Toolbox Organization Advice?

In reply to CrustyRedXpress :

I've never measured it but that sounds about right; good luck with the search!

Racingsnake said:

jimbob_racing said:

Again. Labels on the drawers. Use a label maker and stick them on old magnets. That way you can rearrange them quickly.  Nothing is better than having a helper find things quickly and easily because of the labels.

Great idea putting the labels on magnets - I'll be stealing that!

Stealing that idea too. FINALLY - a use for all of those RockAuto magnets.

I think I've learned 2 things from this thread: 

1. Labels
2. "It's never big enough". So, after you get your tools set up and organized, don't add more tools. If you need more tools, get another box. 

mtn said:

I think I've learned 2 things from this thread: 

1. Labels
2. "It's never big enough". So, after you get your tools set up and organized, don't add more tools. If you need more tools, get another box. 

#2 is why labels on magnets is a good idea.  That's what I did once I got a larger toolbox, and it was convenient when I figured out a "better" way to arrange tools.

The best change for me was having the one spot where the most commonly used tools reside despite having another drawer they could belong to.  Took a while to get over the "but these are in the wrong spot" feelings, but they went away when I realized how much faster I was able to get set up and working.

Edit:  My incredibly unscientific guess is I use about 5% of my tools for about 80-90% of what I do, so it's a lot easier to have them all in one place.  All the other tools are important, too, so having them organized when they are needed is still critical.

mtn said:

I think I've learned 2 things from this thread: 

1. Labels
2. "It's never big enough". So, after you get your tools set up and organized, don't add more tools. If you need more tools, get another box. 

Drawer AREA is more important than drawer VOLUME.   You are not going to stack screwdrivers and pliers and wrenches and extensions, so why do all the drawers need to be 5" high?

I bought a giant toolbox, like 60x48x30, to replace my aging little Matco unit which is something like 48x24x20.  It has fewer drawers so I could not fit all my tools into it.  I took the big unit home where I have less tools and more junk, so it is half toolbox and half junk storage.

Trent said:

For socket organizers I am using Westling Machine billet rails.

I just ordered one of these-they're beautiful. 

Gonna feel like an idiot every time I put one of my 15 year old black chrome Pittsburgh sockets on them though. 

I'm a firm believer in wall storage. Most things don't need to be in a drawer. 

My drawers top to bottom:

1. Sockets on Hansen trays
2. T-handle Allen keys
3. Screwdrivers and specialty sockets (torx, etc)
4. Prybars
5. Physical diagnosis (fuel pressure tester, compression tester, etc)
6. Stuff that won't fit in other drawers (ie should be hanging on the wall but isn't yet)

Best thing I ever did to my big tool box was to bed line the inside of the drawers. I did this when I acquired a used 5x" snap-on bottom and mid chest. It came disassembled as far as the drawers being out. I repainted the whole outside and went with BLer on the insides.

My biggest thing is figuring out how to KEEP it organized. I am moving towards socket trays (I found some nice plastic socket trays with magnetic bottoms on amazon) as the blow molded cases do stink for accessibility. 

I have partitioned trays I keep with me at the location I am working to put the tools on while I am working so they are all in one spot and I can carry them all back to the toolbox to put them away. The other partitions are good for hardware and small components. 

One of my next things is lightweight roller stands that incorporate the trays, mostly because its usually impractical to rill the whole toolbox over to the work location due to weight. 

I am kind of working on partitioning out job kits too, so I have a electrical and soldering box and things like that. 

Its all a work in progress, but I picked up a lot of ideas from Adam Savage's Tested channel.

Tom Suddard said:

CrustyRedXpress said:

If your old box is a 26" x18" red/black craftsman let me know. 

I'm in the market for a middle/intermediate box to complete my set.

Are you psychic? Here's a photo of what I'm replacing. I don't think I'm going to have room to keep any of the old boxes.

I would not get rid of this. It should be for lesser used, specialty, or other tools that don't have a spot. Maybe accessories for the lathe, press, or mill?

Set all your tool boxes up as close to the same as you can. I have tool boxes at work, at home in the shop, and in the hauler. Sockets in the top, screw drivers in the top drawer and so on. then it's just reaction when you need something. You don't have to open three drawers to find something. 

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

I would not get rid of this. It should be for lesser used, specialty, or other tools that don't have a spot. Maybe accessories for the lathe, press, or mill?

Agreed.  Having spare toolboxes like this is also super handy when you get an enclosed trailer.

I use the harbor freight magnetic strips to organize stuff in drawers. They move a round a bit, but it's not a free for all. 

Has anybody tried these?

https://tracemyspace.com/products/custom-foam-insert

It's a custom foam insert that is created by sending them a pic from your smart phone of how you want your tools laid out. 

It's pricey, but looks beautiful. I just priced out a 12x18 drawer and it was $45

codrus (Forum Supporter) said:

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

I would not get rid of this. It should be for lesser used, specialty, or other tools that don't have a spot. Maybe accessories for the lathe, press, or mill?

Agreed.  Having spare toolboxes like this is also super handy when you get an enclosed trailer.

 

I've already got a box for the machine tools and a travel cart that goes in the trailer, so I got rid of my old Craftsman to free up some space.

Rather than selling it, I gave it to an apprentice who works at a friend of mine's shop. She's just starting out and needed a toolbox, so hopefully this will keep her away from the tool truck for a few years while she learns the trade. And in return, she's going to swap the A/C compressor on Nicole's MR2 for me. Win-win!

I've posted this in the socket organization thread already but here is the top drawer of my tool box. 

My impacts live on top. 97% of my bolt turning needs are served by opening one drawer. 

The socket trays are marked with a sharpie for quick reference. 

Non metric sockets, wrenches, and all larger stuff resides in the next lower drawer. 
 

I've used this setup for over a decade to make money. What's important is to find out what works for you. 

We all know that tall tool boxes get awkwardly top heavy.  Too many drawers open and they are likely to topple forward.  Sure, you know but is your helper equally knowledgeable?  The idea of attach to the wall is good.  Personally, I just hide some weight in the back of the bottom drawer.  More than just some big tools down there. Some spare angle iron hidden back there is not really in the way and is a good use of spare material.  

I would highly recommend this "bottom weight" for your old Craftsman which is rather tall but had really nothing of weight sustenance in the bottom drawer/shelf.  

In reply to Folgers :

Where are those socket trays from?  I like this more than the Hansen style trays that keep the sockets vertical as it won't require drawers that are so deep (which my old Matco top box is lacking in)

I prefer socket rails rather than the Hansen trays. Like this:

The sockets clip in firmly and don't fall out. I arrange them with SAE on one end, and metric on the other. So when I pick up a rail, I pickup a whole set of one drive size.  Whe I put them away, I rotate the sockets so all the labels can be read.

When I toss the rails in my tool box, they lay flat so the labels can be read (unlike the Hansens). When I am mobile, I can toss an entire rail into a tool bag or bucket and the sockets stay in place. The rails can be hung in the wall (for those of you who like pegboard). I can tell at a glance when I am missing a socket. 
 

Hansens are prettier. The rails work better. 

SV reX said:

Hansens are prettier. The rails work better. 

It depends on how you work, and whether you need to take the sockets with you anywhere.  The benefit to Hansens is that they are much faster and simpler if you're only taking out one socket at a time.  You don't need to fiddle about with the snaps on the rails, you don't need to worry about orienting the numbers when you put them away, and the numbers on the tops of the pegs are much easier to read than the engraved numbers on the sockets themselves anyway. 

I don't "go mobile", my sockets stay in the garage and I really try to minimize the number of them that I take out of the box at once.  The trailer has its own set of tools, so if I'm forced to work on the car at the track I use those.  Hansens fit that use pattern perfectly.

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

I found Lisle branded trays on tooltopia. Although I think I bought these at sears(?) they maybe craftsman branded...

In reply to Folgers :

Solid! I'll be hitting them with the Dymo labeler, should work great.  Thanks.

In reply to codrus (Forum Supporter) :

That's fair. 
 

I should have said they work better for me. 

I'm probably the odd man out in that I don't like labels or stickers.  I feel they make things look messy.  I put stickers on my press, the paint is effed on it anyway so no harm there.  Back in my buy/sell/trade days I hated pulling stickers off boxes before sale so I guess thats just a habit that carried over to my workspace.

The best thing I have found for organization so far is pliers racks 

https://www.amazon.com/Pliers-Rack-Organizer-Drawer-Storage/dp/B001DZLMFI

Otherwise pretty much everything has been covered.  I am a socket rail guy as well, I dont like the Hansens because they burn up space and the lay flat magnet trays are nice if you travel but I don't.  I like that I can pull a whole rail out - usually deepwell metrics, and use what I need, then put the whole rail back.  

my current status terrible