# Which toolbox do you use for watchmaking tools?



## JDAIII (Mar 23, 2015)

As I'm buying more and more tools, I am having a problem keeping all of my tools together. So I'm looking for a toolbox. While I would love to afford a gerstner or gerstner-international hobby toolbox, I am paying for my wedding now, so my budget is much smaller than I would like. Fiancee says anything under $50 is my budget. And sorry, not getting the amazon or harbor freight versions as they have very poor reviews and I'd rather get a cheap toolbox now and then get a gerstner when I can afford it.

So my problem is that most toolboxes have large compartments which will allow my delicate tools to fly around and damage them. I've seen a few of the plastic ones on amazon and the local hardware store that look ok, but I want to see what other people are using first.

My tools have to be put away in the garage after each use, again, fiancee decided this for me. How thoughtful........

So what are you using for your tools? How do you keep them safe from the elements and the wife?


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## Nokie (Jul 4, 2011)

I finally had to break down and get a bench for all my stuff, but as an alternative suggestion, you might look at the nylon/lycra tool bags like the Husky brand at Home Depot, etc.

They come in lots of sizes, are thick and pretty well made, have alot of inner pockets for smaller stuff, and with handles are easily portable.

I was amazed when I cleaned out mine and moved it to my work bench how much watch stuff I actually had in there. 

Not a tool box but worked good for me and was under $35.00 at the time.


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## JDAIII (Mar 23, 2015)

@Nokie - My problem with that is that they would still be loose and I'd probably spend as much time looking for tools as I would working on my watch.

I'm looking at this now, but I know the compartments will be long enough to accomodate hand pushers, or screwdrivers, or tweezers.... and so on. I already have a few parts containers, just need tool storage.

http://amzn.com/B000OES590


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## Border-Reiver (Mar 13, 2015)

Have a look at the thread I had opened some while ago. It's not exactly what you want, but a combination of a work bench and room for the mostly used tools. Can easily be stored away afterwards

https://www.watchuseek.com/f6/flexible-watch-repair-installation-1733274.html


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## Nokie (Jul 4, 2011)

Understood.

Ok, another suggestion-Might also check on Ofrei.com and esslinger.com to see if they might have anything that meets your needs. 

Good luck and let us know what you finally get when you find what you want.


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## JDAIII (Mar 23, 2015)

The only thing that I have found on ofrei and esslinger are the table top workbenches. I'm not so sure that will work for me. I will keep looking.


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## Joe Horner (Nov 11, 2011)

back in the early 2000s I was working from a local craft market, which meant carrying most of my tools with me every week. I found the best solution at a sensible price was a cantilever sewing box similar to these:

Cantilever Sewing Box | eBay

They don't stand up to being thrown around like a "proper" tool box does, and you have to tighten the screws now and then, but if you're only moving it between the garage and your workplace neither of those should be a problem. They also have the advantage that, being wood, they're easy to fit extra partitions in if you want for the small stuff.


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## JDAIII (Mar 23, 2015)

I love that. Wood is always a plus for me. I really like that option. Thanks.

I knew someone would have been mobile at some point.


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## HerrNano (Apr 29, 2015)

As a very long time tool user and involuntary collector (not watch tools until recently), let me add that there is almost certainly no container that can magically foresee your storage needs into the future. So, either you store your tools loose in a bag, box or bucket(my preferred method), or dedicate space in your home to the task and assign drawers with foam or cloth inserts to support tools of varied size. I spent years, maybe two decades, thinking I could build or find the 'perfect' storage solution for construction tools. Nah, it works temporarily, but then the next odd tool comes home and destroys your carefully considered system. And ultimately, if you are good with tools, go ahead and make a custom tool storage solution. This is a loaded suggestion because you will spend the rest of your life tweaking it and never actually use it.


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## Ben_hutcherson (Aug 27, 2011)

Honestly, you really can't do better than a watchmaking bench. 

Keep your eyes open and you might find an old/antique one for cheap or even free locally. The roll-top versions usually bring big prices, but the simple open top ones are often a hard sale to anyone but a watchmaker. 

My last Rosenberg bench(considered by some to be the best maker) from probably the '30s or '40s was a freebie that I caught on the way to the dumpster. 

I've bought out enough watchmakers to mention that an empty cigar box is another time honored way to store loose/excess tools as well as parts. I have stacks of boxes that have come from watchmaker buy-outs and that I've sorted things like tweezers, pliers, lathe chucks, and whatever else you might care to mention into various cigar boxes. Many of them are obsolete tools that I keep because they are interesting historically or interesting pieces but that I would rarely if ever use(i.e. I don't need a wheel depthing tool unless I'm making a watch from scratch).


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## kit7 (Mar 25, 2015)

I use a biscuit tin with the plastic trays for the biscuits still in it as dividers('',)


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