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3 drawer tool box organization help.

LAwendell

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Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9
Im trying to organize a Craftsman 3 drawer toolbox as a mobile tool box(for helping family/friends will fairly minor repairs on cars, lawnmowers and motorcycles). I really want to use some thick tool foam, but with such limited space i was having a hard time figuring out how i would fit enough tools in the box. If anyone has a similar box i would love to see how you organized it.

I really like what neonnblack did with the magnets in the top of his box.

Heres a couple of pictures of the box i have.
rallybox_zps219e213a.jpg

rallybox1_zps55fc4d04.jpg
 
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zkling

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Jan 23, 2007
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Here is how I would do your box.

Sockets and heavy stuff in the top. You may want to consider removing that raising tray. Depending on how low it sits when closed it might take up valuable space. You may also want to rivet or weld in dividers on the top compartment. Not only will it keep things separated, but it will add strength to the top compartment.

Ratchet(s) and extensions attached to the inside of the lid somehow.
Top- Sockets standing on end. Large wrenches, basically heavy stuff
1st drawer - Screwdrivers, pliers, bit drivers.
2nd drawer-common size wrenches, hex keys, torx, misc stuff like tape, glue.
3rd drawer - hammer, multimeter, tire gauge, c-clamp (for compressing calipers), basically any bulky heavy items. Possibly a pipe wrench.

The box is probably going to be really heavy when complete. Be careful of that top handle when carrying it so full.
 
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LAwendell

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Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9


Not sure you posted the correct link(its showing pliers, vise grips) pretty cool but my drawers are not deep enough to do something like that.

Here is how I would do your box.

Sockets and heavy stuff in the top. You may want to consider removing that raising tray. Depending on how low it sits when closed it might take up valuable space. You may also want to rivet or weld in dividers on the top compartment. Not only will it keep things separated, but it will add strength to the top compartment.

Ratchet(s) and extensions attached to the inside of the lid somehow.
Top- Sockets standing on end. Large wrenches, basically heavy stuff
1st drawer - Screwdrivers, pliers, bit drivers.
2nd drawer-common size wrenches, hex keys, torx, misc stuff like tape, glue.
3rd drawer - hammer, multimeter, tire gauge, c-clamp (for compressing calipers), basically any bulky heavy items. Possibly a pipe wrench.

The box is probably going to be really heavy when complete. Be careful of that top handle when carrying it so full.

Thanks, not a bad plan.
 

mech-tech

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Apr 13, 2012
Messages
528
Mine when fully loaded was HEAVY... I have decided to keep mine as tool storage rather than a carry around due to the weight. I had plenty packed in there...but man that thing was almost impossible to drag around much less carry as a portable box. I learned to keep the common things like sockets and smaller wrenches in an easy to carry set up and the larger bulky items in another small portable box. Not knocking the three drawer design...but dang that thing sure gets heavy quick!!!!!!!!!!!
 

SC-AW11

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Joined
Sep 23, 2012
Messages
463
I have that exact same box. I really like the craftsman rally boxes. great quality, better than the new ones, and can be had for cheaper than the new ones too. I got mine for 25 lol. He wanted 40 but i said I could get a new one for 30, so he agreed to 25 lolz. He doesn't know boxes apparently.
Ill snap a few pictures tomorrow with my buddy's phone. I like this box for now (Id like a 4 drawer) but not 100% on my organization just yet. Think I'm gonna lose the standard wrench drawer, hardly use them if at all.
For moving around, I got a megacart from sears. foldable dolly I really like. perfect for this box.
And someone mentioned removing the red tray. Personally thats one of, if not my favorite feature. I put the smaller and used stuff like extensions in there. its on a cantilever system so it doesnt really move vertically, just slides forward and back. can get in the way sometimes if you got stuff in back, under it. but its not too bad reaching under

I am now deciding on trying to get a 4 drawer (You can still buy them new at sears for about 80. cardboard box doesnt show any "rally box" decals or indications, but a guy opened up one for me to get a lock, and I was amazed to see "Rally Box". I instantly wanted lol. told my buddy and he got one lol.), or trying out a cantilever like the snap on UT22K. those cantilevers look like they can hold a lot and pretty well organized.
 
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LAwendell

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Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9
I have that exact same box. I really like the craftsman rally boxes. great quality, better than the new ones, and can be had for cheaper than the new ones too. I got mine for 25 lol. He wanted 40 but i said I could get a new one for 30, so he agreed to 25 lolz. He doesn't know boxes apparently.
Ill snap a few pictures tomorrow with my buddy's phone. I like this box for now (Id like a 4 drawer) but not 100% on my organization just yet. Think I'm gonna lose the standard wrench drawer, hardly use them if at all.
For moving around, I got a megacart from sears. foldable dolly I really like. perfect for this box.
And someone mentioned removing the red tray. Personally thats one of, if not my favorite feature. I put the smaller and used stuff like extensions in there. its on levers/linkages so it doesnt really move vertically, just slides forward and back. can get in the way sometimes if you got stuff in back, under it. but its not too bad reaching under

I am now deciding on trying to get a 4 drawer (You can still buy them new at sears for about 80. cardboard box doesnt show any "rally box" decals or indications, but a guy opened up one for me to get a lock, and I was amazed to see "Rally Box". I instantly wanted lol. told my buddy and he got one lol.), or trying out a cantilever like the snap on UT22K. those cantilevers look like they can hold a lot and pretty well organized.

Can you link to the cart? I would love to see how you have yours organized.
 

TennesseeZ

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Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
49
Location
Bean Station TN
I used a box like that for years. When it got too heavy for just the top handle I got some handles from Lowes for the sides, couldn't find them on the website but they're similar to the ones on this box. You can bolt them on if you're careful to not interfere with the drawer slides. I assume you know how to get the drawers out by depressing the tab with a screwdriver, then bending it back out before reinstalling?
The handles are under $3 ea IIRC, hope this helps
 
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LAwendell

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Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9
I used a box like that for years. When it got too heavy for just the top handle I got some handles from Lowes for the sides, couldn't find them on the website but they're similar to the ones on this box. You can bolt them on if you're careful to not interfere with the drawer slides. I assume you know how to get the drawers out by depressing the tab with a screwdriver, then bending it back out before reinstalling?
The handles are under $3 ea IIRC, hope this helps

Thanks, Thats also something to consider.


Also what everyone's opinion on just focusing on 3/8 drive(its very rare for me to use 1/4 drive, and 1/2 is usually fairly rare also).
 
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WWIIjeep

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May 30, 2012
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Arizona
I used a box like that for years. When it got too heavy for just the top handle I got some handles from Lowes for the sides, couldn't find them on the website but they're similar to the ones on this box.

Excellent idea. As mech-tech and others have said, when those boxes are full, they're too heavy to carry one-handed with just the top handle.

I've had the red and charcoal style of that box for 30+ years. It's definitely the best $39.95 I ever spent at Sears. :thumbup: I used it as a road/rally box for quite a while, but also had to carry a medium-sized hip-roof tool box along with it in order to really have the selection of tools I might need. Even at that, I made do without a few things I'd want to have along with me now, so for the past 10 years, it's just been a spare box at one end of the shop so I don't always have to walk to the other end of the shop for tools from my roller stack, and I use a larger 3-drawer Proto box as a road/rally box.

To the OP: You said you wanted thick foam liners. I don't know how thick you mean, but those three drawers are thin. I used 1/16" sheet cork for liners in mine, and they almost prevent a couple of my larger screwdrivers from clearing the drawer above. Stuff isn't going to move around in the box once it's full, so IMO, the thinner the liner, the better.

And yes, depending on what you're working on, you might get away with 3/8" drive only. I couldn't, and really wouldn't want to regardless, but that was just me.

As far as tool organizers go, I doubt many people have been able to pack more in one of those than I have in mine, and that's with only socket rails or trays, and one tool roll for organizers. You have to pile and jam stuff in those boxes to have enough tools, especially in the top till, which is the only place larger or longer tools will fit.

Here's mine just for comparison. Many of you would probably choose a number of different things, but this is what worked for me based on what I had to work on, mainly 40s-50s vintage American cars and trucks at shows or swap meets.



Cantilever tray has full set of 1/2" regular and deep sockets, plus a few odds and ends.

Till has small and medium ball-peen hammers, medium soft-faced mallet, chisel and punch roll, 2 pair Vise-Grips, all the 1/2" drive tools, adjustable wrenches from 4" to 12", 1/2" and 3/8" speed wrenches (no power at swap meets back in the day, and battery tools were still in the future), combo wrenches from 13/16" to 1-1/4" and a set of 3/8" deep sockets.

What appears to be more space in front is where the cantilever tray drops down, so zkling's suggestion for removing the tray might help, but it also serves as a built-in organizer, so I'd personally not want to remove it.





Top drawer has 1/4" and 3/8" drive and all the accessories, plus set of nut drivers, long hex wrench set and folding hex wrench. At one time, I also had 1/4" and 3/8" drive metric sockets in there just in case. Don't ask me how I managed to get the drawer closed. :lol:

Most of you would probably do away with the nut drivers, since you can do almost the same with 1/4" drive sockets and adapters, but they came in very handy for me.

Middle drawer has screwdrivers and various open-end, box-end and combo wrenches up to 3/4".

Bottom drawer had an assortment of pliers and metric combo wrenches. No photo because it's no longer the way it was when I used the box as a road/rally box.

Cantilever box I carried along to have enough tools had a hack saw, pipe wrench, couple of pry bars, small assortment of gear pullers, miniature timing light small VOM and compact tach-dwell-RPM meter, none of which would have fit in the Craftsman box without taking up way too much valuable space.
 
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LAwendell

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Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9
To the OP: You said you wanted thick foam liners. I don't know how thick you mean, but those three drawers are thin. I used 1/16" sheet cork for liners in mine, and they almost prevent a couple of my larger screwdrivers from clearing the drawer above. Stuff isn't going to move around in the box once it's full, so IMO, the thinner the liner, the better.

And yes, depending on what you're working on, you might get away with 3/8" drive only. I couldn't, and really wouldn't want to regardless, but that was just me.

As far as tool organizers go, I doubt many people have been able to pack more in one of those than I have in mine, and that's with only socket rails or trays, and one tool roll for organizers. You have to pile and jam stuff in those boxes to have enough tools, especially in the top till, which is the only place larger or longer tools will fit.

Here's mine just for comparison. Many of you would probably choose a number of different things, but this is what worked for me based on what I had to work on, mainly 40s-50s vintage American cars and trucks at shows or swap meets.

Cantilever tray has full set of 1/2" regular and deep sockets, plus a few odds and ends.

Till has small and medium ball-peen hammers, medium soft-faced mallet, chisel and punch roll, 2 pair Vise-Grips, all the 1/2" drive tools, adjustable wrenches from 4" to 12", 1/2" and 3/8" speed wrenches (no power at swap meets back in the day, and battery tools were still in the future), combo wrenches from 13/16" to 1-1/4" and a set of 3/8" deep sockets.

What appears to be more space in front is where the cantilever tray drops down, so zkling's suggestion for removing the tray might help, but it also serves as a built-in organizer, so I'd personally not want to remove it.

Top drawer has 1/4" and 3/8" drive and all the accessories, plus set of nut drivers, long hex wrench set and folding hex wrench. At one time, I also had 1/4" and 3/8" drive metric sockets in there just in case. Don't ask me how I managed to get the drawer closed. :lol:

Most of you would probably do away with the nut drivers, since you can do almost the same with 1/4" drive sockets and adapters, but they came in very handy for me.

Middle drawer has screwdrivers and various open-end, box-end and combo wrenches up to 3/4".

Bottom drawer had an assortment of pliers and metric combo wrenches. No photo because it's no longer the way it was when I used the box as a road/rally box.

Cantilever box I carried along to have enough tools had a hack saw, pipe wrench, couple of pry bars, small assortment of gear pullers, miniature timing light small VOM and compact tach-dwell-RPM meter, none of which would have fit in the Craftsman box without taking up way too much valuable space.


Thanks for your input. The reason i wanted thick foam so i could make the cuts deeper so the tool would stay in place while driving. I am typically one to want all possible options of tools just in case, but i think limiting this box to 3/8 drive would most likely work, here lately i have had to help fix carbs on lawnmowers and battery/starter issues on cars so 3/8 would be fine.

I was thinking 3/8 sae/metric deep/shallow sockets, wrenches sae/metric, screwdrivers, allen, torq, multimeter, test light,pliers, vise grips, hammer.
 

devoncoolman

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Mar 17, 2013
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Location
quakertown pa
I have the same box but the cheaper regular red one. I screwed socket rails strategically to the inside of the top compartment. It worked well for my mobile box. Sockets all stayed standing at the ready 24/7. And i placed all my extra stuff like extensions in between the sockets. Then screwdrivers in top drawer. Wrenches in 2nd drawer and hammers and pliers and punches and other randoms in the 3rd/bottom drawer.

Just my opinion. I would rec. having a set of larger 1/2 shallow sockets a 1/2-3/8 adapter and a 15" long breaker. Wont take up to much room but you will be glad when u have it. And by the way and jack handle makes a great cheater bar if you need one in a jamb. So no need to have one in the box. If your working on a car I'm sure u have a jack there too.
 
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SC-AW11

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Sep 23, 2012
Messages
463
Kinda messy and some things arent in the box from being in the middle of something but most stuff is there. And like I said I think I wanna ditch the standard set to make more room for pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, and such.

I love magnetic trays. Ill keep one on a side or the top like it is, for adapters and quick access things. and I I like having another for nuts/bolts either on the box or on the car itself


One of my favorite originazation methods in this box is my extensions. pack of HF Neo magnets, one for each ext does the trick. And tells me when Im missing one too lol.


I love this Snap On 6-n-1 too. I want one in every box lol
And I really like the Snap On 597's. inch longer than the 3 pc set version thats in my bag
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Snap-On-9-Needle-Nose-Pin-Gripping-Pliers-3-3-16-Jaw-597CF-/251317607458



Metric wrenches; Cman, Gearwrench Reversibles (thumbs up), and Mac High Performance double box ends.

I really like those Macs. Theres a guy selling them 12/14 and 17/19 for 35 on ebay if you're interested. They are factory seconds but they are shinier than the ones in my box. (The shine in this last bag picture are those factory seconds Mac's, 2 sets actually lol so I have 3 pairs)

Bigger tool bag for the bigger/longer tools
 
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LAwendell

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Aug 22, 2013
Messages
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I thought thats whats you were talking about because i couldnt find anything searching "Megacart".

Kinda messy and some things arent in the box from being in the middle of something but most stuff is there. And like I said I think I wanna ditch the standard set to make more room for pliers, screwdrivers, hammers, and such.

I love magnetic trays. Ill keep one on a side or the top like it is, for adapters and quick access things. and I I like having another for nuts/bolts either on the box or on the car itself

One of my favorite originazation methods in this box is my extensions. pack of HF Neo magnets, one for each ext does the trick. And tells me when Im missing one too lol.

I love this Snap On 6-n-1 too. I want one in every box lol
And I really like the Snap On 597's. inch longer than the 3 pc set version thats in my bag

Metric wrenches; Cman, Gearwrench Reversibles (thumbs up), and Mac High Performance double box ends.

I really like those Macs. Theres a guy selling them 12/14 and 17/19 for 35 on ebay if you're interested. They are factory seconds but they are shinier than the ones in my box. (The shine in this last bag picture are those factory seconds Mac's, 2 sets actually lol so I have 3 pairs)

Bigger tool bag for the bigger/longer tools

Not bad, I'm probably trying to organize the box to much, I still want to use Kaizen Foam
 

jakemac

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May 21, 2013
Messages
9,035
Location
New England
For the liners, try going to Michael's craft store and pick up some of the colored foam they use for kids crafts. I think it comes in 12x18 sheets in various colors, even black. ;)
 
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LAwendell

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Joined
Aug 22, 2013
Messages
9
For the liners, try going to Michael's craft store and pick up some of the colored foam they use for kids crafts. I think it comes in 12x18 sheets in various colors, even black. ;)

Thanks, I'll take a look at what they have.
 
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