grumpyvette Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Im looking for Ideas here/too improve/new tool box up to now I have always just labled the 22 drawers in my old tool box with one of those plastic lable makers I just purchase a second IDENTICAL MATCHING PROFESSIONAL 22 DRAWER TOOL BOX so it now appears to be one tool box twice as wide with duplicate drawers allen keys/torque bits drills,burrs 1/4 drive sockets/drives extensions 3/8" drive sockets/drives extensions 1/2" drive sockets/drives extensions gauges/meters/test equip/ir thermometers sae wrenchs metric wrenches torque wrenchs/timing lights/cpr test/leak test precision measureing/gauge sets ,mics gear pullers/installers/ETC. gaskets/fittings/hose pliers/cutters saws/grinders air tools/adapters cam dial in/clearance test/dial indicators/compressors ignition parts/test equip. injector parts/test equip carb.parts/test equip hammers/punches/chisels/bearing,plug,drivers taps/dies/epoxy/clay welding equip/welding rod/torches screw drivers/nut drivers ETC. can you significantly improve the system and YEAH while I may not be NEAT in all facits of my life, I damn sure keep my tools where they belong, clean and in the correct location, It makes me even more nuts than usual if tools are not put back correctly after each job :smirk: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Alphabetize them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Drop them off at my house for 2 years and I'll develope a system.... better yet, just come live here for two years.... once I reclaim my garage from the GF's Fibber McGee tendencies, that is.... = ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Sounds pretty much done. I too just got a new toolbox addition and havn't really settled on a perminent place for everything yet. I'll let you know if an epifany hits me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speeder Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I am struggling with tool organization myself right now - Additional new roll-around, etc. and new sorting scheme. Got tired of loosing time looking for tools. My tool mangement habits have been so bad (until now that I have resolved to improve ) that I should not offer advice to others. I will follow this thread to see if I can learn something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Get a Matco or Snap On catalog and look at their fully populated tool chests. Don't they sell complete roll around tool chests with cut outs for each tool? Should give you ideas. Or buy a McLaren, the one that comes with the matching set of titanium tools. Should be well organized and thought out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I spent a lot of time organizing my tool box....to no avail. I am terrible about putting tools back in their place, and opening every drawer to see what is missing is usually hopeless. I am planning to use my double decker tool box for only loose stuff, like sockets, allen wrenches etc, and I am going to mount a large 8'x12' section of peg board on the garage wall and mount all the wrenches, pliers etc etc on it and outline them (kinda hokey old school). That way I can see at a glance what is not put away..... When I am in the middle of a project, I usually have all the tools I have used that day on a table in the driveway. At the end of the day, I am too tired (er,,,lazy) to put them in the tool box, so they end up piled into my toolbag. ......the worst part is, I get soooo pissed when I spend 20 minutes walking around like a fart in the wind looking for a tool.....oh well.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 A Nissan Master Mechanic who's a good friend organizes his tool box based on the most common jobs he performs. All the tools needed for a specific job are together in one drawer or on one side of a drawer. He does have duplicate tools but he just needs to open one drawer to do 80% of the jobs he does every day. He claims over the years that this system has made him thousands of dollars and he only has to update annualy when the new models come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 ......the worst part is, I get soooo pissed when I spend 20 minutes walking around like a fart in the wind looking for a tool.....oh well.... I do that even when I've had the tool in my hand. I'll walk to the tool box, get a socket, walk back to the car and the socket is gone! I then walk around for 5 minutes and find the socket on the workbench next to where I set my Coke down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I do that even when I've had the tool in my hand. I'll walk to the tool box, get a socket, walk back to the car and the socket is gone! I then walk around for 5 minutes and find the socket on the workbench next to where I set my Coke down. Getting old is certainly the proverbial b!tch, but certainly beats the alternative!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 organizes his tool box based on the most common jobs he performs. All the tools needed for a specific job are together in one drawer or on one side of a drawer.[/Quote] Gives me an idea, now to start working on a Tool Box w/ a drawer for each tool w/ an interface to SQL. You type in the job, and all the tools needed pop out right in front of you. Any investors??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drax240z Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Wow, am I the only completely anal tool box owner here? I find the best way to keep my stuff organized is to actually purchase the organizers meant for tools. My sockets are all in the top of my top box, all on the little plastic posts that you can buy, all labelled in the proper sizes. I know instantly when one is missing, and they all have a home. Keeps things easy. Wrenches are the same way, with the proper tray for them. Grumpy, it looks like your stuff is layed out in a fairly well thought out manner... similar to mine actually. Not sure what you can do to improve it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I would likely misplace the computer.....if it is at all related to tools, I will put it somewhere and then promptly forget where I put it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Gives me an idea, now to start working on a Tool Box w/ a drawer for each tool w/ an interface to SQL. You type in the job, and all the tools needed pop out right in front of you. Any investors??? Yeah, Snap-On needs to build in a USB interface to their boxes so I can plug in my laptop which will run your SQL/web based application... I wonder if Larry Ellison and Bill Gates are car guys?... Maybe they'll invest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagz Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I would likely misplace the computer.....if it is at all related to tools, I will put it somewhere and then promptly forget where I put it.... Nawww, with Bill's invention your box will let you know: [the voice of HAL] "Tim, you've left the torque wrench on the parts washer again..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Now that would be good!! I bet it starts nagging like my wife after a while though... "Tim, pick up those tools!" "tidy up after yourself" " blah, blah, blah" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Or when you grab a set of Vice-grips to get a stubourn nut/bolt off *voice of HAL* "Tim.. I wouldn't do that..." I'm probly the worst for leaving things lying around, but I'm getting better. Getting a real tool box last x-mass really helped. Until then, I had all my tools in various boxes, tins, small containers, ect. I have sockets and ratchets/extentions on the top (on those little post things.. great inventions!), wrenches in the first two drawers, taps/allen keys/pullers/files/ect (my 'machinest drawer) third down, and the big drawer on the bottom is my 'bashing and cutting things' spot. Hamers, punches, chunk of brass, body work dolys, a few razor knives. Bottom roll around box has 2 drawers; One with screwdrivers/pry bars, the other with vice grips, pliers, metric adjustable, ect. Big storage under that has a drill, grinder, hack saw, and a 'travel' set of sockets/wrenches/assorted pliers+screwdrivers for scrap yard visits. Still not as much space as I'd like, but I'm young and working on a budget.. Eventually I'll have to buy another or bigger tool box for my not yet purchased air tools.. Grumpy, I think you're pretty well set.. only thing I'd do is have the dial indicators with the mics/calipers. Just my personal preferance.. at work I have a dedicated drawer just for my mics, indicator, digi-calipers and a scale. Anything I have to measure or check, I open that drawer.. assuming I put the calipers BACK and didn't leave them on the lathe again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Gives me an idea, now to start working on a Tool Box w/ a drawer for each tool w/ an interface to SQL. You type in the job, and all the tools needed pop out right in front of you. Any investors??? Yeah, that's it! Let's take a perfectly reasonable, functional, cheap, and easy to use system and f**k it up with a database. You type in the job and the frickin' SQL query runs so long it times out and the drawers all lock. Got a problem? Make it more expensive and much worse with a computer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 I like John's mechanic friends' idea about sorting by frequency of use clustered for the job. AND, I know that you (Grumpyvette) do ALOT of jobs based upon your wealth of knowledge. I have three very tall three-tier set-ups. I feel that it is really well set up WHEN I'M NOT AFFLICTED WITH TIM'S DISORDER (pun on the dis-order!). I don't do enough automotive tasks repeatedly enough to sort by job. I do have one 13 drawer cabinet for SAE, one for metric, and one everything else. Then I have another five drawer cabinet for 'specialty' stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillZ260 Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Yeah, that's it! Let's take a perfectly reasonable, functional, cheap, and easy to use system and f**k it up with a database. You type in the job and the frickin' SQL query runs so long it times out and the drawers all lock. Got a problem? Make it more expensive and much worse with a computer... [/Quote] So I guess Beta MS won't be chipping in on this.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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