Suggestions Appreciated

"Bryan doesn't drive a 1M" (bryantakespictures) 04/05/2018 at 11:57 • Filed to: None

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Between home ownership and car ownership, I have acquired a decent number of tools. Since I bought them over the course of 10 years, I never saw an immediate need for any kind of storage/organization solution. It’s become an issue now, and I’d like to do something about it.

Any suggestions for organizing tools and hardware in a pretty small space in my garage? I don’t need anything Pinterest-worthy, just something functional that will allow me to find the tool I need in less time than whatever project I’m working on will take.

Nothing > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:10

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I know lots of folks like the 44” roller box from Harbor Freight. Used to be able to find coupons for about $350 on them. That would help for hand tools. Bulkier tools you can put in a tote, or something with larger drawers. For me, I bought some shelf wall standards/brackets and cut some plywood to width for some easy shelves for larger items (router, chop saw, compressor).

Pictures added.

Long-Voyager > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:16

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I have one like the one on the right:

I keep all my smaller tools in the upper drawers, larger/specialty tools in the lower drawer, then I have a peg board on the wall for oddball stuff.

Urambo Tauro > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:21

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I’m short on space, too. I can’t have a dedicated, instantly-accessible space for every single tool. So a lot of tools get dumped into the same drawer, or onto the same shelf.

So to make things easier to find, I try to keep tools that have a similar purpose together. And the categories are quite broad. Like I have one drawer for cutting/shaping tools, which contains all sorts of stuff that cuts, grinds, drills, files, etc., and I have another drawer for anything that involves brute force, like hammers, prybars, punches, picks, etc.

Wrenches and sockets are a lot more organized than that, though. I just can’t stand rooting around through a bunch of loose sockets to find the size that I need.

functionoverfashion > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:23

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I’d hit up CL for a rolling set of drawers. People are always selling them - sometimes full of tools - as they find them in a relative’s garage/basement/shed, or else selling an empty one because they bought a bigger/nicer one.

For me, taking the time to carefully put everything away in its place after completing ANY job is key to finding the tool the next time I need it.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:37

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I’ve got one of the HF 44” boxes, and it’s nice. I’d go with the 56” now though. But those are nice units for big drawers to store stuff. Or you could go the gladiator wall hanger route, or good old fashioned pegboards. Anything that gets tools to where you know what drawer to open, or where to look for them is a good thing.

So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 12:57

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I’m pretty cheap so I built a rolling work table out of scrap wood. It’s on 4 locking castors and the shelves are sized so I can slide my whole craftsman ratchet set into it. Shelves on both sides with a gap in between si U can store sheet metal. The top is a heavy ass piece of steel I found in the garage when I bought my house 

Also used a file box for some of my wood specific hand tools

Nom De Plume > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 13:17

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I’ve always gone with hanging the small stuff up high. Sturdy hardware can handle 4+ pliers on a single peg. Sturdier hardware can hold 4 hammers. Not everything gets stacked so deep. Stagger so you can have a set of hex keys and assorted other crap like usable sized screwdrivers easy at hand without having to remove anything else. Mount a vise and count on needing room to beat the shit out of stuff from all angles.

Over build a workbench from raw lumber as deep as you can while still reaching the stuff that will be hanging above it. Build in a single shelf along the full length near the bottom (Just high enough you can still retrieve everything you kick under it). Then you just need whatever space efficient shelves you can fit on the sides or walls for storing larger stuff.

Power and lighting are step one to figure out so I put it last in your mind. Count on needing a separate fuse that can handle multiple high draw tools while having multiple powerful lights blazing. Planning for less is self destructive and unreasonable.

Pickup_man > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 13:47

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I’ve got a few friends who prefer peg boards (for added organization create a tracing of each tool on the board), but I’m a box guy myself. I started with a single 24" top box, then added a bottom, then a middle, then found someone who offered me another bottom and a small top box for helping clean out his garage. So I’ve got five boxes in total. If I was starting now I’d find a 41" or bigger bottom at a minimum, but ideally a set. Keep an eye on CL because you can usually find some really good deals.

The most important thing however is returning your tools to their spot at the end of the day. Getting into this habit can be difficult, but once you get used to it any amount of disorganization will drive you crazy.

Darkbrador > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/05/2018 at 13:58

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Old file cabinets. The metallic ones, ubiquitous beige or grey fixtures from all business/office places for decades, you can find some for as low as $10 a piece if you’re lucky. Or $150+ if they found their way to a hipster “vintage” store.

Heavy duty construction, they can carry lots of tools and stuff, even fairly heavy loads. The good ones have the bottom weighted to prevent tip-over. They come in fairly standard dimensions and line up neatly in a garage/shop.

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky 04/05/2018 at 16:28

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I really love that filebox

shop-teacher > Nothing 04/05/2018 at 17:10

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HF doesn’t let you use the 20% coupons on toolboxes anymore :/

Nothing > shop-teacher 04/05/2018 at 17:29

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I know I’ve seen the box advertised for less than $399, but that was a while ago. Seemed when I was looking, $359 was the average flyer price for it.

Dogsatemypants > Pickup_man 04/05/2018 at 17:50

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Shop bench with a few drawers, pegboard covering any exposed facing, and a magnetic strip.

Pickup_man > Dogsatemypants 04/05/2018 at 17:57

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Just doesn’t work for me, I’ve tried that before and still managed to misplace tools or forget to put things back, but with a box I know exactly where everything is and I’m very good at putting things back. Don’t really know why the box works so much better for me, but it does.

shop-teacher > Nothing 04/05/2018 at 18:47

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Yeah, if you wait for the right sale. It is a decent box too. I got mine when you could use the coupon, for $320 + tax. I’ve since sold it, but it was solidly built (except for the cheesy lock)

So Shiney. So Chrome! So Frunky > Bryan doesn't drive a 1M 04/06/2018 at 08:18

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Thanks! I eventually painted it crazy colors so I could find it quick in my workshop