Pimp my toolbox

As mentioned in another thread, I caught a deal on a nice, if dented, roller toolbox. There are a ton of add ons and accessories out there these days for toolboxes. What have you guys added to yours, either purchased or diy, that you've found really useful?

Box in question:

Already has a built in power strip on the handle end.

Oh, and organization ideas for drawers is fair game too. But I am not trimming foam around each tool.

I really like this style socket organizer if you have room in a taller drawer for them. 

Socket Rack

Mounting a vise on the top would be handy.

I've been using cheap yoga mats from the dollar store for drawer liners.

In reply to ultraclyde :

Us tool snobs only like red Snap On boxes. But ignore us, you did well.  I have seen the Snap On logo popped off a junk box and attached next to the  original brand as a tongue in cheek laugh at guys like me.  

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

I like those but the drawers arent deep enough. That might be my one meh about this box, but for the price I'm willing to compromise. I've been using the rail type in my travel set and really like them, so I'm leaning that way unless someone drops a better solution.

something like this for pry bars, long extensions, etc.

https://toolboxwidget.com/

I splashed out on the Westling Machine socket organizers. The jewel like quality made me happy, price be damned

The HF trays are fine. No problems with them at all. The Hansens are great as well, but were too tall for my socket drawer at the time. The drawbacks of the Westling are that you can't just grab a whole tray and take it to the job and no size labeling.  

For wrenches I am a fan of the Snapon KRA15A rails on yoga mats. The rails are one of the cheapest things Snapon sells. Free delivery from their website too.

Other cool tool box things are to screw HF Magnet strips to the sides.

My Pry bars, air nozzles and a few other randoms live on the side of my box on magnet strips. As a matter of fact I have one cut to the width of my screwdriver drawer as my screwdriver organizer.

Again, if you have the drawer height a pliers rack is great. I see HF has one now.

Every Ikea trip results in me bringing home some cheap plastic drawer organizers. Some are great, some are terrible. For the under a fiver buy in I am ok with the gamble. 

I firmly believe that the benefit of a nice big toolbox is not storage amount, but organization capabilities. I know at a glance what is in there and what is missing. 

I still end up with junk drawers though. 

This is my “90% box”. In includes everything I need to do 90% of my wrenching. I bought a couple of foam plates and a hot knife. It was a bit of work, but now, I never waste time searching for a tool and I never loose a tool. 

Friends have referred to it as “Torkels OCD-box”...

In reply to Torkel :

Yeah, this is the level of OCD I mentioned not doing in the original post. I'm glad you enjoy it, but it sure ain't for me!

I see this a lot as several  of my friends are military aircraft mechanics and that is required practice so they dont leave tools in the aircraft 

The problem with the foam solution is that it doesn't accomodate evolution of your tool collection very well.  I can see the value if you're doing something like putting together a toolkit for a changing brake pads on an 25-hour endurance racing car or for the pro airplane mechanic, but I'm just in my garage working on my own projects out of my big toolbox.  I probably add a new tool to it at least once a month, and that'd mean a lot of reworking of the foam.

I'm a +1 on the hansen socket organizers.  Are you sure the drawers aren't tall enough?  The half-inch drive ones are out, but the quarter-drive racks should fit in the 3" drawers just fine and maybe the 3/8 drive. (measuring mine they are about 2 7/8" tall).

In reply to codrus :

The foam only rules out expansion if you fill every drawer. 

If you do a foam set for your sockets that fills half a drawer, it’s easy to dump some new stuff in the space next to the foam. 

Laserable foam makes it easy to change, if you have access to a laser cutter (or can go to a print shop). Just layout the stuff how you want it, make a clean picture or photocopy of the tools, and have them cut it. If stuff changes in a few months, do it again. 

Organization is incredible. (FWIW, I am not that organized, but I am much better than most)

So after measuring drawers and looking at a bunch of websites I ordered a set of 3 aluminum, twist lock rail organizers from Amazon for $25. Ordered blue rails for metric and if I like them I'll get another set in red for SAE. The brand is Oslo if anyone is looking.

They were $20 per stick at HF, or a plastic version could be bought through Home Depot for $38/ 3,  shipped.

I've been using the shorter version in my travel tool kit and like them a lot cause I can easily take it to the project. We'll see how it works in the box.

So what about weird, home made stuff on the outside of the box. Anyone got stuff?

In reply to ultraclyde :

Have you ever browsed the garagejournal forums?

This thread is so relevant to my interests that I'm having a hard time resisting posting that ancient cat meme (don't worry, I won't). 

Just got that same box.  It'll be my first ever tool chest.  I've been living out a series of bags and portable boxes for the 20ish years that I've been banging on things with hammers and cursing the heavens when they don't function properly.

Subscribed.

Grtechguy said:

In reply to ultraclyde :

Have you ever browsed the garagejournal forums?

yes. for weeks on end.

My personal favorite (that I still haven't done) is the rechargeable flashlight that hangs on the outside of the box in its charger. 

Also I've considered making a rack just for lug nut sockets and labeling it for the cars I own, not the size. Still need to complete that small project. 

Robbie said:

My personal favorite (that I still haven't done) is the rechargeable flashlight that hangs on the outside of the box in its charger. 

Also I've considered making a rack just for lug nut sockets and labeling it for the cars I own, not the size. Still need to complete that small project. 

I've switched to headlamps almost exclusively, but flashlight rack is a good idea. I love the labeled lug socket idea. I might just spray paint mine. Blue socket fits blue truck, silver socket fits silver mustang, red socket fits red Mazda 6

I do the colored tape version of this ^^^ which makes for a quick grab.

Not everything needs to be super organized.  If it's only you working out of the box, and stuff goes back into the correct general area, you can fit a lot more stuff in less area. 

Some stuff really does need organization, though, and takes up less room because of it.

I like sockets.

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Is there a 10 mm in there or are they all missing?

TRoglodyte said:

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Is there a 10 mm in there or are they all missing?

A quick glance has seven of them, all in place. 

I'm missing a short 13mm flat wrench, though, if you see one.

Good advice here. My toolbox is organized by drawer, fairly roughly.

Phillips Screwdrivers + Picks

Flathead Screwdrivers + something

Allen keys + something

Fab Tools: Step Bits + File + Punch + etc

Pliers + ViceGrips

SAE sockets

Metric Sockets + Socket Wrenches + Extensions

Wrenches (roughly split SAE to one side, metric to the other.

It works pretty well. Whenever I move I may come up with something better. My BIL and his boss made a essentially a tool pegboard workbench that is 2 sided and can roll. (Much bigger shop area.) It's pretty nice because you see immediately where everything is and what is missing. I may go this route next time. 

I'd also like to setup a mostly portable toolbox that has most tools I need that I can grab for when I'm at event and such. 

I have the same box. The biggest issue that I found with it was that when I wanted more drawers, its hard to find a top box that works. They are all either too small or too large. HF sells side boxes that are OK, but still not ideal.