Best Mobile Toolbox for use with Vim Magrails?

[oldschoolcraft]

I really like Vim Magrails for sockets. I've been toying with ideas on how to use them for a mobile mechanics toolkit. I haven't come up with anything great.

Metal cantilever toolboxes might work but I dont think it's possible to buy them new anymore of high quality, I think they're only made in China. There's a lot out there used ones but shipping will be high. I also am not really set up to paint anything in my apartment at the moment. I also never played with any in person, I'm afraid they'll be too heavy esp when loaded.

Plastic toolboxes are interesting but I'd have to secure the magrails inside, since they won't stick to the plastic. Depending on where in the box I rivet it, I might compromise the integrity of the waterproofness of the box. Also most plastic toolboxes aren't that thick or durable. Funny that the steel cantilever boxes are durable but too heavy. And the plastic ones could be super durable and light weight but they tend to make them too thin.

I'm invested in the Packout system, which is a thick durable plastic, but other than the drawers, they dont have a flat bottom for magrails to sit nicely flush on. I'd have to do a lot of modification to the packout with dremeling to get it to sit. The drawers work nice with the magrails but the drawers are way too big for what I'm trying to do.

I did just order some of the Ernst twist-rails that came with some Tektons, so I can play with that, but I really do love the magrails and until I succeed, I'm always going to have in the back of my head how to use them for a mobile kit.

Any ideas on how to get something with magrails setup for a smallish mobile toolkit? Looking to have shallow, deep, and possibly universal 3/8 drive set (two to three magrails). Set of 8mm to 19mm combination wrenches. Regular length and long flex head ratchet. Some extensions. Some pliers. Some picks. A 12" or 17" pry bar. A few screwdrivers. Nothing too huge. The main goal is speed of access of the tools, so I dont have to dig through things too much.

 

[Pasha]

I have a 18'' and 22'' Homak cantilever tool box. I've been very happy with them. I hear a lot of good things about the Trusco ones too.

 

[magtl]

I really like Vim Magrails for sockets. I've been toying with ideas on how to use them for a mobile mechanics toolkit. I haven't come up with anything great.

Metal cantilever toolboxes might work but I dont think it's possible to buy them new anymore of high quality, I think they're only made in China. There's a lot out there used ones but shipping will be high. I also am not really set up to paint anything in my apartment at the moment. I also never played with any in person, I'm afraid they'll be too heavy esp when loaded.

Plastic toolboxes are interesting but I'd have to secure the magrails inside, since they won't stick to the plastic. Depending on where in the box I rivet it, I might compromise the integrity of the waterproofness of the box. Also most plastic toolboxes aren't that thick or durable. Funny that the steel cantilever boxes are durable but too heavy. And the plastic ones could be super durable and light weight but they tend to make them too thin.

I'm invested in the Packout system, which is a thick durable plastic, but other than the drawers, they dont have a flat bottom for magrails to sit nicely flush on. I'd have to do a lot of modification to the packout with dremeling to get it to sit. The drawers work nice with the magrails but the drawers are way too big for what I'm trying to do.

I did just order some of the Ernst twist-rails that came with some Tektons, so I can play with that, but I really do love the magrails and until I succeed, I'm always going to have in the back of my head how to use them for a mobile kit.

Any ideas on how to get something with magrails setup for a smallish mobile toolkit? Looking to have shallow, deep, and possibly universal 3/8 drive set (two to three magrails). Set of 8mm to 19mm combination wrenches. Regular length and long flex head ratchet. Some extensions. Some pliers. Some picks. A 12" or 17" pry bar. A few screwdrivers. Nothing too huge. The main goal is speed of access of the tools, so I dont have to dig through things too much.

Snap on box is 18 1/2" x 6 3/4" x 5" high, No holes in box, everything held in place with Magrails.

 

[LWB]

Snap on box is 18 1/2" x 6 3/4" x 5" high, No holes in box, everything held in place with Magrails.

A work of art this is!

 

[908Jim]

Tempted to pic up a Proto J9975-NA and give this a shot!

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Snap on box is 18 1/2" x 6 3/4" x 5" high, No holes in box, everything held in place with Magrails.

This is one of the most incredible things I've seen in my entire life. Well done!

It appears you aren't using a tray at all, you just have magrails stuck to the bottom and underside of the lid, and the magnets are strong enough to secure what's under the lid so they dont fall off when inverted. Is that right?

Do you have any wisdom to share on your process of iterating that setup? Things that you tried that failed? I'm guessing you put in a lot of effort and iterations to get it just right, and any suggestions on things you learned could save me and anyone else trying to do something similar a bunch of time.

 

[richfinn]

This is one of the most incredible things I've seen in my entire life. Well done!

It appears you aren't using a tray at all, you just have magrails stuck to the bottom and underside of the lid, and the magnets are strong enough to secure what's under the lid so they dont fall off when inverted. Is that right?

Do you have any wisdom to share on your process of iterating that setup? Things that you tried that failed? I'm guessing you put in a lot of effort and iterations to get it just right, and any suggestions on things you learned could save me and anyone else trying to do something similar a bunch of time.

Just some observations, but with that set up @magtl has put together a very dense but extremely well organized selection of tools without having to move anything to get to another tool (or very close to it).

No duplicates, No unused sizes, it's a bespoke kit for a specific set of tasks/trade.

The key things to take away for me, you don't want to have to dig for anything, ever!!!!

Don't carry unwanted weight (absolutely skip sizes you don't use).

A shining example of "First Order Retreivability"

 

[AJHD]

Snap on box is 18 1/2" x 6 3/4" x 5" high, No holes in box, everything held in place with Magrails.

Very nice.

 

[magtl]

This is one of the most incredible things I've seen in my entire life. Well done!

It appears you aren't using a tray at all, you just have magrails stuck to the bottom and underside of the lid, and the magnets are strong enough to secure what's under the lid so they dont fall off when inverted. Is that right?

Do you have any wisdom to share on your process of iterating that setup? Things that you tried that failed? I'm guessing you put in a lot of effort and iterations to get it just right, and any suggestions on things you learned could save me and anyone else trying to do something similar a bunch of time.

Some of my thoughts on how to carry tools. This is what works for me and it’s sure not perfect and may not work for someone else.


My background is aircraft technician. I spent decades at O’Hare, at the terminal, working through trips for a major airline.


I had a rollaway near the control center but when you worked the terminal it was never near the aircraft. So you carried your tools to where you were working. Some techs used a bag, some used a tote tray with the their tools piled in. This just didn’t work for me. These were through trips we were working on. Passengers and crew onboard and waiting for us to finish. At times it was cold and pouring rain, other times it was below zero. Now imagine trying to find a socket or wrench in a bag or tray that is not organized. Your hands are freezing because you cant work with gloves on.Your delaying the trip longer, inconveniencing the passengers, while you look for the tools you need.


I had a small tool box, two drawers, top lifted up with a tote tray inside. That box has a story of its own for another time.


The tote tray went everywhere. We needed to cary a speed handle. I removed the tote tray handle, designed a snap in feature so the speed handle became the handle for the tray to save space. I had 254 tools in the tray. Two sections tilted up and locked in that position to access additional tools. The tools included a cordless die grinder where the battery acted as a spare for the cordless drill I carried separately. The biggest problems were sockets and wrenches.


The Magrail took care of the sockets but the wrenches needed to be tight next to each other to save space. Yet the wrench needs to be easily removed and easily replaced in its place without the wrench next to interfering. The wrench holder had to be custom made.


When working away from your rollaway with carry around tools you are not always going to have the right tool for the job. But I found I could usually get the job done with what I had in the tray. Lots of safety wire in that tray, amazing what you can do with safety wire! Also a Ridge Red Wrench E-110. You can get on a 2 1/2” “B” nut with it


Every tool in the tray has its own spot. Easily removed and replaced. Easy to see if a tool is missing.


I noticed the Techs working with me or around me started organizing their tools.


I would be working in the cockpit and set the tote tray on the console between the pilots, It never failed, thats all they talked about and couldn’t believe how organized it was. Same if I was working in the cabin with the passengers on board. I would get numerous comments about the tote tray. The Tool tray made me a better tech, a safer tech and made my life much easier.


I see plastic tool boxes and trays as taking up too much space because they need to be thicker with ribs for strength. Space is critical for me, but may not be to others.


As an example, you use to buy a set of folding Allen wrenches. They came in a U shaped metal case and unfolded, very compact. Today, same Allen wrenches unfold but in a fat plastic housing and are twice the size. If you are maximizing your space you can’t use a ratchet with a fat soft handle. I try to to use the best tools, Knepix, Snap-On sockets, Milbar wire twisters, Alfa auto lock SVR-2 blade cutter, Bondhus hex wrenches, Vim tools HBR3 and HBR5, these are the smallest reversing head bit ratchets in the world. If you don’t own one of these bit ratchets I highly recommend you get one, Vim also has half cut bits for tight areas,


And of course Magrails.


Sorry this is a little long,


Ron

 

[oldschoolcraft]

Sorry this is a little long,

No need to apologize, Ron, this is one of the best posts on the entire forum. You put your years of experience into work to develop an incredibly well designed tool storage solution that optimized your efficiency. And it's incredible, thanks so much for sharing!

 

[Jgaz]

@magtl That flip up holder for your magnetic screwdriver is pure genius.
Your box is impressive!

Was your two drawer box by any chance an old red and gray Craftsman box?

That box was my travel box for road trips all over North America.
Mine was not nearly as well organized as yours but it was still very efficient to work out of.

 

[Dave455]

Some of my thoughts on how to carry tools. This is what works for me and it’s sure not perfect and may not work for someone else.


My background is aircraft technician. I spent decades at O’Hare, at the terminal, working through trips for a major airline.


I had a rollaway near the control center but when you worked the terminal it was never near the aircraft. So you carried your tools to where you were working. Some techs used a bag, some used a tote tray with the their tools piled in. This just didn’t work for me. These were through trips we were working on. Passengers and crew onboard and waiting for us to finish. At times it was cold and pouring rain, other times it was below zero. Now imagine trying to find a socket or wrench in a bag or tray that is not organized. Your hands are freezing because you cant work with gloves on.Your delaying the trip longer, inconveniencing the passengers, while you look for the tools you need.


I had a small tool box, two drawers, top lifted up with a tote tray inside. That box has a story of its own for another time.


The tote tray went everywhere. We needed to cary a speed handle. I removed the tote tray handle, designed a snap in feature so the speed handle became the handle for the tray to save space. I had 254 tools in the tray. Two sections tilted up and locked in that position to access additional tools. The tools included a cordless die grinder where the battery acted as a spare for the cordless drill I carried separately. The biggest problems were sockets and wrenches.


The Magrail took care of the sockets but the wrenches needed to be tight next to each other to save space. Yet the wrench needs to be easily removed and easily replaced in its place without the wrench next to interfering. The wrench holder had to be custom made.


When working away from your rollaway with carry around tools you are not always going to have the right tool for the job. But I found I could usually get the job done with what I had in the tray. Lots of safety wire in that tray, amazing what you can do with safety wire! Also a Ridge Red Wrench E-110. You can get on a 2 1/2” “B” nut with it


Every tool in the tray has its own spot. Easily removed and replaced. Easy to see if a tool is missing.


I noticed the Techs working with me or around me started organizing their tools.


I would be working in the cockpit and set the tote tray on the console between the pilots, It never failed, thats all they talked about and couldn’t believe how organized it was. Same if I was working in the cabin with the passengers on board. I would get numerous comments about the tote tray. The Tool tray made me a better tech, a safer tech and made my life much easier.


I see plastic tool boxes and trays as taking up too much space because they need to be thicker with ribs for strength. Space is critical for me, but may not be to others.


As an example, you use to buy a set of folding Allen wrenches. They came in a U shaped metal case and unfolded, very compact. Today, same Allen wrenches unfold but in a fat plastic housing and are twice the size. If you are maximizing your space you can’t use a ratchet with a fat soft handle. I try to to use the best tools, Knepix, Snap-On sockets, Milbar wire twisters, Alfa auto lock SVR-2 blade cutter, Bondhus hex wrenches, Vim tools HBR3 and HBR5, these are the smallest reversing head bit ratchets in the world. If you don’t own one of these bit ratchets I highly recommend you get one, Vim also has half cut bits for tight areas,


And of course Magrails.


Sorry this is a little long,


Ron

I must admit, I took one look at that box and thought “aerospace guy”. The ball ended speeder is a giveaway, if the locking pliers and SAE tools are not.

I can only add my congratulations to the others. Superbly thought out box.

I am going to have to give consideration to utilising some Magrails.

As a matter of interest, what is the pickup tool? It looks better than some.

 

[Dave455]

O.P. There are some reasonable quality Cantilever Tool boxes made.

The last Stahlwille one I saw was Made in Germany. Check that's still the case before ordering though.


I have a couple of Facom boxes, and both of mine were made in Italy, I assume in the USAG factory. Nice boxes. They do different sizes though, so check specs carefully.


I also have a Hazet box. I think it was made in China, but it’s surprisingly good. I assume Hazet control the quality of the steel, finishing etc, and it feels totally different to the usual generic stuff.

 

[magtl]

I must admit, I took one look at that box and thought “aerospace guy”. The ball ended speeder is a giveaway, if the locking pliers and SAE tools are not.

I can only add my congratulations to the others. Superbly thought out box.

I am going to have to give consideration to utilising some Magrails.

As a matter of interest, what is the pickup tool? It looks better than some.

Magnetic from Vim Tools

 

[magtl]

@magtl That flip up holder for your magnetic screwdriver is pure genius.
Your box is impressive!

Was your two drawer box by any chance an old red and gray Craftsman box?

That box was my travel box for road trips all over North America.
Mine was not nearly as well organized as yours but it was still very efficient to work out of.

Yes the original box was a grey Craftsman. I did a little modifying. Where the tray sits in the box I went to the end, there is a dead area because it was double walled. Cut the area out so I could fill it with rubber gloves. Cut a hole in the side of the box and put a small spring loaded door so I could retrieve the gloves from the out side. There was wasted space under the bottom drawer of the box. Cut a slot out of the end of the box from front to back and about 1/2” high or so. Made a drawer that slid in from the side of the box the length of the box and used it for hardware. Made a collapsible box 6” or 7” square out of .065” aircraft aluminum and attached it the side of the box. This box was spring loaded close and was around 3/8” when retracted. When needed you would pull it out and push the bottom down into the box. I used it to put tools in that needed cleaned before going back into the tray, parts, trash you name it and weight was not an issue it could handle anything that would fit.


I made a two wheeled cart to pull the box around on. The cart had a ratcheting ring on the side that would hold a flashlight and could be rotated to point where you were working. It had a spring loaded rubber jawed clip to hold paperwork. The rags we used were paper and came wrapped in bundles 8” square. I sharpened a section of 1/4” aircraft hydraulic tubing with a counter sink. I would put this in a drill press ( I had one on my rollaway ) drill a hole through the length of the rag bundle at the corner. The cart had .090” stainless pin that would swing out between the handle verticals. The rags would slide right on using the hole drilled and the pin would rotate back and lock in place.. I removed the wrapping and you could pull the rags off one at time as needed. The back of the cart would swing out and it a three step ladder. ( Little Giant ladder parts ). The back of the cart also had a section that would move out and lock in position. This would allow you to pick up two jetway steps, It could be pulled up the steps and brought into the airplane. In addition the cart had two small wheels on the side so it could be turned and pulled down the aisle of the cabin. Oh, and it had a name “BUP”

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I would be working in the cockpit and set the tote tray on the console between the pilots, It never failed, thats all they talked about and couldn’t believe how organized it was. Same if I was working in the cabin with the passengers on board. I would get numerous comments about the tote tray. The Tool tray made me a better tech, a safer tech and made my life much easier.

I just realized, I dont think the tote tray was in the picture. Do you have a picture of that to share?

 

[Jgaz]

Yes the original box was a grey Craftsman. I did a little modifying. Where the tray sits in the box I went to the end, there is a dead area because it was double walled. Cut the area out so I could fill it with rubber gloves. Cut a hole in the side of the box and put a small spring loaded door so I could retrieve the gloves from the out side. There was wasted space under the bottom drawer of the box. Cut a slot out of the end of the box from front to back and about 1/2” high or so. Made a drawer that slid in from the side of the box the length of the box and used it for hardware. Made a collapsible box 6” or 7” square out of .065” aircraft aluminum and attached it the side of the box. This box was spring loaded close and was around 3/8” when retracted. When needed you would pull it out and push the bottom down into the box. I used it to put tools in that needed cleaned before going back into the tray, parts, trash you name it and weight was not an issue it could handle anything that would fit.


I made a two wheeled cart to pull the box around on. The cart had a ratcheting ring on the side that would hold a flashlight and could be rotated to point where you were working. It had a spring loaded rubber jawed clip to hold paperwork. The rags we used were paper and came wrapped in bundles 8” square. I sharpened a section of 1/4” aircraft hydraulic tubing with a counter sink. I would put this in a drill press ( I had one on my rollaway ) drill a hole through the length of the rag bundle at the corner. The cart had .090” stainless pin that would swing out between the handle verticals. The rags would slide right on using the hole drilled and the pin would rotate back and lock in place.. I removed the wrapping and you could pull the rags off one at time as needed. The back of the cart would swing out and it a three step ladder. ( Little Giant ladder parts ). The back of the cart also had a section that would move out and lock in position. This would allow you to pick up two jetway steps, It could be pulled up the steps and brought into the airplane. In addition the cart had two small wheels on the side so it could be turned and pulled down the aisle of the cabin. Oh, and it had a name “BUP”

Wow……just wow!!! Talk about a master of organization and design for the job.

And here I thought I was doing well when in the space below the bottom drawer I spot welded a frame of square tubing around the perimeter of the box for added strength.

If I couldn’t ship my tools with the test vehicles my box had to fly as checked baggage.
The lower edges, especially the front and rear, used to take a real beating before I added the support cage inside the box.

 

[magtl]

I must admit, I took one look at that box and thought “aerospace guy”. The ball ended speeder is a giveaway, if the locking pliers and SAE tools are not.

I can only add my congratulations to the others. Superbly thought out box.

I am going to have to give consideration to utilising some Magrails.

As a matter of interest, what is the pickup tool? It looks better than some.

Wow……just wow!!! Talk about a master of organization and design for the job.

And here I thought I was doing well when in the space below the bottom drawer I spot welded a frame of square tubing around the perimeter of the box for added strength.

If I couldn’t ship my tools with the test vehicles my box had to fly as checked baggage.
The lower edges, especially the front and rear, used to take a real beating before I added the support cage inside the box.

I had to reinforce mine also.

 

[magtl]

I just realized, I dont think the tote tray was in the picture. Do you have a picture of that to share?

No, I gave the setup to my son when I retired. He is also an A&P. He is a lead tech now so that box is probably sitting in some corner at the airport with dust all over it.

 

[magtl]

Magnetic from Vim Tools

It’s magnetic but also has the fingers.

 

[WWheeler]

MagTL are definitely next-level when it comes to tool organization. Very clever design you got there. One of the things I like most about it is they use magnets but won't magnetize the tools themselves like every other magnetic tool organizer I've used. I'm not exactly sure how or why that works like that but it's nice not to have my tools collecting metal dust and shavings.

I just wish I could afford to outfit all of my boxes with MagTLs.

 

[Dave455]

Magnetic from Vim Tools

Thanks.