ToolCrib - Tooling Inventory Management System for Machine Shop Tracking and Reorder

Are Cutting Tools in Your Workshop Always "Disappearing"? Try This Inventory Management Tool

If you work in machining, you've probably experienced this before—you just picked up a box of CNMG inserts last week, and when you check the storage room today, they're already almost gone. What's more frustrating is that nobody remembers which machine used them, and no one can explain the scrapping reasons. When it comes time for month-end reconciliation, the purchase orders don't match the actual inventory, and cost accounting is a complete mess. Honestly, the last time I was walking through the workshop and saw various brands of end mills piled up in the tool cabinet—some even starting to rust—I felt utterly helpless.

Recently, I discovered a skill called ToolCrib that seems tailor-made for workshops like ours with chaotic tool management. It's essentially a dedicated assistant for managing cutting tool inventory. It can track turning inserts, end mills, drills, tool holders, consumables, and more. It also lets you set reorder points, record usage, and even calculate per-part tooling costs. Once installed, you can simply ask in the chat window, "How many CNMG inserts do we have left?" or "What's the insert usage this month?" and it will pull up the corresponding spreadsheet and calculate the numbers for you automatically.

What Exactly Can It Manage?

To be honest, the features are quite comprehensive. I dug through its documentation and roughly categorized them as follows:

• Turning inserts: Common types like CNMG, WNMG, DCMT, as well as threading inserts like 16ER/16IR. Each specification records inventory quantity, minimum stock, reorder quantity, and even the storage location (such as shelf numbers like A1-01, A2-02).
• Milling inserts: Types like APMT, SEKN, used for face milling, shoulder milling, and slot milling, all with corresponding inventory sheets.
• Solid carbide tools: For example, 4-flute end mills from Ø6mm to Ø12mm, and drills from Ø3mm to Ø5mm. Each tool records diameter, number of flutes, coating, as well as minimum stock and location.
• Tool holders and consumables: ER collets, chuck jaws, parallel blocks, edge finders, plug gauges, etc. Although the documentation doesn't provide specific tables for these, it mentions tracking them by type and size.

Each tool type has a corresponding inventory sheet template—you just need to fill in the actual quantities. It even takes supplier information into account. For instance, Sandvik has a lead time of 2-3 days, while Cutwel can deliver next day. This way, you can estimate how long replenishment will take.

Here's the Key Point: How Do You Calculate the Reorder Point?

In reality, many workshops only buy tools when they run out, which can easily delay production. ToolCrib provides a formula:

Reorder Point = (Daily Usage × Procurement Lead Time) + Safety Stock
Where:
Daily Usage = Monthly Usage ÷ Working Days
Procurement Lead Time = Supplier Delivery Days
Safety Stock = 1-2 Weeks of Usage for Critical Materials

This formula is quite practical. For example, if you use 100 CNMG inserts per month and there are 22 working days in a month, your daily usage is 4.5 inserts. With Sandvik's 3-day delivery time, your reorder point would be 13.5 inserts. Add 20 inserts for safety stock, and you get approximately 33.5 inserts. In other words, when inventory drops below 34 inserts, it's time to place an order.

The documentation also includes a replenishment report template that automatically lists items below minimum stock, sorted by priority (high, medium, low), and estimates the total replenishment cost. This way, purchasing can place orders based on urgency without having to rummage through cabinets counting inserts.

Usage Tracking and Cost Analysis for Cost Transparency

Beyond inventory, it can also record the usage of each insert—which machine, which work order, how many were used, and the reason for scrapping (normal wear, chipping, breakage). Each month, it automatically summarizes: which type of insert was used, how many, the total cost, and which work order had the highest usage. This data is especially important for cost control.

What's even more impressive is that it can calculate the per-part tooling cost. For example, if you machine 500 parts using 4 CNMG inserts, 2 DCMT inserts, and 1 Ø10mm drill, it can calculate the tooling cost allocated to each part and compare it against the target value to see if you're over budget. This gives you confidence when quoting prices.

Installation and Usage—Actually Very Simple

Installing this skill requires just one command:

npx skills add majiayu000/claude-skill-registry --skill ToolCrib

Once installed, you can use it directly in any AI tool that supports Skills. For example, if you ask, "Do we have any Ø8mm 4-flute end mills?" it will show you the inventory sheet directly. Or you can say, "Generate this month's replenishment list," and it will filter out the tools that need purchasing based on minimum stock levels, sorted by priority.

I tried it out, and the best part is that I no longer need to manually create Excel spreadsheets—the built-in templates are ready to use right away. And since it's in Markdown format, it can also be synced on GitHub. Multiple people in the workshop can share a single inventory file, and any changes made are visible to everyone.

A Few Small Suggestions

Although this skill is quite practical, there's one thing to note—it doesn't come with a built-in database. All data relies on manual updates. So you need to develop a habit of taking inventory at least once a week and recording insert usage promptly. Additionally, during initial setup, it's best to fill in all the specifications, locations, and supplier information for every tool; otherwise, it will still be troublesome to look things up later.

Also, its tool life standard table is quite useful. For example, a CNMG insert used for roughing steel can last approximately 15-25 minutes per cutting edge, while a DCMT insert for finishing steel can last 20-40 minutes. With these references, you can predict when it's time to change inserts, reducing chipping and scrap parts.

Overall, ToolCrib is a very down-to-earth workshop management tool, especially suited for small machining shops with many tool types, high usage, and chaotic management. If you're also tired of the days when you can't find your inserts, why not give it a try.

Alright, that's all for now. I need to head to the workshop to update this month's inventory records...