Tool inventory

[Rolf]

Has anyone ever barcoded their tools and done a real inventory?  I am thinking of doing that for a few reasons, insurance, get an idea of my investment, and in the process organize and properly store.  

[kmmcrafts]

I have done "some" but really need to do a deep cleaning and really go through everything.. I'm not sure what you mean by bar coding.. What I do is photograph my tools and their serial numbers.. The purchase values are for the most part are receipts from my purchase of said tools.. I can upload the photos in my book keeping of the receipts and serial numbers.. so.. I think I'd be covered some by just that info being easily accessed. which for most of my woodworking stuff is recorded in my book keeping for my business which is all online.. and easily searched. For instance I can search Bushton MFG and it brings up all my purchases.. or Artcrafters.. brings up all the blades I've bought.. Can search specific categories like office equipment and search when I bought my printer.. serial numbers for that etc.. 

Without the business book keeping I'm not sure how I'd go about it.. maybe a app or something? I know people do photos and put on a thumb drive or cd disc etc.. I'd consider going one step further and making a icloud or google drive account where this can be stored so if the house burn down you don't loose the thumb drive or cd.. 

Be an interesting topic to see what others do or think should be done.. I'm far from experienced in this sort of thing, LOL

[oldhudson]

I have Rolf. What a project. I did it for two reasons. First insurance and then if I pass on before my sweet heart she will have a sense of what to sell the stuff for. I took pictures of everything and made an excel spreadsheet with this info:

1. tool brand name and description
2. model #
3. serial #
4. when purchased
5. where purchased
6. initial cost
7. currant replacement cost

I'm pretty sure I didn't get EVERYTHING, but I got all the big stuff. I even listed shop made tools like sleds, clamps.

Gotta run let me know if you need more.

[John B]

You're a brave man Rolf,
I think Id have to get a deposit box to keep the results away from the War Office

[WayneMahler]

I did this quite a while ago. I now need to update it since a lot of things have changed. Not exactly looking forward to it, but needs to be done. I took pictures of all the tools and numbers. Now I just need to make some type of database and enter in all the information. I have a separate inventory I keep and updated for all the wood, hardware and consumables. For the second inventory I use quick books, it also tracks sales , purchased and all the tax related information.

[JimErn]

First check the homeowners policy for " full replacement coverage", if you do not have that then the insurance will depreciate everything first.  Rolf, from your postings you have some really nice costly tools so it might be worthwhile to do it.  You still need a list, a photo list to prove you had the items, but details of cost and purchase date not so much.

As far as supplies, blades, wood, etc, they should be listed in your business accounting.

[Brokentone]

I don’t know about fire but in hurricane Florence.noting in the garage was covered. Insurance people. Say a garage is for cars. A tool shed would be covered.

Bob

[Wilson142]

12 hours ago, oldhudson said:

I have Rolf. What a project. I did it for two reasons. First insurance and then if I pass on before my sweet heart she will have a sense of what to sell the stuff for. I took pictures of everything and made an excel spreadsheet with this info:

1. tool brand name and description
2. model #
3. serial #
4. when purchased
5. where purchased
6. initial cost
7. currant replacement cost

I'm pretty sure I didn't get EVERYTHING, but I got all the big stuff. I even listed shop made tools like sleds, clamps.

Gotta run let me know if you need more.

Reminds me of why I dislike the never ending winters in Minnesota. After Super Bowl, "what now?? Hmmmmm...Think I'll inventory my life. Maybe finally organize those books (in the Dewey Decimal system, of course) now let's roam the house with a level, to REALLY get those photos straight and dusted.

[Rolf]

Great information, thanks to all of you. Kevin, my computer is backed up automatically to the cloud. So many patterns and programs on it.

Wilson142 you made me laugh! Nothing worse than a crooked picture. 

[Bill WIlson]

16 hours ago, Rolf said:

Has anyone ever barcoded their tools and done a real inventory?  I am thinking of doing that for a few reasons, insurance, get an idea of my investment, and in the process organize and properly store.  

What is this "organize and properly store" of which you speak?

[LarryEA]

Golly, don't know where I would start,,,

Think I'll just scroll 

[meflick]

Funny you should ask, I just said the same to my hubby recently. We should really inventory all the tools and equipment we have. Primarily for insurance and make sure we are covered, but also so our kids have a list to work with if need be. We have told them should something happen to us both to NOT just go selling or giving things away as there is a lot of $ in those workrooms.

[Be_O_Be]

 Years ago I borrowed a camcorder and video taped all of my tools in the shop and personal items in the house & stored the tape in our safety deposit box at the bank. After reading this thread I was reminded I hadn't updated this in a long time & after talking about this to the LOML she reminded me we don't even own a VCR. Good time to do this all over again.

[Jim Finn]

I keep an excel spread sheet up to date with each purchase going back 20 years now.  I only list name, brand, voltage, motor size, purchase price & date, and current replacement cost.

[Davevand]

I keep an Excel spreadsheet with all my tool info including pictures up to date. I did this several years ago after my sister had a theft of a bunch of tools out of her garage,

She keeps meticulous records of everything, the LEO was shocked when she pulled out all the info on all the stolen tools.  They actually found everything because she had pictures and serial numbers of everything.

Also you should check your insurance policy to be sure you have enough coverage, I had to increase my content coverage to include the value of my tools.

[trackman]

Have 

7 hours ago, Davevand said:

She keeps meticulous records of everything, the LEO was shocked when she pulled out all the info on all the stolen

 

I have to ask what is s “LEO”

[barb.j.enders]

I know that I should have an inventory of my stuff, especially because I am an insurance broker!  But what I know and what I do are very different.  Hubby should also have an inventory of all his guitars!!  I think we have pictures of them all.  Certainly not enough info should we have a catastrophic loss.  Others here are waaayyy to organized!! Kudos to you though.

Edited November 17, 2020 by barb.j.enders
To actually reply.

[tgiro]

I keep records of my major tools and hand power tools. For those of us, keeping those records for insurance purposes -- Insurance companies usually follow "Standard Line Depreciation" or 20% per year for 5 years. If your tools are older than that, you may have to put a rider on your policy to cover replacement costs. This is particularly true if you are using your tools in a small business sense, like my "Tony Giroux's Workshop" that I use for craft show sales and online sales.

I have never bar coded them. I really don't have the inventory to require that kind of tracking.

BTW - if you aren't already doing it, SL depreciation works for taxes, also, for major tools.

Edited November 17, 2020 by tgiro

[Rockytime]

3 hours ago, trackman said:

Have 

I have to ask what is s “LEO”

Law enforcement officer

[BadBob]

I think the replacement cost for all the little things might be greater than the cost of all my power tools.

[Rolf]

OK After my one and only fair this year (consignment as I don't have to be there) I will get busy getting my stuff in order. 

My grand nephew came over last year when I helped him with his derby car, and  the first thing he said was "how much money is down here?"

[meflick]

8 hours ago, Rolf said:

OK After my one and only fair this year (consignment as I don't have to be there) I will get busy getting my stuff in order. 

My grand nephew came over last year when I helped him with his derby car, and  the first thing he said was "how much money is down here?"

Did you tell him if you told him the truth you’d have to kill him?

[spirithorse]

Good question and quite an eye opener that so many people have done this!
I told my wife last year that I was in the process of doing that and she basically told me
I was nuts, there was no reason to it, I wouldn't finish it anyway, and on an on.
I didn't record anything about value or replacement cost but, I tried to put all the tools into
a category so that if I wanted to tell someone where to find electrical, go here, Auto mechanics, this area,
etc. and I can see if a particular tool is missing from it's storage area.

Now that you started this thread, Rolf, I am going to photograph the items I would have to prove I had for
major cost factor if they were ever destroyed or stolen.

God Bless! Spirithorse