The tool storage system for most mechanics looks something like this:
It’s been widely accepted that drawers are the way to go. However, industrial mechanic and engineer Kelly Benes reckons that hunting through all of those drawers wastes a massive amount of time. After interviewing other mechanics on their tool needs, she and her brother, an automotive mechanic, subsequently designed the Shadow Tool Staging System. At first blush, it looks like a rolling gun safe:
It’s meant to be rolled over to the point of work. With the doors open, two sliding wings can be deployed sideways, displaying every tool at once. This arrangement, Benes claims, saves mechanics 30 to 90 minutes per day, and reduces unnecessary motion by up to 66%.
The system comes in two models: a 6’5″-tall version, and a shorter 5’2″ version that can be rolled beneath hydraulic lifts. Both are 30″ deep, 36″ wide and expand to 7’6″ wide when opened.
Benes holds multiple patents on the design, and Shadow Tool Staging Systems recently celebrated their 10th year in business. The company’s client base is auto mechanics, industrial mechanics, fleet operators, aerospace clients and the military.