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DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

familyhandyman.com

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Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#21

Post by bradfa »

WillAdams wrote: post #16
brk wrote: post #9

On this general topic, I'll mention the Milwaukee Packout system. I've been converting most of my storage containers and portable items to Packout. https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Products/Storage-Solutions/PAC... https://www.pelicanzero.com/packout-nation/

I considered standardizing on Packout, but they seem to only offer one two drawer units, all of which are deeper than I'd like (I really want a single layer of tools per drawer).

I just bought a large rolling toolchest for my garage. I had looked extensively at Packout (and similar competing solutions) but couldn't justify going with such a system as my main use is to keep all my tools in my garage, so portability isn't critical, and the Packout system seems to have very limited offerings right now for tool drawers which don't require disassembling a stack of things.

But for mobile tool transportation, it does seem like a great solution! My HVAC guy has a ton of Packout boxes in his truck.

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#22

Post by mindslight »

walrus01 wrote: post #2

If you need to store a lot of small parts, go to a Cabela's (or bass pro shop) and look at the fishing section, plastic boxes with anywhere from 6 to 40 small compartments. Often a far better selection than what you'd find at a home Depot or similar.

I lucked [0] into being around for an office move of a company that had gone from building physical devices to pure software, and got ~24 parts drawer units [1] for free. For the utility I get out of them, I would have bought them new, but it's hard to know that beforehand - they're expensive for what they are, and to do it right you really need a lot of them to make a uniform wall. I built custom shelves to hold them without the weight adding up, in three vertical columns floor to ceiling.

I'll occasionally see deep sales (~50%) on similar items throughout the year, since presumably the cost basis isn't that high. If I somehow lost mine or needed to expand my storage, I'd plan out some shelves for whatever size the new ones were, and buy enough to fill a few more vertical columns.

[0] They also came with a bunch of assorted stainless machine screw hardware. And this was a month or so after Radio Shack closed and I had spent a week going from store to store buying buying all the switches and lights I longed for in my childhood.

[1] https://www.homedepot.com/p/Akro-Mils-24-Compartment-Small-P...

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#23

Post by evan_ »

mhb wrote: post #18
evan_ wrote: post #15

I 3D printed a bunch of these[0] hangers for my cordless power tools and screwed them to the underside of a shelf. This model is for DeWalt but there’s a variation for every battery platform. Seems to work pretty well. [0]: https://www.printables.com/model/203909-dewalt-tool-mounts

They're all stored without their batteries? So now you need a battery storage solution as well as needing to remove the batteries to store the tool?

Ah, that’s what this model is for:

https://www.printables.com/model/157265-dewalt-battery-hange...

I’ve never liked storing tools with batteries, but I’m just a weekend DIYer so YMMV.

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#24

Post by showerst »

JKCalhoun wrote: post #13
walrus01 wrote: post #2

If you need to store a lot of small parts, go to a Cabela's (or bass pro shop) and look at the fishing section, plastic boxes with anywhere from 6 to 40 small compartments. Often a far better selection than what you'd find at a home Depot or similar.

I prefer these storage bins made by Stanley. They are fairly inexpensive and the small bins are removable so that you can easily grab the whole bin of screws or whatever. This also makes them easy to re-arrange your small parts. If you look around you can find them in two sizes — a thick and thin version. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-25-Compartment-Shallow-P... Also, a cabinet for storing the organizers is an…

The harbor freight knockoffs of those stanley containers are serviceable too, at half the price. https://www.harborfreight.com/20-bin-medium-portable-parts-s...

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#25

Post by showerst »

terom wrote: post #7
walrus01 wrote: post #2

If you need to store a lot of small parts, go to a Cabela's (or bass pro shop) and look at the fishing section, plastic boxes with anywhere from 6 to 40 small compartments. Often a far better selection than what you'd find at a home Depot or similar.

For really small SMD (electronics) parts, you need something with a completely sealed compartment. Anything with removable separators or a gap between the dividers and the lid is a no-go, or you'll be tossing a couple hundred unmarked 0805 MLCCs in the trash because your 100nF and 1uF parts got mixed up together. The cheap SMD parts containers on AliExpress [1] are reasonably good, although the lid springs some of th…

For through-hole and other misc small stuff, I bought some mini plastic baggies and store them in a binder filled with baseball-card storage pages.

A little fiddly to assemble, but now it's really easy to jump to section and clearly see the parts, and takes up less space than a parts bin if you have a few of a lot of parts.

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#26

Post by showerst »

If anyone is working in a tight space, I recently found that wall control makes pegboard that are only 8in wide. [1].

They're made to be horizontal so if you flip them some of the fancy accessories that rely on the horizontal slats won't work, but the pegs are still fine, and it's a good way use otherwise wasted space on really narrow walls and corners.

https://www.wallcontrol.com/8in-x-32in-horizontal-galvanized...

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#27

Post by roberthahn »

My next woodworking project will be building a Dutch tool chest. After some searching (too many pages only show the _outside_ of the chest, this page shows you some of the potential of storing and organizing literally dozens of tools in a box you could load into your car.

https://www.lumberjocks.com/BrandonW/blog/35335

Another excellent way to store and organize your tools is in an English tool chest. https://blog.lostartpress.com/2020/04/06/anarchists-tool-che...

Re: DIY Tool Storage Ideas (2017)

#29

Post by mhb »

evan_ wrote: post #23
mhb wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're all stored without their batteries? So now you need a battery storage solution as well as needing to remove the batteries to store the tool?

Ah, that’s what this model is for: https://www.printables.com/model/157265-dewalt-battery-hange... I’ve never liked storing tools with batteries, but I’m just a weekend DIYer so YMMV.

That looks nice. Good for storing extra batteries for people who keep one battery in the tool.
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