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Cleaned & sorted my Tool Box tonight

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JPSmit

JPSmit

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I am not sure I have ever done this before - looking for a part - which I ultimately found somewhere else.

That said, it is amazing how much I got to throw away - just debris from the bottom of the drawers. That said I found an astonishing number of files/ razor blades/ box cutter blades/ old screw drivers - and allen wrenches - I think they breed.

Anyways, only 3 or 4 parts left in the toolbox while I look for a new home - and then there will be only tools
 
You don't know me that well, 48 hours
 
I'm due to do this.

When we're on the road in the summer (at races), I pull out selected tools from my garage and store them in our Chevy tow van. I usually have at least 6 large plastic tubs of tools and spare parts in the van on a race weekend.
But after an entire season of swapping things back and forth from the garage to the van, things are a bit messy and disorganized.
Plus I have some broken tools, straight-blade screwdrivers that need to be redressed, mixed up sockets, etc..
And yes.....an endless pile of broken box cutter blades and other debris mixed into some of the tool boxes.
 
The only thing with ANY order to it in th' hovel is my toolboxes. Selective OCD on my part. All else is chaos.
 
I'm with doc. 15 years on the "line" trying to beat the clock has made me really picky about all my tools being in the right place. The rest of may garage is another story.....
 
Usually, when I spend an hour fixing something, it's 30 minutes of actual repair time and another 30 minutes of trying to figure out where I set down the $@#%%^#! tool that I need to do the repair. I really TRY to get into the habit of putting everything back in the toolbox, but sometimes, if I'm in the middle of something, I'll leave them on the workbench, the parts tubs, a shelf in the garage, or even in the car itself.

At least I put my bicycle tools and car tools into separate toolboxes, although several of my bicycle tools have come in unusually handy for car repairs.
 
Bicycle tools occupy a separate section in the Snap-On "refrigerator" box, all sockets are on removable "racks" so if one is MIA it is obvious. Wrenches are all on racks in order and again if one is out of place, it's obvious. After a repair, all are cleaned and put back into their respective places.

Having learned from an early age to operate in total darkness as a photog, the habit of always having various tools in a specific place makes for more efficient job performance IMHO, too.

Anecdotal tale: Having moved my large box from shop to home, the drawers were removed for ease of transport. On getting the box in the garage at th' hovel, a couple of the drawers were put into different locations... volunteers didn't ask(!). Screw-stick drawer and flies drawer were juxtaposed, tap-n-die/threading related one with the hand vacuum pump, pop-rivet and Zerts drawer... found myself having to open TWO drawers to reach for a Phillips driver, same for an easy-out. After a year of this, the drawers were refitted into their (30 year) "proper" arrangement.

The anxiety attacks have lessened. :smirk:
 
Can you say, "OCD"? :jester:
 
Already did. :smirk:
 
Its not picky. Just particular. :friendly_wink:
 
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