Do you lock your tool boxes at home?

[rc77]

I never did until recently. My 4 year old has taken an interest in my tools and I started finding them all over the garage and out in the yard.

 

[mayhemman]

yes i do, lock them up when i leave everytime. dad hates it when he wants to borrow something.

most of my tools are over in my neighbors garage at the moment though. been just putting them in the truck and lock the truck till i return to work on it. several thousands of dollars of parts,tools ect over there. don't want to risk it more then i have to!

 

[Spudland_Dave]

I never did until recently. My 4 year old has taken an interest in my tools and I started finding them all over the garage and out in the yard.

Wow...consider yourself lucky you made it to 4...mine was 2 when he got the tool bug (its a genetic disorder in my family). Easy/only fix was to get him his own tools. Locking the box does nothing to calm down a 2 year old on tantrum overdrive....so I gave him some craftsman tools to call his own. This year for Christmas I'd like to get get him a 3/8" Ratchet set from HF.

 

[INSP380]

It depends on the neighborhood, I suppose.

I live in a development on the outskirts of nowhere. Its not the neighborhood, family, or friends..... it's the unknown. House...locked, car...locked...tools...locked. They put a lock on stuff for a reason, and I'm too dumb to argue why!

Steve

 

[flippin]

I don't lock mine, using the same philosophy as leaving a till drawer open at night. Shop is detached and if they ever got in (alarm, crazy locks etc) I'd sooner not have a bunch of damage to all of the boxes. Regarding the OP's issue with a plumber, that is one of my greatest fears. I don't think I have ever had anyone in my shop that I didn't know really well. Most of us have pretty impressive shops and even if the trades persons are honest they may out of amazement mention the incredible setup that they saw today. Dishonest people hearing that will become curious, too curious. For that reason I don't ever want pictures of my shop published anywhere. Though I am proud, I certainly didn't work to impress others with what I have.

So for me, no locks at this point. This may change when my kids get old enough to have friends over unsupervised.

 

[Brownsfan]

I lock mine. Kids are 10 and 7 and are curious. Even though you tell them don't go in there they will. I don't want them opening a bunch of drawers on a 54" top ant bottom box and have it fall over on one of them. Plus I travel a lot for work and the garage is detached and if someone breaks in it can at least slow them down.

 

[beatcad]

Locked after each use with out failure. 2 locks per box. I take no chances, besides locks are really for honest people.

uh, dude. your kennedy at the top right doesn't even have a lock cylinder.
of course i'm just funnin' and nit-pickin'
you got a nice set up there

 

[cowboy73]

Never lock them. I do put a padlock in the garage door track if I'm gone for an extended period of time.

 

[Kent_B]

"yes i do, lock them up when i leave everytime. dad hates it when he wants to borrow something. "

^this.

 

[softailgarage]

At the shop, yes. At home no, the house is alarmed, doors dead bolted, padlocked and key locked. The main reason though, with 11 boxes it would be a pain in the ***.

 

[Jsf721]

I don't usually have workmen I don't know in the house however we had the trap clog and the water was backing up the lower toilet. I called my regular plumber and he was not able to come for a day. We could not run any water so we went into the phone book for a drain maintnnace co and this is what we got. Lesson learned, be patient, something I am not.

Evidentally the reason he was messing around with the end of the snake is becasue besides clearing the house trap, he also tried to clear the line to the street and was not able to get through so he tried a few different tips on the snake but was unable to get out more than 15 feet????

Anyone have any ideas on what to try next? Another plumber or should I get a camera in there? I want to deal with this before there is another problem.

I only dope there is no issue in the main sewer line as we have recently paved the driveway and I do not want to rip that up.

Open for Ideas.

Thanks

 

[lowbucktruck]

I saw this thread and had a laugh. After months of owning a new 42" box I found my wife was using odd tools for common tasks. I asked and she said, "Well, your box is locked."

It has drawer safety locks under the pulls and she didn't know.

There is an easy solution for that... pegboard! I put up pegboard behind one of my workbenches and hung loaner/common tools up. My tool boxes with the good stuff are locked up when I'm not home. I even have a spot for my wife's garden pruners and gloves.

My father-in-law would drop by my house while I was at work, then call me asking where he could find a tool to use (pliers, etc). Hanging some frequently used tools up on pegboard solved that.

 

[justanengineer]

Nope, but I also dont allow anyone into my garage other than family without myself being there. There are no utilities out there, so no need for anyone to be there.

 

[Thumper]

Get a guy with a camera to check the line...most likely a rootball.

 

[sberry]

The guy didn't take anything,,,, call it a day, he might have been trying to save you a couple bucks by trying what he could on the spot.

 

[boiler7904]

Plumber would be getting a tool rental bill equal to his service call if it were me and the wife didn't give permission.

He uses tools in a trade. If they aren't in serviceable condition, they should be repaired or replaced on his time - not yours and definitely not in a way that leaves you with his mess to clean up.

 

[Steevo]

At home? No.
The shop is locked, and if anyone gets inside, they are going to take what they want anyway.

 

[TCAS]

Evidentally the reason he (the plumber) was messing around with the end of the snake is becasue besides clearing the house trap, he also tried to clear the line to the street and was not able to get through so he tried a few different tips on the snake but was unable to get out more than 15 feet????

Anyone have any ideas on what to try next? Another plumber or should I get a camera in there? I want to deal with this before there is another problem.

I only dope there is no issue in the main sewer line as we have recently paved the driveway and I do not want to rip that up.

I'd try another drain service company that can snake and/or jet a mainline and also has the camera. You may have a collapsed drain tile or a crack that runs for some distance and is full of ingrown roots. With the camera they can isolate the problem and determine the best way to address it.

 

[crewchief888]

none of my boxes are locked, at work or at home.

detached garage, wife barely goes in there at all.

i'd be having a discussion with mr plumber.

 

[Wayfastwhitie440]

Locks were made to keep honest people honest. So my stuff is under lock and key 24/7 I've had a tech borrow stuff and forget he had it (and when I say barrow I mean he took it with out asking and I had to go looking for it). Its expensive enough to buy it once let alone to buy it all over again. Just this way I know who and what I loaned out.

 

[1950mercury]

i lock mine after a friend of mine had his garage broke into..its amazing how fast a crook can empty a well orginized tool box with hanson trays and wrench racks

 

[Mazdaratti3]

Always.... habit.

 

[G-force]

I had not thought about it but the pest control guy goes into my shop to fill the rodent poison. He has never been in my unlocked tool boxes to my knowledge. If I ever saw evidence of him doing so I would address it.

 

[BajaBound]

No and should I, probably!

 

[Jsf721]

Looking for a source for that now. Also scheduling it for a time when I can be home.

I'd try another drain service company that can snake and/or jet a mainline and also has the camera. You may have a collapsed drain tile or a crack that runs for some distance and is full of ingrown roots. With the camera they can isolate the problem and determine the best way to address it.

 

[waterss]

I guess you can say I lock the box at home because i have a tool room that all the tools, welders and tool boxes are in and it stays locked. Then the shop itself is locked with 3 dogs roaming the property. I figure that should at least slow them down.

 

[jakemac]

Once my nephew starts walking, I'll start locking both my boxes and the shop doors. In the mean time no locks on the boxes, shop, or gun.

 

[dandan111]

My wife uses tools sometimes so I leave it all open. I have been thinking about locking it. I have a nice set for a homeowner. Not worth **** to insurance but probly not replaceable to me. Many Christmas presents and hand me downs in there.

 

[archirelic]

No fancy shop here, just a two car garage which I've claimed as my own that actually sees a lot of work go through it!

If I'm in the middle of a project, like legitimately putting the hours in every day on something...then the tool cart is usually left unlocked and those tools are usually on one of the benches in the garage. The main box [hf 42"] always remains locked unless I need something specifically for a job and then it's pulled from there and put into the cart.

Some of my filing cabinet storage also have locks on them and they too remain locked, unless in the middle of a project.

I work on various things...wood working, ceramics, automotive, etc. but always try to minimize what's being left out & unlocked at any given time.

I've got a good assortment of neighbors, but still...has taken me a long time to finally build up my tools and I want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone looking to do bad.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I never lock the tool, although my wife accused me of doing so.

You see Honey, these little finger grips on the underside of the handle allow you to open the drawer on a Snap-On cabinet...

 

[bobcatdan]

I don't know what the point of locking the box would be, I only put tools away once a week and that is when there are more on the bench then it the box.