Too many tools

Ted in NE-OH

Well-known Member
I have too many tools to fit in to my tool boxes and will hang some on the walls of my shop. Should I put the most often used tools or the least often used tools on the wall?
 
My good tools go in locked tool chest and junky tools go in portable tool box and others get hung on a tool board.
 
As was said before, my good mechanical tools are locked up and never leave the shop, My not so good tools are in a separate tool box that I use outside the shop, in the field and beyond, And then there is my electronic tool box, electrician tool box, lineman tool box and RV tool box......... did I miss anything?????????? Oh yes my carpentry tools are hanging on the wall.
 
Lots of ways to do it, but my method is to have a small selection of frequently-used tools hung on the wall behind my workbench--common screwdrivers,nut drivers, a set of open-end wrenches in common sizes, and several pairs of pliers, among others. They're right where I can reach them, and get put back as I'm finished with them, and each has a space so I know what's missing or in use at a glance. I use box-ends because half a dozen cover most common sizes (it's an old Craftsman set I got 30+ years ago) and they're for quick, light-duty jobs--heavy loosening and tightening or confined-space work gets done with other tools located in toolboxes. Works for me, though of course everyone's needs are different. I store infrequently-used tools high on the walls in less-prime real estate space or in boxes located in other places where the walk to get them is done infrequently enough to be worth the space saved.
 
I used to put all my tools away in my boxes until it dawned on me how much time I was wasting. I started hanging tools and never looked back because they are easy to see and inventory, as well as quickly accessible. My shop is secure so tools walking away is never a problem.
 
make that "I use open-ends", not box-ends. Got plenty of box or box/open combos as well, but just like the open-ends for ease of use when maximum grip is not a issue, and they take up less space on my wall for the amount of sizes they cover. They hang on a little magnetized bar so they're easy to grab and put back.
 
I have three large DeeZee boxes on truck. I carry every tool I need to make repairs, including cordless tools.

Have tools hanging on walls in workshop and pole barn. I too don't want to spend time looking for tools. Have more 16p nails.

I like to use individual tool boxes for special items. Just put all my hydraulic parts and tools in a special box which I store under workbench.

Also have toolbox on each tractor.

Not possible to have too many tools
 
Most of my tools are where ever they were used last. Once in a while I'll walk around the shop and put everything away but then it takes me longer to find what I need. Most in a big roll around, some on shelves (power tools) and some on a wall.

Agree, one can never have too many tools..
 
My shop walls are covered with tools and I'll keep getting more when I find something I do not have already. As for the most or least used tools yep there both on the walls as well as in the tool boxes I have. I have one tool box that is a 3 piece stand up box and then another top box form a stand up and then a box that is in my mobile car that I use to do on call work and every one of the boxes are full and over flowing. Plus I almost forgot the in my house tool box which has more tools in it then it can hold
 
I have 3 roll around boxes with top boxes. Every wall has tools hanging on them. I have shelf after shelf loaded with pullers and specialty tools.4 roll around carts that we work from. A service truck with the cabinets loaded to the hilt. I counted one day that I had 10 sledge hammers, couldn't find a one. They were all in the service truck. How did that happen?
 
I have learned to put tools I don't want borrowed in drawers. It's hard to tell someone you don't have the tool they want to borrow when they can see it hanging on my wall.
 
I've adopted the chaos theory.

Leave enough tools around in different places and it will always be in hand when needed and where needed.
 
I have some tools on the wall and plenty in the tool boxes too. It depends what you want on the wall I guess. For the seldom used tools, I guess you can hang them higher. Just the other day at work we moved the 'ginormous snap ring tool' up on the wall where you would need a ladder to get it. But then, how often do you plan of putting new brakes in the company forklift? That is what we had to get it for.

As far as orginization, I guess I'm betwixt and between; At work every tool has an assigned place, either on the wall or in the tool chests, so I can find them fast.And they are put away after every job.

At home tools tend to be left where the last job was done. On the workbench, On the roller stool, at the lathe, whatever.
 
At college we had "special" sets hanging on roll around Plywood "A" shaped boards some as big as 4 x 8. They were painted nice with all tools displayed so you could see if any were missing and were easy to grab. I always thought that would be a good idea for home. One big roll around "A" board with all the tools hanging on either side. Seems better than a box-no bending over, or not as much. But, then my life got too cluttered and I wouldn't be able to roll it around my shop any ways....someday
 
"Extra" tools get put into a box on the shelf till I need one. Others I toss into a tractor tool box.
 
i put tools in army surplus ammo boxes i put the electrical tools in one box and torex allen and punches in another and i keep one box with the tools i use most that i carry from tractor to combine to swather
 
Size of tool can be deciding factor, The big old monkey wrenches and pipe wrenches are on the wall. Still use those monkey wrenches quite often. They are not light weight. And not many would fit in a drawer. Some pipe threaders too big to fit in drawer. Need to find half of my tools. And get them back where they belong.
 
Question
I have two roll around tool boxes one on each side of my shop. Why does one of them wind up with all Phillips screwdrivers and the other wind up with all the standard screwdriver?
 

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