Too many tools!

[AZ_Catskinner]

I know this counts a heresy here, but in cleaning my garage I have come to the conclusion that in addition to too many unfinished projects (namely 4 box restos and the 3 wheeler that time forgot), I have entirely too many tools.

As of current, I've found the following that I was unaware I owned lying around:

14 crescent wrenches from various makers
6 pairs of Channelocks
4 pairs of Craftsman slip joints
2 1-1/8" spuds
2 18" Craftsman breaker bars
3 Pop rivet guns (2 Craftsman and a no-name)
2 battery chargers
4 cheapo 3/8 drive ratchets
1 complete Master Mechanic ½" drive set

I'm only about a third of the way done, so there's no telling what else may pop up. Anyone else have this issue?

 

[NinetyTwoFifty]

Short answer, yes.

 

[Nitsua552]

Just sell 10 of those crescent wrenches and you should be good.
Yes it happens all the time, you lose a tool, then need it for a project, once you buy another you find the original tool.

 

[franzdom]

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[Plombob]

Blasphemy! Heresy!

Well... excluding the cheapo rats.

 

[Outlawmws]

To the optimist the glass is half full, to the pessimist, half empty, and to the Engineer its the wrong sized glass...

You just need more space! (So do I...)

 

[tvfd911]

Blasphemy! Heresy!

Well... excluding the cheapo rats.

Hey now, I guess I fit in that category!

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

The one that's really got me is the ½" drive set - I don't know where in the hell it could have came from.

I'm also at the realization now that I own 3 Shop vacs and have enough 3/8" air hose to circle the house 3 times. I also own a brand new Craftsman ½" hammer drill that I don't remember buying.

 

[jim2664258]

Easily fixable. Sell off your excess and buy some new stuff. Nature abhors a vacuum, you know.

 

[canuckian]

I find stuff in the house all the time. I still have boxes still unpacked from my bachelor days and every time I open one I find some tools. Usually junk but I have found some good ones. I don't have that issue in the shop though. I've pretty much gone through everything and sorted it. Gave some away, threw some out and kept the others.

 

[Big Gus]

The one that's really got me is the ½" drive set - I don't know where in the hell it could have came from.

I'm also at the realization now that I own 3 Shop vacs and have enough 3/8" air hose to circle the house 3 times. I also own a brand new Craftsman ½" hammer drill that I don't remember buying.

I had the same thing happen once. When I quit as an auto tech, my tools sat idle for a year or so because I got a job that required extensive travel. Well fast forward a year or so, I was going through my box and found a brand new Snap-On FAR25A 1/4 air ratchet. For the life of me, I couldn't remember ever buying it. I did eventually find the receipt which showed I purchased the air ratchet about a month before I left the dealer. I don't remember buying it though, but I'm glad I did. That thing is handy as hell; better than the Mac I evidently meant to replace.

 

[dabirdguy]

When/AS you get older you will NEED that many so that you can find ONE.

 

[slip knot]

14 cresents aint too many. I got at least that many hanging on the side of my rollcab.

In fact it doesn't sound like you have too many tools at all, Mr Catskinner. no, no, It sounds like its an organizational issue here. Just get that thought of too many tools out of your mind and everything will be all right.

 

[TWX]

Eh, could be worse. I stopped going pawnshopping without a list because I have so many redundant sockets and combination wrenches. I always seem to lose 10mm sockets though, regardless of drive, depth, or point count.

Somehow I ended up with at least three, maybe four inexpensive caulking guns. I still don't know how that happened.

 

[98TJ]

Too many tools!

Impossible.

You should go ask your wife for your man card and turn it in.

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

Impossible.

You should go ask your wife for your man card and turn it in.

No wife, just an overwhelming lack of storage capability. I think after work tomorrow I'm going to hit the scrapyard and pick up the parts to make some decent shelving in there.

 

[Steevo]

I am confused.
What issue?

 

[8comm13]

When/AS you get older you will NEED that many so that you can find ONE.

This

 

[machine_punk]

Easily fixable. Sell off your excess and buy some new stuff. Nature abhors a vacuum, you know.

In this case, nature abhors 3 (shop) vacuums!

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

In this case, nature abhors 3 vacuums!

LOL!! that was good!!

 

[98TJ]

When/AS you get older you will NEED that many so that you can find ONE.

This

Get some tape measures while you're at it.

 

[Brad54]

It happens...
I've got so many duplicate tools it's not funny, but the majority of them have specific purpose.
Besides the two sets of wrenches in the tool box (full-polish pro wrenches and ratcheting wrenches) and a set of stubby ratchets, I have at least two of every size wrench on the wall, from 5/16 to 1 1/4. Most have three copies, while the commonly used ones like 7/16, 1/2, etc have 6-8.
This is so when I'm wrenching with friends or Boy Wonder, nobody has to wait for a tool, and everyone can quickly grab what they need.
I'm about to start building a second set of screwdrivers because it's become an issue.

Then I have the full set of tools in the Road Trip/Junkyard box.

And there's the small set of tools in the ammo can in the front trunk of the wife's Corvair (which I had to use twice this month! Sucked that I needed it, great that I had it).

So once all the bases are covered that way, I like to have specific hand tools kept with specific stationary shop equipment. I have a 3/4-inch ratcheting wrench on a hanger on the car rotisserie. It stays with the rotisserie.
I have a big adjustable in the welding tool box to change out bottles.
I have a screwdriver in the drill press tool box (keep bits, hole saws, etc. in it) to change the pilot bit on my holesaw arbors.
There's a 5/8-inch wrench in my 7-inch grinder box, to tighten wire cups.
12mm wrench and allen key on my horizontal band saw.

etc. etc.

All that said, this winter I went through the tool boxes and sorted out all the stuff I truly didn't need, and started hauling it to my swap meet.

-Brad