Tool inventory

[iamhomeless]

Over the weekend I set out to clean up and organize the garage in preparation of redoing and finishing the shop this fall.

While I was sorting and cleaning my socket drawer, I was amazed by how many duplicates I have, especially of different brands. So i started taking down an inventory of everything. After an hour I made it through my ratchets, breakers, extensions, and adapters.

As of now I am writing it down on a shop pad and will eventually build a spreadsheet that can be updated, or that I can give to my insurance rep in case the worst happens, and so I can sort and list what I have and better plan what I "need"

Have any of you guys done something like this? Do you keep it updated? Are there columns and data you wish you had included? Or am I just wasting my time?

 

[Rewind97]

I think it's a great idea.........I'm just too lazy to do it myself.

 

[LB-1911]

Your not the only one doing it.



Sockets Tracking Lists
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2805028


Tool inventory Software
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317473


Tool inventory sheets for insurance
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311918

 

[lazer50]

I need to do this too i have 4 tool boxes 2 m achinest top and bottoms those are full of starret tools i have two industrial desks with locking doors and those are full of boxes of tools i used at jobs i dont use anymore like large armstrong plumb and various combo wrenches.tons of huge allen wrenches and allen sockets etc.i have buckets of duplicate sockets and no never will get rid of.but have tha attitude i won't get robbed.so i need to inventory as well.

 

[iamhomeless]

Man, the guys taking pictures of the drawers every month, have me jelly. I would need a much bigger box to be able to tell the difference between anything.

 

[iamhomeless]

I need to do this too i have 4 tool boxes 2 m achinest top and bottoms those are full of starret tools i have two industrial desks with locking doors and those are full of boxes of tools i used at jobs i dont use anymore like large armstrong plumb and various combo wrenches.tons of huge allen wrenches and allen sockets etc.i have buckets of duplicate sockets and no never will get rid of.but have tha attitude i won't get robbed.so i need to inventory as well.

I was organizing my stuff and asked myself, "how many ¼ drive 19mm sockets do I need?"

I sold a bunch of my truck brand stuff several years ago when I stopped spinning wrenches. Now I am annoyed that I only have a few matched sets. So hopefully after the inventory I can figure out what I "need" and can sell off what I don't "need"

 

[sscsjtcs]

I've done an excel spreadsheet to track hand tools. I've got the app on my phone and store the file in my dropbox account. That way, I can change it from my phone or any computer and have it updated.

I list size, manufacturer, number of points (6 point, etc.), qty, drive size (1/4, 3/8 1/2) and have a description column. They are grouped by SAE, Metric, Standard, Deep, Ratcheting (wrenches), etc. The system kind of developed as I went along.

I started doing it when I was building my tool collecting and could keep up with the gaps in my wrenches and sockets.

 

[iamhomeless]

Just got off the phone with my insurance agent.

He told me that an inventory with model numbers is the way to go. And for my vintage and antique tools that can't be replaced with new items, to document then the best I can and if they don't have numbers,take a picture.

He said as long as they have document to figure out replacement cost from, they are happy, and to keep it somewhere secure and updated.

Sadly he did inform me that my theft limit is only $10k, but fire or other calamities just roll into my overall replacement, and that Allstate does not offer separate tool riders.

So when I redo the garage I guess I should beef up security.

As an aside, when talking about my reno plan, he said, do it to code, and tell me what you want for rebuild coverage. He also told me that 70% of the cost of insurance is the roof, so adding a sprinkler or a security system or shatter proof windows won't make a difference, and the only real way to lower my costs is to install a metal roof.

 

[James9]

Nobody is going to ask about how you have a garage and tools if you're homeless? haha jk

 

[ken w.]

I've tried to inventory my tools a few times and find it overwhelming. As most of my sets are Snap On with some others mixed in to fill some blanks. I have my main tool box and my home box. Now that both sets are now home I have a lot of duplicates as well as 2 road boxes. I think I'll have my girlfriend do this for me.

 

[MrElectric03]

Always a good idea if you can spend the time. At my previous job all of my tooling was on a service truck and we kept inventory incase the trucks were broken into or stolen so most of mine already are. Our sheets had us list a description, brand, part number, and current pricing.

 

[iamhomeless]

Nobody is going to ask about how you have a garage and tools if you're homeless? haha jk

For a long time, spending money on tools and car parts was far more important than rent. I actually lived in he mezzanine of a few of the shops I worked at over the years. There were a few times where I had my tools set up at the shop and I would just paratroop it for a few months, or crash in the car.

For the first chunk of my career I was mainly working for small speed shops or fab outfits, so I was moving around a lot. Get a place hoppin, make some bank, and when someone else called and offered more money, I moved. Startups tend to take a lot of hours and you also have to build a community with your customers, so you end up living and breathing the job, which meant i wasnt spending much of my bank roll and I was living like I as poor.


But we all have to grow up sometime, and a girl and a baby have a way of settling a man. So now I work for Corporate America and got dental and a house.

 

[DCarr2]

buy a digital camera, upload to a private photobucket page, and be done with it. I moved my entire shop and the idea of inventoring everything would take YEARS

 

[justanengineer]

Nope, never have inventoried it all and never will as it would take weeks and be rather pointless IMHO. I do go through drawers and cabinets regularly however and about once monthly SWMBO sells a bucket of random duplicates along with the bucket of junk tools that rode the coattails of better tools home from the auctions and fleas.

Regarding insurance, separate agreed-value policies for major items like your house, toys, and tools are a much better choice IMHO for most things than the usual **** all-encompassing policies agents sell. $50k coverage on my tools and machines is something like $12/month and covers regardless if theyre in the garage or a shipping container from the latest move.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

I was organizing my stuff and asked myself, "how many ¼ drive 19mm sockets do I need?"

I sold a bunch of my truck brand stuff several years ago when I stopped spinning wrenches. Now I am annoyed that I only have a few matched sets. So hopefully after the inventory I can figure out what I "need" and can sell off what I don't "need"

I did this a while ago, and got the Westling trays to organize what I kept. It's been liberating to have just what I need and know where to find it. I only kept doubles of common sizes. Did the same thing with wrenches, but made sure I have two sets of everything (within reason).

 

[cliftonbros89]

My agent told me just to keep track of receipts. I was already taking pictures of everything I had as well. He said that was a good idea too. But I still intend to have a detailed list of everything. Just in case. With a box in the shop and one in both trucks it's a lot to keep track of. It's all covered for accidents and theft.

 

[Catadj78]

pictures are just fine if you have a loss. Receipts are great but do they prove you had the item like a picture does?

Remember it is the insurances decision to clean/repair vs replace.

 

[RWorth]

I can't inventory mine, I only have a 2 terabyte hard drive.

 

[iamhomeless]

I can't inventory mine, I only have a 2 terabyte hard drive.

I've never seen an excel sheet that big, and I've poured through the data that dynes spit out after 2000 hour tests.

 

[iamhomeless]

pictures are just fine if you have a loss. Receipts are great but do they prove you had the item like a picture does?

Remember it is the insurances decision to clean/repair vs replace.

That's why I called my agent and asked what he wanted. Turns out a list with part/model numbers is all he cares about. Which makes me happy, since writing the info down and then entering it into excel is way faster than putting each tool in a light box, making sure the numbers are in focus, downloading, naming, and archiving the pictures.

 

[Catadj78]

That's why I called my agent and asked what he wanted. Turns out a list with part/model numbers is all he cares about. Which makes me happy, since writing the info down and then entering it into excel is way faster than putting each tool in a light box, making sure the numbers are in focus, downloading, naming, and archiving the pictures.

The agent has nothing to do with it. He just sells you the policy, the adjuster is who you will deal with if you have a loss.

Pictures are better than a spreadsheet. You can put anything you want on a spreadsheet but a picture shows it was actually there.

Some adjusters are easier going than others. I'm easy going but a spreadsheet with expensive items and no pictures makes you think sometimes. Help the adjuster help you.

 

[555]

I'm in the process of doing the same thing while I'm cleaning and organizing my tool collection. I am collecting like items, cleaning, adding them to the inventory list and securing them in some type of container or tool roll.