i have the room to say " if its a drill, or fits in a drill its in the second drawer from the top. (hole saws too)
the drawers were to big to organize my screw drivers in so i mounted angle iron in the drawers and used plywood to make a sliding platform in each drawer at half the height from the bottom of each drawer.
now all my sockets are in one big drawer, standard on one side metric on the other, with screwdrivers on the slider above them.
the next drawer is hand wrenches in all flavors, standard on the left, metric on the right, with pliers and cresent wrenches on the slider above them.
thats as far as i have gotten with it, but i think i can get most of my tools in this thing.
but yes, wood working tools still go in the home made wooden box under the work bench, another has masonary tools, and still another has drywall tools. so i am looking for another big cabinet. and no i never put non tools in my tool boxes. i use those plastic parts drawer things from wally world for small parts and stuff. anything in a can bottle or a tube goes on a shelf, not the tool box. i usually make a mess if i do that. but then thats just me.
good luck to you

[Woody]

Well years ago I over filled my old Craftsman double box and it would not roll anymore. So a couple years ago I was at Sam's Club and they had a large Stainless Steel double high box for ~$700 after taxes. It is a real nice box with ball bearing slides & non-slip pads for the drawer bottoms included. I think it is 40" wide and has real nice wheels.

Load your box with the heavy stuff in the bottom to prevent tipping!!

I keep my drills & bits in my old box. Hole saws would be in there as well but I seldom use them so they are on a shelf near my work bench. They belong with drill bits, since they work with a drill.

I moved most of my stuff into it and have it organized this way:
Upper box:
Top: Misc stuff, VOM, Sunglasses, paperwork, goggles, etc.
3 drawers across topL) Punches & Chisles. (M) not sure, (R) Wire strippers, needle nose, dikes etc.
2nd drawer: files,
3: Glues, Loctite, RTV, Gasket maker, Teflon tape, small tubes of grease, etc.
4 : Screwdrivers: Phillips left/ Straights right.
5: Sockets (SAE), ratchets & Extentions, adapters, swivels, plug & oil sender sockets, plug gap gauge, etc.

Lower Box
1: Pliers, Adjustable wrenches, Vice grips Channel locks, tape measures, anything I need often and quickly.
2: SAE Wrenches
3 Metric Wrenches and Sockets
4 Pipe Wrenches
5 Hammers
6 Anvil, short piece of train track, Pry bars, BFH, etc. I put the 50# anvil in this drawer after I almost tipped the whole box over on myself!

My old box has Drills, body tools, tire repair, allen wrenches, saws. All in thier own drawers. It needs cleaned out & re-orginized.

Have fun!

[panhandler62]

Do the small auxilarry tool totes, cardboard boxes and semi random piles on and around my tool boxes count? :P

[NONHOG]

I recently got a new box my 3 piece Craftsman is overflowing ! And was stressing on how to fill the new "bigger box" Then it came to me . Just load it and as I use it time will work out what works and what doesn't.
I'll try 1st to set up similar to last box (boxes) I am figuring some reorganization will be in order . This is a great thread !

[fastwillie 696969]

just put them the way you know where the tools are and keep them clean is the serect dont put them away dirty

every place has a tool
every tool has a place

[Palf70Step]

I'm still trying to figure out my stuff. About the time I get it neat, I work and get things untidy again.

[PanelDeland]

Metric left,'mellican right,drives in da middle.I do have terminal ends with my crimper,it's a small box just big enough for the terminal ends,crimper,multi-meter and a couple of screwdrivers.I find it's easier than 3-4 trips to the box.I have an old homeowner Craftsman with files,saws,hole saws,chisels,you get the picture.
I do keep a carry box with the drill and common bits (for the same reason as the crimpers).
A lot of stuff is in the original carry box but grouped by type(pullers,ball joint press....)(body hammers and dollies,slapping spoon(wish I knew how to use some of this stuff).
I keep a carry box with my grinder and wrenches for it,usually has a wheel or two in it but generally keep most supplies in cabinets.I have an 8 ft wall with 3 single door kitchen cabinets,and a 4 drawer (Base).Over the end cabs are upper cabs 2 ft each and pegboard between.I keep clawhammer and screwdrivers pliers and tape measure on the pegs for quick stuff.I also have a small shelf I made for the peg with replaceable ply box to hold the tubes of sealers and such(I hate when that crap gets on my tools).I also have 2 3X2X 5 ft high shelf units for some of the carry boxes and buckets of detail stuff and carwash supplies.

[463]

to speed up finding tools after there all in the new spots (in the tool boxes ) i use my "P" touch label maker to label the tool drawers. it helps me and my helpers locate and return to there spots in the tool box.

[Fred T]

Put them where you want them. Then you can only blame yourself when they're not where you need them.

I'm too much like my dad was. I tend to leave tools piled everywhere, he was even worse. So now I have mine and most of his scattered throughout the garage. Every once in a while I think about giving them away, but I go lay down until the thought passes.

As for sockets, there is one drawer for each drive size, with separate organizers for metric and sae. For wrenches I have 4 drawers. The top 2 are SAE, the 3rd metric, and the 4th is big wrenches of both. Big is mainly from 7/8 and up.