A tool cart I made.

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donsrods

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
10,476
Location
fort myers florida
I know a lot of people and professional mechanics like the rollaway tool chests with all the drawers in them, and I have a couple myself, but never have been a fan of them. I find myself pulling out a couple of drawers before I find the one I was looking for. I realize you can put labels on the drawers to indicate what is inside, but that takes time too.

I also realized that my tools are separated into a couple of groups:

1) The ones I use almost every time I am at the shop

2) Ones I use only occasionally.

3) Ones I do not use often at all, like ring compressors, pickle forks, etc.

So what I decided to do was move the tools I use most often onto a separate cart that I can roll around the shop easily and put it near where I am working. What I used was a used MAC tool cart with one tray that I bought at a swap meet recently for $20. And, because I like to just reach and grab a tool, I added a 2 foot high piece of pegboard supported by some angle iron. That allowed me to hang up a lot of stuff that I use a lot, and I can get at them quickly and put them back quickly.

Here is the pegboard back I built onto the rolling tool cart:

mytoolcart012.jpg


I used the top tray in the cart to hold the sockets I use the most, both in SAE sizes and Metric sizes, as well as rachets, extensions, and various adapters. I put all the SAE on the left and Metric on the right.


mytoolcart005-1.jpg

In the one drawer that this thing has I put various combination, open end, box end, and other wrenches. These are the ones I use for various tight spots and special applications.

mytoolcart014.jpg



On the very bottom tray I put all the big heavy tools , like my impact tools, impact sockets, hammers, pry bars, and various chemicals, like antiseize, permatex, etc. Having all the heavy stuff on the bottom keeps the weight of the peg board from tipping over the whole thing because of being top heavy.

mytoolcart009.jpg




I put my most common screwdrivers on the sides, phillips on the right and slotted on the left side.

mytoolcart015.jpg


mytoolcart016.jpg





The whole back of the pegboard was bare, so on it I hung tools that wouldn't fit anywhere else, like my breaker bars, serpentine belt tools, some Metric combination wrenches, inspection mirror and magnet, etc.


mytoolcart019-1.jpg





Since I built this thing my life has been so much easier and organized. If I use a tool I can put it right back in it's home, and if one is missing I can see a bare spot right away. Rather than me having a lot of tools laying around until I gather them up and carry them way back to the rolling tool chest, I now have the cart right there beside me. Clean up is so much easier.

I am finding that this cart is saving me a lot of trips back and forth, because you know you always think you needed a 1/2 inch wrench and it really was a 9/16. Instead of two trips I now just reach right into the tray and exchange the wrong one for the right one.

This won't be for everyone, but I thought I would share it in case someone else might find it useful.

Don
 
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I was so happy with the convenience of the tool cart that I decided to do the same thing with our drill bits and electric drills. I had a second one drawer rolling cart and it is perfect for that purpose.

You know how much of a pain it is when you are working on something involving electric drills, you take the drill and a few bits to the job and then find out you need more sizes. Pretty soon they are all rolling around on the ground and you can't find the ones you need. Now I can roll this cart right over to where I am working and only remove one bit at a time and replace it when I am done with it.

Here is the top tray, it holds the most common drill bits we use:

mytoolcart024.jpg



In the one drawer this cart has I put stuff like unibits, countersinks, and large drill bits.

mytoolcart025.jpg



And on the bottom tray I put the overflow drill bits and the electric drills I use most often.
mytoolcart031.jpg





If I am using the drill press I can roll this cart right over to it and have the same good access to whatever bits I need. Keeping them organized like this lets me see which ones are missing and broken, and I can either replace them from the ones in the bottom tray or, if I am out of that size, I can buy replacements to fill that hole.

I'm getting so organized I can't stand it ! :D

Don
 
Wow...with a set up like this I could build a rod in half the time, Chasing tools around the shop is a real waste of time. these are really cool. they are compact and easy to move, carry everything that is needed. great idea Don. I just saw one of these small carts at the goodwill store, If I'm lucky it is still there.
 
Damnit Don, if I keep seeing more ideas for things other than vehicle work I'll never get anything done!!!

I been trying to get things where I can get to them easily in a small 2 car garage and it has not been easy... this is a great idea...
 
Yeah, it has really been so much easier to work on stuff and to stay organized. I always dreaded the end of the night when you would have to start picking up all the tools you had dragged out and carrying them way back to the main tool box. Now I just use a tool, put it back in it's spot on this cart, and there is no more looking around to see where I laid it when I need it again.

I see these on sale all the time at HF for $49-$99 depending on how many drawers they have, but the MAC I found at the swap meet was a good find for $20. The red one with the drill bits on it I found brand new in the box at Turkey Run for $40.

But the biggest advantage is the number of trips back and forth I was making to the rollaway chest in the very back of the shop. It probably weighs 500 pounds loaded so rolling it up to where I was working was almost impossible, This one probably only weighs 100 or so pounds and rolls easier and is more compact.

The addition of the pegboard really gave it so much more storage area and accessibility too. I'm finding that 99% of the tools I ever use are right here on this one little cart.

Don
 
Dang, I wish I was that organized. I spend as much time looking for tools as I do actually working on stuff.:( Maybe someday......
 
that is really cool, I really need to do something similiar cause the system i use now definitely doesn't work..:D
 
Looks nice but the first time you hum a hammer into the top of it your sockets are all going to be out of order!


P.S. I just spent all morning cleaning and orginizing my shop! My wife is taking over the billing and scheduling so maybe now it will be productive![cl
 
Looks nice but the first time you hum a hammer into the top of it your sockets are all going to be out of order!


No, that is the nice part. The sockets all fit on little pegs on a plastic organizer for sockets I bought at Northern Tool. I cut it to fit this top tray. It had a lot more pegs than I needed so I was able to modify it for the ones I wanted on this cart. :D

Bruno, more like boredom is taking over my life. :eek:

Don
 
garage

You might consider posting your cart pix at garage journal and or garage gazette. Thatd get lots if positive feedback. My friend jack built a rolling A frame for his most used tools servicing harleys
 
I was thinking the same thing....

Damnit Don, if I keep seeing more ideas for things other than vehicle work I'll never get anything done!!!

I been trying to get things where I can get to them easily in a small 2 car garage and it has not been easy... this is a great idea...

Lets see, tool cart, bead roller table or to work on the truck??? [S
 

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