How Do You Store Your Tools?...?...?...?

[High octane]

I have a desk in my den/hobby room and keep my tools in a desk drawer along with my bottled paints that I use for brush painting parts. I've been doin' this for at least 20 years and it works for me.

[atomicholiday]

Harbor Freight, got it on sale for $149.

Sits beside the work bench.

I've been thinking about going this route for a while now. Currently most of my tools and some of my paint are in a small toolbox. Some are in a little 3 drawer roll-away storage bin and a bunch are all over my bench. I'd like to get it all together into one unit.

[Mike Kucaba]

Harbor Freight, got it on sale for $149.

Sits beside the work bench.

X2!!

[Jurva]

This is how i have arranged my tools and paints. On the left side of picture is the main working area and all the tools and paints are on the right. Wooden drawers, magnetic holder, spinning tray and metallic "racks" are from Ikea.

[kangee]

I'm currently storing everythig in 2 shoe boxes and I think it wont get better any time soon. Maybe next time I travel I'll get a toolbox with some compartments to properly store everything...

There are some great working areas in this topic. Great job guys

[Ramfins59]

My workbench is a Rolltop desk down in my basement. This picture is from a couple of years ago but not much has changed. The "cubbyholes" above the work surface (from right to left) hold

1 - Metal Rifler file set and small vise-grips.

2 - Assorted jars of gloss enamel paints.

3 - XActo knives & blades, Pin vise and assorted drills and bits.

4 - Assorted tweezers, pens, Flat finish jar paints used for interiors.

5 - Jars of Tamiya Clear paints: Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue.

6 - Short lengths of metal tubing and rod (in old cigar tubes), and small plastic boxes holding thin surgical tubing and assorted pins.

7 - (Behind the Pink Lamp) Spools of assorted wire.

Just below the top shelf part of the desk are: (Right to left) Clothes pins (for clamps), 2 pair of hemostats, small LED flashlight. 3 different sizes of scissors, alligator clips (held on by small magnets).

The top of the desk holds: (Right to left) Assorted glues & polishes, behind those is an office desktop file organizer holding pkgs. of BMF, assorted styrene sheets, assorted sheets of sandpaper.

Behind the glues is a bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol, a clock, 2 part epoxy bottles

In front of the clock are all jars of various Metalizer paints (in alphabetical order).

2 old tennis ball containers, i holding assorted lengths and sizes of aluminum & plastic tubing and rod, and the other holds assorted new paint brushes.

Bottles of Rustall & Weatherall, a bag of popsicle sticks and wooden coffee stirrers, rolls of assorted masking tape, Easy-Off oven cleaner, spray adhesive, and boxes of wooden and plastic toothpicks.

The drawers on the right side of the desk hold:

Top Drawer - assorted sanding sticks, odd tools & drill bits.

Center Drawer - old cans of assorted enamel spray paint & assorted decal sheets in plastic bags.

Bottom Drawer - Assorted junk.

Center Drawer - Assorted junk.

Left side drawers:

Top - Whitewall tires and custom wheels.

Center - Assorted plastic bags.

Bottom - Model display stands/bases & mirrors for use at model shows.

My workbench is well lit, with a lamp on both sides and overhead fluorescent lighting. The 5 shelf unit to the right holds assorted parts packs, future planned model projects, pkg. of Q-Tips, a box of assorted colors of flocking and small strainer, and several bins of parts.

The rolling 5 drawer unit just visible on the left holds wheels & tires, engine & chassis parts, interior parts, clear and clear Red parts and sprues, assorted body & fender parts and grille & bumper parts.

Everything I need when working on a project is within arms reach. I find that having things organized usually helps the building process go smoothly and efficiently without a lot of wasted time having to look for something. That's just the way I roll.

[southpier]

small living requires small storage:

it's taboret style, within arm's reach of my desk so i can pull it from a seated position.

also, the lighted top with cutting mat is helpful for working standing up (casters lock). i tend to get a dead end from sitting after an hour or so.

supplies adjacent.

kit stash is downstairs in the entry.

treasure chest of "almost finished" kits.

[gtx6970]

Thats way to organized,,I'de never be able to find a thing. Looks killer though

[southpier]

i find the less clutter around, the better i feel

[tubbs]

i find the less clutter around, the better i feel

to me, that applies to everything BUT model building. the more clutter there is, the more time i am spending building instead of cleaning up the clutter. but i DO try to put most stuff back at the end of a building session.

[Jantrix]

Well at first they are all in holders and containers, and then for a while they are all over the place, and then they are all in holders and containers, and then for a while they are all over the place, etc, etc.

[afx]

I bought some magnetic knife strips from Ikea and also use peg board racks.

[fantacmet]

I just kind of toss them up on the desk or the printer or where ever. Explains why I have trouble finding them.

[Roadrunner]

I'm living a rather nomadic lifestyle right now, so the overwhelming majority of my most frequently used tools, are stored in readily accessible tackle boxes, with paints, pastels and other weathering media, all being housed in small boxes by type.

[Belugawrx]

I was going to say "All over my bench",but after spending some time ther today I realize,....I gotta get organized!!

Joe Smythe Style :)

[restoman]

Looking at some of these pictures makes me realize that I'm a pig...

I do most of my building on a piece of 3/4" plywood laid across my lap, with my folding table/storage bench to my left.

Pretty serious back/leg issues keeps me in a wheelchair most of the time so sitting at a stool or regular chair is out. Had to improvise...

Knives and scribes - anything with an edge - I keep in an old yogurt container, and the files and tweezers, etc stay in their respective pouches in a foil oven pan.

Paints and brushes stay out of the way in a plywood toolbox tray I built years ago, on the table.

Kits, parts boxes, junkyard, etc all sits piled beside the table.

Crowded and always messy, my biggest problem is keeping the cats off of the table at night.

[BubbaJoe]

here is my work bench. old desk my kids had when they were young . sits next to my computer desk were i build.. i made the paint rack from 3 ' angle bracket bolted together. easy to take apart and move the shelves up or down as needed or to add a shelf. most of my tools are kept in 2 mechanics tool chest under the desks. i keep a few i use most often on the rack.

Edited March 24, 2015 by BubbaJoe

[Twokidsnosleep]

I am thinking of getting one of these

It is a kit that you assemble

http://www.stewmac.com/Materials_and_Supplies/Kits/Tool_Chest_Kit/Gerstner_Tool_Chest_Kit.html

Edited March 29, 2015 by Twokidsnosleep

[southpier]

i've bought (other) things from Stewmac and they're good to do business. pick up some slotting files when you place your order; they're handy to have.

[Twokidsnosleep]

i've bought (other) things from Stewmac and they're good to do business. pick up some slotting files when you place your order; they're handy to have.

I drool over their stuff too. Thanks for that tip, will look for those files

Wife currently on warpath about my spending habits right before we build a house so I am hooped on buying much right now

[Pim]

I just store my tools in an old model box should probably upgrade

[southpier]

used a cigar box for years.

[landman]

I use a home made tool chest/cabinet next to the bench which is an old computer desk. The rest of the desk holds the jackpot that is in frequent use.