Best practices to prevent tool loss - FOD

[CGarage]

There is an ongoing thread here about the various manners in which members have lost tools.

We should have a thread about best practices to prevent tool loss.

There are many members here who work in aviation, and they are fastidious in this area of preventing tool loss because their aviation field teaches the costs (loss of life and monetary) associated with FOD (foreign object debris / damage). It is Rude Bucks, if the problem happens.

A few of my tricks:

1) I use magnetic cups during disassembly

2) I plastic bag fasteners and blue tape them to what I am disassembling

3) I keep a tool inventory

4) I count and mark number of tools in each drawer of tool cabinet

5) I believe in having a wheeled tool cart and a separate disassembly cart where take off items are moved to for safe storage

6) I do my best to clean and return tools at the end of the day (but often leave items out on multi-day projects)


Please share your tips and tricks that you implement to prevent tool loss.

 

[Richsgarage]

Here's what I posted on the other thread:

I haven't lost a lot of tools, but when I have, it's because of buddies putting them back away. Not where they're supposed to go. I then find my lost tool in a f'n drawer that's not even close. I now have a rule.... Anyone can grab any f'n tool they want... use it... no problem.. NOTHING gets put back away. That's my job. They now pile all the tools they used in a pile where it's convenient for me to put back where I can find them again. No one has any problem with this system. lol

 

[shoggoth80]

Magnetic trays. Taking only what I need to the the job at hand. If I had more money, I would go with more locking extensions, especially in smaller drive sizes. Any socket not in use gets stuck back on its rail. I have like 3 different magnetic pick up tools in my stash. My losses over time have been minimal, but it's still happened. Typically working in a tight spot, or by feel because I can't actually see the fastener.

 

[CGarage]

I forgot to mention, I use silicone trays and a watchmaker’s mat when working with small parts and fasteners. The watchmaker’s tray is a light green/grey color, so tiny fasteners are easy to see, visually. I have a plastic vinyl mat under my work bench and chair so I can better hear and see if I drop tiny parts or fasteners.

 

[gtae07]

Block off openings where something could fall in and disappear without being noticed...

Remember, errant hardware is just as much a threat.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Here's what I posted on the other thread:

I haven't lost a lot of tools, but when I have, it's because of buddies putting them back away. Not where they're supposed to go. I then find my lost tool in a f'n drawer that's not even close. I now have a rule.... Anyone can grab any f'n tool they want... use it... no problem.. NOTHING gets put back away. That's my job. They now pile all the tools they used in a pile where it's convenient for me to put back where I can find them again. No one has no problem with this system. lol

This. ↑↑↑ I recently went on the rampage looking for my Snappy 1/2 to 3/8 impact adapter. Found it in my spares drawer, which is at knee level and 12 feet away from my main box where it's normally proudly displayed at my eye level.

 

[AJHD]

I was a tool crib attendant for a local helicopter company. We had an inventory for every tool crib and every tool box. We also extensively used shadow boxing/foam cutouts. Along with daily audits and sign out sheets/CHITS, it was difficult for something to go missing. Though it did happen because technicians didn't care.

Anyway, outside of that, my advice is easy....

Clean up when you're done and maintain proper organization. When you haphazardly toss tools into a drawer or box there is little to no way of knowing when something is missing. If you utilize rails and organizers, it's easy to visually see when something is missing from said organizer.

 

[Gangly]

I use molded trays for all of my sockets and ratchets, and wrench organizers for my open and closed end wrenches. I know immediately whether a tool is unaccounted for, and I stop what I am doing at that moment and will not continue until the tool is accounted for. There is no "finish now and search later" with me, its an "ALL STOP" in my brain and I have a very hard time moving forward until I find the missing piece. Its silly, I know, but it is what it is.

 

[Bagherra]

If im working on something at the bench, nobody needs to be anywhere near cuz they will move stuff and i can't find it.

 

[CoogarXR]

Like has been said, organization is also key for me. The way my toolboxes are organized, it's easy to see if something is missing.

I usually leave the drawers slightly open on drawers I take tools from. That way, when I finish, if I see a drawer still ajar, I know there's still a tool out.

 

[HannibalLecter]

Cribmaster lol

 

[Steve_P]

Like everyone said, organization. Magnetic parts trays. Don't set tools, especially small things like sockets on top of the engine, the cowl...... I use a couple of plastic trays and put a few tools, small parts.... in them instead of sitting them everywhere on the vehicle or on the floor.

The last thing I lost was a hose clamp. It was one of the flat spring steel ones, probably half inch size, and it flew off the pliers. And went somewhere in the garage. I looked for hours for it, because it's not that small, so it's gotta be here somewhere. I finally gave up and got another one.

 

[mikegt4]

Where I worked at GE Aircraft Engines it was only about 200 feet to the test cell area. The test cell is where they run the engines through an array of cycles to gather data and run time. The cells are made of thick concrete with blast proof doors. One cell along a hallway had thick bullet proof glass windows along the side of the engine allowing people to watch the action. An engine running on full afterburner only 12 feet away is pretty impressive. Yes, the floor does move around under your feet, we could feel it even were I worked. Their FOD prevention practices were very strict, every tool entering the cell had to be logged in/out, every nut/bolt had to be accounted for. The crew usually just mounted the engine and connected up the sensors so they didn't do any work on the engine itself. The old timers used to tell the story of the time when a stepladder was left in the cell by accident, it got sucked into a multi million dollar engine.

 

[Hal]

If you work at multiple fixed locations, have at least basic tool sets at each place. Don’t lose all your ten mm sockets at the same place, spread them around.

Same goes for mobile machinery/vehicles, carry at least the basic tools you always need for that machine.

 

[Kasal]

If I work on vehicles, I try to keep the tools I use on a magnetic tray and not rest them on the rainscreen, engine, etc.

 

[lotus_esprit]

I sometimes work on vehicles that operate on airport runways, I used a black handled 10” Snap On instinct prybar on one and it slipped down the engine bay without me noticing until the end of the job when I tidied up and realised it was missing. It was a bit of a wake up call and I have now replaced the majority of my everyday use tools with either hi-viz / Orange or extreme green versions, and swapped out all the ratchet handles for Hiviz handles.

 

[Hakeem]

I sometimes work on vehicles that operate on airport runways, I used a black handled 10” Snap On instinct prybar on one and it slipped down the engine bay without me noticing until the end of the job when I tidied up and realised it was missing. It was a bit of a wake up call and I have now replaced the majority of my everyday use tools with either hi-viz / Orange or extreme green versions, and swapped out all the ratchet handles for Hiviz handles.

Klein makes some of their tools with glow in the dark handles, I’m a little surprised none of the tool trucks have the same available

 

[ecotec]

I sometimes work on vehicles that operate on airport runways, I used a black handled 10” Snap On instinct prybar on one and it slipped down the engine bay without me noticing until the end of the job when I tidied up and realised it was missing. It was a bit of a wake up call and I have now replaced the majority of my everyday use tools with either hi-viz / Orange or extreme green versions, and swapped out all the ratchet handles for Hiviz handles.

I wish that I had made an effort, when I was younger, to buy brighter tools.

 

[1redTA]

my wife and kids take my tools and never put them back, I don’t even try to lock them up anymore. Glad everything I own stays on the ground

 

[Gangly]

my wife and kids take my tools and never put them back, I don’t even try to lock them up anymore. Glad everything I own stays on the ground

What year is that TA in your profile picture? I can see it was originally an LT1, is it still? I have a strong affinity for TA's and still have my red 1996 TA 6-speed that I got when I was in college back in 1998. It never sees daylight unless I open the bay door, lol.

 

[1redTA]

96, was an LT1 when I let it go in 2011. My right foot and my insurance had frequent disagreements

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Don't have messy dump areas that things can disappear into, e.g. piles of stuff on or under the workbench.

Don't work in long grass etc.

Don't bring out small tools to the field on their own, e.g. take the whole set even if you know the single size you need.

Don't trust things not to roll away.

Don't shut cases (e.g. socket sets) while anything is absent from its place.

Leave drawers 1" open while anything is absent from it.

Leave things out in inconvenient places (e.g. on the passenger seat), rather than put them away temporarily in some compartment.

Have a tote tray toolbox.

 

[shoggoth80]

Don't leave tools where your very curious granddaughter can get to them . She is however very enamored with tools.

 

[Wamsutta]

Good old fashioned socket rails with clips.

You'll see your socket missing immediately.

 

[Gangly]

Don't bring out small tools to the field on their own, e.g. take the whole set even if you know the single size you need.

Don't shut cases (e.g. socket sets) while anything is absent from its place.

Leave drawers 1" open while anything is absent from it.

Have a tote tray toolbox.

These specifically are excellent suggestions since each one allows you to know immediately if a tool is missing. Great post.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Have a tote tray toolbox.

These specifically are excellent suggestions since each one allows you to know immediately if a tool is missing.

I think I may need to clarify - I mean to use the tote tray toolbox to take a bunch of stuff to a location for use, that was picked from other toolboxes with that job in mind. Instead of putting it in your pockets or loose pile in your vehicle. Not to have things in an open top box by default for visibility.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

Reason I was coming back to this thread, just thinking back the past couple of weeks.

Don't buy all-black tools.

 

[tiredoldironworker]

I still have my 96 Formula Firebird HARDTOP with the LT1 "hopetospark" distributor. She's underpowered a lot by the new stuff but she'll burn rubber all the way thru 1st and a little ways in 2nd. Those pretty T-tops allow way too much body flex. And they all leak.

 

[dscheidt]

Don't shut cases (e.g. socket sets) while anything is absent from its place.

I am firmly in camp “close the lid when not taking things out”. Open containers are an invitation to spill. Same with drawers, open drawers collect filth.

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

I am firmly in camp “close the lid when not taking things out”. Open containers are an invitation to spill. Same with drawers, open drawers collect filth.

Interesting tradeoffs, I suppose it depends on your working environment.