What to do with old/spare/left over/excess tools?

[takai]

From time to time i end up replacing whole sets of tools, usually spanners and sockets. But inevitably i have a bunch of perfectly usable tools left over from the shift.
I have previously been jamming them all in old tool bags for their eventual repurposing as weld ons, or bolt removers or custom tools, but is there anything else people do with them?

Especially looking at those of you who have millimeter perfect toolboxes

 

[killahog]

Do you have any young men in your family like nephews or son in laws that are not as well tooled up as you?. You could put together a small set for one of them it don't have to match or be perfect to be appreciated.

 

[lilscorpion]

Do you have any young men in your family like nephews or son in laws that are not as well tooled up as you?. You could put together a small set for one of them it don't have to match or be perfect to be appreciated.

My last toolbox wasn’t worth $100 on Craigslist so I put it in the basement and now all tools that I’ve “outgrown” I put them in the box. I’ll eventually offer it to my son when he’s ready.

Between now and then they’re still there if I need them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[engineer2]

I keep a few basic tools (screwdrivers, pliers, hammer) in drawers in other parts of the house.
Every car gets a bag of basic tools appropriate for that car stored with the spare tire.
I keep a bag of no-name tools for trips to the slavage yard.
Useless **** is given away or donated to charity.

 

[bczygan]

From time to time i end up replacing whole sets of tools, usually spanners and sockets. But inevitably i have a bunch of perfectly usable tools left over from the shift.
I have previously been jamming them all in old tool bags for their eventual repurposing as weld ons, or bolt removers or custom tools, but is there anything else people do with them?

Especially looking at those of you who have millimeter perfect toolboxes

Sounds like a plea for my mailing address....

Bill

 

[metalmagpie]

USE IT OR LOSE IT.

Donate it and be done.

I would never think of giving my son a box of junky old tools. If I'm going to give him something it's going to be good quality full set(s) all matched. Have some pride.

metalmagpie

 

[finn]

Donate them.

I’m sure you have local charities, like Habitat, that will sell them, at low cost, to raise money for local projects.

 

[crewchief888]

If the leftovers are truly junk, scrap them, or donate them to a thrift store.
I've put together several usable mix matched set of sockets, wrenches and toolboxes and have given them to a friend, and my stepson.

I have tools scattered around in the house for various quick fixes/repairs.

 

[sberry]

I have them in the basement out of the way. I am also all for giving young ones the cheaper left over stuff, no point in giving heirlooms to sprouts. I pulled a socket set together the other day for another location that was short.

 

[SGKent]

we had a cheap set that fell into the family via a death. Fortunately a craftsman who was doing some carpet work for us mentioned that someone had stolen all his tools from his truck so we donated them to him and saved his business because he was close to broke when the 2008- 2009 recession began. There are always opportunities to help others with them. Maybe a friend of a son or daughter who is just getting started on their own. It is unfortunate but used tools often aren't even worth their weight in steel and iron.

 

[ZipSnafu]

I put together sets of tools in older boxes and give them to needy friends or their sons. That way they can use them, and I feel good about helping them out.

 

[ItsNemo]

USE IT OR LOSE IT.

Donate it and be done.

I would never think of giving my son a box of junky old tools. If I'm going to give him something it's going to be good quality full set(s) all matched. Have some pride.

metalmagpie

A lot of kids got their start (myself included) with hand me down mis matched tools from family members. As a kid, I absolutely loved when my grandpa or uncle or anyone simply gave me "real" tools even if they were absolute junk. Pride? How about humility first?

 

[crewchief888]

A lot of kids got their start (myself included) with hand me down mis matched tools from family members. As a kid, I absolutely loved when my grandpa or uncle or anyone simply gave me "real" tools even if they were absolute junk. Pride? How about humility first?

 

[kbs2244]

I have been creating job specific tool boxes for some time.
"Grab and go"
The right kind and sized wrenches, screwdrivers. etc.
Most are filled with left over tools.

 

[Gmonkee]

My wrenches at work look like a swap meet .25 each pickins.

All good quality if rough looking stuff I use daily without fails or shame. Pride is job done right and those old brown wrenches are humble.

I have the bling at home in storage. Replacing two of those costs more than the entire work kit. I just gave a nephew my matched wrench set of s middle range that had been in the work kit. Those turn bolts equally well but were not 'fun' like the mixed Euro style kit is.

 

[BDT/NWMN]

I ask one of My Kids if they could use a tool box, but don't mention that it will be delivered full.
For some unknown reason, Their tool sets often receive upgrades shortly after Mine do.

 

[jeepinerdeep]

I'm doing this right now. I have a few "sell" items I'll list here. Like $50 min.

The nice stuff I'll just get peanuts and aggravated for I am sitting aside and putting them in a little CM 4 drawer box. I am going to give the box and tools to an old friends twin boys. He is older than me by like 10 years and treated my real nice as a teenager interested in trucks. I'll just pay it a little forward.

 

[37ford4dr]

well the odds and ends of good quality stuff like snap on I put on ebay and what ever i get for it it is good enough.

I have filled my kids tools boxes up,

and now I have been looking for a needy kid because I have some extras.

 

[RWorth]

I have 3 sons, and 3 grand sons, I don't understand your problem.

 

[jonshonda]

The tools I am replacing are typically either worn out or are cheap junk. They either go to my basement shop (if I don't currently have that tool) or in the recycle bin.

 

[takai]

Yeah, my son is only 4, he is happy enough with his basic tool set i put together for him already. Reckon ill keep just jamming it in the old Milwaukee bag to keep for random projects.

 

[mfewtrail]

Keeping some to use as "loaner" tools is another option if you have anyone that borrows tools from you on occasion.

 

[Jon_E]

Really nice to have small bags of tools in different locations in case you need something quick. Esp. things like pliers, crescent wrenches, small hammers, utility knife, tape, etc. I keep tools in my wood shed, in my garden shed, my basement, my kitchen, in my truck and on my tractor.

 

[ishiboo]

I put together sets of tools in older boxes and give them to needy friends or their sons. That way they can use them, and I feel good about helping them out.

I did this for my mom and my girlfriends mom. Now when I go over to fix something there are decent, basic tools there.

 

[GTFiero]

Give them to the neighbor kid.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd double/triple check that you have what you need for various locations.

After that is done, either hand them off to a family member or neighbor that will appreciate them.

Extras at work to loan out ?

 

[takai]

Extras at work to loan out ?

I work at a university. Most of my colleagues will happily admit that they have no use for tools.

 

[brownbagg]

i got a five gallon bucket

 

[jd_1138]

It's fun to make up sets of basics for the young people in your life. Cheap tools are better than NO tools. Donate them perhaps if there are no young people in your life.

I have 3 full sets -- garage, garden shed, boot of my car (almost complete set).

 

[RWorth]

The tools I am replacing are typically either worn out or are cheap junk. They either go to my basement shop (if I don't currently have that tool) or in the recycle bin.

If you bought a tool to replace one that was warn out, or a poor design, I would send that right to the metal pile. A bad tool is more aggravation than no tool.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I work at a university. Most of my colleagues will happily admit that they have no use for tools.

Well I suppose that it would depend on what you do at work.. if you work in an office, you might have less of a reason for tools than someone else that does skilled labor.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

Well I suppose that it would depend on what you do at work.. if you work in an office, you might have less of a reason for tools than someone else that does skilled labor.

I'm probably the only person in my office of 200 that has a multi-bit screwdriver and a leatherman in my desk. I've adjusted cabinet hinges and actually brought in hex keys to tighten a door handle and other things in the prior building because they irritated me.

Jim

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm probably the only person in my office of 200 that has a multi-bit screwdriver and a leatherman in my desk. I've adjusted cabinet hinges and actually brought in hex keys to tighten a door handle and other things in the prior building because they irritated me.

Jim

I have no doubt that members of GJ that work in offices have more tools in their desks than the average office worker.


As a matter of fact, I bet my wife has more tools in her office than what an average office worker has.

 

[Pen & Wrench]

I used to keep tools at the office too, and it was always easier than using the collection of tools the office accumulated over the years. I was always the go to person to fix things or put new stuff together. I almost always kept a spare Leatherman in my computer bag too.

 

[P Dubya]

A lot of kids got their start (myself included) with hand me down mis matched tools from family members. As a kid, I absolutely loved when my grandpa or uncle or anyone simply gave me "real" tools even if they were absolute junk. Pride? How about humility first?

This... My most prized are those mismatches that happened to be my Dad and Grandads....

 

[Bear]

USE IT OR LOSE IT.

Donate it and be done.

I would never think of giving my son a box of junky old tools. If I'm going to give him something it's going to be good quality full set(s) all matched. Have some pride.

metalmagpie

Sorry, ain't no way I'm buying Snapon for the Son-in-law

 

[Gurp]

Sell some of them right here on GJ!