Can you get bulk discounts on tool purchases? I need to buy a gross of every tool so I can find my tools.

[reader2580]

I am going to have to starting buying a gross of every tool so I can actually find my tools when I need them. Can I get a discount on bulk tool purchases?

I have lost basically an entire day on my project because I can't find my Makita flashlight. I may just have to break down and go spend $90 I can't really afford to buy another one. I know the flashlight is somewhere on my property, but I have run out of places to look. (No, An ordinary flashlight won't do for my project. I need the capabilities the Makita has.)

I am pretty close to having to cancel my big trip in two weeks because I won't have my vehicle ready in time. I spend as much time getting the vehicle ready for the trip every year as I spend on the trip. My frustration level is about 100 on a zero to ten scale.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have lost my 4lb HF Engineer's Hammer, multiple times (putting it down somewhere and not putting it away). Luckily I have always found it several days later ! It now has MULTIPLE yellow tape stripes on it !

 

[Jlanciani]

You don't need more tools, you need more self-discipline. Give everything a home, and put **** away when you're done with it.

 

[cody1325]

And this folks is why my tool method of "best, better, good, and 'cheap ****'" usually equates to "main, backup, backup for the backup, backup for the backup's backup.

Also, when you put stuff back where it belongs, it usually is there. Unless you end up finding out that a guy who leases the neighboring property will literally take anything that "ain't nailed down". That's why the shop is locked (used to be, you NEVER had to do that in my neck of the woods) as well as the boxes themselves.

 

[MovingAlong]

I am going to have to starting buying a gross of every tool so I can actually find my tools when I need them. Can I get a discount on bulk tool purchases?

I have lost basically an entire day on my project because I can't find my Makita flashlight. I may just have to break down and go spend $90 I can't really afford to buy another one. I know the flashlight is somewhere on my property, but I have run out of places to look. (No, An ordinary flashlight won't do for my project. I need the capabilities the Makita has.)

I am pretty close to having to cancel my big trip in two weeks because I won't have my vehicle ready in time. I spend as much time getting the vehicle ready for the trip every year as I spend on the trip. My frustration level is about 100 on a zero to ten scale.

1) I buy a dozens of Sharpies, they are gone in 60 seconds.. I bought one fountain pen - well, I've known exactly where it has been every day for 30+ years. Having to many of something devalues the object.

2) Guessing it has to be "that" vehicle? Otherwise - rent.

Sorry about your frustration levels, been there too.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

buying a gross of every tool

I had to look this up. In case anyone else is wondering:

gross = two twelve dozen = 144

 

[Gozo]

I have lost my 4lb HF Engineer's Hammer, multiple times (putting it down somewhere and not putting it away). Luckily I have always found it several days later !

I do that with my glasses almost every day. I’ve got a few pairs and often need one of my spares to find my every day glasses.

 

[L.Cheapo]

I had to look this up. In case anyone else is wondering:

gross = two dozen = 144

Did you lose your calculator?

 

[Jlanciani]

I had to look this up. In case anyone else is wondering:

gross = two dozen = 144

Or maybe 12 dozen...

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Or maybe 12 dozen...

Indeed

Did you lose your calculator?

My brain is only wired for using dozen in the context of buying eggs. Two dozen max, anything else doesn't register properly!

 

[reader2580]

The good news is I found the flashlight after my third time looking through my motorhome garage. The bad news is I dropped the barrel/tube for my Dewalt grease gun and destroyed the tube. I was able to find an OEM replacement on Amazon that will be here tomorrow.

 

[reader2580]

You don't need more tools, you need more self-discipline. Give everything a home, and put **** away when you're done with it.

I have three work locations: motorhome garage, passenger garage, and the basement of my house. (The basement has a walkout door onto the driveway.) How do you suggest dealing with tool storage when there are three work locations?

What I am trying to avoid is having to haul everything to the basement to store at the end of the day, and then hauling everything back the next day. My basement and motorhome garage are 75 to 100 feet apart. If I take my Makita flashlight from the basement to the motorhome garage to use I am unlikely to spend the two minutes or so to take it back to basement as soon as I am done with it. In another half hour I might need it again. I don't want to keep the tools in the motorhome garage full time as it is not heated in the winter.

How much money would you make as professional mechanic if you had to spend two minutes going to get a tool every time you needed it, and then another two minutes putting it back when done?

 

[Jlanciani]

How much money would you make as professional mechanic if you had to spend two minutes going to get a tool every time you needed it, and then another two minutes putting it back when done?

More than I'd make if I wasted a day looking for a flashlight

 

[JABgj]

Working a tight area myself and a helper finished the task and packed up our stuff and went our ways to do other assignments. Wrapping up the shift, putting away tools I noticed a very new flashlight was missing. Helper and I went back to the rig we were working on and looked for a good 15 minutes. Nothing.
Went back the next day. Nada. I resigned myself to thinking someone found it and adopted it.
Fast forward about 2 weeks and one of our welders came up to me and asked, "hey, is this the light you lost"? Sure enough it was. It had some paint on it and the battery was dead, but there it was. It had gotten knocked off where we had it originally stuck and the magnet (strong) held to the exhaust of the rig in question totally hidden. Thru rain, running, towing and finally stripping the rig for storage it remained in place until noticed by a team member. Still works and safely back in the second drawer of my box. With a story to tell.

 

[Cruzan80]

I feel like we have had this thread before... Oh, wait! It was April of this year, from the same OP! Maybe he needs multiple threads about buying multiple tools?

I am going broke buying duplicates of tools

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...

www.garagejournal.com

 

[reader2580]

More than I'd make if I wasted a day looking for a flashlight

I wouldn't get much done if I had to make a two minute walk every time I switched tools because I would probably quit after the 20th time walking to the house to get a tool, or put one away. Keeping the tools in the basement of my house as their home base seems like a great idea until I realize how much time I would spend going back and forth during projects. The basement is heated and cooled so it makes a nice place to keep tools.

I don't have a job right now, or I probably would have just run over to Home Depot and bought another Makita flashlight so I could move on with my project.

 

[Twisted Sid]

Why does it have to be THAT makita flashlight?
Seems like having a few cheap rechargeable LED work lights in the different locations will solve this issue

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

When I spend a disgusting amount of time looking for a tool I typically find it in my hand or on top of my Summit Racing bar stool. That stool is an absolute black hole for my tools!

 

[bigfunwmu]

My toolbox has wheels, I can move it if I have to. It's a heavy SOB, but it's easier to move that for a project than getting my 10,000 steps by 10 AM.

Get some VCI tabs to throw in the drawers if you're worried about stuff rusting in unheated/cooled garage.

 

[badmatt]

Olsa has your 10mm needs covered.

100-piece 10 mm Chrome Socket Set | Olsa Tools

Experience the reliability and durability that comes with a professional grade 10 mm socket set. Add it to your arsenal today and tackle any job with confidence.

olsatools.com

 

[RTM]

Or maybe 12 dozen...

shows up in vintage catalogs as a Dozen Dozen. Funny to see 1/6 Dozen in some.

 

[Schurkey]

You don't need more tools, you need more self-discipline. Give everything a home, and put **** away when you're done with it.

I hate it when that happens.
Organized people are TOO DAMN LAZY to look for stuff.

 

[Lwel9226]

You don't need more tools, you need more self-discipline. Give everything a home, and put **** away when you're done with it.

Sometimes easier said than done......
for me anyway....

LynnW

 

[OldDoItAll]

Tool wagon. Load all the tools you need for a project into the wagon and haul them to the project. When the project is complete make sure all the tools are in the wagon and return them to their place.

 

[JABgj]

..."return them to their place". I do pretty good with that at work. At home sometimes I have to clear the trail to my workbench.

 

[scooby074]

1) I buy a dozens of Sharpies, they are gone in 60 seconds.. I bought one fountain pen - well, I've known exactly where it has been every day for 30+ years. Having to many of something devalues the object.

2) Guessing it has to be "that" vehicle? Otherwise - rent.

Sorry about your frustration levels, been there too.

As a fountain pen user on the daily I very much agree. I definitely remember where my Kaweco Brass I take to work is and where I put it. As long as I never lose it it will outlast me and serve as a personal self defense weapon too. (That last part isnt an exaggeration)

 

[LS1-IROC]

Suggests he needs to buy a bunch of duplicate tools and then grumps about not being able to afford another $90 flashlight, wow!

 

[NostraThpmas]

Sometimes easier said than done......
for me anyway....

LynnW

I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess. - Red Green

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

Yes, you can. Set up account with your favorite supplier, tell them your standard ordering quantity will be 12, 24 … or whatever and have them adjust pricing accordingly. They will love you! If you’ve never done this, just be a little careful if product is actually ordered by piece or packaging unit & what the minimum ordering quantity is. The latter can result in “more boxes” - but that shouldn’t be a concern in your case.

If you want it more comfortable, just ask about re-stocking service/ shelving that will re-order more or less automatically when available quantity drops below preset threshold.

You will always be able to just take out a brand new one when needed, and leave the used one wherever you want. Or if you remember, throw it in a bin for the scrap collector / neighborhood kids to sort through. No more wasting valuable time to actually bring back tools.

Please post pictures when the boxes start turning up. Please also tell the supplier they owe me a little fee for the endorsement.

If you should decide to go with Wuerth, they have a great offer: Fully equipped shipping container (tools, consumables, self-ordering shelving/ re-stocking) that they drop of at any place you want. You could have one at each of the three locations if you want to.

( )

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[bwringer]

I definitely understand this rant...

I've blanketed my environs in multiple copies of the following such that I'm never more than two feet from one in the garage, house, or worksite. This isn't a complete list, and nothing on here is very expensive.

- Reading glasses
- #2 Phillips screwdrivers
- Tape measures
- Carpenter's pencils
- Sharpies
- Flush cutters
- Utility knives
- Pry bars
- Rags/towels
- Light
- Brake cleaner, other useful spritzes
- Bit sets

This saves untold time and aggravation. I will say that tape measures require care; the really cheap ones are not consistent, so either don't buy these, or make sure you're always using the same one. Whether this matters depends on what you're doing, but it's something to bear in mind.

I also find that approaching motorcycle projects with multiple 1/4" roto ratchets with 10mm. 8mm, and 12mm pre-mounted saves a lot of time. 4, 5, and 6mm hex t-handles are also in the "standard" load-out. Lots of other things besides.

For jobs in the driveway, the biggest time-saver has been a little rolling caddy called a "tool creeper". I don't think they sell them at Harbor Freight any more, but it's basically a low, round-ish carrier on wheels with compartments, and you put your tools and materials on it when you're working from the ground. There's usually a steel plate somewhere to stick your magnetic lights and retrievers to.

For example, brake jobs; do one side, pile everything onto the tool creeper, and kick it over to the other side. When you're done, carry it into the garage and slap it on a stool so you can put everything away comfortably in one trip.

This was the dearly departed HF version:

https://www.harborfreight.com/reviews/write?reviewsku=56155

You can find something similar on the Brazilian River and other internet gettin' spots.

 

[NostraThpmas]

I wouldn't get much done if I had to make a two minute walk every time I switched tools because I would probably quit after the 20th time walking to the house to get a tool, or put one away. Keeping the tools in the basement of my house as their home base seems like a great idea until I realize how much time I would spend going back and forth during projects. The basement is heated and cooled so it makes a nice place to keep tools.

Getting one tool, using it, and returning it is task based thinking rather than project based thinking. A task is a single tool operation. A project is several tasks to accomplish a goal. It sounds like a planning issue. What you describe is chaos. The cure for chaos is order. Anything else is a crutch.

In DoD we learned to “think logistically.” Our mantra was:

Plan, Prepare, Execute

1. Plan. Figure out what the job entails from start to finish and what tools/materials are likely to be needed. Unforeseen is not the same as unforeseeable. It does you no good if you’re in Kuwait and the thing you need was left back in the US. Bring it.

2. Prepare. Assemble all of the necessary tools/materials from storage and transport them to the worksite. All means all.

3. Execute. Perform the tasks. Last task: Return the tools and unused materials to storage.

One trip out. One trip back.

If you want to minimize the number of trips, you must maximize the value of each trip. Get all the tools you need in one trip. The 3-5 minutes it takes to plan pays dividends in non-wasted time later.​

Good Luck

 

[Cruzan80]

Why does it have to be THAT makita flashlight?
Seems like having a few cheap rechargeable LED work lights in the different locations will solve this issue

This is from the other thread, about why it has to be those items.

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.)

As I stated previously, I don't have a place for my tools. It is hard to put things in their proper place when you never established a proper place.

In April, you said you were going to hang lights in the RV space, and clean out the spare bedroom for tool organization, after you blew your PackOut money on a new toy. Guessing that didn't happen?

 

[Theronswanson]

I am going to have to starting buying a gross of every tool so I can actually find my tools when I need them. Can I get a discount on bulk tool purchases?

I have lost basically an entire day on my project because I can't find my Makita flashlight. I may just have to break down and go spend $90 I can't really afford to buy another one. I know the flashlight is somewhere on my property, but I have run out of places to look. (No, An ordinary flashlight won't do for my project. I need the capabilities the Makita has.)

I am pretty close to having to cancel my big trip in two weeks because I won't have my vehicle ready in time. I spend as much time getting the vehicle ready for the trip every year as I spend on the trip. My frustration level is about 100 on a zero to ten scale.

Buy the tool you lost. And you will find the old one. Take the new one back, when the job is finished.

 

[gleman]

This is from the other thread, about why it has to be those items.




In April, you said you were going to hang lights in the RV space, and clean out the spare bedroom for tool organization, after you blew your PackOut money on a new toy. Guessing that didn't happen?

This post is a variation on his biyearly cleaning up his garage threads!

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/finally-giving-my-garage-a-proper-deep-cleaning-not-just-moving-things-around.530707/post-10613309

You'll hear all sorts of excuses but never get any resolution.

I had milk crates, buckets and totes before I could afford proper tool storage. So cost isn't the problem.

I'm prone to misplace all my tools mid job but they always get located before I quit.

To be fair I forgot my flashlight in the attic once and bought a replacement. I found it a year later right where I left it.



Every once in a while, I wonder if his garage ever got clean.