# How long do you look..?



## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

In your shop, how long do you search for a missing tool before you say the heck with it and buy another one. Obviously this doesn't apply so much to power tools, stationary or otherwise but, small hand tools. You know drill bits, wrenches, screwdrivers and that kind of stuff. I find myself doing it quite often as I don't have a lot of patience. Usually I will find it when I finally clean up the garage/shop. I think I have 15 1/2" wrenches and at least two of every kind of screwdriver I can think of. I lose screwdrivers so often that my wife gives them to me every Christmas.
Just curious if I was a loner in this (I hardly think so) and would like to hear from others. Also what's the biggest tool you ever bought for this reason.


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## Bill1974 (Mar 24, 2010)

I lose utility knives and tape measures. Most other tools i have learned to put away in the same spot or I have enough of that i don't notice them missing.


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## DalyArcher (May 3, 2015)

I buy pencils by the caseload. I have never been able to keep track of pencils even when I am wearing a toolbelt on a jobsite. I built a wall station for my coffee grinder pencil sharpener, holds 20 pencils easy. I couldn't find a pencil last night anywhere in my small shop.

I should buy pilot size drill bits by the gross as well, seems I loose them after every use. I couldn't find my favourite countersink a while back, bought a new one, which I do not like near as much as my old one. Found my original a month later in the bottom drawer of my trim tote.

I live in a small, northern BC community, quality specialized tools are hard to find around here. I honestly do not think I could go to the store and get a cabinet scraper today. If I have to replace a tool, it is likely Lee Valley mail order, so I will put in a good, solid effort to hunt it down.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I'll wait till I find whatever I'm looking for. I'll usually find it in the yard where the kids last played.


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## Bonka (Apr 13, 2012)

All of my tools are "Missing." I almost never know where any hand tool is.


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## MakerofSawdust (Mar 28, 2011)

I think it's directly related to how far you live from the tool store. If Lowe's is only 1 minute away, then don't spend more than 1 minute looking.


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## timbertailor (Jul 2, 2014)

I am pretty organized and my tool boxes are well labeled.

Like you though, it is the safety glasses, reading glasses, pencils, and tape measurers that I misplace quite often during a project. Rarely do I actually lose something for good. I know it is time to clean up when I have to go back in the garage for a spare tape measurer, glasses, or pencil. Yep, find them every time during clean up.


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## InstantSiv (Jan 12, 2014)

Rarely 

It took me forever to learn this but now that I have life is better.

Organized and messy people are both lazy. It's just that organized people are lazy on the back end of things and messy people are lazy on the front end.

Keep things simple, manage what you have, make ease a priority in life (sometimes it takes money but a lot of times it doesn't, either way it's well worth it), if it's a hobby it should be fun(looking for tools is not fun, fix it), if it's for business you should be making stuff(looking for stuff doesn't make you money, fix it).

I'm not super anal about organization but it is a good thing to learn. Oh and organization is something that is learned like a habit and not something people are born with so it's something everyone is capable of.


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## hotbyte (Apr 3, 2010)

I mostly look until I find them…usually find them in the last place I look


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## lateralus819 (Mar 24, 2013)

I lose pencils a lot. I have probably 50 or so in the shop ready to go ha.

Since I built my big tool cabinet I don't misplace stuff a lot. I'm getting better at putting stuff back after I use it.

I'm super anal about picking up/putting away tools at work while I'm working. I just don't practice it at home cause I don't have to.


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

Man, I hear you! The manual and the tee-handle Allen wrench for my DeWalt DW735 are among the missing. I keep all of that sort of stuff in one place. I have the original manuals for every piece of equipment in my shop, except this one. Where it went is a real mystery. In the past year or two I have donated my old Delta contractor saw and Delta planer to some friends who are trying to set up their shops while raising some kids. They were both amazed that I had all of the original manuals, safety warning cards, wrenches, set-up jigs, etc. However, the manual for my planer is among the missing. I have looked MANY times, to no avail. Fortunately we have the Internet and I was able to download a copy. Now if I could just download a new Allen wrench. I will have to buy one to make my planer whole again.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

Here's another for pencils going MIA/AWOL. Sharpies are a close second.
I used to misplace utility knives (and buy a new one every time, then find them all), now I just keep one in every place I use one.
Anyone misplace a wheelbarrow? I have.



> Now if I could just download a new Allen wrench.
> - Kazooman


Soon, that will be possible.


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## rad457 (Jun 15, 2013)

Misplaced my 2 1/2" Lufkin square a couple of weeks ago, looked everywhere no luck ordered a new one this morning and guess what showed up in the afternoon. Guess that is why I have at least 2 of everything LOL!


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Around here we have the "mystical conveyor belt." Anything goes missing, it's on the belt. Sooner or later (when you're not looking for it), it comes around.

We were unpacking boats and loading up the van after a kayaking trip in Baja, and my wife borrowed somebody's Swiss army knife. She asked everybody if they'd seen it. "En su mano," said one of the Mexicans, pointing to her hand. And of course that's where it was.

My biggest frustration is losing a tool I had in my hand 30 seconds ago. I've learned that if I want to find an item again within a reasonable period of time, I have to consciously say, "Okay, I've set the tape measure on the bench vice." That usually works. It's when I'm distracted that I don't pay attention, and the penalty for that is frustration and plenty of self imprecation involving all the bad words I know.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> In your shop, how long do you search for a missing tool before you say the heck with it and buy another one.


I'll just keep looking until I find it… because I know if I don't, it will show up the minute I get home with a new one. Would most likely be different if I actually got paid for the stuff I make though 

Cheers,
Brad


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## jesinfla (Apr 15, 2015)

Problem form me is I put my tape measure, pencil, screw driver or whatever down - turn around to do something and forgot where I put it - I will spend a lot of time looking if I have to since I already have 2 of everything and not really interested in buying a 3rd of everything.

My biggest problem now is I got an apron and keep forgetting to put my tools, tape measure, pencils etc in my pockets LOL


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Flathead screwdrivers are the bane? Of my existence


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

Hmmm. I lost a router about 20 years ago, saw it in a box somewhere about 7 years ago, and haven't seen it since. It was a craftsman, and I've bought at least 3 (maybe better) routers since them. Still, I'd like to find it. I'm sure I've still got it somewhere. It probably has less than 2 hours of actual use on it.

-Paul


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

I could not find my shelf pen jig. After 4 weeks I ordered a new one. Two days after it arrived I found the old one. Small tools I can't find for 15 to 30 minutes are replaced.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

The stuff I lose is the stuff that doesn't have a proper place to be stored. I try keep up w/ shop organization and I build a shop project every fourth or fifth project to tackle some disorganization somewhere in my shop. It is a constant battle because I seem to be acquiring tools fairly regularly. The goal would be for everything to have place that makes sense for work flow etc.. I'm not there yet, I really don't know what to do w/ jigs, I have them every where, I make new ones for every project it seems, they multiply like rabbits. But where to put them all, that is the question, for me.


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## onoitsmatt (Mar 7, 2015)

I'm on board with two of the above comments. 1.) I keep extra tools anywhere I may need them. Screwdrivers in particular are all over the house. There is no such thing as too many screwdrivers. 2.) I put something down and one minute later it is gone. Pencils, tape measures, you name it.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I occasionally loose a tool but after opening a few of my drawers it usually turns up. The most common tools that are not that expensive (screwdrivers, tape measures, utility knives, etc., etc., etc.) I have backups so unless I just don't have anything to do at the time I don't search for common tools. I try to make it a point when I'm not busy to go through all my drawers to put my tools where they are suppose to be because this will save time and prevent frustration in the long run. I do have a couple of catch-all drawers and when something is missing it is often there if it's a common tool.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

Great replies keep em coming. I must actually own 100 tape measures and can't find any of them. I now buy the bright orange florescent colored one. That helps somewhat but, not as much as you would expect.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

> Around here we have the "mystical conveyor belt." Anything goes missing, it s on the belt. Sooner or later (when you re not looking for it), it comes around.
> 
> We were unpacking boats and loading up the van after a kayaking trip in Baja, and my wife borrowed somebody s Swiss army knife. She asked everybody if they d seen it. "En su mano," said one of the Mexicans, pointing to her hand. And of course that s where it was.
> 
> ...


Bolding mine. This is called mindfulness, and is now being taught in the US military.

My problem is that I have about 60 square feet to work in, and when I get going, there is no place to set anything, so things get covered up frequently. I'm working on it. I just got a project making some small items that will net me about $50 per hour, if I don't waste any time. Now there is an incentive.


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

I'm not sure this counts…since it was a non-woodworking tool, but it had to do with working on my shop, so here goes.

Yesterday I looked for about half an hour…then I found it…then I went to Lowes and bought a new one.

In this case, the "tool" in question was two galvanized pipes that I used as runners to screed the sand under the pavers that make up the floor of my shop. When I moved in here 6 months back, I only covered half of the dirt floor of my shop with pavers before moving on to more pressing house projects.

Yesterday, finally got back to the "paver project" and was looking around for these pipes that are an important part of the process of setting pavers. I looked high, I looked low…and then I stopped and really thought about it…there are only about half a dozen places where something that long and straight could be in my house/shop/trailer. I looked in all of the easy places first…not there. Then I reassessed my list of "where could they actually fit". While I was standing there in my shop, my eye landed on the heavy duty "shelves" I built onto the back wall of my shop to stack my hardwood on as I acquired it.

No, I thought…even I'm not that stupid. I climbed over some stuff and peered at the end of a thousand pound stack of wood. Sure enough, there at the very back and the very bottom of that stack…the ends of the two pipes I was looking for.

I stared at that huge stack of wood for 5 minutes and then went to Lowes.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

+1 jesinfla I thought it was just me!

You need an allen wrench.
You actually FIND your allen wrench set.

The only one missing is the size you need.


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## ScottM1 (Jan 25, 2014)

I lost a nail gun once. Looked for it for about an hour. I finally decided it was time to clean up the shop. After about 2 hours of cleaning it was still nowhere to be found. I figured that I must have left it at a job that I just installed earlier that week. So I went to my uncle's shop next door to borrow his. He said "mine is broke but you can borrow yours if you want." And handed me my nail gun.


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## KevinL (Sep 14, 2014)

This is something that I have to deal with every day at work. I'm an Instructor that teaches Tool & Die Technology. While all the bigger things have a hard time walking away, it's the little things that shadow boards don't work for. When you have 20 - 30 different people using many of the same things, they don't get back to their proper place. My most lost thing is my coffee cup! I get helping one student and someone else needs help and the next thing I know is I'm helping another and then where did I put my coffee cup? To make things worse……the students like playing hide and seek with my cup.

That being said my personal tools do not have this problem as I have foam lining my tool box and everything has its own place other than real small things such as scribes. Thirty years of working in a factory and the thousands of dollars of my own personal tools made me learn fast that whenever I was done with something, it goes back into its proper location. Everything has a spot from every reamer, tap, drill bit. I love using indexes.

I agree with others, organization and a regular "cleaning" of everything works best.


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

> ... "mine is broke but you can borrow yours if you want." ...
> 
> - ScottM1


That's classic!

-Paul


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I have a specific place to put every tool when I am not using it on my workbench. I also built several storage trays on two sides of my workbench that are recessed a bit lower than the table top and I store small stuff like pencils, erasers, dial calipers, folding rules and tape measures etc. that are mostly used at my workbench. This helps a lot. The pegboard helps organize other stuff and I have a wall storage shelf unit for drilling related stuff…chargers, drills bits, batteries.
Several years ago on Craigslist I bought a metal storage locker with 24 compartments that are 12×12 x 30 " deep. Each has a door on it and I used a labeler to label what goes in each locker compartment…really helps.

Once I got into the habit of putting everything away in its proper place each night before turning off the lights it made organization so much nicer and nice knowing where stuff is when I need it.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Me I'm still hoping to find that pair of needle nose pliers I lost when we were wiring in my garage. That was 4 years ago!


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## Oosik (Oct 16, 2013)

I have a problem of little hands relocating objects in the garage or hiding them. Usually turn up in the most random spots.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Howdy,

I like the replies. This is kind of a fun-ish topic. I'm with most of you who find things when doing a reorganization of clean-up.

I bought a replacement battery for my m12 cordless drill/driver set after 2 months of getting by with a single battery. I FEEL the NEED to charge up while working. It was a swap meet bargain.

I bought a replacement 4 inch angle grinder after being without for 15 months. I found the original 4 days later. The new one is better. 

I bought a new depth gauge the very next time I needed one. I bought a round-over router bit the next time I needed one.

Everything else is accounted for except my 1/2 inch ratchet Driver, and my wheel chocks. The driver will be replaced the next time I'm in Northern Tools. The Chocks may get replaced if I find them on sale.

So yeah - when do I replace? It depends on the price, urgency, need, willingness to have duplicates when I find the original and my desire to upgrade. I imagine most of you do the same kind of thinking.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I do not spend a lot of time searching for tools. I have worked with tools at work since 1960 so I have learned to put them away and to remember where "away" is. I have lost a few tools and they never did turn up. The latest was a single jack (not an easy tool to misplace) so I bought a new one to replace that tool that I bought in 1969.


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

> Howdy,
> 
> I like the replies. This is kind of a fun-ish topic. I m with most of you who find things when doing a reorganization of clean-up.
> 
> ...


Harbor Freight I cheaper and maybe even better quality. Both lifetime guarantee. Some say I'm a Harbor Freight fan of but, it really is hard to pass up a really good deal on something that is "good enough" (stay away from their rechargeable power tools, piss poor charger!)


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## marc7101 (Jun 24, 2015)

I had the same problem with little hands in my garage. An eleven year old that thinks he is the next Bob Villa and a nine year old that just causes mayhem in general. Used to look for tools all the time until I came up with the idea that If a tool is missing, we clean the whole garage. Did that twice and then miraculously the tools started finding their way back after being used by Bob jr and captain chaos.


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## Gentile (Jun 3, 2013)

I'll get involved with a project and drag out all kinds of tools. When I can't find something I know I recently used, I'll stop and put every thing away. That's when I find what I was looking for…
My Dad has a sign in his shop that reads,
"*Don't put it down, put it away*" 
I try to do that, but…


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

> I had the same problem with little hands in my garage. An eleven year old that thinks he is the next Bob Villa and a nine year old that just causes mayhem in general. Used to look for tools all the time until I came up with the idea that If a tool is missing, we clean the whole garage. Did that twice and then miraculously the tools started finding their way back after being used by Bob jr and captain chaos.
> 
> - marc7101


Great idea. Unfortunately my young Un is gone. Still blame em but, the wife just rolls her eyes.


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## SenecaWoodArt (Dec 19, 2013)

> I had the same problem with little hands in my garage. An eleven year old that thinks he is the next Bob Villa and a nine year old that just causes mayhem in general. Used to look for tools all the time until I came up with the idea that If a tool is missing, we clean the whole garage. Did that twice and then miraculously the tools started finding their way back after being used by Bob jr and captain chaos.
> 
> - marc7101
> 
> ...


My little onew are gone as well, so I just blame the wife. Doesn't find the tools but it makes me feel better.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I lose tools all the time and they are usually right in front of my nose. I have gone out and bought a new tool when I couldn't find the missing one within a reasonable time. One time, I couldn't find pair of pliers. A few months later, I discovered it hiding up in the rafters where I placed it while up on a ladder. What we need is GPS tool tracking.


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## planepassion (Nov 24, 2010)

All my tools have a storage place. That has dramatically reduced the incidence of misplaced tools. And it's made putting them away something I can do in seconds. I use mechanical pencils and have a bin I always keep them in. My tape measurer has its space on a shelf above my bench. By keeping most of my tools within arm's reach-either on the pegboard or shelf above my bench, or in drawers below it-I almost never misplace a tool. The limited space also forces me to consolidate my tool kit and really consider what I do or do not need. While I love trying different tools by different manufacturers, each requires its own measure of maintenance.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

At night our cats sleep in the garage and my wife doesn't want "sharp stuff" laying around. How long does it take me to find something? As long as it takes to ask my wife where she put it. She remembers where she put stuff because she knows it is not where I put it.


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## larsof54 (Jul 15, 2013)

Whenever I can't find that key item or tool I start cleaning up the shop and putting things away. Eventually it shows up, and at least I get something done in the meantime, and find lots of other good stuff too.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Trouble is, when I do that, I find half-finished projects that distract me from my search, sidetracking the whole original project that I needed the missing item for in the first place. This can actually happen in multiples, because I remember that the previous job got sidetracked because of some needed tool or component which I now need to locate, and on it goes..


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## Luthierman (Jun 4, 2015)

Good question. As a full time carpenter this was a serious problem until I made it a rule that shop tools are shop tools and field tools are for the field. I have duplicates of quite a few things now because of this, but it saves me aggravation of where the hell conversations I could have with myself.

My shop is rather small so losing stuff isn't really an issue. Keeping it clean though, thats the real problem. Little space means loads of clutter in a short time. If I lose something, I clean. I always find it.


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

I never find it until shortly after I buy a new one to replace it!!!


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## Bud_3 (Jan 18, 2015)

I generally lose tools when i need them urgently and find them in the most unusual places(of course when i don't need them)


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## hairy (Sep 23, 2008)

By the time I find it, I forgot why I needed it.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

> I never find it until shortly after I buy a new one to replace it!!!
> 
> - woodsmithshop


 +1, me too! Doesn't matter if I look for a day or a month, it shows up the day after I get another ;-(


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## Barkis (Jun 26, 2015)

I lose pencils even though I have a cup fill of them.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Ha ha, you guys are a mess. I drop pencils all the time, floor is covered with number 2 pencils. Went to the store and finally bought a gross of pencils, keep them everywhere throughout the shop now….lol


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## thirdrail (Feb 8, 2011)

When I started to need reading glasses my eye doctor told me either I could buy an expensive pair from his people up front or buy many pair of "drugstore" glasses and leave them in needed places. This turned out to be good advise.
My tools are almost all mounted on the walls of my shop or in dedicated drawers. "Loseables" like zig-zag rules, tapes, pencils, utility knives and Sharpies are scattered at strategic locations around the shop and garage.


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

> Ha ha, you guys are a mess. I drop pencils all the time, floor is covered with number 2 pencils. Went to the store and finally bought a gross of pencils, keep them everywhere throughout the shop now….lol
> 
> - Clarkie


 Don't buy too many pencils, or you might lose that lathe. Especially when you will need that lathe to turn more pencils!


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## EEngineer (Jul 4, 2008)

Just happened to me today!

I emptied the shop garbage cans - I use 33 gal bags in the shop cans. I went to the place in the shop where they should be stored - not there! Tossed the garage shop for 1/2 hour and couldn't find them. I left the garage door open and went in to continue work on the kitchen remodel project I have going right now. Later, I went to the back door to take a break and spotted the box of garbage bags sitting on the jointer! Break forgotten, I immediately put new bags in the shop garbage cans and put the box of garbage bags back where they belong.

Any bets they will still be there when I need them again?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

> Any bets they will still be there when I need them again?
> 
> - EEngineer


I'll bet they will not be ;-))


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## daddywoofdawg (Feb 1, 2014)

I bought some small totes at Walmart, about 12"x6"x3", couple bucks each, and have them on all my work stations,when i'm not using the tool or pencil,i.e in my hand, I put it in the tote.then once In awhile I decide to clean up and take all my totes to the tool rack area unload,then put the empty totes back at the stations,but I always keep a pencil and sharpie in the tote,i'll lose the one in my apron.and I have lost my apron before.
The other advantage to the totes is you just move the tote, instead of picking-up half dozen tools to get a little more room.


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

> I bought some small totes at Walmart, about 12"x6"x3", couple bucks each, and have them on all my work stations,when i m not using the tool or pencil,i.e in my hand, I put it in the tote.then once In awhile I decide to clean up and take all my totes to the tool rack area unload,then put the empty totes back at the stations,but I always keep a pencil and sharpie in the tote,i ll lose the one in my apron.and I have lost my apron before.
> The other advantage to the totes is you just move the tote, instead of picking-up half dozen tools to get a little more room.
> 
> - daddywoofdawg


This is a great idea and I am definitely going to have to copy it. I have picked up more great ideas since starting this th read. Now here's a problem. I am moving to Florida from Virginia and have to cram a 3 br, 2.5 bath house with a 2 car garage / shop into a 2br, 2bath no garage townhouse. I want to keep all my tools and am building a small 10×15 "shop" on the screen porch to have so place at least to work. I also have the spare bedroom for storage at least for now. I'll probably start another thread for suggestions but, since I've got you all here ;-) any suggestions on how to cram all that stuff into the smaller spaces would be much appreciated. 
Keep up the thread guys!


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

Help I'm stuck and don't know how to get out of this posting window! Already posted my reply but somehow I'm stuck here and can't escape without making another post. I'VE LOST THE ESCAPE PLAN!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

> This is a great idea and I am definitely going to have to copy it. I have picked up more great ideas since starting this th read. Now here s a problem. I am moving to Florida from Virginia and have to cram a 3 br, 2.5 bath house with a 2 car garage / shop into a 2br, 2bath no garage townhouse. I want to keep all my tools and am building a small 10×15 "shop" on the screen porch to have so place at least to work. I also have the spare bedroom for storage at least for now. I ll probably start another thread for suggestions but, since I ve got you all here ;-) any suggestions on how to cram all that stuff into the smaller spaces would be much appreciated.
> Keep up the thread guys!
> 
> - MattB101


I think it is called "piled storage" which requires a good memory or a filing system ;-)


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

here is the answer to the question

https://www.facebook.com/wonderfulwoodworking/photos/a.257177124456200.1073741828.254934824680430/477329132440997/?type=1


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## ezgnann (Mar 21, 2011)

Pencils and tape measures fall into another dimension in my shop. Thankfully, my wife works in the school system and brings me lots of used pencils. You know, the ones broken in half, missing an eraser, or practically chewed in half. Who cares if they are used if I am going to lose them anyway?

My biggest loss was my Crown Tools rosewood Square. I have no idea where it ended up. After a year of looking, I finally bought a new one.

I am sure it will show up again soon, now that I bought a new one.


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## loneturtle (Sep 2, 2015)

I spent ages arranging all my tools so they are visible rather than in drawers. I fixed it so there is a place for everything and (theoretically) everything in its place. It is a very easy thing to simply reach for it, use it, put it back. There now, aint I the systematic organised one?

However…................

Well, I start out okay. I put things back as soon as I've finished with it and so on. I really don't know what happens then. I get engrossed and it isn't until I come to plane up a piece that I realise I don't even have the elbow room to plane. My bench is piled with shavings, chisels, marking gauge, bench hook, tenon saw, more shavings and somewhere among that lot is a small engineer's square that I don't even recall using but it isn't where it should be. I just seem to enter into another dimension or something. This is a dimension in which putting anything back just doesn't happen. So I clean up all the shavings… Ah! THERE'S my little engineer's square! I start putting everything back and there is the inevitable gap. Something is invariably missing. No matter how realistically you paint the silhouette of a pair of pliers on the space where you keep it, it's no substitute for the actual pliers. It just taunts you!

I got a big magnet out of an old speaker… one of those donut shaped ones… and tied it to some string. It's absolutely ideal for dragging through wood shaving to locate tools that may have dropped onto the floor. The perfect solution… I've no idea where it is, of course!


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## Tony1212 (Aug 26, 2013)

My wife is very good about misplacing and losing stuff. I search for at most an hour, then I chalk it up her borrowing it. Then I go get a new (usually better) one.

Now if I can only get her to "borrow" my store brand table saw blades, I'll be all Freud and Forrester in no time.


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## TheTurtleCarpenter (Jun 25, 2015)

I never lose anything !!


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## Gixxerjoe04 (Jan 31, 2014)

Not a tool but I made a bunch of bread knives for an upcoming show, got them ready to assemble and couldn't find the dang screws for them. I know the last place I had them and didn't think I moved, tore the garage a part and couldn't find them. I know if I go buy some new ones tomorrow, I'll find them. Just sucks because they would be done and could move to new stuff but noooooooooooo, my garage is a wreck.


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

Obviously you are not aware of the woodworkers rule of physics.

It states "A tool shall remain lost until same tool is purchased x to the nth power times and brought back into the shop."

thus explains my 5 tape measures, and multiple pairs of crimping tools.


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## intelligen (Dec 28, 2009)

I used to misplace my tape measures all the time but I now have enough that I can always find one.

I lost the charger for one of my drills sometime last year and have just been using the other drills since, hoping it would turn up.

Fortunately I've gotten into the habit of putting my more easily-lost tools away after using them, though occasionally I'll set aside some tools if I need them to help work on something at a friend's house. Then I forget about them and have to improvise or use something else until I remember that I have a big tote or toolbox full of the tools I've been looking for.

Probably sometime around 2005-2007 I bought a hand plane and some other tools at a garage sale. I didn't know anything about hand planes at the time but if I had to guess I'd say it was probably a Stanley 4-1/2. I knew I'd want to use it eventually, but not right at that time. I decided to put it in a safe place (presumably somewhere in the basement or garage) so I could find it when I finally decided it was time. A few years later I tried finding it and gave up. I was surprised when it didn't show up the day after I bought a set of used planes (including a #4-1/2) from a pawn shop a few years ago, easily more than 5 years after buying the first one at a garage sale.

I still haven't found that first plane, but I know wherever it is, it's really safe.


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## JeffP (Aug 4, 2014)

LOL I was just browsing this topic after having ignored it for awhile. Somebody said something and I looked away for a bit. When I glanced back at it, my eyes landed on this from Kazoo…

"my DeWalt DW735 are among the missing"

I was briefly proud of myself for my shop being clean enough that I can always find my planer.  
(then I read it more carefully and saw that it was the adjustment wrench that went missing)


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## Gentile (Jun 3, 2013)

I recently restored an old Craftsman/Atlas Drill Press. I removed and repainted it's name plate. I set it down "someplace safe"...
A month later it's still gone.


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

> I spent ages arranging all my tools so they are visible rather than in drawers. I fixed it so there is a place for everything and (theoretically) everything in its place. It is a very easy thing to simply reach for it, use it, put it back. There now, aint I the systematic organised one?
> 
> However…................
> 
> ...


Great idea. I'm writing into my notebook right now. Now reading it and doing something with it is something else entirely. If I built every project idea I've written down it would take a hundred years and at least a million bucks! :-D


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## MattB101 (Jun 18, 2015)

Is there someplace that I can buy stencils or stickers of tool outlines for my pegboard. That would be great. I know that I could trace the tool and then paint it in but, I'm too lazy! :-D


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

It usually only takes me 10 or 15 minutes to realize I'm wearing the saftey glasses I'm looking for.


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