Advice on stocking toolbox, and new member.

[Bladesmith207]

I have been lurking quite some time and have not registered until now. I am knife maker, guitar builder, and a trauma nurse, so my interests are fairly spread out. Happy to be here among you.

As for my question...I have hit a point in life where my sons are borrowing tools that don't always make it back to their proper place. Long story short, I decided to put together a tool bag of "don't touch" tools that I can grab and go for typical DIY projects and such, that will never be borrowed. I have loads of tools, but I want this to be a rock solid and well rounded set, but each piece should be the top quality for it's purpose...ie...hammers, screwdrivers, tapes, pliers...etc.
So what type and brand of tools would make your list for this?
The bag/toolbox I am stocking is a CLC 20" 27 pocket soft sided tool bag.

 

[kctyphoon]

if you want top quality hand tools without going overboard with snap on or other tools truck brands - i would just hit home depot and start looking at price tags.. Crescent, Klien, Channel lock are all premium tools. i "personally" dont belive the average homeower needs to buy premuim since tools like "Husky" work just as well, for alot less money, and carry a lifetime warranty with a major chain of stores.. that being said - its not like you would need to refiniance your home for the other brands i listed, and without argument, are of better make and quality. another option is to buy Milwaukee.. their line of hands tools has expanded quite a bit, and is very impressive IMO.. ive watched a few vids where people actully like some of their stuff over knipex. Milwaukee has made it clear that they will not put out a tool without making impovements over traditional designs, and you cant even a buy a marker from them that has not been rethought and improved.. i belive them to also be of premium quality and another brand worth considering.. whats nice too, is you can buy a complete set of matching hand tools, power tools, and tool boxes from Milwaukee, all at home depot.. im pretty sure their hand tool line has expanded wide enough that they can supply just about everything you would want or need in a general tool set besides ratchets & sockets.

 

[Bladesmith207]

I am pretty open to all brands, I am more interested in how they perform and last. I have gone through tons of **** tools over the years, and have some that I consider great. I haven't had good luck with Husky or Cobalt. I would also like to be able to hand this collection to my son some day.
The first things I tossed in there were a few pieces I think are great....Snap-on screwdriver set, Channel Lock side cutter, slip joint pliers, long nose plier....old hammer from my grandfather that I love, Stanley powerlock, Stanley Fatmax, new old stock Irwin Vice Grips USA made, and Japanese white steel wood chisels made my me.

 

[1950mercury]

Ha good luck...a no touch tool pouch...not going to happen. You would be better off buying them there own tools and putting yours in a locked tool box

 

[bobbycos]

Ha good luck...a no touch tool pouch...not going to happen. You would be better off buying them there own tools and putting yours in a locked tool box

What he said a thousand times over

 

[Moose364]

For you I would say Proto or Williams. and Locked in a tool box, like 1950Mercury said that no touch tool pouch will never work,
First trying to sort through to find a socket or wrench or screw driver in a pouch would be a nightmare
Second if your not home and they need it they will take it, and swear on the sweet baby Jesus and everything that is Holy they never took it,
Most of us have sons and missing tools to go with them.

 

[cheechi]

I haven't had good luck with Husky or Cobalt.
...
The first things I tossed in there were a few pieces I think are great....Snap-on screwdriver set, Channel Lock side cutter, slip joint pliers, long nose plier....old hammer from my grandfather that I love, Stanley powerlock, Stanley Fatmax, new old stock Irwin Vice Grips USA made, and Japanese white steel wood chisels made my me.

This is a good starting point I think. It sounds like you're saying you're good with screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, & chisels. What hand tools do you need in the near future?

I do also think you should focus for now on a tool box with a lock. Put everything in it, lock it, and then people will get used to having limited access to your tools you have to do less work in the long term.

Take a photo of what you have already. I'm always interested in guitar makers & luthiers' tools.

 

[pendragon1998]

Buy those boys their own tools!

 

[Drake9]

Ha good luck...a no touch tool pouch...not going to happen. You would be better off buying them there own tools and putting yours in a locked tool box

Buy those boys their own tools!

This is also what I was thinking. My boys are only 4 & 2 and I am already thinking about there first real tool box

 

[Cypherian]

Here is a thought or three,

Hey guys the Op may want the bag for portability IE "I can grab and go for typical DIY projects and such, that will never be borrowed" I have regular boxes, vidmars and soft bags all for different purposes. My RV has a loaded soft sided for ease of storage as does my truck the small shop is Craftsman ,Mac and Vidmar boxes the bigger shop Craftsman and a few Vidmars, Metal hand carry Vermont American and an All Aluminum Hand carry box I made in school 31 years ago. He wants what he wants so steering him away from a soft bag or telling him to buy his kids tools instead is not very helpful. I am sure he can keep his kids from taking them if he chooses too. With that said bladesmith207 there have been a number of threads on stocking a tool box here advanced search might give you some more help. You’re a trauma nurse so you're used to check lists :} (My GF is a Nurse Also). Make a list of the common DIY house hold chores just like you would for a human as they have the same systems pretty much :} electrical, fluids, air/heat, structure, surfaces etc you get the idea. Then get the basics for all hammer, tape measure, level, screw drivers , adjustable wrench, pliers various , small 1/4 inch drv and 3/8ths drive socket set , O.E / B.E wrench set , Allen wrench set, nail sets, small punch set, putty knife, razor knife/scraper , outlet tester , multi meter, small solder iron and so on. Then get stuff that is specialty for your house’s piping and sub systems. Do not forget duct tape, electrical tape, glues, lubricants, sealant etc. You can put it all in a opaque tub marked taxes on a shelf in the garage and I would bet they never know what is in there. As for manufacturers you do work on things now I am sure you have some preferences but for cost and replacement under warranty go with the manufacturers who do free replacement and are readily available in your area. If you can look for items that are in kits/boxes etc already so as was mentioned you’re not digging to find things.. Finding a scribe or other sharp pointy tool in the bag the hard way hurts never fails it slips under the finger nail and you get a real appreciation for why that torture method was effective :{

Cypher

 

[Bladesmith207]

Thanks for all the advice, I do appreciate all of the thoughts and opinions, as there really is a collective wealth of knowledge and experience behind it all.
I do already have a garage full of tools, many of which I don't mind and actually encourage my boys to use. I also have a ton of tools specifically used in lutherie that they would never know what the use was.
This particular set was just one I wanted to put together as a rock solid and reliable grab and go kit. I get called by friends, family, church...etc quite often when someone has a pipe blow or trouble installing or fixing something. I hate doing the "what tools do you have" thing to figure out what to bring, rather I would love a kit I know is well rounded with tools I can always trust, and just supplement with whatever else I need to grab for the situation. I agree though, that it probably should be locking if I want to be certain said tools are there when I expect them to be. Regardless, my boys respect rules like that, but knowing which is which in drawers full of tools is a little tough for them to track. If I said anything in that bag was off limits they won't touch it.
The list idea is exactly what I have been working on....searching old threads on box collections, and listing my more specific needs. I guess that was part of my original intended question....what would your lists look like for such a kit? I'm then taking that list and picking my best quality pieces from what I already have to fill each item, and then see where my weaknesses are before I look at shopping. Obviously it will result in a conglomerate of brands, but I kind of dig that idea. I could easily go buy all new Snap-on fir this, but I love that my vice grips are old stock USA made that I have loved for years, while the new pair I picked up look identical, but lasted me two months.
Anyhow that's where my thinking is with it. I'll take some pictures here as I go.
Thanks again for all the suggestions.

 

[T45]

Look at the mil-spec GMTK kits for inspiration.

 

[Fender1325]

For whatever its worth, my sister got me some needle nose pliers made by dewalt and I love them. They cut well and are strong, theres no play in the hinge. Theyre just really solid. If you run by a pair check them out. I also tested a dewalt ratchet that had somewhere around 60-70 teeth and was impressed. Felt good. Id probably stick to a higher tier craftsman ratchet but it seems like these dewalt hand tools Ive come across are pretty solid.

I wont ever buy kobalt or husky. Some of their things are ok but its mostly junk thats harder to warranty than craftsman imo.

 

[kbradley4333]

My gramps used to charge me a dollar to get into his toolbox, i found out later that those dollars went straight to buying my first cman usa tool set

 

[BeachBoy]

^^ that is nice!

 

[txdude87]

My gramps used to charge me a dollar to get into his toolbox, i found out later that those dollars went straight to buying my first cman usa tool set

Amazing gramps!!!!! I hope I'm that cool when I'm old.

 

[geojag]

I am sold on the Knipex pliers wrench. I would definitely recommend it for a general repair kit.

 

[oldldh]

My gramps used to charge me a dollar to get into his toolbox, i found out later that those dollars went straight to buying my first cman usa tool set

As I've said before---


Grandchildren are the arrows that we fire into the future, where we can't go...


I would say your "gramps" was a hell of an archer!!!


Consider yourself very lucky...

 

[mechanicalmoron]

I have a hard time not hating tool bags and pouches.

I know it's irrational, not everything needs to be made of steel - but I'd rather it is.

As to what goes in it, you seem to be asking for specific examples, or something? It totally depends what you see yourself doing, of course - I have a do anything box in my car, has every single tool my car requires, and every/most tool(s) for most other vehicles (and most other tinkering/fixit jobs). I just stocked it with my smallest/lightest high quality spare for each type of tool. All fits in an old steel tacklebox that always wanted to grow up into a toolbox.