:::RHMT::: Real Home Made Turbo

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: n/a mike on August 25, 2025, 08:35:53 PM

Title: Tool organization
Post by: n/a mike on August 25, 2025, 08:35:53 PM

How are you guys organizing your tools in boxes/chests?
Specifically sockets and wrenches.
Are you using plastic trays or just laying everything in the drawer all random?

I just picked up a shitty Harbor Freight chest so I can get my tools out of 5 gallon buckets.
For the last 6 or so years all my hand tools have lived in 5g buckets. I finally got tired of digging through them looking for what I need, so I bought a chest.

I've always just laid the tools in the drawer in order of size, but they roll and slide around eventually end up all over the place.
So what are you guys doing?

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: 92CXyD on August 26, 2025, 02:28:27 PM

I'm more of a visual inventory guy, I have everything on peg boards or shelves where I can see everything right away.

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: n/a mike on August 26, 2025, 03:05:35 PM

Quote from: 92CXyD on August 26, 2025, 02:28:27 PM

I'm more of a visual inventory guy, I have everything on peg boards or shelves where I can see everything right away.

Back when I had a house (mom's house) I had an awesome peg board setup.
It made life much easier because I could quickly look and see something was missing or find the size I wanted.
I'm planning on buying a cargo trailer next year and moving all my storage stuff into it.
I figured this would be a better setup than peg board in the trailer.

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: Ntrain2k on August 26, 2025, 06:30:39 PM

https://amzn.to/3UKErp9

Would be a good start

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: Ntrain2k on August 26, 2025, 06:32:15 PM

This for the larger items.

https://amzn.to/47KQs5p

Cutout to fit the specific tools

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: n/a mike on August 27, 2025, 05:45:03 PM

Quote from: Ntrain2k on August 26, 2025, 06:30:39 PM

https://amzn.to/3UKErp9

Would be a good start

Yeah something like that will probably be what I do.
I'm just trying to think of some diy setup that won't cost as much.

I was thinking about using some 1/2" square wood dowels to keep things separate.
I still need to get all my tools organized before I can even put them in the box. I probably have 3 or 4 complete sets of sockets and at least 2 complete  sets of wrenches.

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: fastivab6tg25mr on October 03, 2025, 12:08:59 PM

I like twist lock trays cause they're easy to take to the junk yard to pull stuff. They lock so sockets don't fall off and it's easy to see if something is missing.

https://www.jbtools.com/mechanics-time-saver-lastray-5-row-lock-a-socket-tray/?wi=off&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22260418489&gclid=CjwKCAjw6P3GBhBVEiwAJPjmLrRNuY-_x6NWRPE1mZtu5vCdmf0hdH43znV9-yGed7543pl1Yjsd0xoCLVMQAvD_BwE

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: AMkrew on November 25, 2025, 01:24:15 PM

Hansen socket trays are badass.  I never used the 1/4" trays, but the 3/8" and the 1/2" are incredible.   There are knock offs out there for cheaper, but I don't know if they would last like the Hansen's have.  They fit in the taller top drawers of the newer tool chests.  I use them in the top of a tool cart. 

Title: Re: Tool organization
Post by: jabberwock on December 02, 2025, 10:09:53 AM

I try not to have too much.  That is I have a set of deep, normie, 6pt, 12pt, etc and I arrange them by size in a drawer.  Not in any kind of organizers just small to big thrown in there.  I got some bigass box from Costco 10 or 15 years ago and it holds pretty much everything with a couple bigger exceptions like shit in cases or whatever.  Those just go on the bottom if my bench.  I have little ones so my shit would 100% disappear if I had it on pegboards and not a locking roller