tool sharing

[explorer717]

The company I work for wants the maintenace mechanics to consider sharing tools and tool boxes. They want to create 'common use' tool boxes to leave out on the factory floor. Comments?? Stupid?? Cool??

 

[sdguy55]

Um...sure if they pay for all the tools.

 

[wornoutoldman]

Um...sure if they pay for all the tools.

What he said.

 

[Squints]

The only problem I could see is tools not getting put away or lost etc.... Nobody seems to care about tools that aren't theirs....

 

[2oolhound]

Sounds awful messy to me unless they are supplying all the tools.

 

[2fat2fly]

The company I work for wants the maintenace mechanics to consider sharing tools and tool boxes. They want to create 'common use' tool boxes to leave out on the factory floor. Comments?? Stupid?? Cool??

We used to have a common use tool box at work. This was in addition to your own toolbox. I found that was a bad idea. The specialty tools I needed always seemed to be in use with someone else. The few specialty tools I didn't have I went ahead and bought so I could get my projects done on time.

 

[caseyjw]

NO!!!!

No accountability for the care and maintenance of the tools
No accountability for organization (unless tool control measures are instituted, which can take a lot of time and money, and then you have to re-do it if you add one tool)

Not to mention what if you need a multimeter and the guy is across the plant with it?

All 'common use' tool boxes I've ever seen get pieced out in a matter of months and the tools get reduced to a near-unusable condition.

Bad idea... professional techs need their own tools... nuff said.

but then again - maybe you work at a company that's different from mine - but I furnish all my own tools in my own locked toolbox.

 

[jjjrmx5]

I;ve seen printing companies try and do it with either a shadowed box or a sign-in and sign-out on the honor system for those that need to change press blankets,plates, etc. with a limited and focused tool alotment set but it seldom works.

If turnover is low, two or maybe three can share a simple service cart as long as tool accounting is done each day or at each shift. Lot's of work time lost in that tho.

All in all, unless the co. buys the tools, you have a manned tool crib with accountability or it's a BYOT and box setup, it seldom works.

For floor mfgr. where bigger tools or air tools are used, it's hard for them to go bye-bye. For hand tools, unless you buy stuff so ****** nobody wants to steal it (thus creating a bigger problem), it's a tough system to police.

 

[davesnothere]

I worked at a shop that had a couple company use tools, one of them being an impact wrench solely for tire service - quicky rotations, repair, whatever. It was so bad one guy donated his beat up old snappy and bought a new IR. I went and bought a mg725.

I like using the best stuff I can, and if that's what the company is willing to provide, and plenty of it for everyone, that would be awesome. If not, I would rather buy, and use, my own.

 

[Ign]

Yeah, bad idea. When I was in school (and I maintain that "adults" won't be any better than "kids" in a trade school) we had to go to a tool room monitor and people signing out tools. Even then, it was a PITA and inevitably someone claims they turned in the tool and the monitor got it wrong.

also x2 on specialty stuff always being gone when you need it. I bought my own parallels, knurling tool, boring head, coax, etc. It was the only way to get things done effeciently.

Your description of "common use" tool boxes makes me think of Communism. The USSR would be proud! See if your company will just let you live in on-site housing and keep your paycheck in exchange for providing your housing, clothing and meals.

 

[explorer717]

I hope there are more of you out there who will keep these great comments coming. I posted because I am trying to collect proof it's not just me that thinks the 'common hand tool' box is a bad idea. I have been in maintenace for 35 years. With this company only 4. They keep coming up with the most ridiculous ideas and this one took the cake.

By the way:
1st, Tools are like personal extensions of your hand. They are like your guns, fishing poles, truck, and wife. You don't loan them out or give them away. The right tools cost a lot of money. Tools are a personality. Take away personal tools and you may as well cut off my hands.

2nd, Tools are how you maintain 'job security'. There are jobs I have had that if I didn't have the right tools and all the tools to do the job I would have lost my job. Doing a job right is a reflection of your desire to keep your job. If you can't do the job for whatever reason it says you are not capable of doing the job. And they get rid of you!! You are not an asset to the company if you can't to what you were hired to do.
EVERY place I ever worked the tools kept me the job. No matter how experienced I am to do a job I can't do it, or at least do it right, without the tools.

3rd, I can say with a certainty that probably 9 out 10 times that I have loaned out a tool either, a. I never got it back, b. it came back broke,
or c. I needed it within minutes to do my own job. Sometimes you can't have too many tools.

4th, When people can use a company tool and are not directly responsible to pay for it if it is lost or broken, then that's what will happen, they get lost and broken. When we are responsible for our own tools, at cost, to replace that tool then we take better care of them and prevent their loss as much as possible. It is common knowledge that most people do not give a **** about something they don't have to pay for.

 

[geologist]

Sharing tools is a horrible idea. WHEN (not "if") someone breaks something, misplaces or walks off with a tool, everyone suffers.

 

[shoturtle]

It works in asia, but does not work here as well. It is a different mentality to shear tools. I did work for a company that did it. And it work ok. The lead guy is in charge of the box, and the techs had their smaller box with their personal tool. And the lead was responsible for the company tools. There was 2 of every speciality tool split between a team. This is more common in the tech sector, as the speciality tools can go upto 40k.

 

[ActAppalled]

We have a shared tool crib where I work that has large wrenches, grinders, air tools, porta powers, etc. In the industrial maintenance field, it's almost a must. Not many people have wrenches up to 2 5/8" and 1" impact wrenches. All power tools are provided by the company and shared among the crews. Like shoturtle stated, we have plenty of precision instruments like laser alignment equipment and combustion analyzing tools that I wouldn't want to pay for. Honestly, my personal tools at work are pretty basic and most of them fit in to a small three drawer box that I take with me to the job.

 

[vintagefan]

We do this at my company to "save money", and each tech spends at least one hour per eight hour day looking for tools that havent been put back, attempting to find someone to ***** at for not putting the tools back, or attempting to find someone to ***** at for putting back a broken tool without telling anyone for fear of getting in trouble.

Its an absolute disaster in every possible way, and causes all of the techs to constanly be at odds with each other. Every day at work is just a big finger-pointing party.

 

[84scrambler]

We share tools at my work. It seems to work really well but we are not a mechanic shop or anything like that. I share with 3 other engineers and I keep an open door policy with everybody else, after all work paid for them so they need to be available for everyone to use. I think the best feature is having the tools shadow boxed which we have done. I also make a point every week or so to do a round of checking for any runaways. I probably have about 4k worth of tools and over the past two years have lost 1 small set of side cutters.

 

[shoturtle]

It is different mentality, I don't think the mechanic mentality will work for a company work box.

But on major construction sites, like ground zero for instant. It is a very common practice. Those electric bolt driver for securing the metal I beams are super expensive and are provided by the company and allot of the metal workers use company tools for most of the work. Everyone have their basic hand tools. But when you are talking about 10k for a high power bolt driver or plasma welder. You have no choice but to sear tools, and some one is in charge of those boxes. And things are accounted for. And basic wrenches in the ranges of 2 inches and up are pretty expensive as well. And allot of times it take 2 guys to work with those mega wrenches. Shearing tools is a common practice in major job sites.

But it seems like industries that work in teams are better able to deal with shearing vs industries that have guys work on their own.

 

[metaldad]

I'm on a construction job. Combining service fitters and construction fitters usually doesn't mix well (different philosophies). There are the contents of 4 trucks on the job. Tools (hand and power) are scattered everywhere. I'm **** about my gear, almost compulsive (some of that inherited from here). So far, just a coupla hand tools have been misplaced. I'm sure they'll turn up at the end of the job.

 

[wreckercologist]

Sounds like an idea thought up by people who have never had dirt on their hands before.

 

[KPSquared]

WHS

This seems like just another failure by an incompetent bureaucracy who's never actually done any "work" before.

Great idea on paper. . .as long as you never involve people, it will work fine.

I guys it depends on the job though. If you're professional service techs in any industry, you need your own tools, no questions asked. If it's just a bunch a unskilled monkeys running around trying to accomplish a task, the shared box will work great until it's half empty, full of broken tools, and no one is taking the blame.

Good luck. . .

 

[sdguy55]

It is different mentality, I don't think the mechanic mentality will work for a company work box.

But on major construction sites, like ground zero for instant. It is a very common practice. Those electric bolt driver for securing the metal I beams are super expensive and are provided by the company and allot of the metal workers use company tools for most of the work. Everyone have their basic hand tools. But when you are talking about 10k for a high power bolt driver or plasma welder. You have no choice but to sear tools, and some one is in charge of those boxes. And things are accounted for. And basic wrenches in the ranges of 2 inches and up are pretty expensive as well. And allot of times it take 2 guys to work with those mega wrenches. Shearing tools is a common practice in major job sites.

But it seems like industries that work in teams are better able to deal with shearing vs industries that have guys work on their own.

Im sorry im not a grammar nazi or anything but its SHARING not SHEARING

 

[Stuart in MN]

Sounds like an idea thought up by people who have never had dirt on their hands before.

WHSThis seems like just another failure by an incompetent bureaucracy who's never actually done any "work" before.

Don't make this into a class warfare thing...it has more to do with personal responsibility than anything else. If people are willing to sign tools out, take care of them when they're using them, and return them when they're done it will work, if they aren't it won't.

I work for an engineering firm, and we have a signout system for test equipment, laptops, digital cameras, and other specialty equipment that get used out in the field. It works pretty well for the most part, but every so often the guy who runs the system still has to remind people to return stuff when they're done using it.

 

[0.511MeV]

It can work, but it takes the right circumstances. Last place I worked, we had a repair shop onsite with scopes, frequency counters, multimeters, etc and plenty of hand tools so we could get our gear back up and running. Since we brought gear into the shop, there was really no where for the tools to run off. We were also a very small group, about 10 people.

The other way I've seen it work is if you do a lot of high contamination or damage risk type work. No one wants to risk scrapping hundreds of dollars of personal tools because they've been contaminated. Company tools are a must and get priced into the work.

 

[shoturtle]

Im sorry im not a grammar nazi or anything but its SHARING not SHEARING

At 2am I stop thinking at time. . Ps I am not German, American living Germany

 

[muibubbles]

absurd!!! There are 3 things I dont share in life: Food, Women, and Tools!!!!

 

[wreckercologist]

Don't make this into a class warfare thing...it has more to do with personal responsibility than anything else. If people are willing to sign tools out, take care of them when they're using them, and return them when they're done it will work, if they aren't it won't.

I work for an engineering firm, and we have a signout system for test equipment, laptops, digital cameras, and other specialty equipment that get used out in the field. It works pretty well for the most part, but every so often the guy who runs the system still has to remind people to return stuff when they're done using it.

A person with a college education can never have that taken away or stolen. My tools are another matter.

In my personal experience, the folks that are most for tool loaning or tool sharing, are the same folks that do not own any tools.

 

[Ign]

In my personal experience, the folks that are most for tool loaning or tool sharing, are the same folks that do not own any tools.

Well said!

Why is it about "class" warfare? If anything it's about those who just think up ideas at a desk vs those who have to actually work with those ideas. That's not class, it's just job title.

 

[Mugen AP1]

Sounds like an idea thought up by people who have never had dirt on their hands before.

Exactly

 

[KPSquared]

It's not about class warfare. . . It's just the facts. It "can" work, but so can communism. It's always the people involved in executing the theory that makes it fail. Sure, if you've got a bunch of responsible, perfect employees, this sort of thing can work. Most employers aren't ignorant enough to think they have perfect employees. . .

 

[clark_nicholas]

The company provides power tools saws, drills, and such. The biggest problem we have no one lets our foreman know when bit, blades are bad. I even used our hole saw kit after the shop foreman and he left the bits full of the **** he was drilling

 

[gatewaysysop]

Sharing tools is a horrible idea. WHEN (not "if") someone breaks something, misplaces or walks off with a tool, everyone suffers.

This has been my experience as well, not just with tools but with all kinds of shared equipment and other items where you have a 'team' environment. As has been pointed out, no accountability is only going to lead to problems, on top of having to share in the first place. Like most things, I bet it sounded good on paper, but in practice this is going to be a mess.

 

[Ratchet.]

Not a good idea imho even if its paid for by the company,if someone didn't buy it they prob wont give a damn how its looked after, ok for heavy duty or niche/specialist stuff (that SHOULD be buying, but for normal hand tools no way.

They kinda want this at my work, or rather that anyone can just go and borrow anyone's tools but uh no i didn't pay $1000's for my tools only for them to be misused by someone else, some guys might not care but i do (a sentiment shared with a few guys i work with)

The apprentices get their first tools kit and box free of charge from the company, and it shows as they get abused to hell, and i know that's how they would work with others tools if they werent given a bollocking, have had to many tools 'walk' that way (fell out with a guy last week after he borrowed my brand new knipex pliers (without asking) and left them lying on a tyre machine )

That and the fact they wont end up buying stuff which is required (seems few i work with even own a copper hammer, utility knife or even a wire brush....)



i don't mind loaning tools, as long as they come back in the state they went out in, ie clean and undamaged, my unwritten rule is ask for it more then 3 times you need to buy one (unless its a really expensive piece of kit i can forgive that a little)



oh and if there asking for you to pony up for the tools id say hell no

i could go on but yeah not a good idea

 

[Ratchet.]

you must work in a machine shop. the 3 times rule isn't unwritten its carved in a stone handed down by god

in a automotive garage actually but yeah i hear that, alas few seem to know it here

 

[jethro29]

the only way that would work is if the company supplied the box and tools.if not helllll no!

 

[wreckerman5357]

Don't make this into a class warfare thing...it has more to do with personal responsibility than anything else. If people are willing to sign tools out, take care of them when they're using them, and return them when they're done it will work, if they aren't it won't.

I work for an engineering firm, and we have a signout system for test equipment, laptops, digital cameras, and other specialty equipment that get used out in the field. It works pretty well for the most part, but every so often the guy who runs the system still has to remind people to return stuff when they're done using it.

A tech sharing tools with the restvof the shop is completely different than engineers sharing cameras and test equipment. There has been a lot of good points mentioned already as to how this ******** idea will not work, so I will just mention one thing. I am a bodyman and, when required, a painter. I cannot imagine getting my bodyhammers out of a communal box. I have a drawer of hammers that I use for different things, most bodymen do, however everyone has personal preferences. No way their could be enough hammers in that box to keep everyone happy. When I paint I use guns that are shop owns or our head painter's guns. They are well maintained and they get treated with respect. However there are only about 5 people that ever use them. Most of the time its one of two guys using them. If all five of us used them everyday I don't think it work.

 

[Jim C.]

I'm not a professional tech, and don't really use the type of tools on my job that I believe this thread is referring to. I do, however, use other "tools" specific to my job and many of them are shared with other guys who use them too. Based on the cost of this stuff everyone is pretty careful with it. I have found that guys tend to latch onto things, particularly the newer, higher tech stuff, and those things disappear from the common area where they are stored and supposed to be available to everyone. Then it's a matter of hunting around for the equipment and finding out who's decided to unofficially claim certain stuff as their own. It gets to the point where you actually have to ask them if you can "borrow" the equipment.

As for sharing tools in a more traditional setting, it doesn't sound like a good idea. Stuff gets broken, things disappear, no one claims responsibility, and it just seems like it would be a bad system.

Jim C.

 

[explorer717]

This post brought very very good responses from all of you. Especially from 2fat2fly, caseyjw, Ign, StevenBiars, vintagefan, wreckercologist, kpsquared, muibubbles, MugenAP1, gtlaw, gatewaysysop, Ratchet, wreckerman5357,

 

[Alchymist]

Only know of two ways to supply tools:
1) Each person has own personal tools and box; no or little loaning
2) Company supplies each individual with box and tools needed; employee accountable for all tools.

Any other organizing is fraught with problems. Note that the real expensive tools should be company supplied.....but for common hand tools the above applies.

 

[explorer717]

And, I am sorry, it is class warfare. Idiots behind a desk thinking they will save money versus the guy with the dirt on his hands actually saving the company real money. And usually the idiots are too pompous to ask a maintenace tech his opinion.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I wouldnt be for it, too much traffic in and out of one box just ends with things being lost. I agree that no one seems to care if its not theirs.