Professional Auto Techs; opinions on tool box layout?

[GStaz]

I am a tech-school student building a tool set for work post-graduation. I am wondering if the auto techs in the field prefer a roll cab with top chest or a larger roll cab without a top chest, allowing a work surface and such. I've found several boxes I am interested in purchasing, so I've found one of each to choose from. I try to research every purchase I make, before I make it, so I'm just curious to read feedback from the techs out there actually working.
Thanks, Garret

 

[balane]

Certainly it's all personal preference and I've tried different combinations but for me I ended up preferring just one large roll cab and that's it. I've worked in typical full service automotive repair shops over the years and I ended up finding have the large work surface to invaluable. I've had metal tops and butcherblock tops, I think I slightly prefer the wood top but it's basically a wash. Metal will look nicer longer but I love the look and feel of working on wood. I would say wood for not hard use and metal for more heavy duty industrial work.

The downside of this is that pretty much every time I came back from days off I found that others have used my box for storage. Mechanics can be slobs and will set something on any flat surface that's nearby. After one things gets put there, forget about it, **** will pile up. A material cover didn't help either. Having a top box would eliminate this one, petty nuisance.

Oh yeah, having a vise on your box is nice too but this also leads to others using it and possibly damaging your rollaway. This happened to me before so I quit using a vise on my box at work.

Good luck with whatever you decide, for me, just a bottom box works best.

 

[Outlawmws]

What Balane said!

Balane, you need to come up with some way to have a quick mount vise on that cart top! I couldn't live without a vise handy...

Maybe an industrial level slide mount like some camera tripods use?

 

[Trey T]

I do not derive my incomes as a mechanic but in my garage I like to utilize the vertical space. I believe space for many shops is a very valuable thing and not knowing where you'll be, the stacked cabinet will be your best bet.

I'm 5'11" and not having to bend over much on a taller cabinet is a good thing.

 

[durallymax]

One big roll cab is my preference, love having the huge stainless top. Very nice to work on, or set tools on when cleaning and putting away. I missed the work surface on my previous box which was stacked.

Depends on the shop though and how much room you have. My 72" roll cab is a boat to maneuver.

 

[CHRIS LUCKYMAN]

I have a large roller with a riser. Gives me a work surface, and lets me lock up my junk. Don't think I'd go with a top chest - work surfaces are always in demand.

 

[Outlawmws]

I do not derive my incomes as a mechanic but in my garage I like to utilize the vertical space. I believe space for many shops is a very valuable thing and not knowing where you'll be, the stacked cabinet will be your best bet.
SNIP.

I used to take this position, but flat surfaces also have value. only 2 of my 12 roller/floor boxes, have top boxes. (Three more have large tools on top, i.e. 2 under one radial arm, and a band saw under another single roller...)

 

[slowz32]

Went from a stacked box to just a bigger roll cab. I dont think i will ever go back to a stacked box, having space to work on is a beautiful thing.

 

[Appleyard]

I guess my question would be what do you anticipate using a work surface for? As an actual surface for anything you might be working on or are you talking about enough room to write or laptop space? I use my box at work to lay out all my RO's for the day and make notes. I also have other metal benches to actually do work on though.

 

[Cranemonkey72]

I have to go with the large roll cab w/ workriser. This set up lets you have a surface to work on while allowing you to just cram your tools away at the end of the day without needing to cleaning them only to get them dirty in the morning.

 

[Shipfittin]

I'm not an auto technician/ mechanic and envy the set ups you guys can have. I gotta toss all my 100+ pounds worth of gear into a bag and drag it to wherever I'm going on the ship with my air hoses. But I would say that you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, it would be very important to have some kind of idea what kind of work place your future employer may provide. Maybe you'll have more then enough table space provided already in the shop, maybe not. I don't think you'll really know exactly what you want until you get on the job and know your surroundings.

 

[Benji]

I have a 40 inch top and bottom box and for the space it takes up you get alot of storeage. The shop's I have worked in have never had enough room. And starting out you'r not going to get the bay with anny room for real big setup's evon though they are nice. A top and bottom combo won't aways stop slobs from putting their junk on your box neither this one place I worked their was aways something on top of my box the next morning that is wht their are way too manny scratches on top of my cover I was real happy to find a open gallon of brake fluid on it one morning.

 

[Brentocool]

I wouldnt think of working on the top of my box! Thats what benches are for. The top does make a nice area to use as a desk. In a dealership theres lots of paper work for techs. you will find out thats really how you make your $$$$$$. theres always one #&!@#$% that will leave something on it when your away! so I like it for a desk and thats it!Lots of guys have little lockable hutches on top of stainless tops .with lights inside.Pretty nice too.Good place for a radio too! And reference .. I have had both!

 

[RKSpeed]

Big roll cab with a hutch, butcher block top

 

[jethro29]

i personally don't like to have to bent over every time i need a commonly used tool.i have a 54" top and bottom with dual side lockers with drawyers not shelves and put all of my commonly used tools at eye and shoulder height. and i would not even consider using my new ten thousand dollar tool box for a work bench.

 

[Aklass]

I prefer having a work surface, get a large box and put a hutch over it some the other techs wont use the top of your box to put ****, I current am using a shop cart but, that is what i want to upgrade to. I hate that when I close the lid on my cart and come back, someone stacks a lot of **** on top of the lid

 

[Racr350]

A large work surface will be your best friend. I have a hutch on mine so i can lock away all my stuff. Plus no one will put their **** down on my box when im not there. Go with a large roll cab, then if you can swing it, snag a hutch. Good luck with your future endeavors!

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

That is why we have a bench

 

[slowz32]

Shop i work at has a fairly small work space, we have a work bench in a room next door with a vise but when you need a quick work area and a place to lay tools not much beats the top of your roll cab.

 

[joenero]

Take a glance in a bunch of shops, rarely do I see a setup where it isn't a roll cab with a work surface on top. At home I have a stacked chest but that's because I have a dedicated table that will never change. Do you know where you'll be working tomorrow? Will they provide a table for you to use or have enough room for you to bring your own all well as your tool chest? I haven't seen a single place that doesn't give it's techs enough room for a double bay box (well, except for quick lube places and stereo shops). So get a large roll cap with a work surface, it comes in handy.

 

[Cashed]

I use a 40 inch wide top and bottom chest. The top chest has a top that opens about 65 degrees. I put all my most used tools in the top. Opening drawers is a waste of time. With the most commonly used tools on top its much more efficient. if i had the space and time to do it I would make a large triangle peg board for everything. I would be happy with never having to open a drawer again.

 

[GStaz]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me guys. To follow up, I am not sure where I'll be working. My goal is to be a service tech at a Lexus dealership. However, I plan to move to a different state after graduation, so I'm not exactly sure where I'll end up. As a few of you mentioned, a large roll cab with a top hutch does sound like a good way to go. I am surprised to hear about other techs leaving rubbish on your boxes. That would make me angry! I'd never mess with another tech's box.

 

[ibedayank]

Gstaz...why not just look in the toolbox thread.....should keep you busy for a few hours


after all its only 280 pages long of tool boxes
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466

 

[Flash21]

i personally don't like to have to bent over every time i need a commonly used tool.i have a 54" top and bottom with dual side lockers with drawyers not shelves and put all of my commonly used tools at eye and shoulder height. and i would not even consider using my new ten thousand dollar tool box for a work bench.

I have had both...

I agree with jethro and some of the others voting for a stacked box. Bending over for common items over and over when you don't really have to over a career is a lot of extra wear and tear on the body. It will also make you faster. When I made the change from roll cab to stacked box the difference in how much I was bending for frequently used tools was noticeable.

Use benches for bench work and tool boxes for storing tools. The only way I see the roll cab with the work top as the option is if the shop you were working at doesn't have sufficient work bench space.

 

[richfinn]

Just to put another spin on this from a european perspective, I always liked a stacked box as small as I could get away with that was genuinely mobile (kind of like some of those newer carts with drawers all the way down). I would only keep what I used to keep the weight down.

Then just a plain cart without drawers to keep parts and tools off the floor.

I would be too scared to hammer stuff or rebuild a gearbox or cylinder head on top of one of those beautiful KRL roll cabs.

If you look in most European shops techs generally work out of smaller toolboxes as most special tools and workbenches with a vice/vise are provided.

 

[durallymax]

I like the hutch concept but it depends on where you work, plus I cant believe how much the get for an empty space.

If your always moving your box such as at large semi dealerships running multiple shifts, the large roll cab is handy because your work surface is always by you but at the same time it is bulky to move around.

The stainless top on my KRL is tough, i beat it alot and it doesnt show any serious damage, granted i dont act like an idiot with it though.

 

[crewchief888]

ive had stacked boxes for the past 25+ years.
at times they can be a royal PITA, because you can get a little too high.

none of my boxes are wider than 36", i'd rather have multiple stacks, than 1 triple or quad bay.

tool storage needs change, as does your location.

ive worked in places that everything had to be moved out of the way at the end of the day or shift, and places that my boxes didnt move for several years.

for me it was easier to move boxes around when they are a little smaller, and they fit places that a larger roller wouldnt.

 

[Brentocool]

I'm a Toyota Tech. Same dealer for 25 years.Truck tech for 5 years before that. i have a huge Snap on box. So what i did was buy a cart and moved what I use everyday into it, I left my big box there for a couple months to make sure I didnt need anything else from it. And I did so it got moved too! Now the big box is home. we always buy more tools then we need. Thats how the tool co make there $$$$ Selling in sets! Here are the sizes on Toyota's 8mm 10mm 12mm 14mm 17mm 22mm 24mm Thats it!!!! Ok 34mm axle nut.

 

[Brentocool]

And you no what. Its a Harbor freight General And I love it! $160.00!!

 

[Racr350]

I'm a Toyota Tech. Same dealer for 25 years.Truck tech for 5 years before that. i have a huge Snap on box. So what i did was buy a cart and moved what I use everyday into it, I left my big box there for a couple months to make sure I didnt need anything else from it. And I did so it got moved too! Now the big box is home. we always buy more tools then we need. Thats how the tool co make there $$$$ Selling in sets! Here are the sizes on Toyota's 8mm 10mm 12mm 14mm 17mm 22mm 24mm Thats it!!!! Ok 34mm axle nut.

Don't forget 11mm TPMS Nuts, 21mm Lug Nuts, and 30mm 12pt Axle Nuts.

 

[smogtech]

Don't forget 11mm TPMS Nuts, 21mm Lug Nuts, and 30mm 12pt Axle Nuts.

27mm knock sensors

 

[bobcatdan]

I have the best of both worlds. Krl 1022, stainless top, with a kra 62c road chest on top. Much needed extra storage, plus enough room to collect junk. Work has 35' of work benches, I'm the only guy in the shop, I don't have to work on top of my box.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I'm not an auto technician/ mechanic and envy the set ups you guys can have. I gotta toss all my 100+ pounds worth of gear into a bag and drag it to wherever I'm going on the ship with my air hoses. But I would say that you need to figure out what works best for you. Also, it would be very important to have some kind of idea what kind of work place your future employer may provide. Maybe you'll have more then enough table space provided already in the shop, maybe not. I don't think you'll really know exactly what you want until you get on the job and know your surroundings.

Get your self a cart!!!
I Have roller tool box without the top, I use as bench.

 

[Davo3]

Let me ask you guys this: The Montezuma Crossover seems like such a logical layout; why the preference for lots and lots of drawers in a toolbox?

 

[durallymax]

Let me ask you guys this: The Montezuma Crossover seems like such a logical layout; why the preference for lots and lots of drawers in a toolbox?

some people get boners when they feel how nice a KRL slides open with 300lbs in a drawer.

no drawers takes the fun out of it.

Cant say ive ever gotten a *****, but they do slide nice.

Also hides the tools from passerbys. I would be willing to bet the guy with the montezuma is the one who will have the most "borrowed" tools.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I'm a Toyota Tech. Same dealer for 25 years.Truck tech for 5 years before that. i have a huge Snap on box. So what i did was buy a cart and moved what I use everyday into it, I left my big box there for a couple months to make sure I didnt need anything else from it. And I did so it got moved too! Now the big box is home. we always buy more tools then we need. Thats how the tool co make there $$$$ Selling in sets! Here are the sizes on Toyota's 8mm 10mm 12mm 14mm 17mm 22mm 24mm Thats it!!!! Ok 34mm axle nut.

at the toyota dealer I worked at , the old timers there only had toyota sizes , was hell if they had a used car

 

[greasemonkey44]

thats funny spidergears; i can see it happening
in answer to op
i have a top and bottom 26 with the stuff i dont use all the time in it
i dont use the tool box much i use a cart more than anything; its got impact guns, sockets, ratchets, bits, gearwrenchs. if i didnt need the storage for infrequently used stuff id be all set.

 

[shampoop]

Depends on where you work. If you have a good work bench close to the lifts, there's very little use for a roll cab with a work surface. But many places don't have anything like that which is where having that work surface is VERY nice.