Recommend me a portable box

[Air21]

So I'll be spending the next two and a half years worth of evenings working on my A&P license. I think I have pretty well sorted out where I am sourcing my tool list tools from, but I am seriously stumped when it comes to storage

Guidance for a toolbox is to not exceed 10"x12"x24" and that it needs a handle on top. On campus they have a designated box crib where you can leave your tools locked and chained to a shelf. I noticed a lot of 3 or 4 drawer portable chests like you'd find at any tool store, and a few cantilever boxes. It was pointed out that all of the boxes end up heavy and its necessary to move them across the hangar, between hangars so many people also invest in a luggage carrier or caddie to roll their hand box around.

Now, I've worked out of a 3 drawer Craftsman chest before, and I cant say I thought it was really ever meant to move that much, and I've never been able to lay out my tools in a way that I found really satisfying to me. And cantilever boxes just don't seem to mesh with my brain. I see them, I see that people like them, but I really deep down in my heart don't think they are for me. It looks like too many compromises and a lot of mechanism to tote around when I could be toting tools.

What I really want is something like a Klein Ultimate Tradesman Pro (video) tool bag. It has pockets for my wrenches, pouches to display all my pliers and screwdrivers, ratchets and such, and a large pocket for my hammer and hacksaw and whatever. I've looked at Veto ProPacs and read a great review from another A&P about his but I don't know where I'd put a full wrench set or a hacksaw except to buy a wrench roll and pick one of the models with a laptop pocket. But again the Klein already solves all those problems for me. I like that I can walk up to a plane in the hangar, and with 3 zippers have 100% of my tools laid out ready to use. But then I have to worry about security...

There are two class rotations a day shift and the night shift I'll be on, and I probably wont ever meet anyone from the day side. I don't want to drag my tools home every night if I don't have to, but with everyone else in padlocked steel chests I'd hate to be the easy target if someone is feeling unscrupulous. I thought about looking for a kevlar bear bag to chain my tool bag up in at night, but I don't know how practical that is.


So I'm really looking for advise if I'm just overreacting, or if anyone can suggest a tool box with a storage layout you think I'd like. I really like vertical storage but nobody seems to make a box like that except Adam Savage. I thought about picking up a cheapo cantilever box and seeing how well it behaves with the shelves removed and some PVC compartments in the bottom, but I don't know...


For those of you who love your cantilever boxes, can you fill me in on what I'm missing? I think they always look cluttered and inefficient and heavy.


Thanks and Gig 'Em

 

[zkling]

Toss up between a cantilever or a basic 3 drawer with flip open top. I've grown to really like cantilevers, but only ones without welded in dividers, as those really limit what you can put where. The bulk bottom storage of the cantilever is nice, then again so is the flip open top and pull out drawers of a basic 3 drawer. Either one, pick up or make a set of chest handles to throw on the side. Makes it much more balanced to carry for those long hauls.

 

[99driver]

I work on aircraft for a living and just recently became mobile. It was driving me nuts living out of a tool bag. I was terrified of leaving a tool in an aircraft because they all went in the tool bag at the end of the day and I had no way to know if I had anything.

My current solution I'm working on is the Ridgid Pro tool box.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Gear-Cart-Black-222573/205441921
Roller on the bottom for hammers, Battery Drill, prybars etc.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Organizer-Black-222571/205440492
4 of these on top with 2 layers of Kazin Foam with a plexiglass backer. I can have one box for wrenches, one for pliers etc.

With this system I can break things up if I need it to fly. I can fit it in my car. It has an integrated dolley so I don't have to carry it. I can also just grab one case if I know I only need one small thing.

I can also lock them, although, if you're working around people with lots of tools, locks only keep the honest people out. If someone wants in your box, it doesn't matter if you have a lock on it when they have bolt cutters.

The absolute best part is that in 30 seconds I know 100% that all my tools are in my box and not the airplane. Good for my wallet and my conscience.

 

[ttpete]

I work on aircraft for a living and just recently became mobile. It was driving me nuts living out of a tool bag. I was terrified of leaving a tool in an aircraft because they all went in the tool bag at the end of the day and I had no way to know if I had anything.

My current solution I'm working on is the Ridgid Pro tool box.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Gear-Cart-Black-222573/205441921
Roller on the bottom for hammers, Battery Drill, prybars etc.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-22-in-Pro-Organizer-Black-222571/205440492
4 of these on top with 2 layers of Kazin Foam with a plexiglass backer. I can have one box for wrenches, one for pliers etc.

With this system I can break things up if I need it to fly. I can fit it in my car. It has an integrated dolley so I don't have to carry it. I can also just grab one case if I know I only need one small thing.

I can also lock them, although, if you're working around people with lots of tools, locks only keep the honest people out. If someone wants in your box, it doesn't matter if you have a lock on it when they have bolt cutters.

The absolute best part is that in 30 seconds I know 100% that all my tools are in my box and not the airplane. Good for my wallet and my conscience.

Looks good. Don't use plexiglass, it's brittle. Polycarbonate is far better. It's commonly used to replace storm door glass.

 

[Air21]

They have that in stock at my Home Depot right now so I may run and take a look. The only issue I see is how large it is with the stacker boxes on top, I may only be able to get by with the bottom box.

I had also found these tool board gizmos on eBay that should drop into the bottom box pretty easily. The only thing I don't like is that I have to "unpack" all my tools to use them, but I'm 100% onboard with your positive accountability.

 

[JonnyMac]

Facom do a nice 5 tray cantilever, so do proto and beta. I think they are all available on amazon. Not cheap but ive handled the facom one and they are well made. But id choose the beta one personally.

 

[kctyphoon]

no idea if this would help you, but Milwaukee and Klein make some really nice tool backpacks.. i think the Klein has more holder/pockets, but the milwaukee has a good spot for some larger items.. both are very heavy duty, and $100. the Milwaukee also comes with a strap to help attach it to a handtruck. might be worth a look and you can maybe get one of those $20 collapsing handtruck too.

 

[AV tinker er]

OP, are you required to have you tools shadowed in the box?

 

[Air21]

No, its not required. That's one thing I really like about that Klein Bag is there's a pocket for everything.

I don't think anyone expects to be using this box much past graduation. I already work at an FAA 145 repair station and have an idea what kind of box I'd like once I'm working and that will be shadowed. I imagine this box is just going to roll over from school and into my trips to the EAA meeting where I'm pretending to build a Pietenpol lol

 

[kctyphoon]

i almost wish the Milwaukee bag wasnt so heavy duty.. id like to use it as an everyday backpack to bring to work, but its just too heavy and impratical with the space since i dont need it to hold tools. i use a carhartt one for now that im happy with.

how many tools do you need to lug around?

 

[Air21]

Not terribly much,

Needle file set, 8" half round, 8" mill *******, 6" and 10" round ******* files

25' tape measure

3/32 and 1/8 roll pin punches, plus center punch and 3/4 cold chisel

3/8 socket set from 1/4 to 3/4, a universal and a 1/2 down to 3/8 female adapter

3/8 ratchet with 3" and 6" extensions

3/8 Speed handle

1/4 socket set from 3/8 to 1/2

1/4 ratchet with 3" and 6" extensions

Combo wrench set from 3/8 to 7/8

Ignition wrenches from 5/32 to 7/16

side cut pliers

duckbill pliers

12" adjustable wrench

12oz ball peen

Mallet (thats all it says... plastic or rawhide)

Combination Square

Slotted screwdrivers 1", 4" and 8"

#1 Phillips 4", #2 1" and 6"

Hacksaw with 3 24 pitch blades and 3 32 pitch

6" machinist scale

feeler gauge .015 to .025

putty knife

pencil compass

flashlight

safety glasses

muff hearing protectors

flashlight

inspection mirror

allen wrenches

Left, right and strait aviation snips

7/8 deep well aviation sparkplug socket

Respirator with organic cartridges and prefilters

and a Meterman 30xr-a multimeter

 

[AV tinker er]

I still like the idea of a box. I have a Hazet cantilever box. I would highly recommend it.

 

[jptbay]

Custom LeatherCraft 1539 Tool bag. Love it. Beats any hand tool box I've ever had. Way easier to access and organize tools. Very heavy duty and not crazy expensive like the Veto bags.

 

[smiffy]

Get a pelican case and put trays in it i have one made by a different company that is a technicians case and has screwdriver slots in th lid and dividers and is brilliant

 

[rct]

With it being for school and most likely not used for the duration of your career, look at what worked for the last class since you will probably not use it much once you complete your training.

As a student cost and security matter, so the security aspect probably limits bag options.

That said, if you don't want a plain or drawer box, the Pelican 1460 comes to mind or look at the Jensen tool/Stanley Technician box/briefcase/bag options - dozens of choices there.

http://www.stanleysupplyservices.com/search.aspx?f=2:Jensen+Tools,1:277

Good luck., post what you end up with.

 

[geartow]

After. Reading the tool. List it sounds like one of the military surplus boxes with tools is just the item he needs there was a post on them being sold n craigslist within the last week.just am unable to locate it.

 

[archirelic]

IF you're going to go the avenue of a bag...look at the line of bags from VETO PRO PAC.

 

[geartow]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55629&highlight=military+tool. This would meet your needs

 

[Robinson1]

Custom LeatherCraft 1539 Tool bag. Love it. Beats any hand tool box I've ever had. Way easier to access and organize tools. Very heavy duty and not crazy expensive like the Veto bags.

I've got one of those. Very nice bag, I use it for maintenance and service calls. I rarely have to go back to the truck for a handtool. The center compartment is big enough to hold a Dewalt 20 volt drill case.

 

[NorCalWrenchin]

Friend of mine has one of these... awesome, but expensive...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LWX798/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ZRX61]

Iworked out of this one for a while:

https://scontent-lax1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/251386_1926237488409_7382448_n.jpg?oh=1ab914b2e79c89a831b7c22b822824fe&oe=562E7764

Then I pulled this out of a dumpster, straightened out the sheet metal & gave it a lick of paint:

https://scontent-lax1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/208188_1794019543043_4609167_n.jpg?oh=2ee4acf7b7454265f18344ce535ec2db&oe=561EA9A5

I prefer the cantilever design.

 

[ZRX61]

Inside it looks like this:

https://scontent-lax1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/389289_3702978785831_1747129117_n.jpg?oh=3680779f07d6ee3baad7e745a13e8c13&oe=5612132B

& if you're wondering about the tiny silver toolbox inside this toolbox...

https://scontent-lax1-1.**.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/208188_1794019503042_240505_n.jpg?oh=7c4c030246ca3ddf67bffad12456a464&oe=561F634A