How do you organize your tools in tool boxes? need suggestions

[newbury]

Through finding some really great deals on tool chests I've gone from 1 tool box

to 4.

Now I'm looking for ideas on organizing without spending much more $$$.

I've got lots of sockets sets, screwdrivers, etc. So much that a walk through the tool section in any hardware store rarely turns up anything I want.

I'm looking for ideas before I fill them up willy nilly and face redoing them until I die.

The best I found on garage journal was to put the most used in the middle and work outwards.

I'm sure many of you have excellent methods of storing your tools so let them out.

 

[PILOON]

I mark my drawers as to contents.
Pliers (includes vice grips)
*Screw drivers
*Metric, sockets and spanners
*SAE, sockets and spanners
*Ratchets and extensions (fits both SAE and metric)
These* are mid height
Bottom is heavier and less often used
One upper is measuring, tapes, dividers, rulers compass etc
Another is precision-- calipers, micrometers special gauges etc.
One mid ht drawer is divided with all sorts of small hardware 6-8-10 X 32 etc.

All my files, rasps etc have a separate drawer under my work bench.

At one point I tried different sorts of socket holder devices but gave up in favor of simply browsing as I continued to accumulate.

I built an 8 ft high 12 deep X 16 wide to store all my power tools in DeWalt type cases that stack 3 high on each shelf all clearly marked.
Local tool shop sells the DeWalt cases for $5.00 ea and I gut the dividers for better usage.(have some 12-14) In each is the appropriate fasteners for the tol.
(Real nice tough storage boxes.)

Since I also weld I have an old metal tool box filled with all sorts of clamps magnets etc.

LOL, I have enough tape measures that there is always one within arms length.

All that being said I am always looking for one tool or another.
PS I rarely lend out and if I do the speed of return depicts what list the guy is on.

My basic problem is I am a tool collector! (but usually have the specific tool for the job) From chain blocks, welders, car jacks etc etc.
Many often only get used once a year, but I have it!
Won't even go into power tools. LOL

Hardware? drawers of nuts and bolts, jars full of screws from 3/4-3", same for nails and power nails.
Drills? from Hole Hawg to battery powered with a mess in between.
I love my old cardex file for storage of drill bits as they are neatly laid out for easy picking. Big drills stand proudly in a custom base for easy pickings.

 

[Big Barn]

The best system I've seen is the one Tim Taylor utilized.

Having a helper hand him the needed tool. No need for knowing where anything is.

.

OR

 

[BoylermanCT]

I have 4 tools boxes - plumbing tools, electrical tools, regular tools and specialty tools. Depending on the job, I grab the appropriate toolbox or boxes.

 

[oosik]

- to heck with all the big drawer tool boxes. I'm going with Big Barn's idea. Just gotta figure where to mail-order those helpers.....................

 

[mddorange]

- to heck with all the big drawer tool boxes. I'm going with Big Barn's idea. Just gotta figure where to mail-order those helpers.....................

Back when that show was on, I jokingly mentioned doing that one night and my wife said; "go ahead, she knew several guys she could get to hand her pots and pans and she wouldn't have to PAY them like I would."

 

[Al 2]

I built a revolving peg board rack for my welding related hand tools such as numerous vice grips, clamps, squares, and whatever. It's 2 ft square x 7 ft tall. This stands at the side of my wellding bench so I have direct access to 56 sq ft of tools . I made the frame using 3/4" x 3/4" angle iron and covered with peg board. For the swivel part I used a self contained wheel bearing that came off the rear axle of a front wheel drive GM car . Don't know what model and other manufactures may use something similar. The bearing has bolt holes on the flange for easy mounting and I got a used one at the wrecking yard for free. You have to mount the bearing to some kind of heavy base. I made a 2' sq base out of angle iron and then welded a large brake drum to this to add weight and then attached the bearing and peg board. You could use patio stones for weight on the base if needed. I also welded 1/2 " nuts on each corner of the base and use 1/2 ' bolts as leveling screws. Paint your favorite colour. Hope all this makes sense. Getting back to the tool box tools I'm also in the process of building a smaller version of the above that will sit on my other bench to basically hold wrenches and maybe screwdrivers. Still going to be 2' sq. One side will be for metric and another for imperial sizes. As some others here, I have just to many wrenches in one drawer and it's time to make life easier.
Al

 

[Egon]

The Bench Top makes a good spot for the most used tools. In sight, easy to reach and no hassle putting them back in the proper space in the proper drawer.

 

[frugalangler]

I built a revolving peg board rack for my welding related hand tools such as numerous vice grips, clamps, squares, and whatever. It's 2 ft square x 7 ft tall. This stands at the side of my wellding bench so I have direct access to 56 sq ft of tools . I made the frame using 3/4" x 3/4" angle iron and covered with peg board. For the swivel part I used a self contained wheel bearing that came off the rear axle of a front wheel drive GM car . Don't know what model and other manufactures may use something similar. The bearing has bolt holes on the flange for easy mounting and I got a used one at the wrecking yard for free. You have to mount the bearing to some kind of heavy base. I made a 2' sq base out of angle iron and then welded a large brake drum to this to add weight and then attached the bearing and peg board to the bearing itself. You could use patio stones for weight on the base if needed. I also welded 1/2 " nuts on each corner of the base and use 1/2 ' bolts as leveling screws. Paint your favorite colour. Hope all this makes sense. Getting back to the tool box tools I'm also in the process of building a smaller version of the above that will sit on my other bench to basically hold wrenches and maybe screwdrivers. Still going to be 2' sq. One side will be for metric and another for imperial sizes. As some others here, I have just to many wrenches in one drawer and it's time to make life easier.
Al

I like this idea! For the swivel bearing, consider a trailer spindle and associated hub, the spindle could be cut off the axle leaving the 4-hole backing plate, which would then become the mount to the base. Trailer shops routinely remove axles that have one but not both spindles damaged, check there for scrap sources, or obviously online trailer shops for new

 

[MitchellB]

I have about 8 drawer boxes & shelf cabinets and 6 top chests for tools accumulated of the years. I keep an eye out for bargains as these boxes while on rollers, never get moved anymore, so cheap drawer boxes work fine for me. If I ever do it over, first I organized each box as to general job duties. As it is, I have my cabinet, drawer box & top chests I used to have when I was working sitting against the back wall of my little shop after I retired and my other home boxes & chests on the right wall, so there are many duplicate tools in both areas. I do designate each drawer separated by tool description; such as pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, meters, files, gauges, clamps, metric, SAE, etc. I keep most of my sockets in the top of 2 top chest boxes installed on the metal socket rails riveted to the inside of each top box. I can look at a glance and see if something is missing as rearrange metal socket holders as needed. I used plastic wrench dividers in my drawers to also be able to tell when a wrench or screwdriver is missing. I never labeled my drawers as I used them enough to know where everything was, until recently. My wife could never find something that I asked for (wishful thinking on my part as my Tool Time assistant) so I labeled them for her, but it still did not help her much, as I usually had to stop and go find it myself. A habit I picked up when I worked for a living is, the job is not done until I have wiped off and returned my tools to their boxes and cleaned up where I was working. It does not take but a couple of small jobs to turn my small space into a nightmare of a mess. Finding work bench space is a premium around here; stuff just keeps accumulating with no where to store it. I am getting to the age/health now that I need to downsize and get rid of stuff I will never use again.