I am going broke buying duplicates of tools

[reader2580]

I keep buying duplicates of tools because I misplace tools all the time. I have at least three hammers, but I can only find one. I have two wrecking bars and cannot find either. I misplaced my set of Wera Joker SAE ratcheting wrenches. My portable tool box tipped over and scattered tools everywhere. I lost a number of 1/4" drive SAE sockets when the tool box tipped over. The only good news is the only cordless tool I have misplaced to date is an M12 PVC cutter. My father gave it back to me and no idea where I put it. (I thought it was still in my vehicle, but not there when the vehicle was cleaned out.)

I need to spend another $300 on a set of 1/4" USA made SAE sockets and a replacement set of Wera Joker SAE ratcheting wrenches.

I do work in my walkout basement, in my passenger car garage, and in my big RV garage so my tools don't have a designated place to live. Tools will get left in one of those three places and then get buried in junk so I can't find them.

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

Our last house we had a walk out basement.
I used a 5 drawer U.S. General cart to keep the tools I was using on a project together while also allowing me to move it any where I wanted or had to work

 

[Ultradog MN]

There is nothing we can do to help you.
What you need is called discipline. Some guys have it naturally. Others, like me, didn't have it and needed to learn it. Getting my *** kicked in boot camp helped me learn it.
.Organize your tools and put them away each and every time after using them. It really is that simple.

 

[Bert_]

Buy cheaper tools

 

[Burt Shaver]

One of the first lessons my great grandfather taught me was to put tools away after using them. I was probably about 8

 

[Cc_windsurfer]

Only own 3 hammers? Rookie.

 

[woody 73]

Oh man OP I hear you big time, I own at least 10,000 tape measures, you heard that right, lol, I put one down in my garage and turn for just a few minutes and bam,bam, it's gone, like a flash in the light. So out I go and buy another one, finish the job lay it down and bam, it's vanished into the black hole of Calcutta, just like that. Then 6 months later while moving a box darn thing shows up, just like that.

I have stood in your shoes more time than I can count OP.

 

[reader2580]

The problem is where do I keep them? The tools will never get put away in the winter if I keep them in either garage. I know myself and I am almost certainly not going to put on boots, jacket, and gloves in the winter to haul tools back to either garage. The opposite problem in the warmer months. I won't want to keep walking to the walkout basement every time I need a tool in one of my garages. I'll end up just leaving the tools in whatever garage I was using them in.

A professional mechanic would never get any work done if they had to walk outside 75 feet every time they needed a tool. It almost feels like I need three of everything so I am not constantly moving tools between work sites. Of course, I can't afford to buy two more of all of my power tools.

I try to organize things, and then it never sticks. I need to do a deep clean of my basement, and just throw out tons of junk. I think I will set up my big 20x20 party tent right outside the door so I can haul everything out and not worry about rain.

 

[Burt Shaver]

You don’t need to put it away till the job is done. I’m a contractor, I didnt take all my tools back out to the tool trailer at the end of every day, just made a nice neat pile of tools on the jobsite. Once the job is done, put them away. That 75 foot walk to put them away is nothing compared to the time you will waste looking for them if you don’t

 

[R07AG]

I would definitely try getting more organized. Everything should have a home and be in it's home when it's no longer needed. Getting a tool box will be a good start.

For me, I have multiples of the cheaper tools (screwdrivers, pliers, etc). 1 set lives in the garage, 1 set lives in the basement. Power tools are split to where they will be used the most between the garage and packouts in the basement.

If I'm lazy, I put it on the kitchen island and my wife will let me know throughout the day where it is.

 

[mikey03]

Can’t find tool because have too many tools
Buy the tool again
Put the duplicate tool in pile of other tools
Now tools even less organized and can’t find different tool
Buy duplicate of the other tool
Now tools even less organized
See good deal on wrenches you don’t need already got 5 complete sets
Now you got 6 sets
Tools even less organized definitely not finding nothing now
Die and family sells tools for penny‘s on the dollar
Family needs a tool but sold them all. uses the garage sale tool money to buy Pittsburg HF tool. You look down from heaven and start a HF versus Snap on argument with another angel.

But I mean honestly what are you going to do? Not buy the craftsman v wrenches you find at ACE for 50% off? Then you wind up banned from GJ, lose social outlet, take up going to bars and drinking now you got liver disease and die and family sells tools for penny’s on the dollar.

 

[Buckaroo5]

I work out of my garage at home but also have a remote cabin where I need tools. I bought a set of Milwaukee Pack Out boxes where I keep my primary tools. I work out of big tool boxes and the Milwaukee boxes in the garage. Every time I go to the cabin, whether I plan to do work or not, I load the Milwaukee boxes. Sometimes I don't even get them out of the truck but I hate not having a tool I need. BTW, still happens occasionally. With tools, organization is really important.

 

[MattV]

The problem is where do I keep them? The tools will never get put away in the winter if I keep them in either garage. I know myself and I am almost certainly not going to put on boots, jacket, and gloves in the winter to haul tools back to either garage. The opposite problem in the warmer months. I won't want to keep walking to the walkout basement every time I need a tool in one of my garages. I'll end up just leaving the tools in whatever garage I was using them in.

A professional mechanic would never get any work done if they had to walk outside 75 feet every time they needed a tool. It almost feels like I need three of everything so I am not constantly moving tools between work sites. Of course, I can't afford to buy two more of all of my power tools.

I try to organize things, and then it never sticks. I need to do a deep clean of my basement, and just throw out tons of junk. I think I will set up my big 20x20 party tent right outside the door so I can haul everything out and not worry about rain.

If you find yourself rebuying things often because you lost it, you might as well buy another set now and have a set up at all of your work locations. This mostly applies to small ticket hand tools as it's affordable to do so.

 

[Aaron_W]

It almost feels like I need three of everything so I am not constantly moving tools between work sites. Of course, I can't afford to buy two more of all of my power tools.

That is an option. Not for everything of course, but the staple items. You also don't have to buy top quality for every set.

Example sockets and wrenches. Get a good set to live where you work on your cars, then buy a decent inexpensive set for inside the house since the work most do in the house does not usually require the same quality and depth of sizes as automotive work. A perfect example of where Snap On and HF can co-exist. You don't need to spend $1500 for a comprehensive set of Snap On to tighten a loose bolt on your dryer, or assemble Ikea furniture.
Similarly you probably don't need a basin wrench and selection of pipe wrenches out in the garage for working on your cars, but that might be handy in the house if you do your own plumbing.

There are now a lot of good inexpensive tools these days, buy a tool appropriate to your need.

Reading posts on this site sometimes it feels like many are in a trap of thinking that they have to buy the best or buy nothing. Good enough is good enough, upgrade where it makes sense for you.


I have multiple tool caches around the house based on what I'm likely to need.

 

[reader2580]

I worked on my riding mower in my passenger garage last weekend. I made at least a dozen trips to my walkout basement to get tools.

The tools I left out in the garage because I had to order a new safety switch. I may have to put the tools away because I won’t be able to work on it again for a week or two.

 

[reader2580]

If you find yourself rebuying things often because you lost it, you might as well buy another set now and have a set up at all of your work locations. This mostly applies to small ticket hand tools as it's affordable to do so.

I refuse to buy imported tools unless I don’t really have another choice. I would not be surprised if it would be over $4,000 to buy two sets of everything. (No, I do not own any Snap-On or tool truck tools.)

 

[finn]

I work out of my garage at home but also have a remote cabin where I need tools. I bought a set of Milwaukee Pack Out boxes where I keep my primary tools. I work out of big tool boxes and the Milwaukee boxes in the garage. Every time I go to the cabin, whether I plan to do work or not, I load the Milwaukee boxes. Sometimes I don't even get them out of the truck but I hate not having a tool I need. BTW, still happens occasionally. With tools, organization is really important.

I was the opposite. Our cabin was 440 miles north of our house. I stocked it with more tools than the house, simply because I used them mor there than at the house. It made no sense for me to drag all those tools back and forth ten or twelve times per year. It was also easier for me to order more online to be delivered in a few days or hop in the car to pick up whatever I needed while at home than when at the cabin where my only option was at Ace or the lumberyard, which always ended up taking a half day, or even a full day if I had to go to Menards or Lowe’s.

when I retired and moved to the cabin, I gave up having one centralized tool depot. I practice strategic distribution for commonly used tools, especially commodities like screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, sockets, ratchets, hammers, and even some corded or cordless power tools.

Tools, in general are fairly inexpensive for what I call service grade tools, ie, you don need SnapOn ratchets or premium imported Japanese screwdrivers at each location or for every job. I probably have a dozen service grade claw hammers that were either free or $2.00 at Menards, strategically located (I hated when they downgraded the free Tool Shop claw hammers for later promotions, but the earlier ones were quite serviceable.)

Right now I have tools staged in the basement, shed, garage in town, a bigger stash in the garage near the house, and the home base the shop, a mile from the house. Also, a growing stash in the Az garage.

If I’m working elsewhere, too inconvenient to easily walk more than a few steps from one of those “depots” I’ll leave the tools there, weather protected, until the job is done. Examples include the outdoor sauna I built last year, or the well pump shed. The well pump shed is too damp to store tools without risking rust damage.

It works best if you’re not analy tied to one brand pf power tool platform, too. I have no problem leaving my Skil 20 v or 20 year old Bosch 18v Lithium or even the old 18v Dewalt with a 20 v battery adapter tools at a “sub depot” , and they didn’t cost all that much. The 12 and 20v Dewalt and M12 and M18 Milwaukee battery tools usually stay closer to their home.

 

[Professor Gascan]

What's really helped me has been organization. Having a toolbox and having all my tools organized, in, on and around it has helped motivate me to make sure I clean and put away all the tools I've used after a job.

I've only lost a few tools, but I've misplaced more than my fair share, and nothing is more annoying than spending more time looking for a tool I was too lazy to put away, than it takes to do the job I need it for.

Keep all your tools in one spot in your basement and get yourself a cafeteria tray and a janitor's tote to take your tools for specific jobs. I set it mine on the engine or the ground depending on what I'm working on. Any tool I put down goes on the tray/tote and I always know where it is. No wasted time looking the around for the tool I just put down and no more hunting around the edges of the engine compartment or the ground for tools when I'm done.

When I'm finished, I carry the tray of tools over to the box and wipe them down as I put them in their place ready for the next time.

 

[signcrafter]

I have acquired many of all the common tools over the years by when I can't find something I go buy another so I can get the work done. Lately it's been a big problem because we have houses in two states and I go back and forth doing work at both houses. We are remodeling both houses so when I forget a tool or run into something unexpected I have to go buy new tools. And I take my car most of the time to save on fuel unless I need my truck so it's usually loaded with tools but can't take everything. I'm also doing a kitchen remodel and a bunch of other work for a client who keeps adding things in one state and do a lot of work for a guy that owns a bunch of restaurants in the other state. I do a lot of vehicle repairs for people in both states also. Just had to buy another inner tie rod tool and astro wheel bearing press because mine are in another state. Had to buy a new belt sander a month ago, a new transmission jack, fluid extractor, brake bleeder, coolant pressure tester and vacuum filler, hand tools, ethernet tools, bunch of drywall tools, tile saw, the list goes on and on. Also with the move a lot of stuff is MIA, I'm sure it's in one of the shops somewhere but the house we are moving from is a mess from taking trailer loads of shop stuff from it. And the new house shop is also a mess because of bringing trailer loads of shop stuff to it. No time to set everything up properly and go through all the bins and organize things again.

I work on the new shop when I'm there and have a little time but it's a big project. When I do finally get everything moved and have time to go through everything and organize everything it's going to be an overload of duplicates and triplicates of the same tools. Will have to think about selling some of the duplicates of the bigger stuff I will never need 2 of. But I have a hard time getting rid of tools because you never know when you will need 2 or if 1 breaks.

 

[Fedwrench]

Maybe you could buy a small cart or something like a wheeled packout base for each location and stick the tools there. That might reduce the number of replacement tools you have to purchase. If nothing else, I think you need to stop the world at each location and consolidate whatever tools are at each location to get a grip on how many of each tool you actually have or don't have. Good luck,

 

[reader2580]

Duplicate.

 

[OneEyedMan]

My great uncle was a builder. He had one hammer. His contention was that if he had more than one he wouldn’t know where the second one was.

 

[Cruzan80]

Why do you need a duplicate of the exact same thing? A set of 1/4" sockets and combo wrenches should not be $300. If you keep misplacing things, buy cheaper stuff and leave the nice stuff in a known location. Or figure out how to out stuff away, or store it in a way that you don't lose it if putting it away has to wait.

This problem (too much money spent on duplicates) is entirely a personal issue. Most of us have duplicates, but not super expensive things because we couldn't find the first ones and had to buy identical things.

 

[FMC1959]

Not to be offensive but..."I have at least three hammers"...are you kidding me? I have at least 10 claw hammers, then add many ball peen, more dead blow, a few sledgehammers, brass head, copper head, and other oddball brick and steel work...and you know what the problem is, I can never find them when I need them either. To make things worse, it's not just hammers. It's screwdrivers, pliers, ratchets, tons of measuring and woodworking tools, power tools, and on, and on.

If I don't have 40 tape measures, it is because I have 50, or more. This way, I turn around and there is always a tape measure. Many have commented on that space between the ears, I think even JFK had said something about it. All I can say is that space between the ears for me is a vacuum. I can put down whatever I have in my hands and in 20 seconds I have lost it.

Trust me, you don't have a problem.

 

[Chipm]

Depending on the size of the job, I have a couple of metal trays or a 3x5 foot drop-cloth that go to the job. Tools and parts go onto the tray in an organized manner. At the end of the job they go back where they live.

 

[mikey03]

My great uncle was a builder. He had one hammer. His contention was that if he had more than one he wouldn’t know where the second one was.

He wouldn’t need to know where the second one was if he knew where the first one was. And he doesn’t need to know where the first one is if he knows where the second one is. That’s why you get two so you can loose one and still know where one is

 

[bigfunwmu]

I refuse to buy imported tools unless I don’t really have another choice. I would not be surprised if it would be over $4,000 to buy two sets of everything. (No, I do not own any Snap-On or tool truck tools.)

If you're just trying to replace $4k at today's prices with US made stuff, a medium sized portable toolbox should be able to hold most of it and be easy to move from job to job.

 

[FigN⋅m]

"Two is One, and One is None."

 

[msharley]

Slacker...

Simple...

You need three (at least) tool boxes...one for each area of work...



So glad I could help...

 

[INSP380]

My solution was to put things back where they belong. That said, I also have boxes in the garage, in the basement, tools upstairs, tools in the kitchen, tools in the car, tools in the truck, tools in the trailer, tools under my deck, and finally tools at work. They never … ever… mix. Take them out & put them back where they belong. Growing up I had a friend’s Dad that would let us work on our cars at his house. He was a colossal *****. Biggest P.I.T.A I ever met. But, that colossal ***** taught us to clean up and put **** away like we were never there. I owe that man a lot. I’d love to shake his hand today and thank him for a life lesson.

Steve

 

[tyyost]

How do you store the tools you have now? I have similar issues but
i don’t seem to lose tools like you describe. I do have space specific toolsets, like I keep an SK 3/8 master set in the house garage, with most of my Milwaukee construction tools, in Ridgid boxes so they can go wherever needed.

That said, I try to do my mechanical work in the garage with most of my tool boxes, jacks, etc. If i drag stuff out for whatever reason, I have a few open top tool totes that tools get dropped into from the main box to keep things close and so they go back when the job is done. Like many GJ guys I do keep job specific toolsets- electrical, plumbing, drywall, demo, carpentry, etc. These help me as well.

 

[reader2580]

Why do you need a duplicate of the exact same thing? A set of 1/4" sockets and combo wrenches should not be $300. If you keep misplacing things, buy cheaper stuff and leave the nice stuff in a known location. Or figure out how to out stuff away, or store it in a way that you don't lose it if putting it away has to wait.

Ratcheting wrenches, not combos.


That is an actual cart from Harry Epstein. I didn't realize they don't collect tax for my state so less than $300.

 

[reader2580]

My solution was to put things back where they belong. That said, I also have boxes in the garage, in the basement, tools upstairs, tools in the

Well, in order to put stuff back where it belongs you have to have a dedicated place to start with. I'm constantly moving tools between the two garages and my walk out basement so I never established a dedicated place for my tools.

I have several Plano tool boxes and a 25 year old Craftsman plastic four drawer box for sockets and wrenches. The boxes are so heavy that I will often just grab tools out of the Plano boxes instead of taking the whole box to my work site like I should. I have transported the box with the sockets and wrenches in it with a two wheeler at times.

 

[Cruzan80]

Ratcheting wrenches, not combos.


That is an actual cart from Harry Epstein. I didn't realize they don't collect tax for my state so less than $300.

So you can't find anything else that will do the job cheaper than $184? You don't need 2x identical sets, if the first set is working, just not available right now. Do they HAVE to be ratcheting?

Hence a self-inflicted problem...

 

[Jeffrey D]

I have at least 4 caulking guns. Every time I need one, they are nowhere to be found. I finally got a cardboard box and wrote "caulking guns" on the outside of it. I'm not 100% sure where I put that box though.

 

[reader2580]

So you can't find anything else that will do the job cheaper than $184? You don't need 2x identical sets, if the first set is working, just not available right now. Do they HAVE to be ratcheting?

The only way I can figure out how to get the bolt back in is with a ratcheting wrench which I cannot find my SAE ratcheting wrenches. Even a 1/4" ratchet with socket doesn't fit. It is pretty much impossible to get two fingers in there to start the bolt. I got the bolt out with a combination wrench, but I can't get the bolt started with a combination wrench to put the bolt back in. There is very little room to switch a combination wrench.

I refuse to buy tools from third world countries unless I absolutely have to. My preference is for USA made, but that is harder and hard to find for everything.

 

[INSP380]

Well, in order to put stuff back where it belongs you have to have a dedicated place to start with. I'm constantly moving tools between the two garages and my walk out basement so I never established a dedicated place for my tools.

I have several Plano tool boxes and a 25 year old Craftsman plastic four drawer box for sockets and wrenches. The boxes are so heavy that I will often just grab tools out of the Plano boxes instead of taking the whole box to my work site like I should. I have transported the box with the sockets and wrenches in it with a two wheeler at times.

I get it! Besides now being a neat freak, my other trait is lazy! When I’m out I don’t wanna go in, when I’m upstairs I don’t want to go downstairs… lol. Time management and a 6S philosophy go hand in hand. The same concept applies to each area. I’m not just practicing this in one place, I do it everywhere. Upstairs, I have a Craftsman anniversary tin with a cresent wrench, side cutters, pliers, straight blade and phillips. That covers 99% of what I could possibly need on my second floor. They go back in the tin and back on the book shelf. If I need a drill and a level, they come from the basement box & return there. This is no room in the tin to keep them there. Mrs Insp 380 would boot my *** I I left them on the dresser. Everything has a dedicated space. Discipline forces us to return after use. My cheat is multiple dedicated spaces.. you don’t need a toolbox everywhere, just the same exact spot to return them to. Now a 100 toolboxs help too…

 

[gatewaysysop]

Buy cheaper tools

Or maybe more expensive tools that are less prone to go missing because the OP actually cares what happens to them? Can go both ways.

 

[MattV]

The only way I can figure out how to get the bolt back in is with a ratcheting wrench which I cannot find my SAE ratcheting wrenches. Even a 1/4" ratchet with socket doesn't fit. It is pretty much impossible to get two fingers in there to start the bolt. I got the bolt out with a combination wrench, but I can't get the bolt started with a combination wrench to put the bolt back in. There is very little room to switch a combination wrench.

I refuse to buy tools from third world countries unless I absolutely have to. My preference is for USA made, but that is harder and hard to find for everything.

That's a respectable if very expensive policy. If that's the case, I still think you should slowly build up more sets at your other locations. Do it slowly over time, watch for used stuff or sales, and do it a little at a time. Moving your stuff between locations is a great way to lose things, and I'd imagine it won't stop unless you do something different.

 

[tool_scrounge]

just buy used quality tools as needed or when you run into a good deal.