How do you store pliers? Smallest to biggest or different types together?

[mikey03]

Do you guys store pliers so that the same size pliers are next to each other. Or so that each of the same type of pliers are next to eachother?

Supposing you got Cobras, Pliers Wrench, bent needle nose and straight Needle nose in 5" and 7" and 10" lengths

Do you put all the 5" pliers together in a row and then all the 7" pliers and then all 10”

Or do you put all the cobras together, then put all the pliers wrenches together, and then all the bent needle nose together?

 

[PWC Repair]

Mine are grouped by type. For me they are easier to find like that.

 

[T444e]

This question is confusing. Pliers go in one drawer, for the most part. Channellocks go in a different drawer. Some others are in a couple other boxes and setting by tools where used. There is absolutely no organization in the drawers.

 

[slik560]

I got racks for a couple of tool box drawers and tried to organize by function. Tried. I keep changing things depending on which pliers get used most often. It's ongoing.

 

[Hakeem]

Piled in a heap in a drawer

 

[kbeefy]

by type

 

[mikey03]

This question is confusing. Pliers go in one drawer, for the most part. Channellocks go in a different drawer. Some others are in a couple other boxes and setting by tools where used. There is absolutely no organization in the drawers.

do you don’t consider channel locks to be pliers?

 

[T444e]

do you don’t consider channel locks to be pliers?

Nope, they're significantly larger (typically, in my case) than pliers and used for different purposes.

 

[cody1325]

Basement toolbox: neatly organized in HFT/US General organizers by size, save for a couple extremely large Channellocks out by the side. Also, most of my smaller pipe wrenches share that drawer.

The others--basically all crammed into rather shallow drawers in the shop and garage. Once I get the bottom roll cabs fixed, they'll get the same treatment as the basement.

 

[Torque&Recoil]

By type. Within the type, by size. Yeah, a bit neurotic, but it helps me find what I need quickly. About a year ago, I went to the Ernst pliers organizer which works really well for me. Highly recommended, if your toolbox drawer is deep enough.

 

[swsman]

All of the pliers are in a single drawer.
Primarily used ones are on the left side.

Electrical repair pliers and wire strippers are in a portable tool tox where all of the other electrical related tools reside.

 

[T444e]

I forgot about electrical pliers, they are in a separate electrical tool drawer. Again, not sorted/organized.

 

[dchawk81]

Three words:

Home Depot bucket.

 

[cody1325]

Three words:

Home Depot bucket.

Make that "Lowe's bucket" and you'll describe how my tools usually end up. I tend to grab one (as I have a decent-size stack as I tend to use one as a shopping basket for just a few items and then just buy the bucket alongside my stuff), fill it with the tools I need for the job, haul it back to the basement and just leave it until I decide to finally put the stuff back in the box.

 

[cody1325]

All of the pliers are in a single drawer.
Primarily used ones are on the left side.

Electrical repair pliers and wire strippers are in a portable tool tox where all of the other electrical related tools reside.

Except for linesman's pliers (as, in my use, they tend to be the first I grab--old habit), I do the same in an old Popular Mechanics box I retired because it was flimsy, and put most of my electrical tools and supplies in it; and placed it in one of the steel cabinets above the work bench in my basement shop. I also keep spares of things like outlets, connectors, and wire alongside it in the same door. Mine has linesman's, cutters, flush cutters, various strippers/crimpers, tape, zip ties/Velcro wrap, soldering iron, a coax installation kit, RJ45 crimpers, and some other odds and ends.

 

[bbrins]

Mine are occasionally neatly organized in whatever order seems to make sense at that moment, then over a week or two of use, they devolve into a jumbled mess that needs to be dug through to find what I am looking for, then it stays that way for a couple of months until I get tired of digging, then the process starts all over again. Pliers, wire cutters, snap ring pliers in one drawer, vise grips and most of my channellocks in another drawer. My screwdriver drawer is usually less bad. Socket drawers are always kept neat though.

 

[rharman]

By type. By size doesn't seem to be a viable strategy.

 

[WildBill]

I can't seem to use the racks that hold them sideways, I have to keep them laid flat and grouped by type in a big shallow toolbox drawer. Then they all slowly migrate around the drawer based on whatever I'm using the most on my current projects.

 

[rharman]

I can't seem to use the racks that hold them sideways, I have to keep them laid flat and grouped by type in a big shallow toolbox drawer. Then they all slowly migrate around the drawer based on whatever I'm using the most on my current projects.

What's the reason you can't use the racks? Too tall? I use the Ernst racks and they're just great! I originally used the PlyWorx wire racks and they sucked.

 

[ecotec]

I made my racks out of a wire closet shelf/hanger from Home Depot. It was around $7 about 10 years ago. I cut it with bolt cutters just after the rod that is welded half way on the shelf part. After I did that, I held the whole length against the open drawer, marked it with a pencil, and cut it going the other way. I did not even file it, I just put it in the drawer. One shelf did both sides of the drawer.

 

[WildBill]

What's the reason you can't use the racks? Too tall? I use the Ernst racks and they're just great! I originally used the PlyWorx wire racks and they sucked.

Not too tall, just couldn't seem to get used to them. I can't remember the brand I tried but it looked like the Ernst ones. They are much better from a space standpoint. I don't know why they bugged me to use.

 

[i84x]

I keep them in piles by what they are; pipe grips, snips, pliers, longnose etc all together. Helps that I culled a lot of the worn out and cheap **** that had accumulated so now I only have 2 - 4 pairs of each.

 

[tarmy]

Yes…er…this.

 

[J.A.F.E.]

 

[PelicanPines]

Viewing this thread.... Scares me... I organize by type... But I have more pliers than all the images presented.

 

[finn]

I’m in the “in a heap in a drawer in the tool chest” group.

That said, they’re usually in the general vicinity of the job I last used pliers on. Unfortunately, I really don’t use pliers much, when I think back, which complicates the whole “last job” thing. I sometimes have to think back four or five jobs to get to “used pliers on that one” section of my brain.

 

[mikey03]

But I have more pliers than all the images presented.

sounds like you got a hoarding problem or other people here got a case of severe plier deficiency

 

[dchawk81]

sounds like you got a hoarding problem or other people here got a case of severe plier deficiency

Based on the threads you create you are not one to judge.

 

[Sal Bandini]

This question is confusing. Pliers go in one drawer, for the most part. Channellocks go in a different drawer. Some others are in a couple other boxes and setting by tools where used. There is absolutely no organization in the drawers.

Which drawer do these go in?

 

[mikey03]

Which drawer do these go in?

Cutting pliers go in the pliers draw with hose squeezer pliers and crimping pliers and clamping pliers

 

[dchawk81]

Which drawer do these go in?

Hammer drawer.

 

[T444e]

Right now, there's one on the pull-out tray on the tool chest, along with a bunch of other ****. But, the correct answer is, one in the electrical drawer and another in the pliers drawer but none in the channellock drawer.
Of course they have been used as hammers at some point.

 

[gtae07]

I’m in the “in a heap in a drawer in the tool chest” group.

That said, they’re usually in the general vicinity of the job I last used pliers on. Unfortunately, I really don’t use pliers much, when I think back, which complicates the whole “last job” thing. I sometimes have to think back four or five jobs to get to “used pliers on that one” section of my brain.

Sounds like me too. Except the Cleco pliers, their designated home is in one of the buckets full of clecos (an institutional-size Maxwell house can for the 3/32 and a Folgers can for the 1/8). Whether they make it back home...

 

[finn]

Sounds like me too. Except the Cleco pliers, their designated home is in one of the buckets full of clecos (an institutional-size Maxwell house can for the 3/32 and a Folgers can for the 1/8). Whether they make it back home...

My Cleo pliers are in a safe place……somewhere.

 

[AEAdam]

I don’t think pliers are similar to other tools in that they are easy to tell apart. I have about 1/4 of @ecotec , but that’s how I store mine. I think on edge is fine and they are easy to grab the one you want. I have a ton of snap ring pliers and I tend to get them all out, sort thru them, try one and realize it’s an outy when I need an inny. So I keep these in tool rolls.

Suggest having a drawer for basics. Snap ring pliers can be somewhere else, hose clamp pliers, brake spring pliers can be somewhere else. I keep my beloved Xuron mini pliers with my electronic tools.

 

[Griff79]

By type, slip joint, dykes, Channelocks, Vice grips, needle nose, ECT.
Griff

 

[NUTTSGT]

Pliers drawer. I use some Ernst pliers racks and like them. The are grouped by type and size. I believe I have added since this picture was taken last fall.

Vice Grips have their own drawer.

 

[cody1325]

Basement drawer--so far, the only one I've got organized. Wear and tear have made the drawers in the garage and shop separate, and for some reason, Granddad picked sets with shallow drawers--and each are limited in deep drawers. The garage just needs the clips that snap the drawers into the tracks. Shop--new bottom roller.

Basement uses a US General organizer.

Large pliers, like big Channellocks, my farrier's nippers (mostly used as nail pullers, and a couple pipe wrenches just get stored loose.



In a corner on a steel typist's desk is a Craftsman's machinist box I've been filling with hobby and precision tools--these are what little pliers I've acquired over the years and put in there as I came across them after being lost for who knows how long.

 

[Skyman]

Workshop:



Garage:

 

[cody1325]

Pliers drawer. I use some Ernst pliers racks and like them. The are grouped by type and size. I believe I have added since this picture was taken last fall.

Vice Grips have their own drawer.

Definitely getting the Ernst (I think Tekton rebrands them as well?--maybe the tool trucks also?) pliers racks moving forward as I organize the rest of my boxes. The US General one is designed to be adjustable, but the dividers often refuse to move. Aside from some tiny pliers that go in a different box, there's no wasted space by not having them adjustable.

Looks like Ernst period going forward. Lot more options than Harbor Freight for getting my **** organized. Like their "modular" wrench organizers better too.