Storing Specialty Tools

[klswvu]

What is the best way to store specialty tools? Specifically tools that are not a daily use item and come in a blow-molded plastic case, i.e. a call joint press.

1. Leave them in the case and store on a shelf or under a bench
2. Remove the lid and store in a tool chest
3. Remove from the case and store in a tool chest
4. Other

 

[1320stang]

#1, that's the way the dealerships do it.

 

[boiler7904]

#1. I also keep any often used or easily misplaced accessories in the case with the tool.

 

[jimvannoy]

I keep them in the case and put them in a tool box drawer or on a shelf

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

I keep them in the case and store them in my large drawer of the tool cart or on a shelf. Things such as my impact sockets, drills, etc.

 

[Uncle Buck]

It really depends what the specialty tool is regarding my keeping the case or dumping the case and storing the contents in my box. Something like a S-O steering wheel puller that came in a nice blow molded case with spaces for all the bits and pieces will stay in the case, where as other specialty tools might end up removed from the case and in my box. I almost always keep the more quality cases I choose not to use at the time being squirreled away somewhere in the event I change my mind someday.

 

[Vincent Vega]

#1. It's harder to lose the parts that way..

 

[Canadian Charlie]

I leave them in thier cases and try and store them in my tool box like my timing gun, tap and die sets, torque wrench, caliper rewind set, and so on.

The only thing thats not in my tool boxes are my cam installation tool (too long), electric drill, grinder, circular saw

 

[IanF]

#1 as well.

I bought one of those OTC "deluxe" Ball-joint kits... that case is HUGE!

My OTC Strut-Tamer doesn't have a case... although it's supposed to be mounted on a stand... well, I'm not going to use it that often and I'd like to make a bench-mount adapter for it... What I'll do with it for the other 364 days of the year, I'm not sure...

I even bought a under-seat tool box for my specialized tools for doing TB changes on VW TDI's.

I keep most of my power tools in their cases as well on a shelf under the work bench - labeled with a silver Sharpie marker (after I grabbed the 18V drill case when I wanted the jig-saw one too many times...).

My only problem now is I'm running out of room to store the cases... I'm thinking of building/buying a 2-door cabinet (on wheels, of course) with adjustable shelves.

 

[chad s]

I keep them in the case and put them in a tool box drawer

Yup, me too...

 

[wrenchr]

hide them very well, that way when you need it you cant find it.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

hide them very well, that way when you need it you cant find it.

You must know my dad

 

[dxdexter]

Leave in case and store in tool box.

 

[eschoendorff]

#1. End of discussion.

 

[markb1]

#1. End of discussion.

Thread Killer...

 

[chad s]

#1. End of discussion.

Time to get a bigger tool box!!!

I like having everything in my box. I dont have a lot of specialy tools, but most of my blow molded plastic case/metal box specialty tools are in my box (i.e. mastercool flaring set, snappy bushing driver, snappy impact driver, etc). Even my sawzaw and its case are in the big, deep, but narrow (read: useless wasted space on a tool box) drawer.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Time to get a bigger tool box!!!

I like having everything in my box. I dont have a lot of specialy tools, but most of my blow molded plastic case/metal box specialty tools are in my box (i.e. mastercool flaring set, snappy bushing driver, snappy impact driver, etc). Even my sawzaw and its case are in the big, deep, but narrow (read: useless wasted space on a tool box) drawer.

You dropped the bait & I showed up! You ain't just a wooffin you are wasting space! Since you keep the sawzall in yer box why not add the circle saw, jig saw, and chain saw as well, then that will mean it is full and you must move up to a bigger box.....Right?

 

[ImportTuner]

I leave all mine in the case also and stored on the shelf; easy to find and all the parts are in one place ...

 

[ColdDuckTime]

I vote for number 1 too, but I'll extend that to all tools.

As a non-mechanic (ie. I tend to own the same cars over and over and am not expected to deal with the brand du jour...which implies more of a sanity in tool choice...plus I don't have to worry about coworkers stealing my stuff), I'm thinking anymore about having no toolbox at all.

Let's say, for the sake of argument, that you have a 1969 Camaro....what do you really need? Probably a decent quality 3/8" socket set in a plastic case, a wrench set in a plastic case, a pliers set in a plastic case, and a ratcheting screwdriver in a plastic case. Just grab the cases from a shelf and throw them on a cart or the fender and you're good to go. I just have an allergy to paying $200-$400 per drawer for storage I guess, plus I like the idea of having the tools near the work.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I have two metal shelf sets, actually the old high school gym class shelving that had wire baskets for your gym clothes. The shelves are rather close together, not much wasted space. I took four of them and bolted pairs back to back and installed them on angle iron frames with casters. One set has most of my odd ball tool items that I don't know what else to do with. Electric drill, screwgun, and elect impact, several different metric and fractional tap and die sets, three battery chargers, multi-meters in their boxes, cargo ratchet straps, a couple of bottle jacks, half mask respirator in the bag, safety glasses, face shield, pouched or boxed special tool items such as a huge ring compressor set of bands and pliers, large pullers, etc. long stuff like conduit benders hang on the sides and hoover portable 110v vac and shop vac accessories on top, along with circular saw, sabre saw, etc.

The other set of shelving has spray cans of paint, coffee cans with clamps in one, plastic caps and plugs in another (dirt daubers gotta be kept out you know) and several others with various things in them. Bottom shelf has two plastic cat litter trays with grease guns in them.

I use the deep drawers in the bottom of the tool boxes for the smaller low use items. specialty tools I don't mind digging for, clutch disc alignment tools, slide hammer puller and ends, old dwell meter, compression testers, door handle removal tools, oil pressure switch sockets, etc.

Charles

 

[chad s]

[/B]


You dropped the bait & I showed up! You ain't just a wooffin you are wasting space! Since you keep the sawzall in yer box why not add the circle saw, jig saw, and chain saw as well, then that will mean it is full and you must move up to a bigger box.....Right?

Well, I wouldnt have a sawzaw in my tool box, if I didnt have a huge drawer that was pretty useless for anything other than than cases and such. I bought more box than I currently need, with room to grow. When I need that space to stack up smaller specialty too, boxes, I'll take out that sawzaw, but for now, I'll keep it the way it is. Why leave it empty, when the space around the garage I'd put the stuff thats in there, could be used for something that cant fit in that large, almost useless drawer?

What would you put in that drawer? I have a sawzaw in it, 2 Durham parts cases (1 machine screws, one elecrical connectors), and an air powered saw kit. I would much rather have 3 shallow drawers in that space, but at the cost of snap on drawers and slides, I think I'll keep large tools and cases in there.

 

[jhn9840]

Keep mine in the original box on a shelf under my work bench, but it is getting filled up. My mom has an old metal cabnet in her basement that she is talking about putting out to the trash. Thinking it might have to find it's way from her basement to mine.

jhn9840
John

 

[klswvu]

Since I didn't answer...
I keep the larger items in the case on a shelf with a few small ones in the tool chest. But between power tools and automotive tools, I need more shelf space. Actually, I need more tool chest space also... or maybe I need a 12 step program...

 

[george4]

I almost always keep the more quality cases I choose not to use at the time being squirreled away somewhere in the event I change my mind someday.

Me too. Then it takes me a few years to realize I am never going to use those empty cases taking up space before I toss them.

 

[boiler7904]

Me too. Then it takes me a few years to realize I am never going to use those empty cases taking up space before I toss them.

Then as soon as you toss one, you find a reason you should have kept it.

 

[trovato]

If you keep them in the case, put a lot of labels on them. When you look at the shelf they all look the same.

 

[mulepackin]

Almost always #1, unless the case is junky. This is especially good if the item has misc. small parts and components. I will also find or buy a plastic tool box or storage box for the item if it didn't come with a good case, label and use it.

 

[Spookrider]

#1 as well.

I bought one of those OTC "deluxe" Ball-joint kits... that case is HUGE!

My OTC Strut-Tamer doesn't have a case... although it's supposed to be mounted on a stand... well, I'm not going to use it that often and I'd like to make a bench-mount adapter for it... What I'll do with it for the other 364 days of the year, I'm not sure...

I even bought a under-seat tool box for my specialized tools for doing TB changes on VW TDI's.

I keep most of my power tools in their cases as well on a shelf under the work bench - labeled with a silver Sharpie marker (after I grabbed the 18V drill case when I wanted the jig-saw one too many times...).

My only problem now is I'm running out of room to store the cases... I'm thinking of building/buying a 2-door cabinet (on wheels, of course) with adjustable shelves.

Put on the side of Tool Box?? Easy off attachment?

 

[indyjps]

I keep them in the cases on the shelf. Im thinking of picking up an old filing cabinet, the good ones from offices and making a rolling cart for it. The drawers are tall enough for paint guns etc that never seem to fit anywhere and the filing cabinet doesnt take up much floor square footage. 2 rolling file cabinets under a built in shelf would store quite a few tools.
I also built a shelf above the garage door, its usually wasted space to store seldomly used items that dont weigh much, theyre visible but out of the way.

 

[wilbilt]

My OTC Strut-Tamer doesn't have a case... although it's supposed to be mounted on a stand... well, I'm not going to use it that often and I'd like to make a bench-mount adapter for it... What I'll do with it for the other 364 days of the year, I'm not sure...

You could make a 2" square hitch-receiver type of mount for both the bench and a storage location out of the way.

 

[wilbilt]

The only problem with #1 is when you need that tool two years from now...you go to the shelf and find...the empty case...

 

[speed bump]

#1. End of discussion.

Actually it depends on the tool. Certain specialty tools have certain ways of being stored the best. I store 3-jaw pullers without cases in my toolbox, I store tap and dies with the cases and the top on it in my toolbox, I see people store screwdrivers in the case in a plastic tray, I store alot of my power tools in cases stashed in various places, I also store them outside of cases on the workbench or some other handy location. There is no right answer to this question.

 

[john w]

i took my SO vacuum, compression, and cylinder leakage testers outof the cases and put them into the drawers because i needed shelf space for manuals it seemed like the three cases were pretty generic the way the holes were(not) punched out i keep my SO rethreading set in the box in the drawer with lid off

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

I got this big honking Metal cabinet at a flea market for $20.00, Should have bought the other one. Great for storing specialty tools.

-BWP

 

[Frank Elson]

I have one like that, with doors on.
Do you have Freecycle in the States?
The name gives you a clue as to what I paid for it

 

[Moose-LandTran]

BWP, we demand a list of the contents of those boxes!

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

BWP, we demand a list of the contents of those boxes!

OK!!

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22129

-BWP

 

[paramudduck]

The self adhesive shipping labels covered with clear packing tape. Lasts a long time on those cases. Print the contents on the label and put on a end of the case.

 

[MachineTech]

Where I work the enviroment is controlled (humidity and temp). At home it's another story. Throw in winter and it's a recipe for deep fried rust. Interesting that you bring this up. I was thinking about starting a thread about rust control. At work, I use my shallow drawers to house my mikes and calipers (with the lids off). At home I kinda do the same but there is something else I throw in the drawers...ya know the packets of silicone you find in packaged products...the one that say "DO NOT EAT". Well, I had to know, so I stuck my tounge on one and it sucked it dry. Was kinda like licking a stick of deodorant...again, don't ask. But anyhow, those little packages absorb the dickens out of moisture and if you throw them in the back corners of your tool drawers. I swear it helps keep all my precious little things and big things too rust free and acurate.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

ya know the packets of silicone you find in packaged products...the one that say "DO NOT EAT". Well, I had to know, so I stuck my tounge on one and it sucked it dry.

I wanted to try them for ages, now you've done the stupid work for me!