Small toolbox organization

neonnblack · Sep 6, 2012

Searched but couldnt find anything on this. Need examples/advice/tips/pointers on organizing smaller tool boxes, in particularly this one:

Im not sure how to keep my sockets specifically, i tried doing a socket rail thing that worked until about the third socket i pulled off of it and it broke. Thought about the spray foam, but that isnt change friendly. also need plier and wrench ideas. keep in mind the drawers are only inc and a half or two inched tall.

joedodge · Sep 6, 2012

I have same issue except my box at work is a double bay matco. the best ive done is to maximize space in every drawer. i use socket rails and mts socket holder rails are riveted to a piece of sheet metal so 4 rails can be removed as a unit and always stand straight up. wrenches all in wrench racks or use large springs laid down and put the wrenches in between the coils. use sections of shower wracks or sink drains to make plier racks. and put screw drivers handles opposing each other.

Chamkila · Sep 6, 2012

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ihateminimumwage · Sep 6, 2012

joedodge said:
the best ive done is to maximize space in every drawer. i use socket rails and mts socket holder rails are riveted to a piece of sheet metal so 4 rails can be removed as a unit and always stand straight up.

Just what I was going to suggest, all mine are metal HF rails riveted to smaller pieces of sheet metal, so I can fit them in my CM top box. Just slapped them together for diesel school. Once I have a more spacious setup, I'll use a couple larger pieces of metal, and paint them the same color as the box, and figure a better method of labeling.

Here's the one pic I have of my 3/8 sockets...

EDIT: I think I might have to steal the OP's setup with the magnets on the lid. Save me even more space

neonnblack · Sep 6, 2012

The magnets are great. except if you have a heavy ratchet like the second from the top, it likes to fall sometimes. they are tool magnets from harbor freight cut up, works awesome, epoxied to the top.

Oh i forgot about the spring idea, maybe that will work.

Provincial · Sep 6, 2012

You're way ahead of me. I used three of those boxes for years as I was a mobile aircraft mechanic. I had to keep a rollaway worth of tools in packages small enough I could carry them by myself.

I dedicated one box to sockets. Half inch drive in the top, 3/8 in the first drawer, 1/4 in the second drawer, along with my obstruction wrenches, ignition wrenches, crowsfeet, and some specialty sockets. The bottom drawer held a hand impact tool, and 1/4 & 3/8 air wrenches.

Another box was for basic tools. The top held safety wire, hammers, rethreaders, bandaids (yes aircraft mechanics cut themselves), sealants/gasket cement, and other catch-all. The top drawer was for punches, chisels, thread files. magnets, utility knives, and tire tools. The second drawer was mostly screwdrivers, with a tray holding small items like small files, tire gauges, angle screwdrivers, and hook/pick sets. The bottom drawer held my pliers and cutters.

I had a two-drawer box, the top holding a tap&die set, hacksaw + blades, and some c-clamps. The top drawer was for tin snips, Wiss snips, and sheetmetal stuff. The bottom drawer was reserved for full size files.

I had other tooboxes that held specialized test gear, specialty tools, box/open end wrenches and other stuff.

All this was packed around in airplanes in Alaska (and to/from through Canada) because I didn't have a fixed location to work in. I needed the tools to repair broken airplanes wherever they stopped, be it on a river gravel bar, beach, or even an airport!

Outlawmws · Sep 7, 2012

Show some pics of the other drawers & tools so we know what you are trying to organize.

1-1/2" is still enough for wrench racks if they don't go too vertical, up to a certain size. The larger wrenches stack two deep (I'm assuming you would have two sets of combos as a basic wrench set). I used "pins" made form broom handles to keep them form sliding around on my first 10 drawer top. The guy I gave it to skill uses that system in that box. (done over 30 years ago)

neonnblack · Sep 7, 2012

Ill get more pics tomorrow, but it will be a basic sae/met set of wrenchs and probably the smaller ignition ones which im not to worried about. Also probably about 6 or so pairs of pliers, and other misc junk. Sockets are full deep and shallow sae/met 1/4 and 3/8 and probably a small amount of the larger 1/2's.

Provincial · Sep 7, 2012

You can pack a lot of combo wrenches in a small space by threading the box ends through a carabiner (snap ring) with them nested together. If you try to put too many on a ring and get into the curved part it blows the savings. Keep similar sized wrenches together. The problem with this setup is it is a pain in the a** to pull out a specific wrench, but as a compromise it saves space.

FlatHeads_Suck · Sep 7, 2012

Are you set on that box? I'm a flight line mechanic, and use a husky 16in tool bag. I rarely have to go back to my box. If it needs tools from my box, it probably needs to be in a hangar. They also make an 18in, which is even better.

abumason · Sep 7, 2012

No pictures cause now everything is in my bench setup, but for years I had a Craftsman 3-drawer "rally" box.

Top drawer was screwdrivers, pliers, punches, chisels
Middle drawer was SAE - wrenches 3/8-3/4, rail of 3/8 sockets shallow and deep
Bottom drwaer was Metric - 10-19mm wrenches, and again 3/8 drive sockets

The top section was overflow with a hammer, allen keys, multimeter, razorblade knife etc.

This worked out for me really well.

neonnblack · Sep 7, 2012

Made some could for a wrench rack at work. It will do for free. Will get pics later.

neonnblack · Sep 7, 2012

Outlawmws said:
Show some pics of the other drawers & tools so we know what you are trying to organize.

Here are pics of the drawers, about 6 1/2 deep 20 or so wide. this isnt what is staying in each though. Im digging the 1/4 in one drawer and 3/8 in the other. hmmm

JWILL · Sep 7, 2012

Heres what Ive found works best for a smaller box. For Years I drove K5 blazers and had a breakdown box that was a similar with three drawers. After have a giant non organizeable tool bag. The top held all sockets and since it was so packed what i did was line up all sockets exactly how i wanted them and carefully marked the center of the socket on the bottom of the tray with a paint marker after removing the sockets i tacked small dowels down on all the points which ended up with putting a think sheet steel plate on the bottom and starting all over. In the end the top was great for carrying all my sockets. The next drawer held all drive tools and the bottom two held all my wrenches pliers and screw drivers. I kept a large heavy canvas mat folded up lay everything out on and it worked well for the short time I owned it. It wasnt long till one night it went missing. Long story short bigger box! LOL

DaleK · Sep 7, 2012

Why not use magnets for socket rails? Or stick a magnetic sheet in the bottom of the tray for your sockets.

RCStocker · Sep 7, 2012

I have an advantage of having a full cabinet shop but if you have a small table saw you can organize your box great.

I make small boxes and then cut thin strips of wood and put a kirf in the end of the box. The thin slats slide in. You can make them to fit any size socket set you may have. The the last part of the box you can put the ratchet and extentions in.

I also take a piece of wood and drill holes evenly spaced and put in pieces of dowel rod cut to the same length. I make my own socket holders to fit the small boxes. You can make a box with slats to hold your wrenches on edge. Must drill holes in the center of the slats on the center line. Your rip the slats through the center line of the hole and you have your dividers. You can make any holder for any size box. I have made up my own metal boxes for items and tools. I have made wood boxes that hold all my wood working tools and it works so well I have made several out of wood for my mechanic tools.

neonnblack · Sep 7, 2012

Magnet is a good idea, if i keep the sockets in the top and not in the drawers, damnit this is so difficult.

In otehr news i made wrench holders at work, using baling wire and a bar, worked GREAT. But, alas, i forgot them.

neonnblack · Sep 8, 2012

Wow, threads in here get buried fast. Anyways, the springs and little bit holder i made for it also.

neonnblack · Sep 17, 2012

well this is where im at, i actually like having the sockets on short rails, individually so i can pull one out and take it with me wherever. my springs are working great also. Bottom drawer just has a couple pairs of loose pliers.

Small toolbox organization

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