Tool drawer organising

I don't know who will be more surprised by this thread, Forum members or myself!.

My never ending, that's how its felt over the months, HAS finally come to an end.

This is an explanation of what I did, good and not so good with regards to the methods of getting tool impressions using Papiér mâché, expanding foam and my last ditch solution.

Photo Album 'Drawers' added to my list

When I came to the conclusion last year that I was spending more time searching the drawers for tools than using them, I knew I had to do something about it. The drawers where added in 2008 with tools and such added willy nilly.

I estimated that it would take me to the middle of 2014 to finish the job.

How close can you get?!

Having used Papiér mâché at school, and seeing how effective the egg containers are, I thought 'The perfect solution' so went for it.

First attempt was paper from my crosscut shredder soaked in water overnight, drained of as much water as possible, then wall paper powder mixed in, emptied into a baking tray, covered with cling film and the grip pliers pressed into the mix. Result - mix far too lumpy and binned after a week waiting for it to dry.

Second was newspaper torn into strips, dipped into wall paper paste and laid over tools covered in cling film, ditto the drawer base. Much better as each layer can be pressed around the tools. A proper pulp was made using a blender this time, paste mixed in and then used as a filler on the underside of the dry moulding. Perfect except for the long drying time.

Third method was to use EPS and hot wire cutouts for the digital Callipers, the one and only attempt. This needs to be set up properly to get a decent cut.

Fourth method was to use expanding foam and although this worked, it was wasteful due to expansion, as containing it would force foam to expand under the tools, therefore needing lots of trimming. It worked but life's just too short.

Back to the Papiér mâché method as I was now getting better at it, but the crunch was the long drying time and I was getting well and truly peed off.

Fifth and last method proved to be the best and quickest.

Wood strips of all things, used as dividers! Photos show just how quick and easy.

If only I had thought of that on day one, I would have finished the drawers in weeks compared to months.

Lesson learned and used for the Tap&Die drawers.

I took photos of each drawer's content and printed them to fit the brass label holders. Someone on the Forum did suggest I use icons, thanks, but I battled to find a good selection, so resorted to taking photos of single tools where appropriate. Much quicker.

Geoff - What next?

Nice and tidy job Geoff, I keep pliers, screwdrivers and the like hanging on the wall. Since I don't have nearly as many drawers (or stuff) as you I have just put some small plastic boxes in some of my drawers.

Thor

Geoff !!

I thought I was a compulsive and excessive "organizer". I bow to your excellence - I am not worthy to wrap myself in your papier mache- you ARE the master!

I'm going to have a lie down now.

( You have quite spoiled my weekend ! )

Regards

Norman

Great cabinet and heaps of draws. Sadly although I know where most stuff is kept I need a tool box or cabinet as big as yours to house it all (Oh why didn't I get that super size cabinet when daughter worked where she did??)

I have used foam sheets and cut out shapes around my Vernier in the box. Can't recall where the 5mm sheets came from. For thicker heavy why not use the Childrens floor mat foam squares that inter-lock they are about 12mm or so thick ideal I think. The other is Concrete expansion foam I have used small bits and know here in Australia some come as wide as 8".

I'd be concerned the Paper will attract damp which isn't good for wood or tools.

Geoff

Well Done (Bravo Zulu for the navy types). You obviously display pride in ownership. I also favor a neat (as possible) shop. Sometimes my efforts do go a little adrift especially when I am focused on personally designed piece of work. I suppose I inherited the attribute from my dear Dad whose 29 year career in the Canadian army included several hands-on years as a weapons and vehicle engineer. As a young fella, if I borrowed a tool and failed to return it to the proper slot or if it had the least bit of oil or grease on it, there was sure to be smoke on the mountain. I get turned off quickly when I see a piece of kit for sale and there beneath the machine is a rusted heap of accessories, cutters and tools. When the time comes to sell tools or equipment (God forbid), displaying pride in ownership will encourage potential buyers to pay a little extra.

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. - A.A. Milne

I thank the Lord I no longer have to go to work. I just get out of bed in the morning, and there it is - all around me. - Anonymous

Well done Geoff. As I get older, I find it imperative to be tidier. I can't remember putting stuff down but at least I know where to look.

Andrew M

Hi Guy's
I have a small book marked workshop A to Z . If I cant remember say where is the large tap wrench , look under T
and there it is in  draw marked M 3 
Nobby

Edited By Nobby on 01/06/2014 13:03:14

.

I still can't decide how to do the index

T, for Tap Wrench, Large

L, for Large Tap Wrench

W, for Wrench, Large, Tapping for the use of

... probably explains a lot about the state of my workshop. !!

MichaelG.

Michael

You worked for the "wrong" people. The good old GPO had an enormous variety of stores and all were listed in a book - ( about 4 inches thick!)

Your large tap wrench would be described ( under "W" )  as :- Wrenches, Tap, Large . Next to it would be Wrenches, Tap, Small etc. All Tap wrenches would thus be listed together amongst all the other wrenches. In a similar way (say) wood screws might be :- Screws, Brass.Csk , 1" x 8 etc ( all brass screws together, all head type together then by size)

At first strange but once you get your mind into thinking this way very straightforward.

Nobby

Your method has the virtue of simplicity however ....how do you find the book ? ( I can lose ANYTHING these days - often only moments after I have found it and put it down.

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 01/06/2014 15:01:48

The trouble with being that organised is when a tool isn't in its designated place you have no chance of finding it. I lost my carpenters level for a month last year becaue I left it near where I had thought of putting up a shelf instead of where it was supposed to be.

I cut off the bottom of plastic milk bottles for temporary storage of screws etc when workng on something but have a couple of drawers where their square shape packed in nicely as sub dividers.

The reversed order indexing system above is good for searches and worth considering when starting forum threads.

Edited By Bazyle on 01/06/2014 15:57:37

Thanks for all the kind remarks, and sincere apologies for upsetting the weekend for some.

I do like things in order, something I've inherited from my Mom, definitely not from Dad.

Not sure if I should add photos of my Tap&Die drawers and the small plastic Multi-drawer units, as I may well spoil the rest of the year for Norman

Having learned a lesson with my first workshop, I deliberately made the drawers shallow so as not to have tools/stuff piled one on top of another.

Don't remember how long they all took to make, but I'm well pleased with the final result.

Geoff - A mug of coffee from home roasted coffee beans.

It's OK Geoff

I can live with it!

Here is my solution to the tap & die issue:-

Drawer is removed from cabinet and taken to job.

I have quite a few of these plus other drawers - but I'm not in your league!

Regards

Norman

Hi Norman
We all have one in our workshop a black hole . I dropped my small adjustable spanner and its gone . I cant find it anywhere. . In the toolroom years ago . if you dropped a small item .the first place to look was in your turn ups
Nobby

I'm on a roll, and added an Album for my Taps&Dies unit, an off the shelf three drawer unit this time, modified.

Tomorrow I will bore everyone with my iteration of the multi-drawer units similar to Norman's, then I will be quiet for some time recovering.

I now need to make something! Rear ToolPost and JS' lever Tailstock.

Geoff - Time to catch up on some DVDs - 24, Bourne series, Hornblower or Sopranos?

I made a rear toolpost a few years back- most expensive paperweight ever! - Found it more trouble than it was worth and certainly didn't solve any problems. I find parting from the normal toolpost a breeze with the right tool ground properly, normal HSS for most jobs and parting at around 200RPM no problem - but then I have abig solid lathe

As for the Stevenson tailstock mod, best thing I have done to the lathe so far (may soon be surpassed by the screwcutting clutch - same principal as Grays' but a different implementation, inspired by a discussion we had some time back )

I store my taps/dies/drills in a similar way to Norman (NJH). The local hardware shop sells the plastic drawer units for about AU$20.

Coalburner,......I have a Sieg Mini lathe and since I made a more rigid post + clamp on toolholder style QCTP, I too can part off at high speed. Like 1" diameter al. alloy at 700 rpm, 1" diameter steel and cast iron at 200rpm. You don't need a big solid machine!!

cheers

Bill