Help! My tools are always in the wrong place..

[spatsch]

My airplane is at the hanger which is about 50 minutes from my home (welcome to the NY metro area...). Now I started building again which I do at my home for efficiency reasons. My RV which I maintain myself is at the airport. So the problem I am running into is that I am not only shuttling tools back and forth a lot but often the tool I need is in the wrong place which adds effectively a 2 hour time penalty to finishing the project.

I can't be the first one that ran into that issue. How do people solve this?

I thought I built myself a trailer with all the tools in it. Maybe even a workbench. Then I at least move all tools back and forth and I can finish any project either at the airport or at home. Right now my tools are "split" between the two... .

Any suggestions/pictures welcome!

Thx

Oliver

[Snoho3]

Will follow this one with interest... Just moved my project from my home to an airport about 45 minutes away. Still getting set up there, but so far what I've found is that it helps to have several smaller jobs going at once - when I get held up for lack of a tool or something that is back at my home shop, I can just move to the next smaller job, until I get held up there as well. I'm writing more notes and 'don't forget to bring...' lists than I ever did, that's for sure.

[N804RV]

Yard sales, hangar clean outs and Harbor Freight "bargain bins". --That is the answer!

When I get so old, I can't remember anything, and my kids have to sell off all my airplane junk, it will be a mystery why I have at least 2 of every hand tool.

[scard]

It is a common plight of having important parts of your life scattered about at different locations. Once you figure out that you need a copy of each tool at each location, then you find that ones of the same kind/size gravitate toward each other at a single location...

[wirejock]

Depends on the job. A duplicate set of everything in an average builder's shop would be very expensive. Start with a list from memory. List all the tools you needed but didn't have.
A second set of wrenches and such is pretty cheap at Harbor Fright. Use the coupons. I have lots of HF duplicates for off roading, long trips, etc. A set of rechargable battery power tools can fulfill quite a few jobs and save hauling the big guns. Love my Ryobi stuff. Consider security too.
Then you can decide if a tool bag is adequate or if you need a trailer!

[larrynew]

For the first year after moving to the hanger, I kept tools in my truck that I used at home and at the hanger. I gradually found the ones I needed to buy an extra to have one for both locations. A battery drill with charger and a set of sockets come to mind. My default location is to leave the tool at the hanger...and since I'm there anyway, I should get in a quick flight to justify the trip.

[AAflyer]

I would suggest making sure your rechargable tools...drills, saw, handheld air compressor, sander...are all the same brand and use the same battery.
Have a charger at home and the hanger.
This way, if you don't buy two of everything, at least you won't be stuck when your battery goes dead at home, and your only charger is at the hanger.

[TShort]

I've duplicated simple stuff like wrenches, socket sets, etc - too hard to try and move stuff around, I always forgot where things were and never had what I needed. I struggle enough remembering to bring a headset along when I go flying (and that's with one of those Tile locators attached to it so I can figure out where it is!).

I have bought sets from Tekton (www.tekton.com) - they are really nice tools for the price. Free shipping, and you get a 10% credit for every order from them online. I have no connection with them at all, just a satisfied customer.

[Bicyclops]

I carry tools in bags. I've got a bag for wrenches and pliers and a bag for sockets and another for screwdrivers and cordless driver. I've got a drill bag with all the bits and extra batteries and such. I have 2 large bags for sheetmetal tools. Easy to load what I'm going to need. Make a list of what you're going to need next time before you leave the hangar.

Ed Holyoke

[snopercod]

I have the same problem, only my drive to the airport is one hour. I finally capitulated and bought a second set of cheap tools for the house and left the good ones at the hangar. I still need a second air compressor, though.