Show Us Your Hand Tool Organizers

[Brian Holcombe]

My 'organizers' are in the background;

[Reinis Kanders]

I also like having most things nearby within the reach. It helps that I can easily reach my ceiling so I can hang stuff where I want. My sharpening setup is a small box that I keep behind me, but can easily move to the bench if the tool needs more than a touch-up.

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[bridger berdel]

https://bridgerberdel.wordpress.com/...n-and-storage/

[William Adams]

https://bridgerberdel.wordpress.com/...n-and-storage/

Some really great lines from that:

>Pegboard is the lowest common denominator of tool storage.

>Fitted cases are for mature sets of tools....a static system.

>Anarchist’s tool chest.....allows for a practical amount of upgrading and rearranging....enforces restraint.

>(T)ool rolls....don’t waste space, at least not as long as the tools in them aren’t too awkwardly shaped.

>Drawers....Get enough drawers and you start forgetting what’s inside any particular drawer.

I have the same problem as the latter w/ a couple of boxes and a joiner's chest and an open toolbox (which I keep on my workbench and can't see to the bottom of). I'll try to take pictures if the weather permits.

[steven c newman]

Getting a few planes from underfoot...
loaded up.jpg
Stanley/Wards 78, Stanley #39 3/8". Ohio Tool 1.25 " shoulder plane.
lid open.jpg
Stanley,Roxton Pond No.45 SW T-20
FULL till.jpg
Plane till is getting full, space under the bottom to stash the extra block planes, and spokeshave..
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Till for drills...but the newest one is too big. Holdall 14" won't fit. Will stash the newer boxes in here..
tool chest #2 opened.jpg
Might be a spot over in the right front corner? This is tool ChestNo. 2
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I think Tool chest No.2 is a bit full?

Saws still hang from the overhead, might work on that later...

[Malcolm Schweizer]

That's it! I can't take any more of this!

You...you...you well organized, meticulously clean, neat freaks you! You and your oh so very tidy shops! I can't stand it!!!

Why...your tool storage units are better than the furniture I make. Besides, I've always felt that tools were never meant to be neatly stored...they were meant to be stacked...and piled...and generally left laying around.

I'm telling you, you don't know what you're missing! My tools and I have spent COUNTLESS hours playing hide-and-seek. We laugh and play (and cuss) for so long on some days that we loose track of time and hardly have any time left for...umm...work (ewww).

And another thing...you guys are always talking about "making sawdust", like it is something you enjoy. Hypocrites! Why do you say such things when your shops all "sparkle and shine"? If you loved it so much you would have kept it around for a while. It's like you sweep it up and throw it out the second it is created. For crying out loud...did you get rid of your children the moment they were born? Of course not, you let them lay around the house for a while...

Maybe you don't know what you're missing. Indeed...maybe I am being too harsh. Perhaps it is your upbringing. You may have been brought up in a home that was all neat and tidy and sterile...with signs in every room that said things like "A Place for Everything...And Everything in its Place" or "Cleanliness is Next to Godliness" (*shudder*). Perhaps you have never experienced the sheer joy of wading knee deep in sawdust!

Layer upon wonderful LAYER of precious memories! *sigh*






So...with that said...I might be starting my own forum. You know, a forum for the rest of us. Something called maybe "Haphazard Slobs", I dunno...

Is is there an award for best comment ever? Can I nominate this for that award? Funny thing, I used to have a horribly disorganized shop, and one day (okay- week) I organized it. Next day, I couldn't find a darned thing. "Where is my no 4 that used to be under that pile of tools in the corner?"

So I believe they call it a zombie post when someone resurrects an old post, but I am glad someone did in this case. I see lots of ideas. Tool Cabinetry is my next step after Frankenbench/Schweizerbench is done.

[glenn bradley]

Oh, lord, how embarrassing: I'm guilty of resurrecting a zombie thread! My apologies to those who're bugged by this sort of thing.

the subject is still viable, I see no problem. I don't know why people have a problem with discussing such things again (still?). ;-)
When

[Rich Riddle]

I am not a zombie and am glad it's still a useful topic.

[Jerry Olexa]

Sean, very impressive..Love several of them..VERY nice work!!!

[Jerry Olexa]

Extremely good use of space for storage...You obviously love vintage hand tools..Great work!!!

I subscribe to the Zero-Rummage-Factor school of tool storage. Everything is spread out in a thin layer on the walls, within easy reach. This makes grabbing the right tool easy, so I am more likely to use the correct tool for the job instead of whatever comes to hand. More importantly, it make putting the tools away much easier. I don't know about you lot, but in my shop every horizontal surface becomes a collection of junk within minutes of being exposed to the rust fouled atmosphere. Almost like the tools congeal out of the air on to any available flat surface. So, being able to put them away easily is a key requirement of my storage solutions.

These pictures a a bit dated, imagine the spke shave rack filled, and each peg doubled up. Add a few more bench planes to the rack too. I don't bother with cleats to store bench planes, I just string'em up by their knobs. The dense-pack brace-rack is also great, as I can load the bits I need and just use them without swapping bits in and out.

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Darrell

[Jerry Olexa]

Wow!!! thats lot of saws!!!! Good job!!!

I have really enjoyed the shop and hand tool organizer pictures. Thanks to all who share their shop pictures, they have all brought a big smile to my face.

Here's a couple pictures of my single car garage size shop.
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FWIW- The most important thing I've learned in moving through three previous shops is pegboard! I like to have all my tools available in easy reach, without having to open the door so I take advantage of as much wall space as possible. I've organized my saws and planes into the tills/rack you see here. Given the inevitability that your collection of hand tools will absolutely grow beyond the space are currently planning, the pegboard lets me move the tills and racks around so I don't have to confront the fact I have a horrible tool problem!
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The tool cabinet is on rollers and was my first piece of shop furniture. I keep chisels and small carving tools etc. in the drawer so I can bring the whole drawer to the workbench when needed. The inlaid box below holds molding planes. You can't see them behind the open doors of the tool cabinet, but hanging on the outside of the cabinet are shop built bow saws, which candidly I don't use much these days.
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The 8' foot, Maple Ruebo bench is the center of the shop – I built it several years ago which allowed me to put my original 30-year-old bench inthe corner for finishing, metalworking assembly etc.

Directly adjacent is the saw bench with a light clamped directly overhead – which is been a big timesaver/accuracy enhancer for me.


All the best, Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Nor am I a zombie. I was thinking of taking a few images so people could see how my disorganized organization has changed in the last few years.

Currently my mind is mulling over some changes, so maybe if they get done in the next couple of years they can be used to resurect this thread again.

jtk

[Jerry Olexa]

Steve, beautiful but you need more planes With envy,

Here is my humble, constantly evolving cabinet, and planes. Not much, but works. Need to finish the chisel section so it's not possible to stab your hand when you grab another, and I don't like the brace storage. It holds a lot of stuff. Work in progress though, so...


Planes. (pic from earlier this year, cabinet was in a makover)

[Adam Stevens2]

It still needs a lid...

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[Chuck Hart]

What a wonderful thread. I wish I had pictures of my 8' X 12' shop. I am adding on to double it this summer. Then I will have a whopping 200 sq. ft. maybe even 232 sq. ft. if I add another 4 ft. But what a great supply of ideas. Thank you.