41” Craftsman Toolbox

[Jonah31001]

Hi ya’ll, I have a 41” Craftsman box, Ive pretty much gotten close to maxing out the space in it and have a whole 14 gallon bin of tools to put somewhere. I know that I need a bigger toolbox eventually but for now I need to maximize the space. Wondering if anybody else has this box and could share some photos or ideas for organization. The bottom drawer is my junk drawer which im considering getting rid of, but dont have much stuff big enough to fill a drawer that tall. I am super organized so piling tools on top of other tools is a no go for me. Last 3 photos are of my too Snap On box. Thanks ya’ll.

 

[Jonah31001]

Hi ya’ll, I have a 41” Craftsman box, Ive pretty much gotten close to maxing out the space in it and have a whole 14 gallon bin of tools to put somewhere. I know that I need a bigger toolbox eventually but for now I need to maximize the space. Wondering if anybody else has this box and could share some photos or ideas for organization. The bottom drawer is my junk drawer which im considering getting rid of, but dont have much stuff big enough to fill a drawer that tall. I am super organized so piling tools on top of other tools is a no go for me. Last 3 photos are of my too Snap On top box. Thanks ya’ll.

Top Box.

 

[toolenthusiast]

I have the 52” version of this box and I used to organize it very similar to you. Then I realized that my garage is too small to add any more toolboxes, so I have to maximize what I have.

The best specific tip I have is: lots of the drawers are the same height as a business card, so business card boxes can be used as space-saving dividers.

Generally:
*Spray cans don’t need to be in a toolbox. Get a cabinet or build a shelf.
*Hammers can touch. They’re made to be banged around.
*100 pc bit set could be stored in a smaller container (but it would be annoying to have to search around for the right bit).
*Pliers racks are snazzy but they actually make it a lot harder to quickly find your pliers, plus they take up more room than stacking them with a slight overlap.
*Could save some room by turning one of the big wrench racks 180*.
*Screwdrivers could be stored externally on a magnetic rack, assuming this box is stored somewhere secure.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Oh yeah… if you’re sketched out about stacking your tools on top of each other, get some of that VCI paper that they use when they ship brake rotors. Put it in between the layers of tools. Then you’ll have an easier time living with the decision to stack things, because they're protected from scratches and rust

 

[Ohio Andy]

Oh yeah… if you’re sketched out about stacking your tools on top of each other, get some of that VCI paper that they use when they ship brake rotors. Put it in between the layers of tools. Then you’ll have an easier time living with the decision to stack things, because they're protected from scratches and rust

What's your preferred vci paper? I was thinking about buying some to store files that I rarely use.

 

[bcschief]

I bought one new about 2002 and to be honest with you I was never happy with it, I thought it was flimsy. I sold it in 2017 and moved my tools back into my old red and black 70s toolboxes. I had the top and middle and bottom 41" boxes in black.

 

[Jonah31001]

I have the 52” version of this box and I used to organize it very similar to you. Then I realized that my garage is too small to add any more toolboxes, so I have to maximize what I have.

The best specific tip I have is: lots of the drawers are the same height as a business card, so business card boxes can be used as space-saving dividers.

Generally:
*Spray cans don’t need to be in a toolbox. Get a cabinet or build a shelf.
*Hammers can touch. They’re made to be banged around.
*100 pc bit set could be stored in a smaller container (but it would be annoying to have to search around for the right bit).
*Pliers racks are snazzy but they actually make it a lot harder to quickly find your pliers, plus they take up more room than stacking them with a slight overlap.
*Could save some room by turning one of the big wrench racks 180*.
*Screwdrivers could be stored externally on a magnetic rack, assuming this box is stored somewhere secure.

Main reason why the rattle cans are in the box is because the toolbox is in my house, so it kinda keeps a little bit of the stink away, and I am aware that it is probably not good for my health to have cans in my house. I do like the idea of reversing one of the wrench holders but I need to get another one that faces the other way. Ernst MFG is the best for that style of wrench holders in my opinion. The plier rack is also made by Ernst and actually works very well for me as Ive memorized where most of them are. Ive considered trying some of the wire racks for pliers is it seems they can hold more in a smaller area. If you could adjust the walls on the holder it would be perfect. The bit box I definitely agree with you, im thinking about the Ernst bit boss for those, the kit was bought for me and I didnt know about it so it was kind of improvised. what do you keep all the way at the bottom in your bottom drawers? I think the 55” one is the same as the left set if drawers just doubled and longer. I think I need to just get a bigger top box, the Snap on one is really small and the dividers that are fixed in place aren’t optimized well for my needs. I am not going to get a Craftsman one though since ive seen how wobbly they are. Main reasons for buying it in the first place was I got a Lowes member discount, Made In USA, and it had the ball bearing soft close drawers which I absolutely love. Also the photo below is my electrical drawer, I guess the photo from earlier didnt get included.

 

[Jonah31001]

I bought one new about 2002 and to be honest with you I was never happy with it, I thought it was flimsy. I sold it in 2017 and moved my tools back into my old red and black 70s toolboxes. I had the top and middle and bottom 41" boxes in black.

They havent changed then much. This one is super wobbly and if I open all the drawers and give it a little nudge it will easily tip over. Even with all the weight from the Snap On on top. Most of the old boxes seem to be slightly better built from the experience I have with them. Ive seen how bad they are with the paired top box on top and in all honesty it seems like a hazard to have one. Biggest thing I dont like about older boxes in general is they dont have any ball bearings or soft close in the sliders. They are definitely built like tanks though. I am definitely going to replace the self taping screws with nuts and bolts, and ive seen some people screw a board under the bottom to help prevent some wobble.

 

[mikey03]

Main reason why the rattle cans are in the box is because the toolbox is in my house, so it kinda keeps a little bit of the stink away, and I am aware that it is probably not good for my health to have cans in my house.

do aerosol cans slowly leak their content to the air? I keep some cans in my bedroom closet and never smelled them before didn’t want to risk them getting hot in the garage

 

[Jonah31001]

do aerosol cans slowly leak their content to the air? I keep some cans in my bedroom closet and never smelled them before didn’t want to risk them getting hot in the garage

I dont know honestly, but like if you use them there will often be small drips or some will evaporate off the end of the nozzle. Id imagine over years and years they might. But I have considered a shelf in my closet.

 

[mikey03]

I dont know honestly, but like if you use them there will often be small drips or some will evaporate off the end of the nozzle. Id imagine over years and years they might. But I have considered a shelf in my closet.

Look at vim tools magnetic can holder to keep them outside of your box

 

[rsanter]

You have lots of room there still.
Options:
Get a side box
Get a 27” box and put select items that are not used often or ar specific category in that box to,free up,space in the primary box

 

[Blind1]

Oh yeah… if you’re sketched out about stacking your tools on top of each other, get some of that VCI paper that they use when they ship brake rotors. Put it in between the layers of tools. Then you’ll have an easier time living with the decision to stack things, because they're protected from scratches and rust

Just stack them. Tools.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Just stack them. Tools.

I have one drawer with several thousand dollars’ worth of frame repair tools. I think I’ll recycle some free VCI paper to protect them, if you don’t mind.

There’s a saying in the backpacking community: HYOH (Hike Your Own Hike). People are just as opinionated about backpacking equipment as we are about tools - probably even moreso - but they aren’t toxic.

 

[toolenthusiast]

what do you keep all the way at the bottom in your bottom drawers?

My bottom 2 drawers are:
-welder and welding accessories
-grinders and grinding accessories

The next 2 are:
-ozone machine and small PDR tools (hammers, knockdowns, heat gun, ratchet straps, mini bridge)
-torx, e-torx, allen, ribe, triple square, double square

 

[64C10]

do aerosol cans slowly leak their content to the air? I keep some cans in my bedroom closet and never smelled them before didn’t want to risk them getting hot in the garage

Long as you wipe the tip off, you’re golden.

Heat isn’t too traumatic on them either - I just threw away a bunch of aerosol cans that my granddad had sitting in the Arizona heat since the 70’s. Most were full and functional, but the years had degraded the plastic stems to the point of “just toss the damn thing”.

 

[mikey03]

Long as you wipe the tip off, you’re golden.

Heat isn’t too traumatic on them either - I just threw away a bunch of aerosol cans that my granddad had sitting in the Arizona heat since the 70’s. Most were full and functional, but the years had degraded the plastic stems to the point of “just toss the damn thing”.

The stem is the nozzle or the red tube?

can’t you just replace the nozzle or not really?

 

[64C10]

The stem is the nozzle or the red tube?

can’t you just replace the nozzle or not really?

The stem is the part that comes out of the can that the nozzle presses onto.

Considering that I have literally no need for another can of WD40 or weird 70’s/80’s variations of brown spray paint, (my favorite color: “Old Rust”) it didn’t hurt my feelings at all to toss them. I did keep a couple of cans that had really cool labels, but that was all I saw a value in.

 

[gleman]

They havent changed then much. This one is super wobbly and if I open all the drawers and give it a little nudge it will easily tip over. Even with all the weight from the Snap On on top. Most of the old boxes seem to be slightly better built from the experience I have with them. Ive seen how bad they are with the paired top box on top and in all honesty it seems like a hazard to have one. Biggest thing I dont like about older boxes in general is they dont have any ball bearings or soft close in the sliders. They are definitely built like tanks though. I am definitely going to replace the self taping screws with nuts and bolts, and ive seen some people screw a board under the bottom to help prevent some wobble.

Your setup looks nice and organized in that box. I'd move the aerosols out to a garage or shed and use that space.

I'd also look into getting a 27" roller to go next to it and keep things tidy; or a side box if you can find one.

 

[BTL-A4]

I have a similar Craftsman Griplatch tool box. Here's my storage. Hope it gives you some ideas:

Screwdrivers are organized in slotted pieces of wood I cut on my table saw using scrap.



Same with the wrenches.


I placed the hex drivers as shown to make use of space.



I got some drying racks at the dollar store and cut them to work. This drawer didn't hold all of them before, now I have extra space.



Hammers all go in a drawer. I alternate them, but they do overlap.


Files are stored same as screwdrivers and wrenches.


I had some plastic bins and use these for various cutting tools. I still need to store the hacksaws better. I use the wood boxes the xacto sets came in.


Chisels are stored as shown. I want to make some slotted golders out of scrap. I just did this a few months ago and am seeing how it works.


More bins for brushes. Probably like the Schaller ones.


For dies. I made holders with Forstner bits and scrap wood. I got a drill index for the inch taps. I would like to find a tap index for the metric ones. For now, they go in square shipping tubes I got at McMaster-Carr.

 

[u2slow]

I got my combo wrenches out of there entirely. I hang them on long screws off a shelf edge above the tool chest.

 

[BTL-A4]

Lastly. I put my drills and some measuring tools in the top. I've never closed it.

I cut some slots in some scrap wood to store all my squares.