How many tool carts are enough? 1,2,3 ?

[creativecars]

How many tool carts are enough???
Here is my situation,
When working in the attached two car garage my tool boxes are against the wall and out of the way so like many of you I would like to use a tool cart to keep tools close to the project I am working on. I am looking at a 4 or 5 drawer cart for this area.
The second area is the shed where I keep and fix yard equipment, mowers weed eaters bikes etc. This area is about 12x10 and does have electricity and a unlevel rough concrete floor, I end up doing maintenance and repairs on yard equipment here. My toll box is 30 yards away through the sloping lawn, so I am thinking about another tool cart for this area.
The third area is 100 yards from the garage. It’s a 30x40 barn with stalls and dirt floor. It is the place with 220 for the welder. It does have asphalt leading up to the sliding door. I will be fixing the tractor here soon, wallowing in the dirt (at least its dry). So my tool cart thoughts have multiple sides.
One, two or three carts… I’m very frugal and not sure I can justify 3 carts, besides for 350.00 I can get another 44” box.
Two of the 4 drawer carts??
One 5 drawer and one four drawer? Maybe put pneumatic tires on one for rolling over rough terrain.
What are you guys using??

 

[creativecars]

How many tool carts do you have?

 

[archirelic]

First off, I'm seriously envious of the amount of work space you have.

Second, if I had as many work spaces as you have, I'd outfit them all with their own independent tool cart...but I'm kind of "odd" like that I suppose you could say. I enjoy having multiple sets of basics at several different places.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I used to run 2 at Chevy , but the new shop has no room

 

[creativecars]

First off, I'm seriously envious of the amount of work space you have.

Second, if I had as many work spaces as you have, I'd outfit them all with their own independent tool cart...but I'm kind of "odd" like that I suppose you could say. I enjoy having multiple sets of basics at several different places.

I feel fortunate to have the space that I do. I have fabricated many projects under a tarp, changed cylinder heads in the street and pulled transmissions in the gravel drive way. So yes, I hear you on having the space.
I have thought about 3 independent carts, but that gets costly in a hurry. The frugalness (cheap ***) in me say's, why be so redundant, save the money and get something you don't have?? I am thinking putting some wrenches, sockets, ratchets, pliers and hammers in each location though.

 

[Mastermind]

Pnuematic casters.

 

[creativecars]

Pnuematic casters.

Yes, maybe like these, at 1 end. I would not want it to sit too high, so I would have to cut legs down or kick them out to the side. Just thinking at this point.

 

[jakemac]

For the garage and shed, it sounds like you can get away with a basic no-drawer utility cart. Just load up what you think you need for the job and then un-load to the toolbox when you're done.

For the barn, you might want to think about a 5-drawer cart. Or, a seperate tool cabinet and utility cart.

For myself, I have a tool cabinet in my shop on one side of the house, and a 5-drawer cart in the garage on the other side of the house.

 

[jmscollinsiii]

I'd mount a craftsman five drawer top chest on a golf cart.

 

[creativecars]

Jake, I have thought about the regular cart thing too. One of my problems is in the attached garage, I end up using my table saw top as a catch all, bench, cart etc... I am wanting a cart to keep myself from doing that, and have the mobility to the drive way. Thanks for the input. Do you have multiple sets of tools?

 

[Old Bill]

Wish I had that problem!! That space too.

 

[creativecars]

I'd mount a craftsman five drawer top chest on a golf cart.

lol, poor mans pit cart... Could pull the bottom box behind a lawn mower too.
That combination pit cart, go cart, tool cart

 

[creativecars]

Wish I had that problem!! That space too.

Understood, I struggled my whole life to have some space... Was garageless for 8 years (worse than being homeless). Now that I make payments on the space the funds for improvements have dwindled... Oh well, I am happy to have the space... now to win the lottery.

 

[jakemac]

Jake, I have thought about the regular cart thing too. One of my problems is in the attached garage, I end up using my table saw top as a catch all, bench, cart etc... I am wanting a cart to keep myself from doing that, and have the mobility to the drive way. Thanks for the input. Do you have multiple sets of tools?

Yes, as I upgrade (vintage mostly), the cheap tools go to the cart in the garage, or in the house for the BIL to leave all over the place, or my hand box, or my house up north, or the family's camp,
or .......

There is a hierarchy to the locations based on where they're needed, and who might get their hands on them. I share a house with my sister. My lump-in-law is like a 2yo, leaving his (and my) toys all over the place and not putting them back where he found them. He's not allowed in my shop (in fact, there is a standing rule in the house that he isn't allowed to handle anything with a motor or a blade - SAFETY FIRST ! ).

I buy 95% of my tools used, at 2nd hand shops, yard sales, and flea markets (sometimes fleeceBay). This saves money and lets me upgrade to the specific tools I want. It just takes time and patience.

 

[ChevyEFI]

Does it save you time to have a second set?

I have a 1/4 nut driver by the pool timer. Saves time and is cheap.

If you set up work in the shed and can save time by either carrying a loaded cart up there once a day instead of making several runs, or getting duplicates, go for it.

Buy just the ones you need, not a whole set though. Less is more.

 

[bobcatdan]

I have two, but neither are really carts. I have a 50's kennedy 3 drawer rollaway that is a mobil place to pile tools, plus a lot over flow and tools in boxes are stored in it. My main cart it is a 18" x 30" hydraulic lift cart that I use all time. I do a lot of *** buggy height work and it is nice to adjust the work height of the cart. I don't really have a need to have my all my tools at my finger tips. My need for carts is most of the time I'm 15' from a work bench.

 

[Schwinn68]

Why not get some small toolboxes that you can fill with a basic set of tools for each location. Then put together one main 5 drawer cart with pneumatic tires to take around if you have a big project going on. I know I have enough duplicate tools to do that without a problem.

I also like the suggestion of finding an old riding lawn mower for cheap, taking the deck off and mounting a small tool box on the hitch area. You would have less money invested than multiple tool carts and more sets of tools

 

[jakemac]

I also like the suggestion of finding an old riding lawn mower for cheap, taking the deck off and mounting a small tool box on the hitch area. You would have less money invested than multiple tool carts and more sets of tools

This is a pic of my "traveling" riding mower. I mounted a cheap plastic toolbox to the grass catcher mounts. I keep motor oil, spark plugs, spare belts, screwdrivers, and wrenches in it when I take the mower up north to mow my lawns. This way, if I need to do any work on the mower, I don't have to hunt for tools.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

reflector ?
you guys are ****

 

[devoncoolman]

Reflector? Man u couldnt miss the box. In my opinion i would buy a cheap craftsman or 2 tool box to throw in the shed and barn and buy either a cheap mechanics tool set and some screwdrivers and pliers for each and keep ur good tools and majority of your tools where ever u work most often assuming the garage. And buy a utility cart for use everywhere

 

[jakemac]

reflector ?
you guys are ****

That riding mower has been known to be used to make beer runs. Hence the reflector.

 

[wmartin]

It would be cool if HF built a variant of the infamous 5 drawer tool car that had an upper drawer plus a work surface on the top.

I could make an argument for just owning a bunch of those, since I'm lucky enough to have giant garage space, and just arrange them however.

 

[creativecars]

reflector ?
you guys are ****

Don't forget the shrub indicator on the left front wheel.

Good ideas an input.

One of my main goals is to have a place to set small parts as I take them off, besides having the tools avaliable, so I really like carts with a open top or work surface.

 

[jakemac]

Don't forget the shrub indicator on the left front wheel.

HaHa - That was just the angle I snapped the photo.

 

[creativecars]

It would be cool if HF built a variant of the infamous 5 drawer tool car that had an upper drawer plus a work surface on the top.

I could make an argument for just owning a bunch of those, since I'm lucky enough to have giant garage space, and just arrange them however.

I could see a 5 drawer in my future and see where that takes me. Maybe put some fold-out side shelf on each side for a surface to set small things instead of in the dirt. Fold them back in for transporting and movement.