Portable tool box, small toolbox, mobile tool bags, cantilever toolbox for essential tools

[CGarage]

How many portable (able to be moved with one hand / transported and mobile) tool boxes do you have and what are the applications for each?

Discuss uses: Automotive / Home / Industrial / Work / Other

So far I have:

1) General home repair

2) Electrical repair, soldering, etc

3) Automotive emergency tool bag and tool box

4) USAG toolbox dedicated to interior trim tools and wedges

5) Automotive electrical test equipment

6) Two others I leave empty so if I need to work on something quickly I can fill them up with what I need

 

[HannibalLecter]

Show us some pics

 

[Dave455]

1) Mechanics “Road Box”. Used to be my “on car” box but now gets grabbed whenever I’m working away from base. Basic screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches etc. A lot in a small box. It’s changed now but basically this.


2) Small tools. A small Facom box dedicated to repairs on small things e.g. fuel pumps, motors etc. Lots of bits. Includes 1/4 drive socket set. Used a lot at base also. It’s been added to since this pic.


3) Medium Tools - Comprehensive tools from 8 to 22mm in a Hazet cantilever box. I grab this if I know (1) isn’t enough. Includes things like 250mm Knipex Cobra and pliers wrench, various punches etc. Includes 3/8 drive sockets and accessories, and many specialist sockets.

4) As above but Imperial Sizes. Mostly used on classics, occasionally on aircraft.

5) Big tools. Wrenches, socket wrenches, hex keys etc in larger sizes, packed in a British army metal tool box. Includes 1/2 drive sockets and accessories, and things like big hex / Torx bit sockets. Grabbed when needed.

6) Service bag, from a job I used to do. Still gets used for machine setting occasionally. PB Screwdrivers, lots of small punches and hex keys. Some inspection equipment. Lots of small files.

7) Electrical Tools. Everything for domestic (and light industrial) installations and modifications. Cable cutters, strippers, crimpers etc. Used a lot.

8) Property maintenance tools. A few screwdrivers, pliers, small hammer, folding saw etc. Always with me doing property maintenance. Even if I’m just painting I always seem to need it.


9) Plumbers Tools. Used to be my Dads. I aim to use it as infrequently as he did. I can just about make electricity flow uphill but never fancied my chances with water…!

10) Engineers tool chest. Lives on my bench but portable. Setting out tools, calipers, centre drills, spot drills, lathe tools, all manner of gauges, edge finder, vernier, micrometers, etc etc.

Plus.…

Quite a few bits of test equipment - meters by Avo, Chauvin Arnoux, Hioki etc (some quite old, but servicable) - co detector, socket tester, megger etc, mostly in protective cases (Pelican).

Any number of specialist boxes - everything from tap wrenches / die stocks through to my breast drill.

And any number of boxes with power tools.

 

[Junkdrawer Dog]

I like the Klein 5139 canvas bags (12"×7"). I use them to keep frequently needed items at their point of use. One in the trunk of the car, a couple in the utility room, etc.. They are cheap and durable so you can keep a few on hand and repurpose as needed. There's also a larger version at 16"×8" (62042).

 

[AJHD]

Technically I have 4 right now...

#1. My "grab and go" box for basic automotive repair/service. It just has basic hand tools (pliers, sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, etc.).

#2. Automotive electrical and troubleshooting... Code reader, DMM, test light, battery tester, etc.

#3. Automotive specific tools... Oil change tools, brake tools, engine work tools, panel tools, battery tools, etc.

#4. Backup/emergency tools kept in the car... Extra basic hand tools.

 

[LXCam]

Funny timing CG. I’ve got a ton of various bags n boxes and I’m going to try and reorganize the categories into all this orange **** I’ve collected over this past year.

 

[four.cycle]

Too many and they've all got different stuff in them. I really need to get one or more of the large cabinets set up. The multiple, small, portable boxes are the result of living in rentals forever - everything had to be portable.

 

[Renegade1LI]

Probably 60 plus dewalt tough system boxes and bags. I like having everything portable even my home gaming stuff. It's a great system, all boxes cam be stored and removed individually. Great for organizing by application and easy to swap as needed.

 

[LXCam]

Probably 60 plus dewalt tough system boxes and bags. I like having everything portable even my home gaming stuff. It's a great system, all boxes cam be stored and removed individually. Great for organizing by application and easy to swap as needed.

Thank you Renegade, now I don't feel like a freak

 

[CGarage]

I think portability is -really- useful.
Really really!

In the U.S., I see quite a few size extra extra large tool boxes become unmanageable because they are too big and heavy to move easily and difficult to store for many who use tools daily for income generation.

In Europe, built-in storage seems to be more common (especially the wall “peg-board” style), the use of pack-out systems (Bosch, Milwaukee, Systainer, etc) and tool boxes are typically the standard mobile cabinet / tool cart in the familiar, roundabout 26” size.

Not sure how I ended up with so many small and portable tool boxes, it began long ago with my Facom metal portable tool boxes, and grew from there.

I guess it isn’t outlandish to have more than one or two portable tool boxes/tool bags setup for different tasks.

 

[GeoBruin]

Move with one hand you say? I suppose I could roll it with one hand.

 

[mikey03]

i got to know what’s with the single double open ended wrench? Looks like the next size up from your combination wrench set. Why not two more combination wrenches? Do you not need the box end style for those sizes or what’s the deal

and damn man is that a pass thru socket set? That how you getting around not having shallow and deep sockets? Since the pass thru would cover the job of deep and is about as small as shallow anyway? Genius man

 

[rancherbill]

So far I have:

1) General home repair

2) Electrical repair, soldering, etc

3) Automotive emergency tool bag and tool box

4) USAG toolbox dedicated to interior trim tools and wedges

5) Automotive electrical test equipment

6) Two others I leave empty so if I need to work on something quickly I can fill them up with what I need

Rookie. I had probably had 30+ to keep stuff together, then I got 36 bottom cabinets now I have 6, and I still kept 8-10 boxes. Tool collecting takes room

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Funny timing CG. I’ve got a ton of various bags n boxes and I’m going to try and reorganize the categories into all this orange **** I’ve collected over this past year.

Cam, why Klein over Milwaukee or the other brands?

 

[AndreaW]

Here's my "grab and go" bag.

 

[Dave455]

i got to know what’s with the single double open ended wrench? Looks like the next size up from your combination wrench set. Why not two more combination wrenches? Do you not need the box end style for those sizes or what’s the deal

and damn man is that a pass thru socket set? That how you getting around not having shallow and deep sockets? Since the pass thru would cover the job of deep and is about as small as shallow anyway? Genius man

I regret that there’s less planning gone into this than you might hope. It just evolved!

The lower combination wrenches are SAE sizes. I only need them occasionally, but when you do, you do, hence they’re in there!

When I put this box together, I had a few new British made Britool combination‘s that I liked, but only up to 5/8. I regularly needed a 3/4 open ender for a friends lathe I used to set up, so added the only spare I had, which was the double open ended.

I try to keep wrenches of the same type by the same maker - it’s not snobbery, if I’ve got metric and SAE wrenches out at the same time, I can tell them apart quickly!

No, that’s not a pass through socket set, just a regular Facom set I got in a deal!

The thing to remember with these portable boxes, is that they have to be portable! It would be very easy to add a set of deep sockets, some 1/4” drive, some bigger pliers, a pry bar etc etc, but at the moment everything you see (less socket set) fit’s into a .50 cal ammo box. As soon as I add stuff, it doesn’t.

I have an additional cantilever box, that started out as a replacement for this box, only far more comprehensive, but I hardly ever use it as it’s so much bigger and heavier, and I can do so much of my “away from base” needs with the small box.

This small box lives in a plastic crate by my door. The plastic crate has a smaller ammo box with consumables, the socket set, and a bigger hammer etc. I can just grab the crate and go. If I need to, I can carry the ammo boxes separately, so I can fit them anywhere!

It’s not perfect, but works for me!

 

[richfinn]

Almost all my stuff (Automotive) is portable, Veto with my most used stuff then a bunch of plastic boxes/cases

 

[mikey03]

Honestly I’m surprised by how many different screwdrivers people got in there mobile kits. Are you finding a 4 in one doesn’t do the trick?

For car stuff I been able to get away with the 4 in 1 with P1 P2 and two flat head sizes. And then add in a real small dedicated flathead that’s mostly used like a pick. But I don’t got as much experience as you guys and everyone works on different stuff.

 

[LXCam]

Cam, why Klein over Milwaukee or the other brands?

They’re just a tad larger but I also get great pricing from my wholesaler. A couple of my guys were pretty invested in Milwaukee and switched over. That might be a better question for them

 

[Snapped-off]

Here's my "grab and go" bag.

That would be awesome if it had a little handle.

What are your little ¼" sockets next to the klein driver?

 

[Snapped-off]

I just bought one of these milwaukee bags for work. I like some of the Veto bags, but not at their price points.
Milwaukee 10" Bag

I'm trying to find something small that's not cumbersome to haul up ladders. I'll post some pics when it comes in and see if I plan on keeping it.

 

[gahrajmahal]

All my stuff is portable and if it didn’t come in a case I usually buy one for it. I keep all consumables in the case too, so all my grinding and sanding wheels and the tools to change them are in the case. All my SDS drill bits and concrete fasteners and anchors are in the case with the hammer drill. For other things I might build something, as this thread shows.

Cordless Drill/Driver Dock Tote, Ditch your tool bag

First the photos, then the explanation (so you can avoid my boring dribble). The inspiration from the internet: What I made:

www.garagejournal.com

 

[Dave455]

Honestly I’m surprised by how many different screwdrivers people got in there mobile kits. Are you finding a 4 in one doesn’t do the trick?

For car stuff I been able to get away with the 4 in 1 with P1 P2 and two flat head sizes. And then add in a real small dedicated flathead that’s mostly used like a pick. But I don’t got as much experience as you guys and everyone works on different stuff.

There are a couple of reasons I don’t use those.

Firstly, if you use any sort of bit driver, you are very vulnerable if you lose an important bit. I’ve used bit drivers a lot in the past (and still do - see my smaller box) but working away from base it’s easy for a well fitting bit to part company with it’s driver. If I’m working on grass, I’m then stuck with trying to find a tiny bit before I can proceed.

Aircraft mechanics often don’t use bit drivers in some environments (engines) for this very reason, and in this road box I decided to standardise on regular drivers. The more I’ve used it the more I’m convinced this is the right strategy.

The other reason for me not using 4 in 1’s is that they generally only include slotted and Phillips bits. Most of the things I work on use Pozidriv, so they’re pretty useless to me.

 

[richfinn]

Honestly I’m surprised by how many different screwdrivers people got in there mobile kits. Are you finding a 4 in one doesn’t do the trick?

For car stuff I been able to get away with the 4 in 1 with P1 P2 and two flat head sizes. And then add in a real small dedicated flathead that’s mostly used like a pick. But I don’t got as much experience as you guys and everyone works on different stuff.

I've currently got

2 Vessel Impacta in Phillips/JIS #2/3 (for Japanese stuff but work good on Euros too)

P B Swiss ratchet screwdriver (long) with bits

PB Swiss Insider ratchet screwdriver with dedicated Torx bits (short) and use as a 1/4" square nut driver with adapter

P B Swiss coin driver (for Mercedes Vans)

10" Snap-On Prybar straight (which doubles up as a flat blade screwdriver)

8" angled Snap-On Prybar

Couple of small Snap-On Phillips screwdrivers #1/2 (key fobs)

 

[AndreaW]

That would be awesome if it had a little handle.

What are your little ¼" sockets next to the klein driver?

I added a paracord camera strap to use as a handle.



To the left of the Klein driver is my bundle of screw driver and nut driver bits.

 

[Snapped-off]

I added a paracord camera strap to use as a handle.



To the left of the Klein driver is my bundle of screw driver and nut driver bits.

Nice little kit.

 

[msharley]

How many portable (able to be moved with one hand) tool boxes do you have and what are the applications for each?

Discuss uses: Automotive / Home / Industrial / Work / Other

So far I have:

1) General home repair

2) Electrical repair, soldering, etc

3) Automotive emergency tool bag and tool box

4) USAG toolbox dedicated to interior trim tools and wedges

5) Automotive electrical test equipment

6) Two others I leave empty so if I need to work on something quickly I can fill them up with what I need

Yes!

Here on GJ? Who wouldn't! (oopsy...need to get my #4 box together! I'm lite)

 

[LXCam]

Alright CG, I'm giving this a shot but I'm not feeling it so far ( my solution that is)

Let me start off saying I ain't supposed to be putting tools on. Unfortunately all though I run this division for Arizona and Northern NM I'm the only guy that lives up north. All my guys are out of Phoenix or Tucson AND I've got 2 facilities 5 minutes from my house and another 3, 1-1.5hr farther north I deal with maybe a couple times a month so I just can't warrant hiring a tech to handle this area just yet.

What do I do, I build and service jails so I have to be set up for everything from metal work and lite onsite fab/repair to IP Video / audio and HMI control integration.

Plus fug-it, I'll come clean.....I'm tool ***** soo........

Here was my biggest complaint. The base unit was getting upwards of 100lbs and it doesn't exactly load real easy in its space, it needed to be lightened up. With the exception of my drill and impact and tire inflator all the rest of it lived in that drawer plus an overflow of batteries/hammers/clamps and anything else I could stuff in that sucker. It drove me nuts just tossing batteries in there but I didn't have a good solution for those.

So now its just got a single jack and a 32oz ball peen and one clamp (lol) plus a soldering iron and die grinder. WAY better on the weight ratio and for the most part it covers some basics.



I then removed all the test equipment I kept in another deep box and loaded that one up with my inflator who never had a home, tire plug kit, rotor hammer, 1/2" impact and another ball peen. This one needs some work but it stacks on top of the base in the truck.



Now what I do like is I finally found something for the drawer unit that works ok. I'm not 100% there but close enough. The best part is the bottom drawer handles enough batteries and the upper some basic test equipment that gets the jobs fixed and with my ice chest in front of it, the drawers stay closed and I can get to them easy enough.

Looks Like I missed a pic of what I use for test equipment.



I'm been perfectly happy with the drill and impact boxes. These stack nicely on the drivers side with my bag in front.



Then we got the misc parts boxes, I've got two shallow and two medium now but need to figure out what I'm going to do with the medium depth ones. Those stack real good over the drawer box in the middle and aren't difficult to get in or out.

Now I had to make up my mind about what to use these deep boxes for. One of them fit a grinder, multi tool, right angle drill and sawzall plus all the consumables pretty well. The other one I haven't decided what to fill it with yet.

 

[LXCam]

Well I ran out of room

I'll finish this "how to properly stuff a ford back seat" thread tomorrow but you'll get the idea.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Veto bags for voice/data tools and testers
Klein bag for coax
Klein tote for CCTV
Workforce tote for electronics wiring
Klein bag at work

I am sure there is more I’m forgetting

 

[bassJAM]

I just have 2 that see any use. And 4 or 5 old hard metal or plastic tool boxes that just sit empty, unused.

One is a full mechanic's set of Craftsman tools I keep in my truck. It doesn't see much use now, but when I was in college 20+ years ago and drove a beater it saw it's share of parking lot repairs. It probably needs replaced, time and heat has done a number on the nylon.



The other is a medium size canvas bag that came with a power tool. Normally it's empty and I put whatever tools I need in it to carry it around the house/property for various projects. Last weekend I was working on my old Wheel Horse garden tractor out in the shed and had these tools in it.

 

[bonneyman]

I've posted these pics before, but they seem appropriate here, too.

I switched to a Bucket Boss sleeve in a 5-gallon paint bucket years ago. Never looked back. Did HVAC service and repair pretty much out of it. When I worked at Sears, the 6 other guys all had various totes and bags they used. By the time I left there, all of them had switched to the bucket idea.
I had a cycling accident about 12 years ago, and broke two ribs. The doctor told me carrying a heavy bucket was not good. So I switched to a small Husky plastic tote. It had the bare minimum necessary tools for the job. If I needed something else, I'd go to the truck to get it. Or rope it up from the roof if it was too heavy to climb a ladder with it.

 

[swsman]

Have an access to a tool bag, multiple stackable baskets, as well as a 5gal bucket.
I take tools out of main boxes depending on the job, once done it all gets put back where it came from.

For a roadside repair I typically just get a tow, unless it is something very basic (local driving).

For roadtrips I pack assorted tools, cordless impact, OBDII scanner, portable jump starter etc.

 

[Snapped-off]

The 10" Milwaukee bag showed up today. I opted for this one because it has the hard plastic bottom, and it'll still fit my laptop inside, which I often have to take around when working/troubleshooting.

It's a little smaller than their other bag. I didn't want a giant bulky thing for when I'm climbing ladders. I couldn't really go with any smaller style bags and still fit the laptop + meter and stuff. So hopefully this one will work out.


I haven't decided if I'm going to keep the Klein or the Makita sockets. I like them both. I'm kind of leaning towards the Makita. I also have a few more things already at work to add in.


I'll probably grab some socket sets for the zipper bags. They'll only go into the bag if I know I'll need them. Impact will live in the bag.


Main goal will be to keep this bag slimmed down to the bare minimum to complete 80-90% of what I do.

 

[decableguy2000]

The 10" Milwaukee bag showed up today. I opted for this one because it has the hard plastic bottom, and it'll still fit my laptop inside, which I often have to take around when working/troubleshooting.

It's a little smaller than their other bag. I didn't want a giant bulky thing for when I'm climbing ladders. I couldn't really go with any smaller style bags and still fit the laptop + meter and stuff. So hopefully this one will work out.


I haven't decided if I'm going to keep the Klein or the Makita sockets. I like them both. I'm kind of leaning towards the Makita. I also have a few more things already at work to add in.


I'll probably grab some socket sets for the zipper bags. They'll only go into the bag if I know I'll need them. Impact will live in the bag.


Main goal will be to keep this bag slimmed down to the bare minimum to complete 80-90% of what I do.

Ditch the box of bits and get a Klein 14 in one and use the Klein sockets. For the drill bits get a couple of key chain style keepers and hook in the bag some where. Get a folding set of Allen keys as well.

 

[Snapped-off]

Ditch the box of bits and get a Klein 14 in one and use the Klein sockets. For the drill bits get a couple of key chain style keepers and hook in the bag some where. Get a folding set of Allen keys as well.

The Klein driver is one of the tools I've got at work, along with a slightly bigger tweaker than the one pictured. Those 2 drivers are probably my most used tools followed by the laptop and a meter.

I'm probably going to get something different for the bits to live in the bag.

 

[KnurledNut]

I’m not really interested in listing details of all my stuff, but I will show my electrical since most of my other boxes/bags aren’t that fun to look at.
I’m using the old original Klein bucket organizer for general, and Veto for high voltage.

 

[AJHD]

Main goal will be to keep this bag slimmed down to the bare minimum to complete 80-90% of what I do.

Odd assortment of tools. What will this be used for?

 

[snorvet]

I have a small tool box problem. Mostly homemade from wood. And a metal one I made in shop class in 1970. The wooden ones don't get much use.

 

[KnurledNut]

I have a small tool box problem. Mostly homemade from wood. And a metal one I made in shop class in 1970. The wooden ones don't get much use.

Lovely job making those!