Toolbox

[Windows]

When you move equipment around for DIY tasks, what kind of toolbox (or other container) do you use to transport or keep stuff organised at your destination? I keep ending up with clamps, saws, chisels, glue, ear protectors, drills, pry bars, hammers, and caulk strewn across the floor, all of which I have carried piecemeal from the workshed. I think I need a toolbox so looking for inspo.

Also if you’re the kind of person to use a utility belt, or otherwise strap tools directly to your body, I’m very curious to hear about that.

 

[Dr.Al]

Something like this?

 

[AndyP]

I find these invaluable, I have two.

Can’t ever remember using them for shopping.

 

[Windows]

I find these invaluable, I have two.
View attachment 36623
Can’t ever remember using them for shopping.

I have a washing basket very much like this that was intended to be my toolbox, but I keep it in the workshed and it is now full of sawdust and clamps (too many to carry) with a thin layer of tools related to my latest workshed-based project on the top. I’ve got organisational problems.

 

[JamesHow]

I have a Stanley roll along tool box.
A apprentice tool box
A Stanley toolbag and a toolbox from the lodge we owned.

All have there pros and cons.

 

[Cabinetman]

I use a wood frame/tote, like in school woodwork, but it wouldn’t be what you want for masses of other stuff.

 

[RogerS]

A very good question and one I was meaning to pose but never got round TUIT.

I have a Stanley box with my plumbing stuff.

Another with my electrical stuff.

Then one of those large tote bags with pockets down the side and inside into which I try to keep the same stools in the same place. The trick also (although I have only just realised this) is to keep pausing to look around which is when you realise that you’ve got tools all over the floor but many you used just the once and unlikely to need again on the project. But since you then put them away, you know where to find them should you need them again on the project and not have to scrabble around under, over, inside everywhere trying to find that drill bit.

 

[wallace]

One of those big flexible builders mixing bucket things. For small jobs I quite like an apron with pockets. When you see the americans with their huge tool belts with everything but the kitchen sink on them. I couldnt work with all that bouncing around. Maybe a hammer loop

 

[Doug]

I find these



& these

Excellent, their lightweight design means I’m basically carrying not much more than the weight of my tools, they come in varying sizes & they clip together so as long as the tools I’m transporting in them aren’t too heavy I can clip 2 or 3 together which allows me to carry 4 or 6 at a time.

 

[Dr.Al]

Then one of those large tote bags with pockets down the side and inside into which I try to keep the same stools in the same place.

That's the same sort of thing that I tend to use (for my tools though, not my stools ). They're particularly useful for carrying stuff back to the garage: I never seem to remember to bring everything in to the house in one go so end up walking back & forth over & over again with a couple more things I'd previously forgotten.

 

[Windows]

I have a Stanley roll along tool box.
A apprentice tool box
A Stanley toolbag and a toolbox from the lodge we owned.

All have there pros and cons.

What’s an apprentice toolbox? Rolling is either a really good idea, or it’ll encourage me to take more stuff than I need. There’s a lot of personal psychology involved in this decision!

 

[Windows]

I use a wood frame/tote, like in school woodwork, but it wouldn’t be what you want for masses of other stuff.

My wife made a beautiful wooden toolbox open-topped tote when she was in wood school. Long so you could fit a handsaw in it and strong so you could stand on the handle and use it as a step. Not sure where it is, but I think she gave it away in the big move. Too large for manoeuvring in our little house and really heavy, but beautiful. I wish I could find a picture of it.

 

[Windows]

A very good question and one I was meaning to pose but never got round TUIT.

I have a Stanley box with my plumbing stuff.

Another with my electrical stuff.

Then one of those large tote bags with pockets down the side and inside into which I try to keep the same stools in the same place. The trick also (although I have only just realised this) is to keep pausing to look around which is when you realise that you’ve got tools all over the floor but many you used just the once and unlikely to need again on the project. But since you then put them away, you know where to find them should you need them again on the project and not have to scrabble around under, over, inside everywhere trying to find that drill bit.

Thankfully my wife does the plumbing so that’s off my plate. Very good advice about keeping the worksite clear of unnecessaries. So the bag is where you keep hammer, rough chisels, screwdrivers, etc? I like the idea of a bag - could be lighter than a box.

 

[Windows]

I find these

View attachment 36625

& these View attachment 36626

Excellent, their lightweight design means I’m basically carrying not much more than the weight of my tools, they come in varying sizes & they clip together so as long as the tools I’m transporting in them aren’t too heavy I can clip 2 or 3 together which allows me to carry 4 or 6 at a time.

The light weight has some appeal and I have a couple of type 4 Makita systainers already for the saw & router. Being able to create a massive box tower in the shed without everything falling over could be useful. Interesting.

 

[Windows]

That's the same sort of thing that I tend to use (for my tools though, not my stools ). They're particularly useful for carrying stuff back to the garage: I never seem to remember to bring everything in to the house in one go so end up walking back & forth over & over again with a couple more things I'd previously forgotten.

If you get a chance, could you guys post a pic or a link to the type of bag you’re using or prefer?

 

[StevieB]

How far down the rabbit hole would you like to go?

What Toolbox?

Your Number 1 Toolbox Buying Guide! If you have suggestions, ideas or want to know anything then get in contact with us here!

www.youtube.com

 

[fuse]

For frequent repeat jobs (like 6 month oil change on the van) I put the minimum tools and equipment in tote trays and leave them as is.
Geneal diy tools are in a plastic toolbox in the spare room
Metric sockets and spanners in a metal cantilever toolbox,imperial in tins and homemade toolrolls.

 

[Windows]

How far down the rabbit hole would you like to go?

What Toolbox?

Your Number 1 Toolbox Buying Guide! If you have suggestions, ideas or want to know anything then get in contact with us here!

www.youtube.com

Oh boy. Thank you! I watch his JonaShone channel sometimes. These box systems might be a good answer, but man are they expensive (and visually oppressive - I can deal with the lines of a Festool or Makita systainer, but once there’s angles and curves and buckles all over the place, it’s a bit much for me). Anyone here putting their tools in foam cut outs?

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

Three DeWalt stackable boxes for "mobile" jobs like the 180 mile round trip for fixing my bairn's kitchen.
An open Stanley tote with side pockets for the 30 most used tools at the heritage railway a mile away where I volunteer and a 16'x8' garage for all the big stuff.
Plunbing Gawd knows, somewhere; and the lecky gear is in a 45 year old cantilever placky box wot is indestructible; at 280 pounds, I've stood on it numerous times.

 

[Dr.Al]

If you get a chance, could you guys post a pic or a link to the type of bag you’re using or prefer?

This is what I've got. I didn't do any research when I got it years ago: I just saw it & thought it would be useful. It's not huge, but that's a good thing: if I fill it with tools it's heavy enough I wouldn't want to fill a bigger one!

 

[Woodbloke]

A very good question and one I was meaning to pose but never got round TUIT.

I have a Stanley box with my plumbing stuff.

Another with my electrical stuff.

Much the same as me Rog. I have the wood mangling 'best' tools in the 'shop outside:



The galvanised tool box tote thingie contains all my household DIY tools (tape, lump hammer, brick chisels etc, claw hammer etc) and was a project made my a GCSE student in the 80's. This was made outside the school workshop and clearly by an adult with access to sheet metal folding equipment so I 'forgot' to return it after moderation. The one underneath painted with the red anchor is my dad's old RN Fleet Air Arm tool box he had when he joined up in 1946, so that's got all my spanners, socket set etc in it and yes, that's a Brooks saddle on the velocipede - Rob

 

[Doug71]

Systainers and roll boards for me, the little MFT topped one is really handy. Toughbuilt and Packout stuff is nice but very heavy compared to Systainers.



The lesser used but sometimes needed hand tools are in a Veto Pro Pac but this normally stays in the van as it's packed full and weighs a ton!



Regarding tool belts I never used to wear one but these days depending on the job I sometimes do. As I'm getting older I find a tool belt means not as much bending down to pick stuff up and also less time spent looking for things like that countersink you just put down.......

 

[fuse]

lso less time spent looking for things like that countersink you just put down.......

Ye gods Im glad its not just me then.
I can spend twenty minutes looking for the bit I had in my grubby fingers three seconds ago.My knackered knees wont let me search the floors either.

 

[Lurker]

My emergency plumbing stuff.

 

[AndyT]

I don't do much "site work" but I have found that a tote of some sort can really cut down on the number of extra trips up and down stairs to fetch one more tool. I used to make do with a nasty plastic thing, until a very thoughtful and modest member on here gave me this proper one, carefully made from repurposed materials. It reminds me of his generosity every time I use it.

 

[StevieB]

Oh boy. Thank you! I watch his JonaShone channel sometimes. These box systems might be a good answer, but man are they expensive (and visually oppressive - I can deal with the lines of a Festool or Makita systainer, but once there’s angles and curves and buckles all over the place, it’s a bit much for me). Anyone here putting their tools in foam cut outs?

Shadowfoam? - nope, seems to waste an awful lot of space to me. Looks good for those who like to display their tools, but I tend to know which tray or box something is in and leave it at that.

 

[HdV]

I had a steel toolbox for decades. But 1 or 2 years ago I was given a Tanos systainer toolbox and I really like that thing. So much so that a few weeks ago I bought a CombiBox. Essentially it is a toolbox with a drawer underneath. You don't see them often, but they are real handy (though admittedly pricey).

A picture (not my toobox, just a screengrab):

 

[JamesHow]

What’s an apprentice toolbox? Rolling is either a really good idea, or it’ll encourage me to take more stuff than I need. There’s a lot of personal psychology involved in this decision!

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[Windows]

Thanks for all the responses. As a first step I’ll get another Makita box to clip on top of the vacuum which is almost always with me on DIY jobs. That can be the toolbox/project box for now to keep tools off the floor. It’ll be a basic one with a lid since it is forever raining here. I’ve think I’ll have to come up with some internal organisation for it - a couple of plywood dividers maybe.

I’ve realised that a utility belt is not going to work because I’ll just bash all the tools into the doors as I walk past or I won’t be able to sit on the floor easily. Maybe I’ll change my mind on that once I’m outside and up ladders again.

 

[Bod1]

Mint & boxed

Many years ago as a boy apprentice, most of the men I trained under had large tool chests neatly placed at the foot of their benches. Their airtight lids stayed firmly shut except when a special tool was needed for a particular job. Next to (or on top of) these chests stood their traveling tool...

www.thewoodworkermag.com

Does me, to the extent I've made 3 more for the kids(grown up)
Bod1

 

[JamesHow]

Mint & boxed

Many years ago as a boy apprentice, most of the men I trained under had large tool chests neatly placed at the foot of their benches. Their airtight lids stayed firmly shut except when a special tool was needed for a particular job. Next to (or on top of) these chests stood their traveling tool...

www.thewoodworkermag.com

Does me, to the extent I've made 3 more for the kids(grown up)
Bod1

Me too that's a great idea for my kids. I wonder about a bit of scaffolding plank which neatly fits over the top so it can be a saw horse too? Perhaps with a vice 6" one end?

 

[HOJ]

In my case I have several totes with a selection of tools for different purposes in both, my daily user and go to for general working, and the one I carry in the most, has a good range of tools and bits in it.

 

[Doug]

I had a steel toolbox for decades. But 1 or 2 years ago I was given a Tanos systainer toolbox and I really like that thing. So much so that a few weeks ago I bought a CombiBox. Essentially it is a toolbox with a drawer underneath. You don't see them often, but they are real handy (though admittedly pricey).

A picture (not my toobox, just a screengrab):

View attachment 36646

I really like the systainers with the drawers so useful particularly for cordless tools & their necessary accessories, I’ve a couple one with cordless drills & torch & one with jigsaw, multi tool & grinder.






The strange thing I find in the uk is that Festool systainers are cheaper than the Tanos versions even though Tanos make the Festool ones I’ll definitely have to look out for the tote box with drawer

 

[Doug71]

Just dragged this out of the back of the shed, it was my version of an apprentice toolbox-saw horse, I made it about 35-40 years ago, I remember at the time being so proud of it ........it was actually quite useful just a bit cumbersome.

 

[HOJ]

I also have an abused Dutch style tool box in my van with more tools in, including hand planes and saws, but that only comes out if I am on a long term project as its far too heavy to be moved easily:

 

[duke]

I usually just use the bags and containers that the tools arrived in. Will also load tools into cheap well made laundry baskets.

 

[RogerS]

You asked for some photos...

This is my Makita tote bag.



General stuff in the main compartment. Five (partially empty due to WIP!) external pockets on one of the long sides containing (L> R)

Philips/Pozidriv which rarely get used TBH as I banned those screws from my workshop a couple of years ago.
Small adjustable spanners.
Pliers - normal and pointy ones
Odd bits, pencils etc
Flat screwdrivers



End pocket - scissors, couple of Japanese V shaped marking knives - a lot of miscellaneous items



Small pocket other end.

Strop and compound. Some other junk



Some useful straps inside.

Stubby chisels
Squares
Magic rulers etc



The other thing I meant to mention is that when was working on a project involving different spindle cutters and router bits, I'd use one of those Stanley 'compartment' boxes as a Project box into which went all the cutters needed for the project...especially useful if you are making several of the same item. Like longcase clocks !

 

[Mike G]

Never make something as a quick temporary gap-filler. You'll still be using it 20 or 30 years later. One day, I'll get around to making something a bit lighter than this (probably when the handle breaks under the strain):





I must have just finished a roof, and had some scraps of 10"x 2" left over. I also must have had a wooden cutlery tray from somewhere, and some scraps of ply. I imagine it took half an hour or less. At the moment this behemoth carries tools from the bike shed to the next-door garage where I'm working on the teardrop, so I don't have to lug it too far. Carrying it from the workshop into the house (30 or 40m), though, is a bit of a chore.

 

[thetyreman]

here's mine it's surprising how much weight this can carry and it's very lightweight with nothing in it, made from bits of old spruce/pine/douglas fir I had lying around, I use it a lot.

 

[fuse]

I take it you use torx head screws Roger?-care to elaborate on the posidrive betrayal?