​Shop Tools Pet Peeves (a mini-rant)

[Guest]

I have been using a lot of small power tools in recent projects, jig saw and a reciprocating saw, and a couple of small tabletop belt sanders.

The saws are stored in OEM plastic cases, which should work well enough to keep them protected and free of shop dust. But trying to get the power cord back in the box alongside the tool is like trying to get a cheap umbrella back in the useless little nylon sleeve. So the tool cases kinda sorta shut, but not completely.

Seriously, couldn’t design the storage case with ample power cord space? That’s gotta be an extra 5 cents of plastic.

The little tabletop sanders are great tools, and I use them all the time. A 1x30, a bigger 1x41 and a 4x36. I move those sanders outside or at least near the shop door when making lots of dust. The latter two have massive overkill steel bases and are absurdly heavy. For funsies I just weighed the tabletop 1x41.

59 pounds. WTF, it’s a 1 inch sander. I smell a warranty scheme; guaranteed for 1 year or just mail it back for replacement. The postage would be dang near the cost of a new sander.

 

[Boatman53]

I agree with you on the plastic boxes Mike. I have a whole shelf of empty plastic cases. If anyone is looking to replace a broken box let me know I might have one that you need, I must have about 5 Dremel boxes. Yours for the cost of shipping. Most of my hand power tools are stored in Festool systainers. The original blow molded boxes never traveled well, stacked well or did much well for that matter. I used to do a lot of work outside the shop at different marinas and the systainers made it possible to get a lot of tools to the end of a couple hundred foot dock in one trip.
Jim

 

[lowangle al]

I like that DeWalt is using zippered canvas bags instead of the boxes. Much more practical IMO.

 

[Odyssey]

Sometimes you have to shop around. No pun intended. I bought a DeWalt circular saw a few years ago. It came neatly contained cord and all in a plastic box. I prefer the box; it better protects against knocks and drops. It only takes a minute to relearn how to fit it all in again. A friend recently bought one for himself after his old saw kept entertaining us with sparks in the sawdust, and I kept "forgetting my saw at home." I realized one day I was supplying his jobsite with my tools, so I asked "Isn't it time you bought some new tools of your own if we're working on your projects?" It finally sunk in. He showed up the next day with his pride and joy new circular saw. Except it didn't come in a box or bag? And he paid way more than I did for the same saw? And neither of us could figure out the pivoting depth adjustment. I'm back to bringing my own tools again. It will just take too long for him to equip himself with recip saw, compound miter saw, table saw, saw blah blah. I even supplied the mini beer fridge. Am I getting paid enough??

 

[sweeper]

I have a lot of tools stored in tool box by job, Plumbing, Electrical, Sharpening, wrenches & sockets..., but all my tailed and tailless tools are stored on a shelf. It's too much to put them back into some case. The exception to that is my reciprocating saw that goes back into the plastic case.

 

[wgiles]

I have a Makita 4-1/2" angle grinder in a plastic case. The cord just wads up and would fit in the case OK, but the original grinding wheel nut wrench broke and the generic replacement wrench won't fit with the cord in the case. Even so, I use the case. I just have to keep my grinder nuts and wrenches in a bag. The bags are probably the simplest way to go, but I need a way to identify them so I know which one to grab. My tool storage solution for many years has been 3-1/2 gallon plastic buckets. One bucket has grinding wheels, cutoff wheels, sanding pads and so forth. Another bucket has hand tools. As long as the buckets aren't full to overflowing, they will stack.

 

[scoutergriz]

I have some in cases and some on shelves. A little caveat first though- I'm a major slob, I don't pick up after my self anywhere but my shop! There things are VERY different! Everything has it's place- sanders go on their shelf(all 6, I hate changing paper mid job) corded drills fit beside them (1/4, 3/8, 1/2 rotary 1/2 impact) each nestled in it's own custom sized hole for the chuck, then there are cases with tools that commonly leave the shop (recip saw, oscillating saw, cordless drill, nailer, brad nailer) another holds saws (each with a hole for the blade) 5 1/2, 7 1/4x2, sabre saw x2, and another holds routers, dremels, and attachments.
I also have about a dozen cabinets with pegboard faces containing "consumables" like the sandpaper cabinet- Stacks (by size, type and grade, sponges, discs, and abrasive pads, another with rivets, brass pins, drill bits (several hundred) and staples, and so on. All stationary tools are on locking castors except the drill press and grinder- I've had them "walk away" in use!
Even my power cords are sorted on winders, by size. (a little tip; for those "snake in a can" corded tools, I have a small winder cut out of 1/4" plywood- put the tool in the case, wrap the cord, and tuck the end- no more flying cords when you try to close the case)
No I am not OCD! I just have a lot of tools (but never enough), and hate looking for them when needed, there are lots more, but I don't want to bore you!

 

[Guest]

By far the best tool storage box I have is one my father made for his 1956 Skil-Saw

https://www.google.com/search?q=195...&ei=8tRsWeudOoj4-AGE65tA#imgrc=Sg7TdZKcmdiTPM:

No crappy plastic ill-fitted case for that, he made a custom wood box with hinged lid and latch. The saw nestles on a platform and can’t move and there’s a slot to hold spare blades. And gobs of room for the power cord.

That all metal (worm drive?) beast is still going strong at 61 years old.

 

[Alan Gage]

Molded tool boxes almost always get thrown away as soon as the tool is unpacked. If, like Dewalt, the tool comes with a carry bag I try to pass it off on someone else first and if no takers then I throw it away.

I spent a lot of time organizing my old shop and there was a place for everything, usually in a nicely sized drawer or cubbies under the miter table for drills, impact drivers, and small gauge pneumatic nailers. Unfortunately that's rarely where the tools will be found. They're much more likely to be somewhere in the vicinity of where I used them last (good luck remembering where that was) or wherever I happened to be when I was distracted by another project and set it down. Or, after searching for 15 minutes, call up my dad and find out he borrowed it.

Sometimes it's hard being a Gage but life got easier once I accepted my sloppiness and instead of always trying to reinvent myself simply learned to better work with my deficiencies. I can stick with and benefit from "kinda organized" but Mike McCrea level organization for me would soon break down into utter chaos.

Alan

 

[Alan Gage]

By far the best tool storage box I have is one my father made for his 1956 Skil-Saw

https://www.google.com/search?q=195...&ei=8tRsWeudOoj4-AGE65tA#imgrc=Sg7TdZKcmdiTPM:

Holy crap! $50 for a skil saw in 1956? That's some serious money.

Alan

 

[Cookannapurna]

I may be an extreme case as I make my living with my carpentry tools, day in and day out. I do high end custom trim and cabinetry on site, and custom furniture from my shop. I couldn't make what I need to in order to feed my family if I was disorganized. I switched a number of years ago to all Tanos Systainers (like come with Festool tools). I also largely switched to Festool as well, but thats a different story.

Everything is in stacking systainers. I can easily transport everything I need from the van to the job site, or to the shop if I need something there, in fewer trips. And I know just what I have. I group things by tool use. For example I use my 18guage, 21guage, and 23guage pinners/nailers quite a bit. They are in one sustainer, that attaches to a sustainer with drawers that contain all my fasteners for those guns. The two boxes lock together and I carry everything at once. Its easy to look in and see if I need fasteners, or if I don't have a tool at the end of the day.

I use these things every day, and although I take care of my tools, I don't baby them. Ive had one case fail in over five years. I dropped a saw in the case and it landed on the latch and broke it. One call to Tanos, and I had several replacements sent out at no charge.

Just my 2 cents.