Tool Box Locks........

[Junkman]

I have a bunch of tool boxes and bottom rolling boxes, and every one of them has a different key lock. Some I have keys for, and others I don't. At one time, I would lock my box every night, even if the box was in my own garage. Then I got to thinking about it, and realized that there are enough other "tools" in the garage to pry open any of the boxes, and I would rather not have a damaged tool box. I think that I might feel better if the box itself were stolen, rather than damaged. I guess that in a large shop, you need to keep the box locked or your tools might walk when you are not there. Do you lock your tool box, and why.:headscrat

[Brandon_Lutz]

Yes. Since I no longer live on the farm with the folks, I don't have as much control over my box since I live 40 miles away. I keep all my tools in it, so I lock it up. Plus, if someone breaks into the shop, they'll just go open up my dads unlocked and partially open box and take his tools lol.

It's a huge shop too. His box is right up front by the iron work table, mine is in the back by the corner. I reckon they won't walk 80 feet back to go to my box and pry it open.

[5wndwcpe]

I only lock the drawer with the, uh... catalogs, yeah that's what they are, catalogs. :evil:

[krusty the clown]

the box at work gets locked everynight. the one at home doesn't.

[wilbilt]

I keep mine locked at home 90% of the time. The main reason is that the collection of recycled junk that serves as my "garage" isn't very secure.

When I had my tools at work I always kept them locked overnight. This would bring the inevitable begging to leave my box unlocked or leave a key in case of a day off or vacation.

I would always agree - one time - to leave a key with the manager or owner. It was plainly stated that if I had to go looking for anything when I got back, the box would stay locked from then on.

It never failed that I would find things missing upon my return every time I made that offer. One time, they even "lost" the spare key I left. I changed the lock before I left that day.

[Jay H 237]

The only time I lock the one I have at home is when I'm moving it around so the drawers don't slide open or when we have a party since the easiest way to get in the house from the driveway is through the garage and right past the box.

[Merkava_4]

I have this reoccurring nightmare of this guy stealing my tools and damaging my box. In the dream, the box is unlocked, but he beats on it with a sledge hammer just to be mean. If that's not bad enough, he replaces the tools he steals with junk tools that are atrociously ugly . When I try to run after him to get my tools back, my legs feel like they're filled with concrete and I can't move them. Because of this nightmare, I've given some serious thought into getting a heavy steel shipping container and keeping my tool box in there. :cool:

[Merkava_4]

I'm thinking about getting one of these to put in my back yard and keeping my tool box inside it.

http://www.thecontainerman.com/images/standard_large.jpg

[Merkava_4]

Maybe some kind of underground silo might be better.

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/icbm/us_nuke_titan2_06.jpg

[oldgoat]

At home I don't lock the boxes. If they break into the garage I'm screwed anyway. At the place I worked at before I went a few years without locking the box since everybody used my tools anyway. It was a small shop and I never had a problem, but I told the boss if it gets lost or broke he's buying the new replacement.

[Jbullfrog]

I bought a Snap-On "valuables" locking box to store the keys for my toolbox(s) and cabinets in the shop. It is 1"T x 4"W x 8"L and is bolted to the top of my side box. This way I only need the 1 Snap-On key on my truck keys to open everything. I lock it when I am having trouble getting dad to agree to paying me for fixing his equipment and letting him use my tools.

[wilbilt]

I'm thinking about getting one of these to put in my back yard and keeping my tool box inside it.

http://www.thecontainerman.com/images/standard_large.jpg

We have one of those used for tool and custodial storage at one of the smaller schools. Had to build plate steel "boxes" to cover the padlocks to prevent them from being cut off.

Now the paper wasps build nests around the padlocks up in there. It's always interesting to be the first one to open it after a week or so. :shocking:

[nissan_crawler]

I lock my box at work, and at home. The box at home is cabled to a shelving unit with several engines on it, so they can't just load up the box. The storage cabinets in my garage are locked up, too. The pickup stays locked inside the garage, also. It's a pain sometimes, but I don't want to make it easy for them. I have a policy on my stuff, so if it's damaged, it'll get replaced.

I'm pretty anal about securing my stuff. My car trailer gets both wheels locked together through the springs on each side, chained to a tree, the coupler gets a ball lock, the coupler lock itself is locked in the open position, and the safety chains are wrapped around the tongue and padlocked to keep them from being used to pull the trailer away.

If all else fails, I'm usually awake at thieving hours, and I sleep with a 12 gauge in reach. the guy that was trying to break into my garage and shed while I was home a few weeks ago got pretty nice when he heard a 12 gauge rack right behind him.

[Merkava_4]

the guy that was trying to break into my garage and shed while I was home a few weeks ago got pretty nice when he heard a 12 gauge rack right behind him.

That's what I wish I could do in that nightmare I keep having.

[DiStOrTiOn]

My box is in the garage at home, but i will keep it locked 90% of the time. I'm not too worried about thieves, but i am about my family taking the tools and then either losing them or "losing" them, if you know what i mean.

[idubvdub]

question for those that have been there before.
I'm at tech school, 1st year. Instructor has mentioned that
the garage has been broken into every now and then.
He's had his own tools taken 3 times. If you kept your tool chest here
what would you suggest I do to better protect my tools or make
other chest's more attractive than mine?
Ideas I've come up with (I have not bought my chest yet)
get a quality chest with a decent lock (not one that you lock bars in place to keep some one out) and if a nice looking chest, perhaps make it look old and not stand out as much as a nice chest does. (spray paint?)
Any other tips?
I've read on here, drilling a hole in the wheel and putting a lock though the hole to prevent the would be thief from just rolling it away. Good idea and I will do that also.

[Merkava_4]

He's had his own tools taken 3 times.

From his own house or the school?

[jay50]

question for those that have been there before.
I'm at tech school, 1st year. Instructor has mentioned that
the garage has been broken into every now and then.
He's had his own tools taken 3 times. If you kept your tool chest here
what would you suggest I do to better protect my tools or make
other chest's more attractive than mine?
Ideas I've come up with (I have not bought my chest yet)
get a quality chest with a decent lock (not one that you lock bars in place to keep some one out) and if a nice looking chest, perhaps make it look old and not stand out as much as a nice chest does. (spray paint?)
Any other tips?
I've read on here, drilling a hole in the wheel and putting a lock though the hole to prevent the would be thief from just rolling it away. Good idea and I will do that also.

When I was in local tech school a few years back, tool boxes from students were being broken into and stolen by other students during day classes. Tool boxes were even secured inside a locked cage and security was so lax that some low life still managed to do this. Heck, even the schools scan tool got stolen along with a laptop.

I recommend you just take a small carry box with the tools you will need and take it home with you daily. That's what I did and even though it is a hassle, at least none of mine was stolen and no worries about it. Leave the big box at home and you will sleep better.:thumbup:

[idubvdub]

From his own house or the school?
From the school.
jay50 thanks, if I don't end up doing that I think I'm going to
at least take home and bring with me some of the more expensive tools.

[Jay H 237]

If you kept your tool chest here
what would you suggest I do to better protect my tools or make
other chest's more attractive than mine?


Get a cheap toolbox, beat it up a little and put "I Love Harbor Freight" and "Cummings Truck Tools Rock" stickers all over it. That should make ANY OTHER toolbox more attractive to thieves than yours!:lol_hitti


Hey, you asked! :bounce:

[eschoendorff]

Get a cheap toolbox, beat it up a little and put "I Love Harbor Freight" and "Cummings Truck Tools Rock" stickers all over it. That should make ANY OTHER toolbox more attractive to thieves than yours!:lol_hitti


Hey, you asked! :bounce:

Or you could just put ll of you tools in a Payless Shoes shopping bag....:bounce:

[idubvdub]

Get a cheap toolbox, beat it up a little and put "I Love Harbor Freight" and "Cummings Truck Tools Rock" stickers all over it. That should make ANY OTHER toolbox more attractive to thieves than yours!:lol_hitti

I Love Harbor Freight sticker, or stencil is not a bad idea at all seriously lol
:thumbup: