toolboxes

[NWHTanK]

Also with a limited amount of circumstances avail. The air compressor and dryer share the same circuit, and that comes down to simple priority usage. I did put in a 220 circuit to the garage for a mig welder.

 

[jinscho]

I second LED bulbs. I went with GE "Daylight" bulbs and it's VERY bright. I also installed a Honeywell LED hanging light over the new section of the workbench, that thing is obnoxiously bright..

My next project is to get the 220 outlet downstairs where I need it. I have a couple weeks since the Harbor Freight Titanium series welders are all a special order item at the moment (I'm a novice welder and they had great overall reviews). I swear I spend more time in the garage than I do in the house lately... and that's not a complaint

 

[pauleyman]

The best investment I did and requires the least amount of amps was to convert to led lighting.They are brighter and less power usage than it replaced. The garage is on the same circuit as the kitchen. So throw in lights on in both, dishwasher,microwave,frigerator, stereo,then throw in a corded tool and install pop would acure. So led for the win...

That was one thing I did. I upped the breaker panel and everything in the garage was on its own circuits. No outlets shared and I had multiple circuits. If I wanted i could turn on several high Amp tools at once and the compressor etc and it was no big deal.
220s had two separate circuits also. New owner couldn't care one bit.

 

[Ludachris]

Back when I was toolbox shopping I was limited by budget and space. I ended up going with the Harbor Freight 26" toolbox set - US General brand. It's not a bad unit, certainly better quality than the low-end Craftsman box I was replacing (the drawers failed). It's obviously not a high end storage unit but I haven't had any issues with it in the 5+ years I've had it. Of course, soft close drawers would be really nice, but those are just champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

This is the newer version of the one I have:

https://www.harborfreight.com/merch...-in-single-bank-red-roller-cabinet-64162.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/merch...al/26-in-single-bank-red-top-chest-64160.html

If you go with these toolboxes you'll want to replace the drawer liners with something better, as the tools slide around a lot with the liner that comes with it. That's really been the only real complaint I've had.

 

[jinscho]

Back when I was toolbox shopping I was limited by budget and space. I ended up going with the Harbor Freight 26" toolbox set - US General brand. It's not a bad unit, certainly better quality than the low-end Craftsman box I was replacing (the drawers failed). It's obviously not a high end storage unit but I haven't had any issues with it in the 5+ years I've had it. Of course, soft close drawers would be really nice, but those are just champagne wishes and caviar dreams.

This is the newer version of the one I have:

https://www.harborfreight.com/merch...-in-single-bank-red-roller-cabinet-64162.html

https://www.harborfreight.com/merch...al/26-in-single-bank-red-top-chest-64160.html

If you go with these toolboxes you'll want to replace the drawer liners with something better, as the tools slide around a lot with the liner that comes with it. That's really been the only real complaint I've had.

They must have addressed the drawer liner issue already, as the liners that came in the 42" box that I just picked up are (in my opinion) better than the ones in my SnapOn top box.

 

[Ludachris]

They must have addressed the drawer liner issue already, as the liners that came in the 42" box that I just picked up are (in my opinion) better than the ones in my SnapOn top box.

That's entirely possible, and good to hear. I imagine I wasn't the only one bothered by it.

 

[gofer]

@gofer ..Dam you have a sink to...

Had.When I built the home there wasn't a "mud room" to put a sink in so the only option was to put one in the garage. I loved having a sink nearby however, I would have rather had the storage there so when I built my most recent home I opted for a garage without a sink since we had a sink right off the owners entry from the garage.

Now I just need to get the cabinets in and I'll be set!

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[Ludachris]

Love that clean floor! Very nice Corey.

 

[jed344]

Matco 6s 80 something long. Also have a snap on 2 bag box. But I am a full time body man so have a lot of tools and the snapon box is at home.

 

[gofer]

Love that clean floor! Very nice Corey.

Thanks,Chris. It won't be clean for long once I start wrenching on the car again. I've got a nice spot on the wall reserved for a DSMTuners.com banner when you start selling them!

I know you guys mentioned drawer liners but I'd recommend throwing that stuff in the trash and shadow cutting foam, you'll lose less 10mm sockets that way.
If you've got no idea what I'm talking about below's a video. It can get pricey to order the pre-manufactured stuff, paying $30 to $50 per drawer depending on the size (which adds up quick if you have 11 drawers like I did), but I found this (http://toolfoam.com/) that will ship it in rolls and you just use 3M adhesive and a heat gun and then cut to fit the drawers yourself and will save you a few hundred dollars.

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[luv2rallye]

If you're on a budget, you don't need to spend all that money on shadow cutting foam to organize your tools in your tool box. It looks great but what are you going to do every time you get another tool (which is every other week for me)? Cut out a new foam for a new layout?

I just lay all my wrenches in 2 drawers (metric and SAE) as shown in picture (my metric drawer shown). Instant access and never a problem when I get a new wrench.

And I never lose a single socket using this old Craftsman socket organizer (now Menards "Tool Shop" brand has it: "Tool Shop® 6-Piece Socket Drawer Organizer"). And since they are all somewhat spread out, they are instantly findable (organizer even has a raised size label for each socket hole) and can be instantly removed (no spring clip holding them in, or trying to pry them out, no magnets, no moving other stuff out of the way, etc). I absolutely love this layout/access for that reason even though it takes up more room than other trays. I have 321 sockets total (280 in 4 drawers + 41 impact sockets) just like the one shown in picture which is my short metric socket drawer (the other socket drawers are long metric, short SAE, long SAE). I have complete sets of 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", of both 6 and 12 point, of both short and deep, of both metric and SAE all on these organizers. I got so tired of not having the properly needed socket (eg. 6 vs 12 point, or short vs deep) that 30 years ago I literally bought every 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" socket Craftsman made which all fit on these organizers. So I then have many sockets that are out of the range of all other socket trays where this Craftsman tray has holes for all of them (as well as holes for all universal joints and all adapters going both larger and smaller). See post 12 to see how I mount my other hand tools for quickest access.

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[pauleyman]

If you're on a budget, you don't need to spend all that money on shadow cutting foam to organize your tools in your tool box. It looks great but what are you going to do every time you get another tool (which is every other week for me)? Cut out a new foam for a new layout?

I just lay all my wrenches in 2 drawers (metric and SAE) as shown in picture (my metric drawer shown). Instant access and never a problem when I get a new wrench.

And I never lose a single socket using this old Craftsman socket organizer. And since they all just sit in place, they are instantly findable (organizer even has a raised size label for each socket hole) and can be instantly removed (no spring clip holding them in, or trying to pry them out, no magnets, no moving other stuff out of the way, etc). I absolutely love this layout/access for that reason. I have 321 sockets total (280 in 4 drawers + 41 impact sockets) just like the one shown in picture which is just my short metric drawer. I have complete sets of 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", of both 6 and 12 point, of both short and deep, of both metric and SAE all on these organizers. {I got so tired of not having the properly needed socket (eg. 6 vs 12 point, or short vs deep) that 30 years ago I literally bought every 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" socket Craftsman made which all fit on these organizers}. See post 12 to see how I mount my other hand tools.

I've decided to keep the homak box. More of my problem is from my lack of garage organization. I gotta make due with what I have.
Gary if you have the space I really like these hanson trays for sockets and ernst organizers for wrenches. Yours look very spread out.

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[luv2rallye]

Yes those hanson socket trays are excellent and obviously allow the maximum sockets per drawer. I got my stuff over 45 years ago (when I didn't have even 1/4th this many sockets and so added to it over the years) and am still happy with it, however. I agree (and wished) it would have been a better tray design to have the columns of sockets closer together but that's how it came. I considered hanson but I like having the sockets open so I can just move a bolt head around quickly to match it to the socket without removing it. Can't do that with hanson. But everyone likes different things for different reasons. The ernst organizers I used to have in my toolbox but didn't like them due to the triangular design taking up so much space not leaving room for anything else. Laying my wrenches flat allowed just as many to fit in anyway.

 

[jinscho]

I've always kept the cases/trays that the tools were sold in for organization.

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My 3/8 drawer still has room... I need more tools

 

[luv2rallye]

For individual socket trays and when on a budget, Masterforce makes very nice 2 tier magnetic socket trays (magnetic for each socket and the entire tray - the entire tray can even be put vertically or upside down), with complete sizes of SAE and metric, and for 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 drive. Menards carries them - less expensive than Olsa and just as nice (but no 3 row ones yet like Olsa has). Masterforce also has the "Hanson style" socket organizer trays for less.

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[Turbski91]

I don’t have tools at home… I bring mine from work whenever I work on my dsm at home. I’m also not in the business of spending 10-15k on a tool box like a lot of my co-workers. The 500$ US General is plenty for me… I spend my money on the tools themselves.

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