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Too many tools

gibbon_guy

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Apr 11, 2008
Messages
435
Location
Redmond, WA
A guy that works for me has too many tools. He can't find stuff he claims he has. He has multiples of everything, supposedly. Don't buy too many tools or duplicates. KISS.
 
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jim1987

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Feb 16, 2014
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3,582
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Ohio
I'll help him out. Have him send them to me, and I'll make good use of them. Lol

Often times its not.too many tools, its all about organization. However you need or want to do it. Doesn't matter no one else can find what you need, but if you can find your own **** in your own mess, your good. If not, well refer to above. Lol
 

Filson

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Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Messages
1,218
Location
NE WA
A guy that works for me has too many tools. He can't find stuff he claims he has. He has multiples of everything, supposedly. Don't buy too many tools or duplicates. KISS.

:headscrat:dunno: I don't understand this concept...

Honestly though - sounds like an organization problem, more than anything else.
 

chevyguy377

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Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Messages
91
My wife keeps saying I have too many tools
I tell her she has more ***** fits then I have tools
 

chevyguy377

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Joined
Oct 6, 2012
Messages
91
I have a really soft couch lol
I'd leave her but I hear it's cheaper to keep
Her around
 

Parabellum

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Joined
Mar 6, 2014
Messages
888
Report him to State Child Protection and refer to his tools as "Children" and petition for you to take custody of his "Children" aka tools!
 

Kracin

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Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
1,666
Location
Omaha, NE
why doesn't this guy with too many tools, purchase a tool box for his duplicates, that way he can have a main set, and then reach for a dupe when he loses the main one somewhere??? you'd think a guy that buys too many tools would buy too many boxes as well.
 

colin39

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Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Messages
1,498
There is no such thing as to many tools, how ever there is such a thing as BAD ORGANISATION!!!
 

greasemonkey44

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Joined
Mar 30, 2011
Messages
1,625
Location
memphis
He needs better organizational skills
I have 3 sets of metric combo wrenches, 4 sets short and deep metric 3/8 sockets, 3-4 sets 1/4 short and deep sockets
I work in a busy shop with 3 cars going at the same time and a lube guy with no tools



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egnorant

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May 2, 2012
Messages
1,805
Location
East Texas
Too many tools is a real thing! I am probably the poster boy!
As I work on my tool organization I have to make choices and as a tool junkie it is hard.
My current focus is wrenches and was able to get my front line set and a backup simply enough. The problem occurred when I realize that I have 4 complete sets of good V series Craftsman from 1" to 1/4" combo wrenches...could have 2 more but haven't found the 7/16" wrench for these. (Well I have found one of them but the box end is cracked and it works perfect for Austin Healey A engines when you are adjusting the rockers, a weekly process).

Now I still have the dilemma of the sets of Snap On, Thorsen, Proto, Most of a Bluepoint, Master Mechanic, Wright, Mac, Tatools, and others. My first impulse is to find the correct brand for the few missing wrenches, but I must resist and often just fill the gap with a good orphan wrench. For now I have hijacked 2 big cantilever tool boxes (Kennedy and a crown top Craftsman)for the excess sets that are zip tied together.

Once I include the no name, off brand orphan and various good clumps of foreign wrenches it is a chore. And this is just SAE combination wrenches!

Now this does not include ratcheting wrenches, double box end, slim, double open ended, peculiar offsets, vintage stuff, above 1 inch or below 1/4 inch.
I was really hoping to get a good list on here for folks looking to complete sets from my excess, but it just takes a while to organize.

If the tech with too many tools is causing you grief, offer to help him organize and maybe buy some of his extras to flesh out your hoard. His woes are not your problem unless you make it your problem.

My Dad gave me 3 methods of dealing with problems:
1. Get used to it!
2. Fix it!
3. Get away from it!

Now that you have posted your cautionary rant about your co-worker, what is your plan?

Bruce
 

cburnscrx

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Joined
Jan 15, 2013
Messages
1,751
Location
Indianapolis
I've wondered about this myself to be honest...

In just combo wrenches I have...

Set of Craftsman Professional USA including large sizes in MM and SAE
Set of Craftsman raised panel USA 12pt (minus really big sizes) in MM and SAE
Set of Craftsman raised panel USA 6pt (all sizes made) in MM and SAE
Set of Craftsman raised panel USA 12pt in MM and SAE (travel kit)
Set of Pittsburg full polish in MM and SAE (former travel kit)
Set of Husky full polish in MM and SAE (junkyard kit)

I probably could get by with a Craftsman RP for a travel/junkyard set and Craftsman Pro's for home...I think I have about 4 sets too many. Oh well, it's hard to get rid of the Craftsman USA's because they're never coming back and once they're gone, they're gone. The Pittsburgh set isn't worth anything so why bother, and the Husky set cost $15, so it seems kind of dumb to eliminate it.
 

-Brent-

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Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
4,709
Location
Utah
Things should be easier to find when you have multiples! :D

The reason he likely has "too many" tools is because he's unorganized (already mentioned) and buying stuff when he cannot find what he has.

Direct him to the Garage Journal, we'll take care of him!

I do believe you can have too many of certain items and not enough of others.
 

MichaelUser

Active member
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
40
Location
Fullerton, Ca
My brother and I have a rule at Christmas or Birthdays; If you can't figure what to buy then get me clamp, you can never have enough clamps.
 

crewchief888

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Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
13,736
Location
NW indiana
Things should be easier to find when you have multiples! :D

The reason he likely has "too many" tools is because he's unorganized (already mentioned) and buying stuff when he cannot find what he has.

or he's full of sh*t....

had a co-worker like that, he'd break some no name POS tool, "oh well i'll just grab my SO, matco, mac set from home"

the next day he'd show up with a bag from HF and try to hide it from everyone.
:spit:


:beer:
 

nicksnothereman

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Joined
Oct 19, 2013
Messages
3,608
Location
In the Mojave
you'd think a guy that buys too many tools would buy too many boxes as well.

Nah. That's what beer boxes are for.:lol

It can get pretty bad with me especially when it comes to say clothes or dvds (or anything else that isn't beer). Stuff'll get lot for years then I'll find it; it's like a treasure hunt! I'm still looking for my bates boots, not sure where I hid them. Those were good boots!:sad: If I don't use it right away it's at a 75% chance I won't find it for a while unless I leave it out in the open.
 

abvw

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Joined
Apr 9, 2012
Messages
645
Location
Toronto, Canada
My boss has eighteen 11mm (and 7/16) wrenches, but only one 10mm (similar case for sockets as well). My first month working with him from scratch I had to dig through a service cart full of wrenches and another one for sockets. I got fed up of looking for the elusive 10mm I broke down and bought my own tools.
 

Revere Cycles

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Joined
Jul 21, 2012
Messages
242
Location
Rochester, NY
My dad is this way, he has multiples of a lot of things and I have a feeling it is because he either loses them or forgets what he has. His shop has been disorganized for as long as I can remember. Oddly enough, he is very active and productive, he just is not very good with putting his toys away. He also does not have a dedicated tool box or roller cab, which I think could be helpful if it were the right size. (Probably something in the neighborhood of two 72" rollers would do.)

I'm the same in regards to having multiples, but I am a bit more organized. I may have three or four of a specific tool, but they live in different places. I have a few sets of wrenches in the shop, another for the car, a set for home, and others in my junk yard bag. Since most of my tools are kept in my shop which is on the other side of town, I found it easier to make smaller "kits" for convenience sake. That alone has saved me 30 minutes to an hour on some jobs, and all that time really adds up over the years!

Last night, I had a little OCD moment where I had to go through all my drawers and take "inventory." If anything, I am running into a storage problem, where I constantly want better ways of organizing and storing my tools. The boxes and cabinets I picked up a few years ago no longer serve the same purpose as my collection has grown. They're either too small, or just not quite right for some of my newest acquisitions. Also, my pegboard stations that were once convenient, are now obscured by some of my recent power tool hauls (band saw, combination sander, grinder, etc) which makes reaching them a pain. But that's the ebb and flow of these things, you grow into and out of stuff all the time.

I hope your employee eventually learns the impact his disorganization has on his work performance. Some people never get it, but others need to fall on their face before they discover a system that works for them.
 
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