Is anyone else mildly or extremely OCD about their tools/box?

[Krenfro88]

I know I can't be the only one with this problem. I go crazy when all my stuff isn't matching.

I am heavily invested in Dewalt 20v BUT I love the Milwaukee 12v line, so now I have 4 pieces of that line, and the rest Dewalt. I cringe at the amount it would take to swap from Dewalt to Milwaukee, but I might have to bite the bullet.

The same goes for my handtools. I have 2 socket rails that are mismatched for the moment, and it's driving me bonkers. And my Blue channellocks don't match my green snap on stuff.

They should just make all tools black

 

[Moose97]

While I understand your OCD tendencies I don't share your problem. The tools are there to do a job. I keep them in good working order for sure but as far as what brand or color they are is of little importance to me.

Being married to someone with OCD tendencies however I know how it can drive some a little crazy.

 

[sberry]

I like them back in the general area, its my main concern, being able to find it again, I have other people work out of my boxes and have a simple system, could care less if it all matched.
I like them different, so much easier to recognize. I have a dozen in each size, the recognition factor helps with subtle differences.

 

[PelicanPines]

I have OCD organization issues... ONLY because I have trouble finding things. It bothers me ... My SAE Open Angle wrenches are stored in my Metric wrench drawer... there is no room in my SAE drawer...

That is all... Carry on.

 

[6PTsocket]

Tools are there as tools.
OCD is bantered around here like a badge of courage.

I'm thinking that those who are actually medicated and battling it do not enjoy the participation of others who probably are not battling.

Lighten up. Every time you tell a friend "you're nuts" do you have to worry about having insulted the mentally ill. There is enough PC garbage out there without introducing it to a tool discussion.


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[LXCam]

Nope. I have a couple dozen 5 gal buckets out in the driveway I just toss all the **** into. When one fills up I just find a less emptier one. Hell sometimes I need to jump up and down on the ones with the plastic cordless stuff just to make it fit better.

And sometimes after a while the **** gets so rusted together I get tired of trying to figure out what sizes are what and just take the entire bucket to the swap meet and off all that ****.

Just to let you in on a little known secret, but I'm the guy that invented the whole process. So the next time ya come across some rusted, rotted, busted tool you'll now know they once belonged to me.

 

[sberry]

get it close system. A lot of the stuff that goes in the boxes is extra or dupes. Not a big deal to look a few seconds asw long as its there.

 

[Outlander]

I kind of like having sets that are alike, but they don't have to be all the same brand across tools. Example: Channellock pliers, Vice Grip locking pliers, and so forth. That said, I have enough oddballs handed down to me that I don't qualify for the thread.

 

[Finky198]

Whats considered OCD ????

Most of my stuff matches but I don't lose sleep over it. There's different brands colors but everything must be cohesive to some extent. I stick to black, red, chrome, and yellow.

My old channel locks have been place on jeep duty cause they don't match. I bought sunex impacts over grey pneumatic because of the color of the boxes.

Everything has it place Standard on the left metric on the right, wrenches are all in rolls labeled color coded the numbers are painted and the pouches are all blk/red of course. My Impacts are the same with white paint. All my plastic boxes as well as tool bags are red or black, the boxes are labeled on multiple sides. Everything is stacked in the upper box with their like tools. It's black my tool box is black and my cart is yellow. All my air tools have custom holders at my bench painted black of course. Even my air hammer just happens to match Atlas copco yellow as well all my hilti stuff being red and dewalt being yellow.

It's not a problem definitely more of an obsession.

I can pretty much name the location of every tool at my bench in my box or on the cart. And most of the shop if I paid a little more attn.

Most of the time it's a great thing sometimes not so much. I very very Rarely lose Anything and when I do I usually find it within a few minutes. So in that respect its become great tool control.

 

[the gypsy]

OCD I am not but total disorganization drives me crazy. There is a healthy middle in my honest opinion.

 

[6PTsocket]

Sound like it is time for a 12 step program or meetings. " Hello, my name is Bill and all my tools have to match".

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[PJNJ]

Nope not at all. I worry more about having the proper, required, quality tool to get the job done than matching my garage color palette. Sure I have matching sets of various tools (like sockets) but that's because to me it was cheaper (per piece) to get the whole set than one or two pieces. But the tool sets are from many different companies and I also have a lot of non-matching singles to fill in missing sizes. I also grab quality single sockets, etc. such as Snap On or Mac at the flea market when I see them.

You'd hate my wrench drawers. When I finally got sick of Cman raised panels biting into my hands, I started to get Cman full polish pro USA wrenches as they were being closed out. What I couldn't find I filled in with Armstrong (as they were the supplier then) then Wright (satin), Allen and KD full polish, even a single Husky and single Mac Knucklesaver. And in the larger SAE I still have Cman raised panels waiting to be replaced. Doesn't bother me a bit when I open the drawer because in the end they all get the job done. I have Proto, Fuller, Facom and Cman among others in DOE.

Even more mixed up in my screwdriver and pliers drawers. And ratchets from a number of different companies. All different kinds of air tools. 12v Milwaukee and 18v blue Ryobi cordless tools mixed in with newer green Ryobi tools. It goes on but you get the picture.


But to each their own.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I have too many favorites spread among too many brands.. As long as I don't snarl and hiss when Looking them over; mixed things are ok with Me.

 

[doorfx]

I wasn't until I came to this site

 

[Teenager with old tools]

Paint them all black yourself and you'll never know the difference


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[BK13]

Mildly. I have one Armstrong deep 1/2" drive impact socket, because Kobalt didn't make that size, and I HAD to fill that danged Hansen rack. LOL. My chrome SAE deeps are all over the map... Wright, Snap On, Mac, SK, Husky, and I don't know what else. I LIKE for stuff to match, but I don't lose sleep over it.

 

[Makoto]

I wish I had the money and patience to have one of those super organized garages. I certainly do feel better when my shop is all clean and the tools are in their places.

 

[gdocktor3]

I think the more important problem here is the idea of switching to all Milwaukee.

Milwaukee *****.

 

[BK13]

I think the more important problem here is the idea of switching to all Milwaukee.

Milwaukee *****.

Yes, it's such a burden they keep introducing quality tools so often...

 

[97nismo]

Does this bother the OP?

 

[LXCam]

Not sure about the OP. But that fricking pisses me off to no end. How come you don't have the label side on those stubbies facing up. WTH is wrong with you man, have you no shame??



:

 

[Finky198]

That still looks nice and neat regarless of the color.

"Taste the rainbow"

but I could see how the dif colors could work for tool control...

 

[yamaha0343]

Not at all, I actually sort of like having mismatched tools. When I buy a certain tool I get the one I like regardless of brand. My pliers for instance are a mashup of mostly whatever color Klein, Knipex, and Channellock with a few cheap pairs thrown in. Ratchets are Williams with Craftsman USA sockets with a few Kobalts and Duralasts thrown in there. My yellow Dewalt circular saw is sitting on the shelf next to my blue-green Bosch sander, which is next to my lime green Ryobi miter saw. Below the shelf is my black Husky air compressor.

I've never really put much thought into colors.

 

[cliftonbros89]

The color of tools doesn't bother me. But having a blue and yellow parts washer sitting next to my 2 green tool boxes bothered me. So 10 minutes and half a rattle can later I fixed that problem.

I also got all black Ernst socket rails and wrench racks. I don't think it's necessarily an OCD thing. It's just with having a green box with black drawer liners, then throwing in red and blue sockets rails or red wrench racks and it just becomes too much going on for me. I feel like it's easier to locate something when everything isn't so "busy".

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

Organization is critical, especially for my pouch at work. Everything goes back where it came from as soon as I'm done with it, otherwise tools get lost. As for matching, not even a little. Some brands are better than others for certain things. Given all things being equal, I even prefer they don't match so it's easier to identify. T&B crimpers done look like Klein cable cutters in the pouch.

Getting rid of DeWalt 20v because the they "don't match" Milwaukee 12v is absurd to me. I recently picked up some of the 12v Milwaukee stuff to complement my 20v Dewalt stuff. Zero F's given.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Some of you guys are way too OCD with your cut out foam and racks for wrenches and pliers. The only thing I have in any kind of mounting system is rails for my sockets.

Maybe if I was a pro, and had extra dollars, I would have plier and wrench racks. They are nice for finding tools fast and a quick inventory at night when locking up.

I also don't believe in overfilling a drawer. I bought a middle box a couple of years ago, because I really need 2 drawer for pliers and cutters. Best investment I made in a long time. Then I replaced my bottom rollaway with one that had a deeper bottom drawer, for drills, grinders and accessories, and a large drawer for pneumatics/impacts and accessories.

 

[DSLTRK]

Keeping tools organized or matching has nothing to do with OCD. Common fallacy spread like a virus on this site.

It's called being meticulous, organized, and professional. Is that an issue with some people? Really?


If I could choose between the mechanics that either throw tools in 5 gal buckets, or works out of his clean professional Snap-On roll cab, It's a no brainer that usually the clean mechanic will look after your vehicle better.


I keep all my tools organized and clean. I've even cut foam for my drive tools. I know where every tool is & what drawer it's in. Having tools organized also provides maximum storage in your box.

I don't care what brands I have, as long as the tools are well made, and serve my purpose. I have Snap-on, Craftsman, Klein, and many high quality Taiwan forged tools.


The actual OCD occuring are regular users that come on here like a ritual and post endlessly.

 

[LXCam]

Denial is the first sign of a problem.

Keeping tools organized or matching has nothing to do with OCD. Common fallacy spread like a virus on this site.

It's called being meticulous, organized, and professional. Is that an issue with some people? Really?


If I could choose between the mechanics that either throw tools in 5 gal buckets, or works out of his clean professional Snap-On roll cab, It's a no brainer that usually the clean mechanic will look after your vehicle better.


I keep all my tools organized and clean. I've even cut foam for my drive tools. I know where every tool is & what drawer it's in. Having tools organized also provides maximum storage in your box.

I don't care what brands I have, as long as the tools are well made, and serve my purpose. I have Snap-on, Craftsman, Klein, and many high quality Taiwan forged tools.


The actual OCD occuring are regular users that come on here like a ritual and post endlessly.

 

[DSLTRK]

Denial is the first sign of a problem.

I'm denying that keeping tools organized=OCD.

It's simply not the case of the disorder, look up the definition of OCD, has nothing to do with perfectionism or being meticulous.

I'll admit I'm a perfectionist, or try to be, but I'm not OCD.

 

[yamaha0343]

I'm denying that keeping tools organized=OCD.

I with you there. My stuff doesn't all match but it's all in its rightful spot and easy to find. It ain't showcase friendly, but my pliers are in the plier drawer, sockets in the socket drawer, etc. My tools are clean but not polished.

Having a clean, organized toolbox isn't on the same level as getting rid of hundreds of dollars in electric tools because they're not the same color. That's where it becomes a disorder.

 

[PJNJ]

Keeping tools organized or matching has nothing to do with OCD. Common fallacy spread like a virus on this site.

It's called being meticulous, organized, and professional. Is that an issue with some people? Really?


If I could choose between the mechanics that either throw tools in 5 gal buckets, or works out of his clean professional Snap-On roll cab, It's a no brainer that usually the clean mechanic will look after your vehicle better.


I keep all my tools organized and clean. I've even cut foam for my drive tools. I know where every tool is & what drawer it's in. Having tools organized also provides maximum storage in your box.

I don't care what brands I have, as long as the tools are well made, and serve my purpose. I have Snap-on, Craftsman, Klein, and many high quality Taiwan forged tools.


The actual OCD occuring are regular users that come on here like a ritual and post endlessly.

No there is nothing OCD about keeping tools organized and clean. But the OP's original post has to do with matching tool brands and colors not tool box organization. Most of us on here, including me, like to have their tools properly organized to make it easy to find and use them. But unlike the OP, I don't have to have the same brand much less the same color for my tools.

 

[DSLTRK]

No there is nothing OCD about keeping tools organized and clean. But the OP's original post has to do with matching tool brands and colors not tool box organization. Most of us on here, including me, like to have their tools properly organized to make it easy to find and use them. But unlike the OP, I don't have to have the same brand much less the same color for my tools.

[emoji481]

True but even having matching sets doesn't constitute OCD tendencies. More like being a perfectionist instead.

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[M6erfan]

I like my tools fairly neat and organized so they are easier to find (less time spent sorting through piles of ****) but couldn't care less about matching brands/colors...

I hung out with a guy who kept his tools all piled up in drawers. I hated when I needed to find something, took forever...

 

[colin39]

Ocd, about organisation

No no


Not really




Possibly a bit


Yea i could be i spose


Tehehe

 

[UberA3]

this gives me anxiety just looking at it.

 

[crewchief888]

in one word,
NO

i can just see the OCD guys twitching now....

 

[M6erfan]

in one word,
NO

i can just see the OCD guys twitching now....

That doesn't look so bad. You have the drawers and sockets fairly organized from what I can see...

 

[winlinmac]

Every time I get my hand coated with power steering, ATF, coolant, motor oil, and about every other car-related fluid out there, I transfer that fluid to whatever tool I'm using next. Though, I always do the quick wipe and properly clean the tool before it goes back to its designated place. Its the responsible thing to do, otherwise it would be absurd not to.

 

[WhiskeyRanger]

True but even having matching sets doesn't constitute OCD tendencies. More like being a perfectionist instead.

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Has anyone said anything against organizing tools? I think everyone is on board with keeping your tools organized or at least not opposed to it. As for a matching set, not sure that constitutes being a perfectionist rather than OCD. Being a perfectionist doesn't have anything to do with having all the same brand of tool in my mind. In fact, it seems more likely to have a variety of tools since you would want the best regardless of brand.

 

[crane operator]

I'm so OCD I can't bear to organize, I'm afraid to mess up putting them away. I know what's in each drawer, and I try to once a month straighten out the sockets. There's 4 guys that work out of the box, and I did take the pictures of the worst drawers. You guys boxes amaze and embarass me at the same time.