Tool Storage

[stuggin]

Hello my fellow overlanders!!!

So this is actually a question that began from thinking about downsizing my housing situation (i.e. reading a lot of books on tiny homes and watching documentaries on minimalism...and down the rabbit hole we go).

I don't have a lot of stuff, but I'd say 50% of it are books and tools. Now, books I can get digital copies of; tools, not so much.

How do you guys and gals organize your tools in your rigs or at home so they take up a minimum of space while still being organized? I'm talking the regular wrenches, sockets, etc. as well as power tools.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Al

 

[jschmidt]

Tool rolls

 

[tarditi]

I have a few wide-mouth bags for tools and, frankly, prefer a tool roll for wrenches - with a bag, everything you want seems to magically settle to the bottom and you have to dump the bag or root through everything to get what you need at the moment.

Each vehicle has a set of specific sizes of bolt & nut that are used widely - figure these sizes out to reduce carriage of unnecessary items... for some, you want a pair of them, so you can secure the bolt head on one side and work the nut on the other, for instance.

An old adage is make note of every tool used to maintain your vehicle and carry that set.

 

[jk_surgeonfish]

I have 3 of ammo cans. One with sockets and misc, other with wrenches, pliers and similar, and final one with testers, RTV, tape and diagnostic types of tools. I find it is easier for me to carry 1 of those boxes then an entire bag of tools. 90% of what I need to fix the Jeep is in that. Bigger tools that I need but don't user very often is in a storage box in the garage. If I need tools in the house I just grab the appropriate box. If I am going on a trip I make sure they are in the Jeep. It is easier to pack the ammo boxes as well as they are small and can be put in those left over spaces in the vehicle.

Hope that helps.

 

[Happy Joe]

In the library I use barrister shelves for book storage; I found that its not really practical to transfer books to digital storage myself, although for current publications I am almost exclusively digital.
For most literature I use an e-book reader and/or a PC (I don't care to use the phone for this, although I do use a damaged (dropped) phone, with added memory, as an mp3 player for tunes (wired or Bluetooth) in camp).
I have tried organized an unorganized tools off road (unorganized is more compact but harder to use)... depending on the vehicle I use a single canvas bag or a small .30 caliber or small .50 caliber ammo can for tools.
The 'ol Jeep requires fewer tool sizes than the explorer.
For the Jeep since it's fasteners don't use locktite I can get away with smaller (3/8 drive) hand tools 90+% of the time, the OEM locktited fasteners on the explorer mean that they need to be heated or turned with a lot more force to get them off (I reach for 1/2 in drive tools and my more powerful 1/2" impact as a matter of course for the explorer (in the field I expect that only 1/2", or larger drive, sockets, ratchets etc. would serve... I refuse to tote the 3/4" drive stuff camping).
I use kitchen style cabinets and counter tops for the most part in the basement workshop and for above tool box storage in the garage, I took the wheels off a short roll around in the garage and shoved it under the workbench for impact and some air tool storage. I also have a roll-a-round tool box in the way in the basement.
Open shelves abound for nuts, bolts, etc. in 3lb (more or less) plastic peanut jars.
a plasma cutter is more compact than a cutting torch,
a 220 volt MIG welder pretty much replaces a 110 MIG and a buzz box.

Enjoy!

 

[irish_11]

This.

Tool rolls are cheap (or expensive, if you want them to be) and roll up very compact. Not the most convenient thing in the home (I prefer tool boxes and drawers), but an economical (size, price) way to go for vehicle's tools.

x3. I have a bucket boss (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bucket-Boss-26-in-Tool-Roll-70004/205070675) for a majority of my tools and a USGI tool roll for my wrenches. Between the two they take up little space, don't rattle, and hold just about everything I need for basic trail repairs.

 

[Crom]

I carry two tool kits, both in hard sided cases that exactly fit their contents. One for all tire tools and repairs. And another to turn every fastener on the truck. I don't like tool rolls because they take up too much valuable space.

 

[Retired Tanker]

At home: stack of 3 tool chests with drawers. Drawers are labeled ('cause others want to find the tools sometimes, and I want them put back in the right drawers). Special drawer for delicate stuff; mirror, gages, brake bleeder, etc. Another for air tools, and the bottom one for hammers and prybars. Some simple in-drawer arrangements; like flat tip screw drivers point one ways, cross tips the other ways. In the socket drawers; metric in the front, SAE in the back. Might be a little anal, but saving a second here and there helps reduce frustration.

In the rig: Tool bag with wrenches in rolls and sockets on loops of 550 cord. Side pockets hold 1-offs, like hex keys, adapters, etc. Separate bag for electrical; multimeter, wire stripper / crimper, tape, wire (several gauges - on spools), connectors, fuses, bulbs, spare AA batts, and RTV.

Heavier tools, recover straps, shovel, axe, etc, stored in organizer baskets in the drawer system. Will probably move some of them to a roof rack, if I every build one...

 

[mep1811]

I switched from tool rolls to a BROG tool bag. http://www.blueridgeoverlandgear.com/Tool-Bag-p/21tb-l.htm

I found the tool rolls took up a lot of space. The tool bag reduced the space and was easy to organize and store. It fit perfectly under my P/S seat once I removed the heater.




https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/fj-60-tool-storage-under-p-s-seat.971583/#post-10802057

 

[BigSwede]

I just use a tool box, this one in fact from Contico https://www.zoro.com/contico-portab...qzKdLSG9D9o2z8l9mMfWOBoCjpHw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

It is very strong and can be stood on if needed. Sockets and small stuff in the tray, and big stuff down below. Yes, sometimes I have to rummage for tools, but life is too short to be anal about sorting tools when you only use them occasionally.

My one concession to organization is that I use these lock pins to keep my box wrenches together http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...ted-Round-Head-Wire-Lock-Pin-807468/204276210

 

[mogwildRW1]

This topic comes up quite a bit, here's another thread:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/10706-Tools-storage

And my Tool roll's, my wife custom made them to fit for me:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/10706-Tools-storage?p=1621613#post1621613

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/10706-Tools-storage?p=1186516#post1186516

 

[JackW]

For the truck I have a plastic 20" tool box (to help prevent rust) with a couple of tool rolls and a few loose tools that don't easily fit in the rolls (socket rails, hammer, hacksaw) plus a baggie with extra bolts (especially brake caliper bolts - lose one of those on the trail and you have a big problem). I also carry a plastic shower curtain to use as a groundsheet when working on the truck and to help keep from losing tools if you are doing a field repair.

For the home a big rollaway with labels on the drawers - and having worked in the aircraft industry for 34 years with its "clean as you go" policy all tools get put back in the tool box at the end of the day. Most of the time I stop as I complete one operation and straighten up and put the tools I won't need for the next phase back in the tool box before starting something else.

 

[rayra]

I've gone with small zippered tool bags, as they fit great in my storage drawer build. And similar to the picture above, I can group things by task and label them. Tool bag, recovery gear bag, shelter bag, 1st Aid bag, tire patch/inflator kit bag.

The 12" long tool bags from Harbor Freight are a very good deal IMAO, can be had on sale for $5ea. They're sturdy, well sown and have large easy to operate zippers. Wide open, you can fit a dozen spray cans in them. Call it maybe 2/3cu' capacity.

The tools themselves, I've used fabric rolls, a small socket kit packed full with other stuff too, and I stacked my box-end wrenches and taped them together. Along with gloves, a couple clean rags etc, packed in the bag, there's no rattles. And the drawer is full so nothing is sliding around. I put tool drawer liner in the bottom of the drawers as well, for that reason. The whole thing is pretty much dead quiet going down the road.

I tried to arrange things in the drawer so the emergency stuff is right in the front. I also put a top hatch in the platform so the recovery gear could still be got to if the rear hatch / drawers could not be opened for whatever reason. Access is almost as important as what you carry.

 

[jpb-rambles]

Just a thought on all the rolls and plastic boxes . I laid my Cherokee on it's side on a rough trail . My bag of tools stayed together . However my plastic kitchen supply box broke and stuff went every where . Fortunately the loose lug wrench stayed in the back .

 

[jeegro]

I currently have a bunch of Bucket Boss tool rolls and zippered Klein pouches, along with Front Runner Wolf and cub packs. It works okay, but I have quite a few tools and its frustrating having to dig through them all the time. I just purchased some Bosch L-Boxx's and will be experimenting with those + custom kaizen foam inserts. For small parts organization, I want to shift everything towards Sortimo T-Boxx's. Pics will come once I sort this crap out.
I'm addicted to throwing away cases that tools come in because they're so bulky. Hopefully the L-Boxxes will be the solution for that, to solve the problem of the tool with the case that has a bunch of little parts to go with it (e.g. hydraulic crimper and dies)

Trying to standardize things as much as possible