A Tool Box Journey

A tool box is a central and important part of practically every garage and workshop. But not all of them are the same, not by a long shot. These useful implements in the shop are not created equal for a reason. I know I don't really need one of those mega red multi-drawered wonders that seem to be the envy of every aspiring mechanic. Nope, I just need a couple of regular ol' tool boxes. But that's the thing, other people really do need more than just a basic tool box to keep their vast and growing collection of tools and other miscellany items organized. So, as they say, different strokes for different folks. This is my tool box journey.

My first tool box wasn't even really a tool box at all. It was an erector set box, but I thought of it as my tool box. Do you remember those? It had all those cool metal pieces with bolts and nuts, and the motor. This was in the 70's and I loved it. It was a little red plastic molded box with a black handle. I remember packing that thing around as a kid thinking I was really something. The years clicked by and 30 years later I found that old box at my parent's house. I don't know why, but I wanted it. Now it sits empty out in my garage. When I see it it makes me happy for some reason, so I just keep it around. What was your first tool box like?

By the time I was in 9th grade I had developed an interest in metal and wood working. I took a metals class at school and we actually got to make a tool box. I made one for my Dad. I wish I still had it because it got left out in the weather and eventually rusted away and had to be tossed. Shoot! In it's glory it was a thing of beauty. I remember taking sheet metal and cutting, bending, creasing, and welding. It was sort of a barn roof shape and had a removable tray. I painted it red and it looked really sharp with the riveted chrome clasps.

It wasn't until after I was married that I actually went out and bought a real tool box. It was, of course, a craftsman from Sears. I opted for metal over plastic because I remembered with some sentimentality the metal tool box I had made years earlier. At first, my new hammer and screwdrivers looked so good in there, but they were lonely. Soon this box quickly filled with all sorts of hand tools and miscellaneous things. Before I knew it I needed another box. So this time I bought the biggest plastic tool box I could find. Not many years passed and it was time for another. Who knew I'd become such a do-it-yourselfer. Each project meant more goodies and tools to buy, use, and safely store away into one of these boxes.

Now that I have almost every hand tool I will ever need, I am thinking of doing something different with them other than keeping them stored away in a tool box. I always liked the way my Grandpa hung his tools on a peg board. Maybe I'll do that. It would be a nice tribute to my tools after so many years of selfless and reliable service. I can just picture them all displayed up on the wall. Who knows where my tool box journey will end. Hopefully, in one of my son's garages. That would be perfect.