I got a kick out of the tools post. I am one of the perpetually disorganized, but I keep coming up with new ideas that do not work over time. Too many tools too many places. Lately, I have been thinking in terms of separating by work activity. i.e. wood projects, tractor projects and car projects. of course that leaves out home repairs. I, like many disorganized people am a visual learner and appreciator. I am suggesting people post pictures of their best organized ideas and projects. i.e. I liked the tool box socket organizer picture.
- Thread starter MI-Bill
- Start date
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
I work like that but what do you do when a machine breaks down and you need wrenches to work on that machine. Always pressed for time running from job to job everything gets left where ever. I used to be real good in remembering where things were used last and could find them but the older I get I'm finding myself spending time walking the shop in circles looking for something. Hard habit to break, I'm still pressed for time.
Ivan in Mich
Member
I cannot it would take to long to pile the stuff back over them
I am disorganized too. So I keep as few wrenches as possible. I found that if I have 2 9/16" wrenches i know when 1 is gone, but if I have 15 of them I don't notice until I can't find any. My wife got sick of having 2 flashlights with dead batteries so she bought a 10 pack, now we have between 2 and 10 flashlights with dead batteries lol.
It comes down to what kind of person you are. I'm disorganized, I can buy a planner, calendar, smart phone app, or anything to help but I don't use it to the max because I'm disorganized. Same as if a person who is overweight and out of shape buys a treadmill, they are out of shape because they didn't want to exercise not because they didn't own a treadmill. My neighbor runs several miles about every day regardless of weather because that's her thing, not because she has a treadmill.
It comes down to what kind of person you are. I'm disorganized, I can buy a planner, calendar, smart phone app, or anything to help but I don't use it to the max because I'm disorganized. Same as if a person who is overweight and out of shape buys a treadmill, they are out of shape because they didn't want to exercise not because they didn't own a treadmill. My neighbor runs several miles about every day regardless of weather because that's her thing, not because she has a treadmill.
Fawteen
Well-known Member
- Location
- Downeast Maine
My big box is organized using home made dividers. Everything I saw commercially either didn't fit or was stupid expensive. Usually both.
I have a bag with all my electrical hand tools and another with my various testers, leads and jumpers.
There's also a box with my plumbing stuff that gets topped off with whatever I think I might need in the way of other tools for home repair projects.
There's a peg board in the maintenance bay with 4 angle grinders: One with a grinding disk, one with a slitting disk, one with a flap disk and one with a cup style wire brush. Various other seldom-used tools hang there as well.
Finally, there's another pegboard in the wood shop with all my woodworking hand tools hanging up.
Must be the Kraut in me...
I have a bag with all my electrical hand tools and another with my various testers, leads and jumpers.
There's also a box with my plumbing stuff that gets topped off with whatever I think I might need in the way of other tools for home repair projects.
There's a peg board in the maintenance bay with 4 angle grinders: One with a grinding disk, one with a slitting disk, one with a flap disk and one with a cup style wire brush. Various other seldom-used tools hang there as well.
Finally, there's another pegboard in the wood shop with all my woodworking hand tools hanging up.
Must be the Kraut in me...
Dave Sherburne, NY
Member
Here's mine, almost everything out where I can see it and see what's missing after the grandsons leave.
Greg K and Stephan. At least I do get a lot of exercise walking around trying to remember where I last used that tool and occasionally blaming my neatnik wife who cannot stand to have anything out of place for even a minute. She tries to help me by putting things away as soon as I am done even if I am not done. I am seriously trying to get my shop, barn and garage organized. It was fairly organized 20 years ago and I could always find things and I could remember where I last used that tool. I have been retired for 16 years. I need a new plan
Used to make my living with my tools, organization was both time and money!! A good sized tool box was worth its price!!! When u got done with a job u knew what tools u used so a quick glance in those specific drawers and u usually could tell if that or those tools were put back before that vehicle was backed out, once it left if there was a tool u left under the hood it was gone and sometimes it was worth as much or more then u made on that job!!! It turns into
a habit, even tho now I just work on my tractors in my shop I still make sure my tools are back where they belong every night or whenever I'm thru for the day!!! Have to admit it's not only from habit but as I got older it's easier to put them away when I'm finished then it is to try and remember when & where I last used it if it's not where it is supposed to be the next time I need it,,,,,,lol!!!!!!
a habit, even tho now I just work on my tractors in my shop I still make sure my tools are back where they belong every night or whenever I'm thru for the day!!! Have to admit it's not only from habit but as I got older it's easier to put them away when I'm finished then it is to try and remember when & where I last used it if it's not where it is supposed to be the next time I need it,,,,,,lol!!!!!!
I use a combination of a few things.
Power tools go in a cabinet, corded tools have a couple shelves and cordless tools have a shelf. Drill bits, grinding disks and sawzall blades are in a small rolling cabinet.
Welding supplies have a small roller as well.
I have 2 roll around tool boxes. The smaller one is the day to day box and is out in the shop for easy access.The bigger one has stuff that might not be used as often like hex and torx bit sockets and a larger selection of metric tools. It is against a wall by a work bench, out of the way.
I have shelving running along a wall, a section is for painting and tiling stuff, a section for greases, oils, and paints, a section for my small parts organizers and a section for farm stuff like dehorners and hormone injectors. Jacks and jackstands have a bottom shelf.
Have a bolt bin and a set of tall lockers in between the shelves.
Small parts and supplies go in a set of 10 half lockers that the boy got from school which is along a different wall.
If I have a lot of a tool like way too many screwdrivers, the extras go in a small tool box and that gets put under a workbench.
Power tools go in a cabinet, corded tools have a couple shelves and cordless tools have a shelf. Drill bits, grinding disks and sawzall blades are in a small rolling cabinet.
Welding supplies have a small roller as well.
I have 2 roll around tool boxes. The smaller one is the day to day box and is out in the shop for easy access.The bigger one has stuff that might not be used as often like hex and torx bit sockets and a larger selection of metric tools. It is against a wall by a work bench, out of the way.
I have shelving running along a wall, a section is for painting and tiling stuff, a section for greases, oils, and paints, a section for my small parts organizers and a section for farm stuff like dehorners and hormone injectors. Jacks and jackstands have a bottom shelf.
Have a bolt bin and a set of tall lockers in between the shelves.
Small parts and supplies go in a set of 10 half lockers that the boy got from school which is along a different wall.
If I have a lot of a tool like way too many screwdrivers, the extras go in a small tool box and that gets put under a workbench.
I work in a place that sells tools and boxes. For years I have told people how to figure out how to sort the tools used daily. For the serviceman I tell them to take a cardboard box and for about a month or two, put every tool they have used that day in that box, everything else goes in other places. After a while that box has what you use frequently. Then buy or get a tool box or bag that will hold just the ones left in the box. That becomes your "go to bag" and other tools that are used only occasionally will be out of the way and not add weight.
I finally have done that myself and have a small tote bag that pretty much takes care of anything I get into in a pinch. It's the one I travel with on vacations and rarely have I needed something I didn't have with me.
I finally have done that myself and have a small tote bag that pretty much takes care of anything I get into in a pinch. It's the one I travel with on vacations and rarely have I needed something I didn't have with me.
here's some ideas I've saved over the years... it's always too much stuff and too little room !!
http://jniolon.classicpickup.com/storage/organization.htm
kcm.MN
Well-known Member
- Location
- NW Minnesota
I thought I was gonna get lucky today. Had to go get my tap-n-die set for a 5/16-18 tap. Sure! I know where it is! 
I get out there and it's not there. :? Searched all over - nope, nowhere to be seen!
So I go and look in any other possible hiding place.....but nothing. ....Then....something dawns on me! A couple months back, the wife (not sure I'm claiming her at the moment *lol*) moved things around. She said she moved them because they were buried. I asked who buried them - hmm...seems she knew how the stuff on top got there also. But at least she remembered where she moved them TO, so I suppose she's out of the doghouse again......for now! :wink:
I get out there and it's not there. :? Searched all over - nope, nowhere to be seen!
So I go and look in any other possible hiding place.....but nothing.
....Then....something dawns on me! A couple months back, the wife (not sure I'm claiming her at the moment *lol*) moved things around. She said she moved them because they were buried. I asked who buried them - hmm...seems she knew how the stuff on top got there also. But at least she remembered where she moved them TO, so I suppose she's out of the doghouse again......for now! :wink:Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
There isn't enough of me to go around. I'm pretty much running from job to job trying to get more done than is possible.
Fawteen
Well-known Member
- Location
- Downeast Maine
Your Vise Grip rack is intriguing. It looks like they are held by the adjuster.
How do you get them in/out of the rack? I can't imagine having to slide the one I want all
the way to the end and having to move all the rest to get to it.
How do you get them in/out of the rack? I can't imagine having to slide the one I want all
the way to the end and having to move all the rest to get to it.
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