Post a rundown on how you organize your tools..

Cougar Community The Garage
1

I got a new Craftsman Tool cabinet/tower for Christmas. :beerchug: and have needed an additional one badly since I can remember…

So now there are two. The first thing I realized last night when starting fresh and organizing my “things” is that I have a LOT of crapp in my old cabinet. I was going through it and greasing, cleaning, and taking out all the “unessentials” and then put all of my complete sets in to the new cabinet, when I realized that there HAS to be a way the pros do this :eh:


How do you guys organize your tools? Sockets up top, or big wrenches? Metric in one or two drawers and SAE seperate, or do you do it by “type” of tool?

I have always known I need more tools but am terrible at making a note and going out and buying the ones I realize I need at 11:30pm and desperate… :bloated: Which tools to you think are absolutely the essentials for any tool cabinet setup? I’ve been given a mandate to go shopping, apparently :laughing:

And WTF am I supposed to do with all of these weird, extra, small, odd shapped, unmatched sockets, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches and vicegrips?


I’m thinking I’ll just put all of the matched sets into one cabinet and all the oddball stuff into the old cabinet. It’s a mess, though, and I frankly don’t know where to start! I’m just knowledgeable enough to be dangerous in the shop but not nearly enough to know how to be organized and how the pros set up and pimp out their cabinet(s). I’m starting to wonder if I should just have a bunch of old plastic cups to put on a shelf for all of the odball widgets and tools that are ugly and mismatched…where the heck do you put all these things that get used once every 2 years :confused:


Thanks for any tips! And Happy New Year to you all!

2

I dont group by tool set - all my screw drivers are all in one drawer 2 dividers one side flat tip other side phillips and the other side all the wierd tip hex and other drivers.
another one has all my pliers , needle nose/ reg/ lineman/ wirecutters & strippers/ lock & adjustable. Another is all the sockets SAE/ Metric and another is all the socket drivers and Nut drivers

You get the jist of it - my other cab is all the wierd stuff that I managed to gather.

3

I keep a separate box for metric and oddball stuff I rarely use. My best tip is watch craigslist for one of those amazing deals where you get a lifetime collection at an estate sale for cheap. I recently got a huge snap on chest for $4500 full of Snap On only tools. He was a BMW, Porsche mechanic for many years so there were a lot of tools I would never use. I listed metric and specialty tools on ebay until I hit $4500 in sales netting me a free box and a bunch of tools I would never spring for but I do enjoy having for those rare occasions. These huge chests work well for work benches and if you have a perfectly smooth floor and three guys you can actually roll them from place to place.

4

I would suggest whatever works for you, whatever makes the most sence so you have a 1st or 2nd shot of opening the right drawer when looking for something. Also depending on the drawer size and tools to be grouped in that slot :smoke:

5

I have screwdrivers in one drawer. I keep all SAE wrenches including line wrenches in one drawer. I have ALL the metric stuff including sockets in another drawer. I have the “plier family” in another drawer which includes any kind of plier tool including scissors, channel locks and vice grips. All the sockets are lined up on the top under the hinged lid so I can take a quick glance at what I need. Air tools are in a small cabinet directly above the connection for the airhose and air hose wheel for the compressor that is stashed in the other room. All electrical test equipment and crimping and stripping tools are grouped together. I have a small bin that holds all of the tubes of gasket maker, permatex, thread locker, JB Weld and the like together. All of the drill bits and associated pieces are together too. Files, punches and chisels are together.

I could go on and on but you get the idea.

I really need a new box. This one was a freebie from dad when he retired from UPS and it was completely worn out when I got it over 15 years ago. I welded up a bunch of joints on it just so it would stand up straight.

6

Organize and tools together is one o them oxy-more-ahns…you know, like “gov’t intelligence”…Until I can get more storage, I put mine somewhere, and pray I can find them next time. Had my eye on a “scratch n dent” 41" Kobalt set at a local Lowes, but they wouldn’t deal.

7

These kind of things are invaluable in keeping things organised in the cabinet drawers

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2-x-Kitchen-Expandable-Grid-Drawer-Organizer-Tray-Case-Divider-Storage-Box-/130823236890?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e75ac2d1a

Cabinet #1

Top Cabinet
sockets in the top tray under the lid - mounted or racks that I can pick up and take to the car - metric on left and AF on the right with a 1/4 set I can pick up and carry in the middle - on both sides 1/2" on outside, then 3/8", then 1/4" with torx, allen key and other specialty sockets in the middle - the Hansen style socket trays are better than the snap-on style that slide up and down the runner
pliers and side cutters top left drawer, scissors and cutters in the middle, screwdriver bits and screw drivers ratchets in the rhs tray in those little polyurethane holders
Full width drawers
ratchets and extensions - 1/2" 3/8" and 1/4" with t-bs and speed braces
A/F wrenches - ratchet/open end long, ratchet open end short, open end, double ended ratchet - like ring
AF wrenches - double ended ring and large A/F size open end

Metric wrenches as above
Vice grips, multi grips
Hammers

Large Base Cabinet with deeper drawers

Screwdrivers, including power drivers and ratcheting drivers
Torque wrenches (several), allen keys and specialty wrenches plus some weird stuff like the magnets for retrieving the dropped bolts
Metal working tools, punches, hacksaws, snips (left right and straight)
Pipe bending tools, scrapers, letter punches
Tuning gear

Cabinet #2
Top shelf - tapes (masking, electrical in various sizes and types), tape measures and some stuff you always need in hurry, simple green spray bottle - cause you always spill something
small drawers - left - mini electrical pliers and side cutters; middle - wire strippers and crimp tools; right - scalpels and special model knives for fine work
full width drawers
more screw drivers - but the old ones used for scraping grease, opening cans, stirring stuff and using with vice grips
specialty measuring devices - micrometers, verniers, the thingy to set the pinion angle
electrical stuff - multimeter, thermometer, small jumper leads for circuit work, cigarette lighter plug in cables
labeling stuff, soldering irons

Base Cabinet
more measuring stuff - squares, special tape measures, rulers, pencils, drawing instruments, market pens
clamps - the sliding ratchet type
clamps - spring clamps in various sizes
scrapers, chisels and files
safety gear, string lines
hole cutting saw bits

I normally leave the lids open and have the magnetic trays sitting on the top edge
Each cabinet has a magnetic tool holder on the front so i can pick up what I need and put it on the holder to take across to the vehicle


I used to love Sears tool department when I worked in Plano

8

I appreciate the input, Guys! It appears I’ve been doing it along the same lines as most…I guess my biggest curiousity now is what the heck to do with the extra cabinet. I don’t really have enough full sets of nice tools (nor have I found I need them, I’m not a mechanic!) so the ones I do have seem to “fit” in one cabinet/tower just fine…so I’m left with the option to either buy a bunch of tools I “might” need sometime…

Or use the second cabinet for odd or one-off stuff. I suppose I should just stick with the theme and continue to build sets as needed. I know I can always use more extensions and wobble fittings.

The one set that I tend to use almost ALWAYS is the basic Craftsman 3/8th set that I keep on my teacart…One basic set of metric and SEA in the same box takes care of 80% of my needs, until it’s time for that rare need for a deep well, impact, or a little 1/4" setting. I am always paranoid about putting those anywhere else than in the plastic organizer box that they came in though, so I tend to not even keep them in a cabinet.

Meanwhile, I have found that the old style box end and open end wrenches are becoming dinosaurs…I always use the gear wrenches, so I like having those organized and laid out flat in a nice drawer. Some floppy style, some solid. I use metrics a lot because of old Honda ATVs and cycles and the BMWs I have around.

I guess all I need is more dividers for the screwdrivers’ drawer and perhaps a consistant method of displaying/holding the variety of sockets. I don’t like the plastic hangers they come on but then they do tend to keep them from rolling around and help you keep track of the sets. I like those bracket-with-clip-line sets that let you display them on-end in a drawer in large numbers.

Anyway, thanks for the tips and motivation :beerchug:

9

Heres another tip - put a magnet on the back of a socket bracket n clip line set ( they may make them this way too) - easier to get to when your under the car - just pop it on a frame rail or on the side of one of the boxes instead of floundering around looking for that freakin socket you need thats rolling around that ends up by your shoes thats just out of reach.

10

I organize by type since I have kind of a photographic memory.
I keep sockets in the first wide drawer, along with 3 good ratchets of various length. I also keep things in boxed sets in the drawers, so it’s easier to keep count of them and to bring a whole set of something over to a project rather than have the big box in my space.

The open and box end wrenches are essential. Don’t weed them out yet. I can’t bring myself to depend on the relatively frail guts of a gearwrench™.

I picked up a good set of tools from an estate sale, much like Don did. Except I didn’t sell any of them because I’m greedy. I want 10 of everything.

11

Brian, at work we shadow box the tools. By laying in foam inserts. Every tool is traced and has a place. This keeps tools from getting lost or miss placed in another draw. It takes alot of time but well worth it. You don’t waist time looking for stuff. At home I’m close to it. Standard all in one box metric in the other. All odd tools in another. ANY oils, permatek,fluids,thats kept in stand up cabinet. Also keeps me forom having too many double sets…

12

I just try to keep nearly all of my automotive tools together in two hand carry-able tool boxes. Now that there’s only one kid left at home, I’m slowly becoming more successful in this plan.

EDIT: That MAY change when Matt finds a fairly decent body and frame to start his “Old Ford Truck” project.
Of course, his idea of “Old” spans 1967-1977; so I should be able to get away with buying him a good selection of combination wrenches (with spares sized 9/16"-11/16") and a good-sized ratchet/socket set.

13

I use my extra box for odds-n-ends. The bottom drawer is packed with NOS Ford parts, Honda 4-wheeler parts, and shop manuals. I probably have 20 1/2" wrenches in the top drawer amongst other open end wrenches, but I never throw one away. My extra tools go in the extra box just incase I lose one or I want to build a “wrecking yard”, “pickup #1”, “pickup #2”, “garage”, “shed”, or “around the house” set of tools for any situation I am in. We could also move that box up to your other shop or to the new tractor/trailer storage shed for closer access to a set of tools on the other end of your estate. Heck, you could use that box for all of your brewing supplies! The list of possibilities are endless… :slight_smile:

14

Haha…I’m NOT falling into that trap again (the "have some tools here and some there idea, haha)…my old legs get tired enough just walking around one shop!

I found one good key over these Holidays-to have my ass out in the shop getting busy. I cleared out a ton of stuff, took a trip to the dump, gave some stuff to WCCC, burned multiple boxes, carried once-in-a-lifetime “need” items (I surely will relish having the original dash pad from Gunner some day, right?) up to the top of the loft out-of-sight, etc…

So much space now! And the extra tools/gadgets in the extra toolbox is a great thing. Now I register which one to fumble through a lot quicker :wink:

This long weekend reminded me of when I was a kid and I was supposed to be doing homework…I’d put it off as long as possible by cleaning my room and organizing, first…I finally got the shop and tools all organized and then got started Monday on continuing the Rattler-Ranger Restoration. Got the bead-blasting cabinet back in order, opened up yet another case of brake-kleen and started in on all the brackets and components.


Why am I restoring a '84 Ranger again?? :bonghitter:

15

I have a Craftsman base/middle box/top box. All drawers.

For 3/8" and 1/4" sockets I have the Sears plastic square bases with holes for pegs that hold the sockets n place.

For 1/2" sockets I have some of the plastic socket rack sets that have bases with longer pegs molded to them. Flare wrenches and box ratchets are in the same drawer as these.

Smaller (up to 11/16 and 17mm) combo wrenches are in metal racks that hold the wrenches at an angle. Larger combo wrenches are in a separate drawer.

Screwdrivers and pliers are in their respective drawers.

Allen wrenches in their own small drawer in the top box. Punches, line-ups, small chisels in one of these small drawers too. Knives and scissors in a small drawer.

Crescent wrenches and vise grips in a separate drawer. “Specialty” tools in their own drawer.

Electrical tools and air tools in a medium-deep drawer along with torque wrenches and breaker bars.

Big heavy stuff and tune-up items in the deep bottom drawer.

Hammers, saws, body tools etc in a separate cheapo chest I bought at Lowe’s.

16

Exactly…have multiple sets around the property, so you don’t have to walk(or in your case…run) back to the shop everytime. Just a thought…

17

I’ve been thinking about getting this top piece to put on top of my work bench to organize most of my small tools and then one day down the road purchase the bottom piece with drawers. I don’t got a lot of wrenches and sockets and all I have right now is a shoe box size tool box so this would be a great addition to organize all the wrenches and socket sets that get used the most.