What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Organization spill your beans

B

BowtieBlazer

Diesel Powered
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Posts
2,470
Reaction score
2
Location
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
I figured we could all share our own tips and tricks at keeping things organized around the shop and in the tool box. What are some of the things that you own that are exceptional, or methods that work for you?

I've found that investing in a quality roll around locking tool box alone has helped me out gobs, vs haveing 3 smaller chests, being able to roll everything I'll possibly need for the most part out in front of me for a project really speeds things up. Organization wise the basics, pliers have a drawer, screwdrivers have a drawer, hammers have a drawer, sockets my prefrence is all 1/2" drive together in the lowest smallest (heightwise) drawer they will fit in, makes it nice when I'm under the truck to crawl to the box and reach in to grab what I need without ever standing up, next drawer up is my 3/8's and 1/4" stuff.

I use medicine bottles and the like to contain loose cotter keys, and the small clear plastic fishing tackle boxes to organize my electrical butt connectors and fuses as well as plastic emissions type hose fittings. Over time I've accumulated a bunch of small stuff and its nice to have it where I can find it when I need it.

zipties work miracles for keeping chucks with drills and grinder wrenches with the correct grinder. but thats all basics

a cheap tupperware set with a bunch of pieces, masking tape and a marker are your best friend when disassembling a motor or entire vehicle, beats ziplocks hands down

I've added a bunch of small simple kick-knacks arounds my workspace I'll just have to take note of them next time I'm outside and add them on. Cam's welding bench with the magnetic cups reminded me of this.
 
I have one 20x25 garage that I keep most of my stuff in. Also, a 12x20 shed that the overflow goes in. I have only two places to look for my stuff:D . Well the truck dont count so, its eliminated as a storage place.

I wish I had a roll a way big enough to put my stuff in. You are way organized!! :bow:
 
Here's my only tip worth sharing (that comes to mind anyway). When you are swapping out an engine with all kinds of vacuum lines, hoses, sensors and whatnot, in order to keep an idea of how it all goes back together, go get yourself a book of wire markers.

g%23pcmbfm.jpg


They come in books with numbers 1-45, or 46-90, or a-z, or write on labels. This little trick helped tremendously when I did an in-the-vehicle rebuild of my Toyota four banger. That fokker had about 50 different little 1/4" vacuum lines all over the place. With the vacuum line marked with the same number as as the port it plugged into, reassembly was a cinch.
 
Picture of two of my little tackle boxes
post-3-1143342472_thumb.jpg


Picture of the cubby-hole rack I built for my boxes
post-3-1143342409_thumb.jpg



Finally a neat way to hold cords off the ground and make them easily accessable.
post-3-1143342656_thumb.jpg
 
Having a small shop, I've got lots of stuff I've done to optimize, still more to go though.

Recently added a small outside shed for coolers, ladders, yard tools, and stuff unrelated to metal/automotive work.

Full length floor to ceiling shelving on one wall. Cantilever shelves for full front access. Bottom shelf holds larger/heavier 20' uncut steel lengths. Top 2 shelves have dog 4" legs and hold 20' lengths of small/light steel like 1x0.120 strap, 1/2" CRS, and such.

Welder, plasma, and all associated tools are organized on a tall narrow cart. Top shelf holds shims, scribe, square, measuring tools. Pins on the sides support coiled lines, 4 grinder mounts, and around a dozen c-clamps in various sizes. It’s also wired and plumbed so that I can plug in it’s 15’ cord to 220, and hook up a single air hose, then I can run all the equipment with no other hoses or wires, I’ve got 4 110V receptacles for running grinders and drills, and I’ve got both filtered and unfiltered air ports to keep wires/hoses under control.

All metal tools are down one wall. Currently includes a Bridgeport, small Grizzly lathe (upgraded when I find something) mounted on storage/work center (tool box drawers for cutters, buts, chucks, etc.) , 20T press, HD floor drill press, 96 steel bin parts cabinet about 4’ wide and 8’ tall, and decom mill spec hazardous materials locker (for oils, spray paints, grease selection, etc.). This is on the opposite wall to the full length shelf.

Down the center I’ve got a HUGE industrial roll around work surface with locking cabinet and mounted on 8”(?) 1500(?) lb double tire wheels (paid $80). Top is something like 2.4 x 6 or so. It has a 1/4" top, locking tool cabinet on one end, and a 1/2 plate bottom. I use it for grinding, plasma and other messy fab work so I can roll it outside to keep the mess in the shop down. Also handy for throwing a transfer case on top of to work on or whatever. I’ve also go a small “work center” roll around next to it that holds all fab focused tools like files, layout tools, grinder stuff, and so on. Behind them is my bender post, the welder cart, and my welding table.

My 4x4 welding/fab table has lower shelves for storage of sub-4’ shorts. It also has a MIG gun holster, mounts for around 10 hammers (several ball peins, soft face, slag, hand dead blow, mallet, sledge, etc.) and 2 receiver hitches on the back that mount my bead roller, strap/bar bender (like a hossfeld), vice and so forth. Planning to add a third on the side for more convenient vise access.

Back wall has some shelves and stacked up “big stuff” storage along with some high shelves for stereo and junk. Back there I’ve also got a pup-tent shaped roll around that stores full sheets of sheet, expanded metal, and ply wood. Inside the inverted “V” formed by the sheets, I have short storage for up to 8-9’ in length.

Still more to do organization wise, but it’s coming along…
 
Yep, sounds like you have your organization together, any pics of your hammer mounts, is it basically a fork? I probably need the extra storage shed space as well.
 
The hammer mounts are just 1/4 CRS cut to about 7" long and bent into a "U" using my HF bar/strap stock bender and something like a 2.5" dia. die. Then the bottom of the "U" gets hard tacked to the lower lip of the channel the forms the top belting of the welding table, done...
 
The wire itself looks like what we use at work to mark hydraulic lines. We simply have a roll of phone cable that has about 100 wires each marked differently. Looks like the pic above but with lots more wires in the outer sheathing.
 
I've got a toolbox I keep most of my stuff in. My biggest problem is always bolts. I've dissassembled 3 trucks in there, only 1 is being put back together, so I've got hundreds of different bolts that I've got sitting in hub caps right now, lol

I've got a 50x50 bolt shelf, and I try and organize a handful of bolts a day, but dang, they just keep coming!
 
mofugly13 said:
Here's my only tip worth sharing (that comes to mind anyway). When you are swapping out an engine with all kinds of vacuum lines, hoses, sensors and whatnot, in order to keep an idea of how it all goes back together, go get yourself a book of wire markers.

g%23pcmbfm.jpg


They come in books with numbers 1-45, or 46-90, or a-z, or write on labels. This little trick helped tremendously when I did an in-the-vehicle rebuild of my Toyota four banger. That fokker had about 50 different little 1/4" vacuum lines all over the place. With the vacuum line marked with the same number as as the port it plugged into, reassembly was a cinch.
Click to expand...
I skip the buying-wire-markers step and just use the individual strands within the cable. I got a 2ft piece of telephone cable (I think it's 100-pair or something like that) from a former employer and still have a LOT left.
 
I dont know why but I have allways liked the stackable AKRO Bins. I have lots of cabinets too. I also have those gray metal drawers (made by Durham)that are 4 to a stand, you pull them out and open the lid get what you need close the lid and slide it back in the drawer stand, dont have any pics though. I have probably about 1500 bucks in G8 stock from 1/4 thru 1/2. the bins are mortly just my 1/2 in G8 fine and course thread. bolts, nuts and washers. have some 5/8 stuff too but not much.also some G9 F-911 stuff. have some aluminum hardwear too.

DSCN0255.JPG

DSCN0249.JPG

DSCN0250.JPG

DSCN0251.JPG

DSCN0254.JPG
 
Little yogurt containers is what I use to keep little stuff from floating around in by tool box and a big coffee can for misc. bolts. I wish I had a garage though. I got a 4'x9' shed. Someday though I'll have me a big garage.:rolleyes:
 
Coffee cans are the shiznit for organizing bolts. I have 6,000 sq. ft. of crap that really needs to be organized, but I A)am lazy B)am not home very often and C)would rather work on projects when I am home. I need shelves, and lots of them.
 
Cinder blocks and 2x12's make great shelves, cost effective too. Plus the design of your shelving is only limited by your imagination. I've got buddies back home that have cinder block and 2x12 EVERYTHING! Benches, tables, entertainment centers.....
 
i'm a big fan of ziplock bags, and magic markers when disassembling a car or truck. i use a paint pen on larger parts. helps to know what you've got laying around, rather than wondering is this part for a 73, or an 89?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom