Do you lock your tool boxes at home?

[Jsf721]

I have 2 each 5 drawer Gladiator Tool boxes in my attached 2 car garage.

I had a plumber come to snake the main trap and when I got home I see that a bunch of my tools are our of the box and visibly dirty. Nothing aprears to be missing or damaged. I asked my wife if he asked for a tool and she said no but he was working at your work bench on the tip of the snake. I wonder why?

All he used were some screw drivers (or at least handled them bc they were out of their drawer), a mini hand held sledge hammer and a pair of channel locks.

Not the biggest deal but I never considered locking my tool boxes in my home. Having just purchased all new complete sets over the past year I am focused on buying better items, and keeping the set whole. All my old stuff was destroyed in a flood.

I wonder what the rest of you guys think about this.

 

[dowmace]

None of my stuff is locked just the main doors to the shop. But I never have any kind of repair man around either so it wouldn't matter in this instance.


He definitely should have asked before handling your tools

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[canuckian]

Yeah....I'd be having a chat with the guy. If he'd have asked your wife for permission then it's on her but no way should a contractor use a customers tools without their consent. He should have his own basic set of tools anyways.
I lock all my toolboxes and cabinets when I'm not using them. This kind f thing is one of the many reasons why.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Every day without fail. I'm super paranoid and don't want anybody pawing through my toolbox.

 

[bobcatdan]

Box had home isn't locked, box at work is never locked either.

 

[venturesomerite]

I have never locked any of my toolboxes, home or shop. I don't even know where the keys are to half of them.

 

[Bob-B]

Even though the garage is attached to house, everything is alarmed to a central station, and we have a dog, I still lock all my boxes whenever we (me, the wife, and 3 adult children) will be away over night or more. The overhead door even gets a padlock thru a rail. No man door to worry about.

If a repairman needs to come to the house, I stay home to deal with him.

 

[rsanter]

Very rairly because if I don't trust you I won't let you into the garage.
If we have a garage sale or something I will lock them but generally we try to keep them out of the garage in the first place.

Bob

 

[mrjaw14]

All my boxes are locked unless I'm actively working out of them

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Yes & No.
My Craftsman roller is locked for safety reasons...I wouldn't want one of the kids (18mo & 3 year old) opening up multiple drawers and having the whole thing tip over & fall on them. Until having kids I never locked it.
On my industrial cabinets which have drawer interlocks where only one drawer can open at once I leave em unlocked.

 

[Jim C.]

No. I have no reason to lock them.

 

[kamesama980]

Nope. not at home. garage is detached and if they can get in, locking the drawers won't do jack to even slow them down. I'm still in the "acquiring decent stuff" phase so my boxes at home are all the cheapest-possible type that I acquired over the years in school.

 

[skruft]

No. The only trouble I ever had was that once a plumber took a claw hammer, damaged the handle, and put is back somewhere else, all without telling me.

 

[SatisTraction]

i lock mine!!

 

[NHBandit]

Normally I don't but it's just the wife & I here and the shop is locked when I'm not in it. She's got her own tools and if she needs something of mine she asks. Mainly because she dosn't know where anything is.. lol

 

[wjamyers]

I just got the HF 5 drawer. it has a lock, so I use it.

 

[Moose97]

I have a detached garage that is always locked so no, I generally do not lock the boxes. If we are out of town or away overnight then yes I do lock them. I don't know why really, it's not like that's gonna stop somebody but it's what I do.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Sounds like you need to snake out your wife's plumbing yourself.

No, I don't lock mine, but he should have used his own tools to "work on the tip of his snake".

 

[Canoe50]

I have 2 each 5 drawer Gladiator Tool boxes in my attached 2 car garage.

I had a plumber come to snake the main trap and when I got home I see that a bunch of my tools are our of the box and visibly dirty. Nothing aprears to be missing or damaged. I asked my wife if he asked for a tool and she said no but he was working at your work bench on the tip of the snake. I wonder why?

All he used were some screw drivers (or at least handled them bc they were out of their drawer), a mini hand held sledge hammer and a pair of channel locks.

Not the biggest deal but I never considered locking my tool boxes in my home. Having just purchased all new complete sets over the past year I am focused on buying better items, and keeping the set whole. All my old stuff was destroyed in a flood.

I wonder what the rest of you guys think about this.

As someone already said, I'd be having a follow-up chat with that guy or owner of the business if you can reach him. Not only did he use some of your tools without asking, but he also left them on the bench & visibly dirty. That's bogus & definitely someone I wouldn't want working in my house. There's no reason he shouldn't have his own tools with him & if he does happen to need something
from a customer, at least have the decency to ask permission to use it. Not to mention clean it afterwards, if it warrants it.
in a case like this where someone was coming to the house, yeah, I'd lock the toolboxes. Otherwise, I normally don't.

 

[Hyster Gareth]

I have never had to lock them at work except for field service.

As far as the fella using your tools what a piss take! I would be having a sharp word if he took without permission and did not even have the common decency to wipe them down after use.

He's in a trade should have the required tools to carry out his job.

 

[mopar66]

I always lock mine. I have a teenage son who has a bad habit of leaving tools where ever he was last working. But even before he ever thought of using tools I had been locking them for years. This way if something is missing or broken no one to blame but me. Guy was probably just to lazy to go out to his truck or van and get his own tools. I would complain.

 

[Trey T]

Nope. As far as safety, theres no kid in the garage to worry about. For thief deterrent, if they get into home, my other stuffs are more of a concern than my tools.

 

[cburnscrx]

I lock mine even though they are safely stored in the garage. I figure if somebody does break in, I'll at least make it difficult for them. If they pry my box open, so be it. I care way more about the tools than the box anyway. I need to get some padlocks for the garage door and reinforce my service door. Lots and lots to do. I have/had a roommate who was a contractor and he would borrow my tools, occasionally asking after the fact since I wasn't home. I usually locked them before, but now I lock them all the time.

 

[white91formula]

I lock mine now

I live in a apt with 1 roommate and share the garage with him and the guy that lives downstairs.

There was more than a few incidences that i would go out in the garage and either some of my (snap on green) tools were in/on my roommates box, he was abusing them or the guy downstairs borrowed soemthign with out me knowing and they were on his side of the garage

simple solution, keep them locked

 

[jose's garage]

from my girl friend, yes! I'll find stuff bent or out of place so....

 

[DRhodes]

I lock mine, only because I'm afraid someone will break in, and I want to make it as hard on them as possible to load and take my tools. I have an alarm system and I can be home in 7 minutes, and I don't think they can lift 700 pounds into a truck in 7 minutes.

 

[I PLAY FOR KEEPS]

I generally don't lock mine, I figure if someones in my garage with malicious intent I have bigger issues than loosing tools. With that being said, if we have acquaintances or neighbors that I don't know very well hanging out with us, Ill definitely lock em up to avoid prying eyes.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

Were locked at work; I lock or they walk...

 

[Steinmetz]

It depends on the neighborhood, I suppose.

 

[spacedoutbob]

I keep mine locked unless I'm using them.

Bob

 

[ndoran]

If I am away they are all locked. it is a pain because there are 7 different keys and 11 locks

 

[beatcad]

i've got 6 tool boxes that i use at home all heve keys except one.
pretty sure i tried the key/lock to make sure they worked the day i got 'em than just kept the keys in the top of the box.
so, no.
i got 8 more that i dont use most of those dont have keys.
garage is attached to the house and locked up.

 

[eborcim]

No...

 

[66HertzClone]

If I am away they are all locked. it is a pain because there are 7 different keys and 11 locks

I solved that problem with paint sticks and a sleeve on the key.

 

[vga]

Locked after each use with out failure. 2 locks per box. I take no chances, besides locks are really for honest people.

 

[rmsg0040]

I lock all my boxes.

Went on vacation earlier this year, flipped all my boxes around, drawers facing the wall, then parked my cars up against them, then disabled my cars.

You got to create some sort of difficulty. At least for me.

 

[jrsulo]

I lock all my boxes.

Went on vacation earlier this year, flipped all my boxes around, drawers facing the wall, then parked my cars up against them, then disabled my cars.

You got to create some sort of difficulty. At least for me.

I like the way you think !!!!!

 

[zkling]

Certain ones.

Locked after each use with out failure. 2 locks per box. I take no chances, besides locks are really for honest people.

Nice setup.

 

[jhelrey]

Yes I do... I don't trust anyone!

 

[Zeke]

I saw this thread and had a laugh. After months of owning a new 42" box I found my wife was using odd tools for common tasks. I asked and she said, "Well, your box is locked."

It has drawer safety locks under the pulls and she didn't know.