Separating tools by task? i.e. All electical in 1 toolbox?

[MikefromMT]

Hey guys. I have been spending more and more time on my tool organization and have been contemplating finding the perfect toolbox for a few "task areas". What are your thoughts on having all my electrical stuff in one perfect (haven't found yet) box and same thing for plumbing, maybe one for general.

I just don't want to buy $150 worth of toolboxes only to determine what others have already figured out...

 

[wornoutoldman]

It's a worthwhile idea although you will have some overlap. Welcome to GJ!

 

[Hank McMauser]

I keep my home(110 v AC) electrical stuff in a clear plastic storage tote my wife wasn't using anymore,same thing with the majority of my plumbing stuff. I do keep electrical connector assortment,HF free voltmeter,elect tape,and battery maint. tools in the top of my regular tool cabinet.
When it comes time to do a job away from the confines of the garage, I usually grab a 5 gal bucket and load it up with whatever tools I think I'll need to finish the task.

 

[98TJ]

I generally keep my tools organized by the type of tool they are.

Example - I have a drawer for air tools, one for all the measuring ****, a tape drawer, and a drawer for various electrical stuff. Sockets and wrenches have their own drawers as well.

When I know I'm going away from the garage and will need tools I grab what I need and throw it all in a tool bag or two.

 

[diesel research]

It's simple. Just ask yourself if electrical tools are the ONLY tools required for all jobs involving some form of electricity. The same with plumbing, mechanical, or what other task categories you deem necessary.

Does the screw driver belong in the electrical box? The mechanical box? Some other box?

How about the multimeter? Eletrical? Automotive? Something else?

Pipe wrench/pliers/adjustable only used for plumbing? Never anything else?

Ever had to cut/drill/nail something when doing an "electrical" job? Ever had to use a wrench to install/disassemble something in a plumbing/electrical job?

So since you found out tools are often used in multiple environments, you will find your best bet is one central location for all of your tools, along with a nifty tool bag/cart/whatever.

Doesn't have to be a big tool cabinet type deal. If budgets are too tight for that, simple steel wall locker or even shelving works quite nicely. Construction guys will often use a large open jobox type setup. Doesn't have nifty drawers to organize, but all your oddsize pieces can be locked up and easily in sight.

 

[Alchymist]

Some by task, some by "profession" For instance, there's a tool box for sheet metal tools, carpentry, electrical, machinist measuring instruments,(2), machine tools, plumbing, O/A welding, electronic tools, drill bits, engraving machine/fonts, plus the roll around/top box for the majority of the mechanical tools. Various other boxes/cabinets for supplies - saw blades, grinder disks, router bits, etc. Most power tools get stored on a shelf. Plenty of overlap, like screwdriver and 1/4" socket drawers in several boxes.

 

[Larwyn]

I keep a tool pouch fully equipped for electrical work at all times. It lives in my truck and comes in handy on many electrical and non electrical jobs. My pipe wrenches, small tubing benders and other tools that are specifically for plumbing are in a box of their own. Air tools and welding consumables are in a small roll around tool cabinet. All my mechanic's tools are in a larger rolling cabinet and chest. Many of my duplicate tools are in another box out in the wood shop. And a relatively complete set of tools are in the crossover box on my pick up truck.

 

[shannonw]

I imagine it's different if it's related to your profession..but for homeowner this is what i do

For stuff i use maybe once per year I don't take up toolbox space...i don't even want to see it.

i buy those plastic toolboxes All my plumbing is in one of those (except for a few adjustable wrenches), but all solder, flux, pipe cutters,etc, mapp/propane gas heads, fire resistant cloth,etc all go there. I just don't have to do plumbing that often. Sometimes have to grab the mapp but i know where it is.

Electric is pretty much the same, except i put things like meters, electrical tape, testors, etc..that i use for other tasks or to quick check elec things in the main toolbox in an electrical drawer. Rest of the **** in a box on the shelf with plumbing. Electrical connectors,etc are in an area somewhere else with fasteners by the toolbox...you that stuff a lot for other things.

House **** has it's own plastic box too...if i ever need a wallplate, light switch, spare timer, fan part which is once / year i know where to dig. Computer stuff in another box.

I thought it would be cool to pick up a bunch of the larger plastic dewalt/kobalt types, and have a vertical rack for them, not sure if they have a lip to slide in a routed groove was just something that ran through my head one day. Right now it's a few mix matched toolboxes on a shelf higher up in a closet.

Powertools I like all together in cases on a shelf, grab and go.

 

[USMCdodge]

When I was a bit younger I tried to organize my grandpa's tools for him while he was in the hospital with cancer. He freaked out because he couldn't find what he needed he kept everything sorted by what kind of job he had. he had boxes for spark plugs, oil changes. belt servicing.

 

[MikefromMT]

Thank you! I think I will do a test run for a few months by separating things out into boxes until I determine what I need to keep out of sight vs in sight. Thanks again.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I have separate hand boxes to keep job specific tools and associated fittings and pieces. I think shannonw's post pretty much covers what I do too. Though looks like I need a 'house ****' box too. Right now that kinda stuff is thrown under the spare bathroom cabinet.

 

[FJ 432]

I'm in the process of doing exactly that. I have been buying older carry tool boxes to keep my electrical stuff separate, rivets, plumbing, drywall.

It also gives me an excuse to find old carry tool boxes, which can be purchased cheaply and built well.

 

[GirlnAgarage]

I'm in the process of doing exactly that. I have been buying older carry tool boxes to keep my electrical stuff separate, rivets, plumbing, drywall.

It also gives me an excuse to find old carry tool boxes, which can be purchased cheaply and built well.

Exactly!

 

[shannonw]

Thank you! I think I will do a test run for a few months by separating things out into boxes until I determine what I need to keep out of sight vs in sight. Thanks again.

That's exactly what I did to clear the floor so to speak. Everyone is going to have a different method depending on hobbies, job,etc. Also if you're just getting organized (not sure if you are)...don't count out cardboard boxes before spending money!

My garage was literally trashed and i'm 'space challenged'...just a 2 car garage, i'd work on a project and trip over stuff for weeks, i'd spend 30m to an hour trying to find anything...any simple task put the garage out of commission for a week with a mess.

After my last project i said that's it. To get organized and clear the floor I spent a weekend and pulled *everything* into the floor of the garage. separated first everything into labeled cardboard boxes and i put them on shelves or stacked them in the house. Some things like soldering gun,solder, solder sucker, i put in a single box. Glue gun & glue sticks in another box, upholstery stapler and staples in one box. All of that got put on a shelf with normal 'tools', any tool i didn't have a case for i put in a labeled box. Electrical wire in a box, conduit connectors in another. same with plumbing..plumbing tools box, fittings box. House box, adhesives box, lubes,grease,oil box. Auto towels box, auto cleaner, wax,etc in another box. rags box. spray paint cans in one box. Clamps box and so forth.

At that point it was much easier for me to think and go through stuff a bit at a time and decide what was just wasting space and what i should spend money on storage for...or reuse storage i have, or combine things,etc.

For example i had a toolbox drawer with plumbing stuff i opened once a year, meanwhile i'd go to a shelf to find something every other day....those got switched! Tool boxes sq footage is expensive, even a large plastic tote is 20 bucks...no use in sucking up a toolbox drawer for once / year stuff for me.

Downside to my getting organized method was *alot* of up an down on a ladder every day for a few months (it took serious constitution to put it back in the box and on a shelf at the end of the day) but that also helped decide what i frequently used and needed in reach and prioritize what i spent money for storage on.

 

[oldgoat]

Several years ago I separate out a tool box for plumbing and another for electrical work. That way I could grab it and go and know that I would have the tools I would need for most jobs. I also have a couple of to go boxes for when I go to someone else place to do something. Yes it does mean duplicating tools, but I look at it as it saves me time and hassle plus it is a good excuse to go buy more tools. Most of the time though it is simple stuff like screwdrivers, basic wrenches and pliers. Makes life a lot easier.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have one main tool bag for all my voice and data cabling, my most frequently used tools.
I have another bag with tools for audio wiring...a lot of the same tools as the first bag, but also things like my soldering iron, cable tester, and multimeter. I also have a dedicated bag for cable TV tools. A lot of the tools are 'passed down' from one bag to the next...for example, I got a new pair of Klein linesman pliers on clearance from HD. I put those in my main toolbag, put the older ones in my audio bag, and gave the oldest ones to a buddy of mine.

 

[Outlawmws]

Yep, separate boxes are a good idea, either by "profession" as one guy said, or by job specific task. This can often lead to duplicate sets of some tools, like screw drivers, wire strippers, nut drivers, possibly some wrenches. especially if you find you need to be able to grab a box and run, and don't want to have to stop to add to the special box from a more general mechanics box.

For me, my 11 drawer roller is my main stay, but I have 2 smaller 20" Kennedy's for plumbing and basic electronics, another 20" K for taps, dies, and extractors, a much larger box for machine tools organization on top of a 2 drawer intermediate with measuring tools. Most of the small woodworking tools are in a pair of 3 drawer rollers that are bolted back to back and are the stand for my large, older 12" Dewalt RA saw, another 3 drawer roller has welding tools and is my welding bench... The list goes on and on, and the specialty boxes get redistributed semi regularly, especially when I bring home another box or roller, but the main 11 drawer mechanics/general purpose box is fairly static for organization.

 

[crewchief888]

in my reloading/hobby room in the basement, i have an old workbench that has 6 drawers in it. i keep "stuff" organized by task in the drawers

small electrical
small plumbing
sandpaper
gluegun, hand stapler
junk drawer
small hand tools for 'round the house DIY
woodworking electric stuff is on the bottom shelf.
all the rest of the tools and supplies that gets used in the house more than the garage is in a roller cab/mid box that i dont have room for in the garage.

all the rest of my hand, impact, and electric tools are in the garage.

 

[boiler7904]

I came to the conclusion a few years ago that having toolboxes set up for specific types of work i.e. electrical plumbing, painting, etc. was the way to go. Sure it means having multiples of some items (screw drivers, tape measures, channellocks, and utility knifes come to mind first) but it also means I don't have to run around in the middle of a project if I can carry everything with me at once.

For the most part, I use Craftsman 23" plastic toolboxes for my various kits but have Stanley Storemaster Jr. cases for fasteners and fittings (1 for electrical wire accessories, 1 for conduit fittings, and so on) and Rubbermaid totes for bulky lightweight items like painting supplies (trays, tarps, brushes, etc.)

 

[canuckian]

the only "specific" lot of tools I have is for electrical/cabling. they're all in one drawer in the rollaway. when I have a task that requires them, I load what I think I'll need into a toolbag and off I go. the rest overlap and are either in my box, cart or on/around my bench.

 

[stripped]

I try to keep separate boxes for specific tasks but I do have a lot overlap. Auto related tools are in the garage in rollers since it's unlikely that I will do a brake job in the kitchen. Plumbing tool are on peg board in the basement. Household electrical are in a box that contains tools and connectors etc. I also am an Amateur Radio guy and have a box containing things relating to that, its kept near the area where my radios are since I don't want to up and down stairs if I need a tool. I guess for me it's more about location and convenience.

 

[ajchien]

My garage is separated like that.

One corner has yard tools and ladders. Another area has home tools such as paint rollers, scrapers, tile cutters, grout removers, basin wrenches etc. Another area is my auto/electrical tools, and then a fourth is the workbench area. Yes, I also cram in an area for 'wife's long term storage', 'consumable storage like paper towels etc', and 2 cars in the car garage.

 

[Outlawmws]

My garage is separated like that.

One corner has yard tools and ladders. Another area has home tools such as paint rollers, scrapers, tile cutters, grout removers, basin wrenches etc. Another area is my auto/electrical tools, and then a fourth is the workbench area. Yes, I also cram in an area for 'wife's long term storage', 'consumable storage like paper towels etc', and 2 cars in the car garage.

You live in LA, and actually park your cars in the garage?

 

[Gary S]

My mechanic tools are in the garage in the rollaround toolbox.
My woodworking tools are in the woodworking shop in the basement.
My electrical tools are in my briefcase tool kit because they don't need much room.

 

[ajchien]

You live in LA, and actually park your cars in the garage?

Weird, huh?

Yeah, I'm originally from the Midwest, Michigan. Habits are hard to break. I think I'm one of 2 homes down my street of some 40+ houses that parks inside the garage.

When my cars are in the driveway, you know I'm working on a project...

 

[BeachBum2012]

I have a setup for painting, electrical and plumbing. One toolbox each for tools and one plastic tub each for extra stuff needed for that type of job that won't fit in a toolbox. Makes it quite easy to grab a toolbox and a tub and get anything done for that particular task. A few things are duplicated because of it and I usually have to add to each one for a tack but all in all it works out well. Everything else is stored in its own area but not in its own portable setup like those three.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I have acquired several "special" crimp tools (Snap-n-Seal, Power Pole, etc) and I keep them in a separate box along with some hookup wire, half a dozen different sizes of shrink tubing and all of the various connectors including ring, **** splice, faston, etc. I have a set of wire strippers (Ideal T5 and T6) in the electrical box and another set in my regular tool box. Needle nose, side cutter (small and medium) and electricians pliers are in my regular tool box.

I just realized, I have a 2nd electrical box just for computer/network jobs. Jewelers screwdrivers, small flashlight, a multi-bit driver, small needle nose and side cutter, RJ11 and RJ45 crimp tools along with my computer spare parts (screws, SATA data cables, SATA drive power adapters, etc). Not a pro, but I do maintenance for about a dozen family members and friends.

I foegot. My wife has her OWN set of screwdrivers, pliers, a hammer, etc.

 

[shannonw]

Yeah I have all my computer, phone, rj stuff, cables, in a separate cardboard box, that reminds me i should probably get a cheap plastic for that one. I put all AV cables in a separate box.

On the subject i noticed today ..like i have a new corded drill (i'm like going on close to a year trying to get organized lol). My old one mixed too many morter and thinset buckets, so instead of putting that with tools,etc I put it up with all my tiling, grout,concrete stuff that's in a bin..as that's the only time i would be using it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Yeah I have all my computer, phone, rj stuff, cables, in a separate cardboard box, that reminds me i should probably get a cheap plastic for that one.

Yep, my big stock pile of spares is wearing out the cardboard box it is in.

Last time I was rummaging through my spares box, I found a RS232 modem cable (25 pin to 25 pin) and a parallel printer cable. I also have about 6 old Microsoft PS2 connector "ball" style mice and some EIDE/ATA (flat) disk cables too.

I guess I can put those with my unopened boxes of 3.5" "stiffies", 5.25 floppies and my 8" floppies right next to my 1/2" mag tape and punch cards !

(Yes, I am that old !)

 

[NUTTSGT]

Basically all my automotive stuff is in my tool box. The "home" tools stuff is in the "wood" side of the garage. The few tools for that side are on peg board but I do have a couple of organizers and pull out drawers for job specific stuff. I know where 90% of the stuff is, I can go to the spot it is stored and maybe toss it in a bucket to go work on something.

I do have a separate tool box, 3 drawer box, for all my chain saw stuff. It goes with me when I go cut wood. It gets seat belted in to the back seat of the truck.

I also have a fairly well equipped Craftsman 26" top box on the "wood" side of the garage. It'll stay there till I get an enclosed car trailer one day. It was the box I bought when I worked at GE and has continually been added to in the last 14 years.

 

[Danglerb]

You live in LA, and actually park your cars in the garage?

My condo board sent out a notice last month that in 2012 they will be enforcing the CC&R's which require two cars parked in the garage BEFORE parking a car in the driveway or issuing a permit for street parking which are all guest spaces.

I use the plastic orange Homer toolboxes from Home Depot, along with a mix of clear storage bins. Home electrical, auto electric, electronic, plumbing, and home hardware, plus the kitchen drawer with wife friendly tools.

What I haven't figured out yet are how to store all my meters, and test stuff for the cars. Clear plastic storage bin with each "thing" in a heavy clear zipper bag seems practical, but I keep thinking about an aluminum case with a foam liner and spots for each thing.

Best thing seems to be to try it sometime you feel ambitious, then fix it later if it doesn't work in practice.

 

[Alchymist]

Yep, my big stock pile of spares is wearing out the cardboard box it is in.

Last time I was rummaging through my spares box, I found a RS232 modem cable (25 pin to 25 pin) and a parallel printer cable. I also have about 6 old Microsoft PS2 connector "ball" style mice and some EIDE/ATA (flat) disk cables too.

I guess I can put those with my unopened boxes of 3.5" "stiffies", 5.25 floppies and my 8" floppies right next to my 1/2" mag tape and punch cards !

(Yes, I am that old !)

Gotcha beat! Have a core memory storage card.

 

[cotjocky]

I keep my carpentry tools separate from everything else at my shop. All my carpentry tools are one one side of the shop and everything else, automotive, fabrication, etc is on the other side. I'm ok with the way things are at my shop, but I would like to do some separation at my buddy's shop if I could afford it. I go over and help him a good bit. The shop is split in the type work we do there. One end is window tinting, and electrical work (sirens, lights, etc..) and the other spectrum is parting out cars, building cars, projects and everything else.

The problem is that everything has to be clean for the tint and electrical side. It's all clean work and mostly brand new vehicles. The other side everything usual gets filthy.

I'd like to make up a nice Snap-On 7 draw cart to have everything needed on the tint and electrical side so we don't have to constantly clean everything. The problem is spending the money on doubling up on some tools and the price of the cart. I could buy some cheaper stuff, but I've had decent quality tools for so long it's hard to do that.

Hopefully down the road, if we continue to work together a lot, I can afford to do that.

 

[lutter94]

I have a plastic tool box I keep automotive electrical stuff in.....multimeter, soldering torch, assorted wire, heat shrink, wire strippers, electrical tape. The top has a tackle box design to it that I keep fuses and connectors in......

 

[venturesomerite]

I have multiples of alot of things so for me it's no problem making task related boxes, bags tool chests. Example: most of my auto related specialty tools, and sockets, ratchets etc are in the garage, then the chest in the basement had a little of everything.

I have small carry boxes that are divided by job for carry to job sites, ie: plumbing, electrical bag, and to other things are really just the one tool, like a grinder and all the disks and what not in a bucket, etc.

 

[Greatbear]

I have one dedicated electrical work toolbelt, has insulated screwdrivers, pliers, linesmans, and cutters, plus a 10-in-one screwdriver, Fluke DMM and AC current clamp meter, strippers, scissors, cable cutters, non-contact volt tester, a thermometer/hygrometer, flashlight, tape, GFCI tester, and a few other big and small tools/trinkets crammed into the limited space. This covers 90% of what I need for typical household electrical work, plus it is the space I dedicate to my HV insulated tools. I have tons of other electrical-related tools, and I will take other tools as needed.

I also have a bag dedicated to bicycle tools that gets brought along with me on vacations or wherever I might take my bike, this one contains enough specialized and standard tools to deal with most problems that would occur with a bike.

I also have one overly heavy tool tote that has lots of general purpose tools that I will take with me to fix things or to be prepared while traveling. It also has some things like a MAC OBDII code/data reader, DMM and AC/DC current clamp meter, a little Bosch 12V LiIon drill, an assortment of lots of drill bits and driver bits, 1/4 and 3/8" ratchets and sockets, combo MM wrenches, cable testers, crimpers, soldering irons and lots of other general purpose stuff. It has come in handy countless times. It's my 60# first aid kit.