Carrying wrenches in a tool bag/tote

[joedodge]

How are other mobile maintenance mechanics in the industrial world carrying their gear wrenches and combination wrenches in your tool tote or bag?

 

[i84x]

Spanner roll, I have all the tiny spanners in the first pocket then2 of each size I use in each pocket and a couple of adjustable's that live in there too. Wrote above each pocket in paint marker the sizes.

 

[richfinn]

The Facom 440s in the foldable plastic rack

 

[ihateminimumwage]

Wrench rolls.

Wrench Rolls | TEKTON

Shop wrench roll organization options. Each roll has wrench slots marked with inch or metric wrench sizes.

www.tekton.com

You may find out you're only using specific sizes for your job, so no need to haul around extras if a handful of specific sizes in a couple of pockets will work. Have you started the new gig yet?

 

[joedodge]

Wrench rolls.

Wrench Rolls | TEKTON

Shop wrench roll organization options. Each roll has wrench slots marked with inch or metric wrench sizes.

www.tekton.com

You may find out you're only using specific sizes for your job, so no need to haul around extras if a handful of specific sizes in a couple of pockets will work. Have you started the new gig yet?

Yep I have. And I use the hell out of 7/16,1/2, 9/16 , 3/4 and 15/16 and 1-1/8. So I have those in my bag and gear wrenches in the smaller sizes. I got a bucket boss wrench roll at fleet farm tonite I’m gonna try out. See if I can’t make them all fit.

 

[Firebrick43]

I did the back for years and years. We had taylor dunn carts so many liked the 3 drawer boxes but they were heavy/bulky enough that the guys who did so only put/took them off the cart at shift change where I was a lot more efficient take the bag closer where needed or into the man lift bucket.

The problem with bags is little organization in the main section.

Eventually I switched to the Hazet 190L boxes and I was much more organized. I have gotten out of the factory and even at home I use the 190L I actually have 4 of them now

1 is an 80 pecent mechanic box for working on vehicles or tractors away from the shop

1 is heavy plumbing, manual threader, pipe cutter, pipe wrenches, smaller tubing benders and such

1 is copper and pex plumbing

1 is electrical pliers/strippers/crimpers and such

Most projects just grab the appropriate box and go and I will have 90 percent of what I need

 

[YesIHaveAHammer]

The Facom 440s in the foldable plastic rack

Yep, takes up less room than a roll when stored, and more importantly way less room when opened out for use.

The holders are sold separately, they might work with other brands but may need a bit of carving.

 

[joedodge]

Yep, takes up less room than a roll when stored, and more importantly way less room when opened out for use.

The holders are sold separately, they might work with other brands but may need a bit of carving.

I do like those a lot. If the roll doesn’t end up working out I’ll be snagging those. Maybe the wrenches too. It’s been interesting going from a 3 bay snap on tool box as a diesel mechanic. To a tool bag and a truck working in basements at a plant lol. I love it though

 

[Firebrick43]

The Facom 440s in the foldable plastic rack

Both metric and standard sets fit very well into the top section of a 190L

 

[RPH]

Carabiners', they work great at keeping wrenches organized.

 

[kbeefy]

wrench rolls.

Carabiner/ Diaper pins from smaller stuff.

 

[joedodge]

Grabbed a wrench roll. And actually gonna try a square lunch pin also for my gear wrenches.

 

[redwrench60]

I keep a carabiner with 3/8”-5/8” ratcheting wrenches in my backpack for the general stuff. The 1/4” to 1-1/2” combo rolls are in the truck for when things get serious.

 

[jblnut]

When I was on the road full time as a service tech for a milking equipment company I had a soft sided Husky tool bag with my most used stuff and about a dozen of the DeWalt version of the pack outs with speciality stuff in each of them. One for electronics, one for plumbing, one with the tiny fasteners I always lost and so on. I also carried a completely empty three drawer Craftsman portable toolbox that’d I’d stock for each job with whatever oddball tools I thought I may need so I didn’t have to run back to the truck all the time. It was a constantly evolving system that worked very well.

If something didn’t get used in a few weeks it came out of the main bag and something else went in. Not sure what you have for truck space but I had tons of stuff in mine. 1/4”-1” drive full sets of sockets for SAE and Metric with wrenches from tiny to 2-1/2” and tiny to 50mm and everything in between. Lots of speciality stuff to work on Lely robots and other milking and refrigeration equipment.

 

[joedodge]

thanks everyone. I really appreciate the help. My truck is a f150 service truck with a topper. Being the new guy I get the old truck lol. I will make a post with my tote I’m working out of for now soon. Maybe we can get a service guy post going

 

[Gangly]

For combination wrenches that I keep with my mobile setup...

 

[joedodge]

For combination wrenches that I keep with my mobile setup...

That’s a quality Looking wrench roll wow

 

[Gangly]

That’s a quality Looking wrench roll wow

It is, and its also relatively cheap. The plastic wrench rolls generally don't last as long in the field, the plastic gets brittle and the seams separate. This one is waxed canvas and has held up very well over the years. My only suggestion would be to have brass clasps, but the plastic ones haven't broken and don't appear to be stressed, so a brass buckle or clasp really isn't needed.

I would love to find an older leather wrench roll, just for the sake of having one, but I wont pay the crazy price for a new one and I cant find any old used ones that meet my requirements.

https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Handcrafted-Coated-Waterproof-Organizer/dp/B07CN7D9L7?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Jeeper99]

I keep them in a pocket in my tool bag. The junk I work on I only carry 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 7/8, 15/16 wrenches. They fit nicely in a pocket in the bag and I just grab the size I need quickly without having to fumble with a carabiner or a roll. Rolls would be a pain to roll out every time I need a wrench. My punches and chisels are in a roll and it's a burden to get them out though I don't use them often and it keeps small tools from running away when your bag gets dumped over. I just carry combo wrenches and semi deep sockets/ ratchet. I don't feel the need to drag around ratcheting wrenches every day with the junk I work on, you may find you can't live without ratcheting wrenches or only really need a couple sizes of ratcheting wrenches.

If I need a wrench that isn't in my bag I've got an 8" snappy wide mouth in my pocket and a 15" automotive wrench in the bag. I highly recommend carrying a 15" automotive/ f wrench instead of a big adjustable, crescent makes them. They go up to 3 1/2" and are pretty durable. If it's a bigger job I'm usually bringing a bucket of tools and will throw in other sizes, metric wrenches, or my angle or ratcheting wrenches already in rolls in the bucket.

Before you know it your bag gets to be 100 pounds if you aren't picky about what you put in it. Lighter is better when you have to pack the thing around all the time. Every couple months I'll go through the bag and reconfigure what I carry pulling things out I haven't used to reduce weight. I've got a couple save my *** tools I don't use often that will stay even if they haven't been used for a while. The longer you work on the same junk the better idea you'll have of what you want to actually pack around every day. There's times after the 4th time I've forgotten a tool for a job it just get added to the bag instead of forgetting it again. My bag is about ready for a purge again, I think I can free up a couple pounds

Some things I've done to reduce things I carry are:
-Replacing multiple Phillips screw drivers with a single ratcheting screw driver with interchangeable bits in the handle
-Combo side and flush cuts instead of side cutters and a flush cuts
-Semi deep sockets up to 9/16" in 1/4 drive with 17mm, 3/4, and 15/16 in 3/8" with a 1/4" to 3/8 adapter and a 1/4" ratchet
-straight pry bars serve as a chisel, punch, and line up bar in addition to a pry bar
-8" wide mouth adjustable 15" F-wrench instead of 8", 10", and 15 or 18" adjustable wrenches

 

[joedodge]

I keep them in a pocket in my tool bag. The junk I work on I only carry 7/16, 1/2, 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4, 7/8, 15/16 wrenches. They fit nicely in a pocket in the bag and I just grab the size I need quickly without having to fumble with a carabiner or a roll. Rolls would be a pain to roll out every time I need a wrench. My punches and chisels are in a roll and it's a burden to get them out though I don't use them often and it keeps small tools from running away when your bag gets dumped over. I just carry combo wrenches and semi deep sockets/ ratchet. I don't feel the need to drag around ratcheting wrenches every day with the junk I work on, you may find you can't live without ratcheting wrenches or only really need a couple sizes of ratcheting wrenches.

If I need a wrench that isn't in my bag I've got an 8" snappy wide mouth in my pocket and a 15" automotive wrench in the bag. I highly recommend carrying a 15" automotive/ f wrench instead of a big adjustable, crescent makes them. They go up to 3 1/2" and are pretty durable. If it's a bigger job I'm usually bringing a bucket of tools and will throw in other sizes, metric wrenches, or my angle or ratcheting wrenches already in rolls in the bucket.

Before you know it your bag gets to be 100 pounds if you aren't picky about what you put in it. Lighter is better when you have to pack the thing around all the time. Every couple months I'll go through the bag and reconfigure what I carry pulling things out I haven't used to reduce weight. I've got a couple save my *** tools I don't use often that will stay even if they haven't been used for a while. The longer you work on the same junk the better idea you'll have of what you want to actually pack around every day. There's times after the 4th time I've forgotten a tool for a job it just get added to the bag instead of forgetting it again. My bag is about ready for a purge again, I think I can free up a couple pounds

Some things I've done to reduce things I carry are:
-Replacing multiple Phillips screw drivers with a single ratcheting screw driver with interchangeable bits in the handle
-Combo side and flush cuts instead of side cutters and a flush cuts
-Semi deep sockets up to 9/16" in 1/4 drive with 17mm, 3/4, and 15/16 in 3/8" with a 1/4" to 3/8 adapter and a 1/4" ratchet
-straight pry bars serve as a chisel, punch, and line up bar in addition to a pry bar
-8" wide mouth adjustable 15" F-wrench instead of 8", 10", and 15 or 18" adjustable wrenches

Thank you so much! I appreciate the help. I wil say right now I’m carrying 8,10,12 inch adjustable wrenches. Do I need all 3? Prolly not lol. I’m just so used to working on trucks and having my huge toolbox right in front of me lol

 

[dscheidt]

Before you know it your bag gets to be 100 pounds if you aren't picky about what you put in it. Lighter is better when you have to pack the thing around all the time. Every couple months I'll go through the bag and reconfigure what I carry pulling things out I haven't used to reduce weight. I've got a couple save my *** tools I don't use often that will stay even if they haven't been used for a while. The longer you work on the same junk the better idea you'll have of what you want to actually pack around every day. There's times after the 4th time I've forgotten a tool for a job it just get added to the bag instead of forgetting it again. My bag is about ready for a purge again, I think I can free up a couple pounds

i suggest keeping a list of what you worked on, and what tools you used. Also track what you wanted to have, and anything you had to go get. Even if you don't add them to the standard kit, you can bring them if you know you're going to be doing that job again. You can also spot the patterns of what you're not using, and do some culling.

 

[Jeeper99]

Thank you so much! I appreciate the help. I wil say right now I’m carrying 8,10,12 inch adjustable wrenches. Do I need all 3? Prolly not lol. I’m just so used to working on trucks and having my huge toolbox right in front of me lol

I keep an 8" adjustable, 7" knipex, pocket pry bar, and utility knife in my pockets. I can fix a lot of stuff without my tool bag. After a while you'll get sick of dragging around a ton of tools you barely use.

 

[joedodge]

I keep an 8" adjustable, 7" knipex, pocket pry bar, and utility knife in my pockets. I can fix a lot of stuff without my tool bag. After a while you'll get sick of dragging around a ton of tools you barely use.

You aren’t wrong there. A lot can be done with that. That’s why I’m trying to trim my bag down. We work 30-50 steps down in basements a lot. So I generally bring my bag because I’m not walking up and down every time I need something like some of the guys do. So I’m really just trying to dial it in lol

 

[esben57]

1970's, stores stock toolbags were issued to all the maintenance trades. As an apprentice you were honoured with carrying that everywhere. Often overloaded unnecessarily.
Up onto crane gantries, under presses in between huge parts of all kinds of machinery.
Hammer head twisted in handles and hoisted onto your shoulder.
You were NOT getting out of the task.

 

[joedodge]

1970's, stores stock toolbags were issued to all the maintenance trades. As an apprentice you were honoured with carrying that everywhere. Often overloaded unnecessarily.
Up onto crane gantries, under presses in between huge parts of all kinds of machinery.
Hammer head twisted in handles and hoisted onto your shoulder.
You were NOT getting out of the task.

Yeah my grandfathers were milwrights. I get it. Glad we have more organized and tougher stuff now though and more comfortable to carry

 

[Hannahranga]

I've got a cat 211-0136 that I've been using for a handful of jumbo spanners (30,36,46, 50 and 55), was about the only thing I found that was long enough without also being huge. Didn't want it to collect tools and end up being super heavy