# Must have toolbox and lock?



## T.Jack (Sep 5, 2012)

No and that just seems silly to me. Does your local replace stolen tools? If not why do they even care.


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

T.Jack said:


> No and that just seems silly to me. Does your local replace stolen tools? If not why do they even care.


Not to my knowledge. 
I would really prefer a belt or maybe a veto bag, a box just seems like a pain.


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## rlc3854 (Dec 30, 2007)

Several Locals require the tool box and lock. Depending on the job site you just may want that tool box and lock. Most people today carry tool bags which they return to their vehicles at the end of the day. If the job site has a metal job box chained on site with locks some will leave their tools in the job box.

In due time you will see all kinds of theft on job sites and your tools stolen out of your vehicle.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

My tool box has been stolen 5 times, once from a hallway while I was workingin an Apt, once from my truck and 3 times from a locked shed in a gang box.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

The last time I had a locked toolbox it was leaving the ghetto packed with drugs enroute to the suburbs.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

I take my tools home with me everyday, if a company goes under liquidators seal the site and you wont see your tools for a couple weeks.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

chewy said:


> I take my tools home with me everyday, if a company goes under liquidators seal the site and you wont see your tools for a couple weeks.


Way back I left my tools in the locked job box and they were gone the next day.
I never did that again..:no:


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

My plan was to have a bag and bring it with me everyday. I guess I will figure it out come monday.


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## eejack (Jul 14, 2012)

Go with what they said to go with to start. Give yourself some time to figure out what works best for you.

If the locked box is not appropriate, the guys on the job will let you know. :thumbsup:


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## Acadian9 (Jun 6, 2009)

I have a lockable tool box for the tools I don't use on a normal working day. My box sits in the job box 5 floors below where I am working. I had an open tool tote years ago but people kept using my tools and leaving them on the lunch table or the top shelf on the job box. I lock them, no one uses them anymore. I really should keep the job box locked at all times, but apparently I am the only person in my crew who keeps their work keys on them while working


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## super33 (Aug 10, 2012)

I have a locking toolbox in my trunk but I usually just use a bag and lock it in the gangbox. Around here its pretty much unheard of to take your tools home every night.


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## big2bird (Oct 1, 2012)

Ozzy1990 said:


> Anyone else have this "rule"??


That's a new one on me.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

super33 said:


> I have a locking toolbox in my trunk but I usually just use a bag and lock it in the gangbox. Around here its pretty much unheard of to take your tools home every night.


I tell my guys to take their hand tools home every day. Theft is one of the reasons. The other reason is that if I have to send them to a different job, they don't have to go back and pick them up.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Ozzy1990 said:


> The tool list that was given to me for my local says I must have a toolbox that is lockable. I asked my director about he said yes I must have it. I start work on monday so I will see what everyone else has. If someone really wanted my tools they could just take the whole damn box. Anyone else have this "rule"??


The tool list requires it. Your director requires it. Buy a freakin' tool box.


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

Its not about money or not having one, because I have both. Its about carrying a box around.


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## Loose Neutral (Jun 3, 2009)

I've tried bags, what I want is always at the bottom and people just reach in and help themselves. Most of the time it's innocent. but can be a pain the ass. Buckets the same. I prefer a locking box, especially if your going to be storing your tools in a gang box.


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## StevenJames (Apr 21, 2013)

I thought most locals had this as part of their tool list?

I think it has something to do with the agreement. It's probably something that the contractors wanted in exchange for the tool insurance policy. Meaning, if your tools were stolen out of one of those maintenance bags with all the open pockets, the contractor wouldn't have to replace them. The same way as how the contractor only has to replace your tools (up to $500 in my local) that were were stolen overnight if they were locked in the gangbox. If you left them elsewhere, they are not liable. And the flip side of that is that the agreement requires the contractor to provide lockable metal gangboxes.


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## icefalkon (Dec 16, 2007)

All the lock does is keep honest people honest. 

What a lot of guys do is drill a hole through the top bar of their Klien bag and use a padlock to satisfy the requirements. 

As EE said...go with the flow, ask other Apprentices what they use. Most of us use Klien bags or something like that...so your best course of action is to ask those you'll be working with.

Good luck.


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## icefalkon (Dec 16, 2007)

StevenJames said:


> I thought most locals had this as part of their tool list?
> 
> I think it has something to do with the agreement. It's probably something that the contractors wanted in exchange for the tool insurance policy. Meaning, if your tools were stolen out of one of those maintenance bags with all the open pockets, the contractor wouldn't have to replace them. The same way as how the contractor only has to replace your tools (up to $500 in my local) that were were stolen overnight if they were locked in the gangbox. If you left them elsewhere, they are not liable. And the flip side of that is that the agreement requires the contractor to provide lockable metal gangboxes.


Exactly, it's part of the Working Agreement and has to do with insurance. Here we have the same thing...up to $500 but you need a police report. The contractor has to provide lockable storage, etc. 

Most of us have had our tools stolen at least once...and it sucks. An old timer I met while traveling used to say, "steal my money, steal my woman, don't steal the tools that earn the money to get the women"...

LOL he was a piece of work.


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

The lock also works well if you stuff it in a sock and swing it at the head of anyone caught stealing from you.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Buy the absolute cheapest box and lock you can buy. Just don't bother using it. Problem solved.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

We have the rule here, never seen anyone check, my lock stays in my box and rarely if ever locks the box. But it is on the list, so I have it. I have used a bag on jobs and many others do as well, esp with smaller contractors. The big jobs people mostly use boxes.

Personally if I had any doubt, I would show the first day with what is required and change as I found common practice suited me better.


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

s.kelly said:


> We have the rule here, never seen anyone check, my lock stays in my box and rarely if ever locks the box. But it is on the list, so I have it. I have used a bag on jobs and many others do as well, esp with smaller contractors. The big jobs people mostly use boxes.
> 
> Personally if I had any doubt, I would show the first day with what is required and change as I found common practice suited me better.


That's my plan.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Buy a cheap mailbox, bolt a handle on top, 
Have a nice day.


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## Ozzy1990 (Jan 24, 2013)

Yesterday we put together some high rise lights and today we did some cadwelding on rebar.


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## d80hunter (Apr 7, 2013)

I prefer a lockable tool box on bigger jobs where tools go from the gangbox to the cart and back to the gangbox for months at a time. The tool bag is my #1 though since I been in a van. The toolbox is too heavy to want to carry around very long. I would see if anyone follows that rule and see what other guys use and go from there.


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## ed-flip (Feb 13, 2013)

Its on my tool list as well. San Mateo County617. I think i've only seen 2 guys with them.


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