spaco wrote:
I don't have a very big shop, but I spend 'way too much time looking
around for this or that tool when I need it.
I know pretty well where my favorite micrometer and dial caliper are,
and the location of the most popular inserts that I use.
The trouble comes when I have to locate a piece of tooling or a piece
of measuring equipment that I don't use all that often. The problem is
complicated by having cabinets and shelves both by the lathe and by the
mill, with some storage by the drill press, too. That's in addition to
the Kennedy 52611 chest that I got for Christmas last year.
One other thing that I probably shouldn't admit to: Sometimes, when I
can't find the thing I really should be using, I may make do with
something else, just because I don't want to go "on the hunt". This
practice can be a cause for poor quality, frustration and rework.

Soooooo---- I finally sat down and made a list of all of that kind of
tool. (I put it on a spreadsheet, because I always do lists that way).
Then, after alphabetizing the list and grouping similar items to make
them easier to find on the list, I put a simple description of their
location next to each one. The list is general enough that it's only
one page long at this time---- I KNOW where the drill bits and the QC
tool holders are.
I wasn't very scientific about the locations, but I don't have to be.
It's MY shop. ---No GPS-type coordinates.

The list lives in the lid of the Kennedy chest. I left room between
every entry, so I can add things as needed.

Examples:
------------
Reamers:
General: Brown (Kennedy chest) right,(side) 3(3rd small Drawer)
Over and Under: Brown, Large, 1, (1st Large drawer)

Mill tramming stuff: Brown, left, 1
: Over Mill, left, 3

Interesting idea.

I mostly use the low-cost roll-around toolboxes from Sears. I catch the
"workcenter" units with the plastic compartemented top. You can unscrew
the top and replace it with a standard top to match your workbenches, or
leave the plastic thing in place. I like to make all my work surfaces
the same height.
What works for me currently is arranging the lathe related tooling
next to the lathe it goes to. Tooling that works on either is in a
cabinet between the two. Same for milling machine tooling, it's between
the mill-drill and the minimill. Another cabinet is just for drills and
driling items, and it's between the millers and the drill-press.
Mechanical tools are in a separate chest
Measuring tools are in a separate chest.
tools that I use often - tailstock wrenches, etc are dedicated to each
machine and stored on pegboard behind it.
Popular (top 6) collets I keep with each machine on the pegboard, with
the larger set in the cabinet.