Tool Box suggestions - and what to keep in it.

[Dan Mages]

I am in need of a good toolbox. With the move, I will be putting about half of my tools into storage and the rest into a toolbox that will reside in the closet of our apartment. I have a steel craftsman toolbox with three drawers that I am not enamored with. The drawers are too shallow to be useful.

Any suggestions out there? What would you keep in a tool box of essential hand tools?

[David Bassett]

Tools for what? (Carpentry? Furniture?)

Several lists with several focuses have been hashed out here over the years, some searching might find you what you're looking for. Ken Hatch's current "Travel Kit (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?257747-Travel-Kit&p=2726242#post2726242)" thread might get you started.

[William Adams]

I've been struggling w/ this myself for a long while now.

I've got a bunch of tiny / portable tools I keep in a bag which is ostensibly for my bicycle (Old Timer 24OT Splinter Carving Knife, Leatherman PST and Crunch, Fix-it-Sticks, Mininch Toolpen and Wrenchit, assortment of 1/4" bits, Silca T-ratchet and torque driver, &c.), but have a tool roll which I filled w/ the tools which I find myself grabbing for pretty much every project:

- Odd Jobs --- though I often find myself grabbing a traditional 6" combination square out of familiarity / ease of setup/use
- Stanley brass-bound four-fold rule --- need to find a metric one, ideally a 9" which would open up to 36"/1M
- digital calipers --- usually these are out on a workbench somewhere and have to be fetched
- Nicholson four in hand rasp
- Japanese razor saw
- Craftsman Robogrip pliers
- Snap-On flush cutters
- brass gunsmithing hammer/screwdriver
- Schroeder Yankee screwdriver w/ assortment of bits in handle (additional bits are in the bicycle bag as noted above) --- also have - Elemen'tary No. 1 Screwdriver and a Felo Bit driver --- still need to resolve this (suspect I'm going to wind up w/ two grab kits, one nice one (the Odd Jobs and Elemen'tary and gunsmithing hammer) one knockabout (everything else).

a couple of other odds-and-ends, and things which I'm planning on adding:

- small block/trim plane
- folding chisel
- folding file
- small widow's tooth router

and I usually also need:

- Bessey F-clamp

A lot of this is modeled on my effort to put together an analog to a "Bonsa toolkit": http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?173912-Bonsa-Tool-Kit --- be sure to read to the end of the thread for Luke DuPont's excellent answer and list. Also, Bob Strawn's Vagabond Tool Rack is brilliant: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?141768-A-basic-tool-set-Hand-tool-bug-out-bag&p=1440933#post1440933

[Dan Mages]

Tools for what? (Carpentry? Furniture?)

Several lists with several focuses have been hashed out here over the years, some searching might find you what you're looking for. Ken Hatch's current "Travel Kit (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?257747-Travel-Kit&p=2726242#post2726242)" thread might get you started.


This would be a toolbox for general repairs, assembly of small items, and other basic tasks around the house.

[andy bessette]

I prefer soft tool bags. They don't mar furniture or interior. Pockets help organize small items and protect tools from banging together. And they don't slide around during transport.

[Jim Becker]

I'm with Andy...soft bags or at least the nice plastic ones of various sizes, such as the Husky units at HD...some of the latter even have wheels/handles for convenience in moving them around.

[johnny means]

I've got a couple of large tool boxes for my home stuff. They're cool for the automotive collection. But, I'm leaning towards moving the home stuff into smaller plastic boxes. The chests just aren't convenient for tasks that could be anywhere. It would be nice to grab the "plumbing" box for a sink repair and easily have all the right tools without digging and picking through a large tool box.

[Dan Mages]

I use a beat up LLBean canvas bag to schlep tools around the house. The biggest issue is that there is no way to secure it. Which will cause more damage, an errant toolbox or a child who decides to play with tools without permission and supervision.

I like the idea of a set of boxes, especially if there is a way to lock them ;)

[Dave Lehnert]

I've got a couple of large tool boxes for my home stuff. They're cool for the automotive collection. But, I'm leaning towards moving the home stuff into smaller plastic boxes. The chests just aren't convenient for tasks that could be anywhere. It would be nice to grab the "plumbing" box for a sink repair and easily have all the right tools without digging and picking through a large tool box.



I have done the specially tool box system and it works well.
I have a tool box for mower/ small engine repair also another for electrical work. Not only do I keep tools in them but also parts I may need. Extra spark plugs, outlet covers, extra outlets and switches etc..........
I like to only keep the tools I need in the box. No set of wrenches just the two sizes I need. This is where I buy cheaper tools. Ones only used once or twice a year.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Walmart sells big plastic tote boxes for cheap.
I keep a lot of tools in those because they are stackable-cheap-spacious.
I have one each - with tools and some spare parts - for plumbing, electrical, general (some drywall screws, 1 1/4" wood screws, 2 1/2" deck screws, cheap throw away 2" paint brushes,

I also have a tote bag that I keep in the car (in case we get a call from a tenant) that has a hack saw blade, channel locks, vice grips, screwdrivers, crescent wrenches, needle nose pliers, pliers, small 8 piece socket set, teflon tape & a roll of "men's all purpose mender - aka,,duct tape :D & other assorted stuff I can't recall but find useful.

In my car, I always keep a Gerber multi tool & a tape measure in the map pocket along with a folding knife or a folding utility knife, tire pressure gauge & one of those round tire filler chucks.

I also have a few of the roll around tool boxes but, I seldom use those because the totes hold more stuff.

[Dan Mages]

A bunch of old .50cal ammo boxes would work great for tool totes for different jobs... getting them through customs overseas... that might cause a little trouble. :D

Dan