Gunner Asch wrote in
:

On Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:22:47 -0600, RB wrote:

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.


Get some of the old IBM punch card file cabinets. Work wonders for
organizing tools, tooling and whatnot

The old Simplicity pattern cabinets hold rotary tables and other tall
and wide stuff perfectly and have heavy heavy duty ball bearing
glides.

Gunner

If you can find any, old thread/button cabinets work well for smaller
items - especially if you can find them with the original boxes inside.

About 2" deep x 3' wide drawers with 4-6 drawers/cabinet and each drawer
has a card holder just above the handle.

[SWMBO "rescued" a couple from an old store that had gone out of business
years earlier when she was helping the new owner of the building to set
up shop. G She uses a 4-drawer for her crafts and I use the 6-drawer
for tools. VBG]