DIY Handyman's Pocket Sized Tool Box, Feat. Home Made Screwdriver

By the end of this instructable, you will have a tool box with multiple screw bits, sockets, and hex keys. What's better than being able to repair and fix anything at your disposal on the go? Nothing of course!

This tool box is highly personalizable. You can add many more things as long as it fits in. For example, if you can put the more common socket sizes in as well as your favourite hex keys. Think of the possibilities!

Step 1 Gathering.

To make a mini tool box, you will need:

*a small box (in this case, an Altoids tin)
*rotary tool with cutting disc and sanding drum accessory
*needle nose pliers (these work best)
*hot glue gun (or any substitution of adhesive to make the bonds more permanent)
*SAFETY GOGGLES! (don't want to be blinded and have a perfectly useful pocket tool box now, do you? :D)
*cheapo multitool retrieved from companies and such (I'm sure you can find something like it at a dollar store of some sort; look around, shouldn't be too hard)

Things to put in the tool box:

*mini hammer (found at jeweler's store)
*set of hex keys/allen wrenches
*screwdriver bits
*sockets

Now, on to building our feature presentation: the mini pocket screwdriver (compatible with screwdriver bits)!
Beware of imitators, especially ShamWOW ones.

Comments

[Brian857]

It looks like you have a lot of extra space...
You could add some screws, nails, nuts, bolts, etc in it

[tongpu]

 first off. WHERE DID YOU GET THAT HAMMER!!! I have to know.
second. this is awesome. 

[sharlston]

hey could you fit a tiny ratchet in there?
if you can put a tiny magnet in the bottom of a 6.5mm socket then attach it to your ratchet and pop a little screwqdriver but in the bottom and you have your own mini screwdriver

[cannedheat]

it may be wise if you can find another, to attach one of these couplers on the long end as well. being that I ride a lot, i find that often the tubes of a bike frame can prevent the use of those allen keys short ways. it may be helpful for reaching front derailleur high/low screws and other harder to reach spots.

[Islmi]

I took an hex adapter off of a bit set I had sitting around, and pulled the grey end out of it. Then I used a bench grinder to file it down, and superglued a small magnet in the middle of the inside of it. Thus, I had the metal equivalent of your plastic coupling, and it was removable. Makes fitting everything inside of the tin a lot easier. Kudos, great instructable.

[=D]

that's a darn good idea, and if i actually had one of those i'd be using it right now. but since i don't, i'm stuck with my plastic one (which is still holding up). but a removable metal coupling would work fine, if not better. hope you're doing lots of DIY projects with that thing!

[tech_sponge61]

do you know where i could buy the hammer online? when i google jeweler's hammer it gives my ball pin hammers and such. nothing as small as the one you use.

[=D]

well the hammer i got is quite old... my grandpa used it to make jewelry. i'm not sure if he bought it or actually made it himself, but its nevertheless a good, trusty mini hammer. i guess you can try checking ebay for this hammer, if not, you could make your own. because this hammer is not going to be used for very heavy jobs, a primitive 'cave man' style hammer should do fine. that way you can customize it yourself and size it to fit. good luck!

[ironsmiter]

that hammer is SO CUTE! I can almost imagine the lilliputian nails you'll be driving with that! The allen-key turned screwdriver/socket wrench... that's an instructable all in itself, but blends well with the kit. Kudos. I would suggest though, a drop of superglue will do better for holding the magnet... Now if only they'd make an altoids tin to fit my Leatherman multi-tool. especially since it has a bit adapter built in(have to take out the adjusting screw, but it's there)

[srohwer]

Why not make a clamp out of a second Altoids tin to hold your Leatherman? It seems like it would be easy enough to pop rivet one to the top or bottom.

[=D]

Well if you want to attach your Leatherman (or needle nose pliers :P) to this handy tool box, and you have a case for it, then you're set to go. Just attach a strip of velcro (or anything like it) to the Leatherman case, or if you don't mind directly on the Leatherman itself, and another strip on the lid of the Altoids. This way your Leatherman is removable without it leaving the case. In your pocket or attached to your tool box, it doesn't matter. It won't hold up as well as it could, but it wouldn't wreck your Leatherman as much as it would in other methods. Either that or make a resealable pouch to slip your Leatherman in, and use any method to attach the pouch to it. Slip in, slip out! Just like that. And like what srohwer said, you can attach one or two or as many other Altoids cans as you want to each tool box. This way you can have more tools in a more organized way (two boxes instead of one) and only by sacrificing about 3/4 of an inch in your pocket! Any more than that, however, doesn't really make the tool box pocket friendly.