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Tools organization?

Mistfarer

Member
Hi everyone

My workshop is now fully equipped (compressor, hose lines, etc.). Various kits have arrived and I am starting to build things. My challenge right now is to organize all the tools I have in a very (very) cramped space. At the moment, I have no storage whatsoever! Tools are either lying on the workbench or piled up in a cardboard box...

How have you done it? Wall tools holders? Bench top tools organizers? I would love to see any tip, miracle product, ideas, and pictures you might be able to share!

Thanks in advance.
 
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A few pictures of how I did it... might be overkill if you only have a small space, but maybe an idea or two you can borrow. Full writeup here: http://www.rv7blog.com/2020/04/19/new-workshop/

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Matt showed a super organized way to go about it. I was organized, but just not quite that well. I used the little slide-out clear plastic organizers from Lowe's or Home Depot for rivets and hardware. They're something like 18" wide and maybe 20" tall. Eventually ended up with three of them, with an assortment of the small drawers (maybe 1.5" wide) and the larger drawers (about 3" wide). These were all mounted on the wall above a bench. Every drawer was labeled with a stick-on label. Do that when you inventory the parts so you're not having to open every drawer when you're looking for something.

My wife got me a Craftsman stackable roll-around tool cabinet; it was the kind with the ball bearing drawer glides (not just the slides). Haven't regretted the extra cost for those for a minute. Very sturdy and you can roll the cabinet around to get close to the work or to get it out of the way.

There's more than one way to skin a cat, so you may just have to see what works for you. But definitely organize it when you get the parts from Van's. Thinking you'll do it "later" can be very frustrating in the long run.
 
Organizing

Similar. I bought a rolling base and chest. Don't buy cheap. Mine is a Home Depot and the drawers won't stay closed. Really annoying. I also have a really nice one for all the auto tools. I like keeping them separate.
Skins were between cardboard slipped behind the tool cabinets.
Fiberglass and long stuff lived on the top shelf of the storage shelves. Keep fiberglass parts edge down so they don't get distorted.
Medium sized parts were in storage bins.
Tiny parts, nuts, bolts, etc, are in Harbor Fright 40 drawer storage. I added as the build went. Up to four now.
Rivets are in small water bottles.
It helps to also organize the inventory. I took the time to note location in my spreadsheet. Saved so much time hunting.
Look around the shop for storage opportunities.
 
Put everything on wheels, if you can. Makes rearranging easy and gets things out of the way when not in use. Don’t overlook ceiling storage, too. Rudders, horizontal stabs., ailerons and flaps all take a lot of space, but can be safely stored above, if you are careful.
 
I use Milwaukee pack out boxes. Plus plastic bins on a shelf for clecos etc. nice to be able to wheel it around to where you are working.
 

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…and

It doesn’t really matter how nice a setup you have if you do not put everything away after each build session…
 
Walls are your friend when floor space is limited. Hang as many tools off the walls as possible. Under the work bench is another great area to keep stuff.

I put plywood on the walls because it's strong enough to hang some pretty heavy tools on. It's gotten significantly more crowded since I took this picture too.
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I have quite a bit of room in our hangar, but like you my workspace at home is very limited, so I've gotten pretty creative. I think the rolling tool chests can provide very dense storage, and good organization. Plus they are easy to move to where you are working.

The key for me is making a specific place for each tool. It's a lot of work, but once you start down this path I don't think you'll want to work any other way. Here are some pictures of the drawers I've completed so far. It's a work in progress. Some organizers I bought, and some I made myself (3d printer).

The last pictures are actually from work stations in our shop, but keeps with the dedicated location for everything theme. It helps a lot.

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Med's suggestion of putting things on wheels is a very good one. I rearranged my shop when I finished the empennage and started the wings, again when I finished those and started the fuselage, when I got the fuselage out of the jig (it's an RV-3B, not prepunched) and when I hung the engine.

Tip - make the bottom of your work benches high enough to get a robot vacuum in there.

I didn't have the floorspace for commercial tool cabinets, so built drawers into my work benches. That let me use the space under the drawers for storage - storage is an issue.

Dave
 
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I am not an expert at putting tools away after each use. So, I bought enough of those HF 24" magnetic tool holder bars to run overhead of my whole workbench. Approx 16' of length to hols all the commonly used tools. Some items that were not magnetic (pencils etc) so I wrapped some rebar tie wire around a few wraps. This way I can easily see the desired tool by just scanning the row, grab it, use it then just pop it back up there. Doesn't matter much where it goes back, easy to find next time. Am now doing the same method at my hangar. Great method for keeping tools off the workbench. Works well for me. If someone else uses my shop, I don't get frustrated if they put tools in the wrong place.
 
Like the organization on the Dimple Dies. But it also depends on the organization of the person! I used a block with a lot of holes for similar organization but somehow at the end of the day they all end up in a pile on the table. :D
 
I have quite a bit of room in our hangar, but like you my workspace at home is very limited, so I've gotten pretty creative. I think the rolling tool chests can provide very dense storage, and good organization. Plus they are easy to move to where you are working.

The key for me is making a specific place for each tool. It's a lot of work, but once you start down this path I don't think you'll want to work any other way. Here are some pictures of the drawers I've completed so far. It's a work in progress. Some organizers I bought, and some I made myself (3d printer).

The last pictures are actually from work stations in our shop, but keeps with the dedicated location for everything theme. It helps a lot.

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Did you make the squeezer die block?
 
All my Aircaft specific tools are in here - it’s been absolutely invaluable and takes up a 1/4 a metre of floor space. I pretty well have it next to me and at the conclusion of each small task the tool(s) I’m using get put back. Especially important with squeezer dies and drill bits - only ever have one of those out of the cart at a time.

https://tasrv14.blogspot.com/2018/03/shop-cart-build.html?m=1
 
I have quite a bit of room in our hangar, but like you my workspace at home is very limited, so I've gotten pretty creative. I think the rolling tool chests can provide very dense storage, and good organization. Plus they are easy to move to where you are working.

The key for me is making a specific place for each tool. It's a lot of work, but once you start down this path I don't think you'll want to work any other way. Here are some pictures of the drawers I've completed so far. It's a work in progress. Some organizers I bought, and some I made myself (3d printer).

The last pictures are actually from work stations in our shop, but keeps with the dedicated location for everything theme. It helps a lot.
I love that kind of thing, but I do wonder... OK, I've got my drawers all super organized, requiring that I discard about half my tools. Everything is perfectly organized, and the tool chest is full. Then I buy a new pair of pliers (see third pic). Now what? It's not going to fit in there.

I had everything pretty well organized before I started building... then had to buy a bunch more "stuff" and ended up right back where I started. I'm not being negative or critical, I'm genuinely curious how you handle new tools when the drawers are FULL.
 
I love that kind of thing, but I do wonder... OK, I've got my drawers all super organized, requiring that I discard about half my tools. Everything is perfectly organized, and the tool chest is full. Then I buy a new pair of pliers (see third pic). Now what? It's not going to fit in there.

I had everything pretty well organized before I started building... then had to buy a bunch more "stuff" and ended up right back where I started. I'm not being negative or critical, I'm genuinely curious how you handle new tools when the drawers are FULL.

Interesting question, and I could talk your ear off about it, but I'll try to keep it brief.

Everyone is different, and this is just me. When I was in the USMC reserve, as a mechanic, we had a standard issue basic toolbox with very limited tool selection (you had to be able to pack the thing around). Whoever selected the tools must have been a genius because there was nothing in there that wasn't needed, and you could do everything you needed to do with those tools.

This philosophy went into my tool box design. I bought new tools to fit the design, and gave away tools that didn't fit. There are some tools that would be nice to have that I decided not to have because I thought I could live without them. This might not work for lot's of people, but I am very happy so far.

The biggest benefit is the time I save not looking for a missing tool. I used to spend 15 or 20 minutes sometimes just looking for a tool that I swore I had just had. With this setup I tend to put things right back in their place when I'm done. Or at least when I'm done working for the day I scan the drawers to see if I left anything laying around, and retrieve back to the box.

Probably sounds like I'm preaching, so I'll wrap it up.

Oh, one last thing I should mention. I do have plastic tubs that hold tools that I use less frequently. I put my everyday commonly used tools in the tool chest which I consider "prime real estate".


Also, if anyone would like to try printing the die holder, here is an STL:
https://classic.aero/web/downloads/die%20holder%204.STL
 
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I wanted to add a slight, ever so slight detour on this thread. I once I had break-in into my garage where a lot of my tools were stolen. All of the tools that were in my rolling toolbox were taken. Now, I also had tons of tools spread around in my perhaps "normal" way of working on various folding tables and bench tops. All of the tools that were on those tables were left untouched. My assumption being that they didn't have time to pick them all up. One of those tools BTW was a $300 Sioux air drill. So the moral of the story is if you are very organized you may not have any tools left after a robbery. From that point on I've had a really good excuse to leave my tools spread around. :D
 
I wanted to add a slight, ever so slight detour on this thread. I once I had break-in into my garage where a lot of my tools were stolen. All of the tools that were in my rolling toolbox were taken. Now, I also had tons of tools spread around in my perhaps "normal" way of working on various folding tables and bench tops. All of the tools that were on those tables were left untouched. My assumption being that they didn't have time to pick them all up. One of those tools BTW was a $300 Sioux air drill. So the moral of the story is if you are very organized you may not have any tools left after a robbery. From that point on I've had a really good excuse to leave my tools spread around. :D
Sorry you had a robbery but I used to be like that and I found out I spent more time looking for tools than working even if I just had the darn tool in my hand 3 seconds ago. I use what I’m working with and leave them in my work bench. After work they almost always find their home (almost) and I’m far more efficient the next session
 
Tools

Everyone works differently. I would need a really big tool cabinet if every tool had a nice little foam space. That works for some but I just have lots. I like to have what I need. Deep, shallow, SAE, Metric, Box end, Open end, blah, blah. I will loan if it is returned exactly where it belongs. If it doesn't get returned, no more borrow and I buy a new one. Probably why I have so many tools.
I'm organized for how I work and I know where every tool is located regardless of it's home in the cabinet or on the bench. Every change in the build, I reset the shop and put everything back where it belongs.
Point is, everyone has a method. Figure out what works and go with it.
 
Tool Cart

That thing looks great. If you have the design file, why don't you post it so others can use the parts list and measurements to make up something similar? We all like building stuff.
 
Everyone works differently. I would need a really big tool cabinet if every tool had a nice little foam space. That works for some but I just have lots. I like to have what I need. Deep, shallow, SAE, Metric, Box end, Open end, blah, blah. I will loan if it is returned exactly where it belongs. If it doesn't get returned, no more borrow and I buy a new one. Probably why I have so many tools.
I'm organized for how I work and I know where every tool is located regardless of it's home in the cabinet or on the bench. Every change in the build, I reset the shop and put everything back where it belongs.
Point is, everyone has a method. Figure out what works and go with it.

Well said.

I'm a tool guy...consequently, I have many tools that are probably not "needed" but do a much better job at what they were specifically designed for than making that pair of channel locks "work" for something they were not designed for.

Unfortunately, the tool guy thing carried over to hardware...Why buy 4 AN bolts from ACS when you can get 10 with 20% off? I have, therefore, ended up with a veritable hardware store in my workshop...

Parts for next build?...maybe...
 
For those that want to shadow their tools in their tool boxes, I'm super happy with the foam from www.foamfittools.com. They sell precut foam for specific tool sets, but you can cut your own pretty easily. They have some videos on what is needed to cut your own on their website.

I used their fused foam blanks where you use a small handheld router, but now they have some adhesive backed foam where it looks like you can use an x-acto knife.
 
Everyone works differently. I would need a really big tool cabinet if every tool had a nice little foam space. That works for some but I just have lots. I like to have what I need. Deep, shallow, SAE, Metric, Box end, Open end, blah, blah. I will loan if it is returned exactly where it belongs. If it doesn't get returned, no more borrow and I buy a new one. Probably why I have so many tools.
I'm organized for how I work and I know where every tool is located regardless of it's home in the cabinet or on the bench. Every change in the build, I reset the shop and put everything back where it belongs.
Point is, everyone has a method. Figure out what works and go with it.

I solved this with a chalk board.... date, name, tool.
 
The biggest benefit is the time I save not looking for a missing tool. I used to spend 15 or 20 minutes sometimes just looking for a tool that I swore I had just had.
I feel like I've spent half my life looking for that tool I just had in my hand a minute ago.
 
one other thing is thats not..."find what works for you related" which is universal is look after your tools. especially the air tools etc. oil the drills and rivet guns....dont oil an air powered squeezer. remove contaminants and water from air lines...this will make those organised tools work better and last longer.
 
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