# What do you carry in your tool bag/box?



## Craig (Feb 19, 2007)

I was just curious what tools you guys bring out to service calls. I try to keep my tool bag as light as possible for service, but it's hard to narrow it down when there is just soo many tools to choose from. Thanks.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

It's almost a question of what _don't_ I carry. :001_huh:


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Speedy Petey said:


> It's almost a question of what _don't_ I carry. :001_huh:


Me too. I probably look like a SWAT team warrior when I ring the bell. My standard compliment has evolved over the years, and will likely continue to evolve. Here's what I have on me normally, at the moment.
Right side bag: Straight, Phillips, thin straight, really big honking straight, 10 in 1, 3/8 nutdriver, 9/32 nutdriver, T strippers, fluke non contact voltage thingy, Buchannan C-24 crimpers, nine's, dikes, needle nose, 8" crescent wrench, all steel awl, Lennox folding saw.
Left side bag: wire nuts, staples, tape rule, triple tap, Fluke T5-600 multimeter, flashlight
Middle of back: hammer.

Depending on what I'm doing, I might take a couple things out and add a couple things. Now, on the truck, I've got one of everything you've ever heard of. I'm sure of it.


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Marc, do you carry your hammer in the middle of your back too? I'm the only electrician I've ever seen to do that. I saw a framer do that, and it's the only place it doesn't bother me.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> Marc, do you carry your hammer in the middle of your back too? I'm the only electrician I've ever seen to do that. I saw a framer do that, and it's the only place it doesn't bother me.


It's the only place I have left! I'm skinny. Well, many electricians are in my observation.


----------



## frank (Feb 6, 2007)

*what to carry*

Interesting how country's differ. In England we would not normally use a 'tool belt' The Tooltime types are available here but I suppose it is just a culture thing. We mostly carry a tool box to the job and take from the box what we need as we need it. We also wear designer work gear complete with pockets Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would have died for.

With bits and pieces of sharp intruments and tools sprouting out from all orifices and openings you get a real 'porcupine look' after a while.

Of course the downside is that not having an at hand pouch to place unused tools means you leave them all over the place, so Saturday mornings is a great place to meet fellow 'dud heads' at the tool shop place.

Frank


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

frank said:


> Of course the downside is that not having an at hand pouch to place unused tools means you leave them all over the place, so Saturday mornings is a great place to meet fellow 'dud heads' at the tool shop place.


Hey, wearing bags is not a cure for leaving tools lay. I still do so on a regular basis. It seems like the only way I get a phonecall that I've left a tool lay, or remember where I left it, is after I've already bought a new one. A couple of years ago, I lost 3 pairs of skinners in a week's time. I was so angry with myself.


----------



## faber307 (Jan 22, 2007)

Glad I'm not the only one!
I try and do a last walk through on my small jobs. but more often than I like I leave somthing behind. No excuse for it. The mind just races and things get lost. 

Heck, I just went to check a local guys hot tub connection and as I was backing out of his driveway, he chased me down his driveway with my wire strippers in hand!

But his hot tub was outside and We are in the middle of a blizzard!


----------



## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

I only break out the belt if I'm gonna be doing the same thing all day and need more than my pants can hold up. And when the belt comes out it's loaded very specifically with the tools I know I need. And I don't use suspenders because they're hard on your back.

In my Klein lineman's bag with custom handle. around the outside; I have all my nut drivers, reamer, 420 channies, ideal strippers, dikes, Kleins, needlenose, checkpoint level, and utility knife.
Inside pockets; #1 and #2 phillips and straight, keyhole saw, half round file, beater screwdriver, 6" #1 staright, #2 square head, small channies, various pens pencils and markers, center punch and a tick tracer.
In the bottom; 440 channel locks, MC splitter, plug tester, a "viewtainer" filled with bits and tips, steel tape, small set of hex keys, light weight estwing hammer, leather gloves, and a bottle of water.
Oh I also always carry my Ugly's and a pocket size pad of paper in the side of the bag.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

You always _carry_ you Ugly's? That's odd. 

When I'm doing a lot of pipe, I often let the Benfield book lay on the tristand or at the bender table. I have the Ugly's on the truck, but can't remember the last time I broke it out. What do you refer to in it, most often?


----------



## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

I dug it out of the truck one day for a load calculation 6 months ago, and it's been there ever since.

But I'll use it for the trig table every once in a while. It's easier to look it up than worrying about breaking or losing my calculator.


----------



## frank (Feb 6, 2007)

*where did that come from?*

What is it about some missing tools. OK some disapear and never surface again. But others live a SPOOKY life style. Do you ever turn your van or truck inside out looking for something you can't find. Maybe empty all your toolboxes and even look in places you know you will not have had it last.
Only, to go buy new and then to find the missing item 'just turn up' out of the blue. So now you have two!!!!!!!!. But where has it been. As I say SPOOKY.

But considering mysteries. Why does cable always snag on something.But only when out of line of sight. You could lay and pull on cable on a football field but as soon as you start pulling with your back turned......there you are. It snagged on something. Again, SPOOKY.
 
Frank


----------



## DeepOne (Jan 23, 2007)

"SPOOKY life style" for some tools. It noticed faithfully. Especially drill bits and side-cutters. Apropos, correctly chosen side-cutters at event can change several tools. It's interesting, what sign you use for their choose. Corner of the sharpening, quip of the edges, backside pliers, non-spring handle, insulation type or each else? Or simple trust name like Klein?
http://v.foto.radikal.ru/0703/483a7abb0d96.jpg


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

I like the Klein one's with the angled head. Helps me pull staples. I don't like tools with a spring in them, since they don't always sit down in my pouch nice. They tend to "BOING!" out of the pouch.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

In our area few electricians carry a tool belt, most use a tool bag. Myself I got tired I got tired of searching in the bag for the one tool I needed. So I switched to a briefcases, at a glance I can tell if something is missing, additionally when I park blocks away I use a hand truck my cases stack nicely and the cases provide added protection to my test equipment.

Daily briefcase











Secondary briefcase


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

brian john said:


> In our area few electricians carry a tool belt, most use a tool bag. Myself I got tired I got tired of searching in the bag for the one tool I needed. So I switched to a briefcases, at a glance I can tell if something is missing, additionally when I park blocks away I use a hand truck my cases stack nicely and the cases provide added protection to my test equipment.


I'm sufferring from amp clamp envy. :thumbsup:


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

In our area few electricians carry a tool belt, most use a tool bag. Myself I got tired I got tired of searching in the bag for the one tool I needed. So I switched to a briefcases, at a glance I can tell if something is missing, additionally when I park blocks away I use a hand truck my cases stack nicely and the cases provide added protection to my test equipment.

Daily briefcase











Secondary briefcase


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I am suffering from double post disease Thanks MD, this is about half of what I carry. I have always liked (LOVED) tools, not sure where that comes from, but I have always bought what I needed and try to purchase top of the line. Though one of the meggers in the picture is inexpensive, but I liked the small size for the tool case.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

By the way, nice to have you here Brian :thumbsup:


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

MD:

Thanks for the kind welcome. One question can I post the actual image here?


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

brian john said:


> MD:
> 
> Thanks for the kind welcome. One question can I post the actual image here?


Yeah, but you can only upload a small pic (size and bytes wise). Use the little paperclip icon in the "reply to thread" window OR the "manage attachments" button in the same window. They both let you upload directly. I find it easier to just link to my pics in photobucket or elsewhere.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

WELCOME Brian!

Yes, there is an image tag in the tool bar above the text box on the "post/reply" page.
It is a link function though, not an attachment function.
You can make an attachment, but the max size is pretty small for an image.


----------



## wireman3736 (Mar 3, 2007)

brian john said:


> In our area few electricians carry a tool belt, most use a tool bag. Myself I got tired I got tired of searching in the bag for the one tool I needed. So I switched to a briefcases, at a glance I can tell if something is missing, additionally when I park blocks away I use a hand truck my cases stack nicely and the cases provide added protection to my test equipment.
> 
> I've been looking for a better way to carry my tools, I have a pouch minus the belt, If I was to carry my pouch on my self I would have hip problems in a week. I like to be able to look in my pouch at the end of the day and tell if something looks out of place like a missing screwdriver or lineman's, I kinda like the looks of the brief case, you also have room for small stuff.


----------



## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

What do you use the amp probe with the extra large opening for Brian?

Maybe that was the one tool that caught my eye. That's a nice setup for a technician, but all that technology wouldn't do much for me; a construction electrician.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Joe Momma said:


> What do you use the amp probe with the extra large opening for Brian?.


I have an attachment for my Ideal 800 that I bought purposely just for the big opening. It was to go around a buss bar, in my case. Since then, I've used it to go around paralleled conductors. I don't know for sure what Brian does, but I suspect he's a power quality guy.


----------



## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

so it's not for a 2 million kcmil conductor?

Dang it, I was about to be impressed


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Actually that is a low current amp clamp, used for locating sources of ground current. I utilize it to perform zero sequence readings, encompassing all phase conductors and the neutral. Then I utilized the smaller amp clamp for the ground (EGC) conductors (also a low reading amp clamp). Not in the picture are my large CT's for bus measurement s, flexiable CTs for the same and measuring around columns, pipe and conduit. All toll I have about 30 different amp clamps.


----------



## rod213 (Mar 16, 2007)

All I've ever carried right off the bat into a job is my trusty leather Klien tool pouch with belt, on my shoulder to start, and my meter.

In said tool pouch I have the Klein's, dikes, and ideal stripper (without the spring!) along the front. Then inside the left side is the Fluke tick tracer and a sharpie tucked along the side of the pouch. 8" needle nose and the #2 phillips with the taped open hawk-bill knife. Far outside screwdriver holder, the trusty slotted medium size of course. Inside right, channel locks and the torpedo level. Far right screwdriver holder, big daddy straight (you know the kind, for poundin' it on the end with your kliens) with aftermarket reamer. 

That's the standard for most things. Right now we're in a big industrial job so that has varied alot. There's about double the tools jammed in there now. Hate getting on and off the lift.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

rod213 said:


> (without the spring!).


 
Yeah in the wrong situation that spring can be a killer, once saw an MCC fault due to flying spring, major damage and a trip to the hospital fr the building engineer.


----------



## Joe Momma (Jan 23, 2007)

I'm not sure I've seen a guy wearing a belt in an industrial environment?

And I like the spring in my strippers. Only if the nut gets loose(unmaintaned) will the spring go flying.


----------



## DeepOne (Jan 23, 2007)

Of course, this not all


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Yeah but Deep, now you have to put all that crap away. Unless you like to keep it on the floor of your bedroom.:laughing:


----------



## K&R (Jan 22, 2007)

I need lessons. How do you get all that stuff back into the 3 bags?:laughing:


----------



## DeepOne (Jan 23, 2007)

There is else third way, Petey - wait while all that crap disappear itself .

Indeed all this kept in box, number of toolbags it approaches to ten and typically carried items depend from type of the work. This looks approximately so:

Screwdriver, several bits designed for metal and stone, little amount pieces for binding, several pieces of Wago push-in, flash-light, manual instrument, insulating tape, note pad, indicator of the hot wire and small tester, looking glass, defensive spectacles (anti-fog and UV), gloves, detector of the hidden wiring and so on and so forth. 
Appositely, 12V Hitachi DVF3 not much weighty but much multipurpose then Bosch 10,8V "Litheon".


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

What is that AEG meter? 
AEG makes awesome stuff, we just don't see it much over here. You have to go find it if you want it.


----------



## DeepOne (Jan 23, 2007)

This AEG MD75 is metal and hot wire searcher. Not bad, not very good in contrast with Bosch DMO10 but more cheaply. All device, working on such principle, not too differ on parameter.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I am telling you there ain't nothing like a briefcase.










Not everything in the photo goes into ths briefcase.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Mike R wants his amp clamp back.

I see you got that Greenlee DTAPKIT. They're a lifesaver sometimes. Real handy.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

The DTAP is one of those things you say "why didn't I invent that"


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> I see you got that Greenlee DTAPKIT. They're a lifesaver sometimes. Real handy.


 
I love mine!:thumbsup:


----------



## faber307 (Jan 22, 2007)

what is a Greenlee Dtapkit?


----------



## jbfan (Jan 22, 2007)

Tab Faber said:


> what is a Greenlee Dtapkit?


 
It is a drill bit with the tap built together. I just got one last week and used it for the first time. Makes you wonder why it took so long to get invented!

http://www.greenlee.com/archive/MA-4426.pdf


----------



## Hillbilly (Mar 20, 2007)

jbfan said:


> It is a drill bit with the tap built together. I just got one last week and used it for the first time. Makes you wonder why it took so long to get invented!
> 
> http://www.greenlee.com/archive/MA-4426.pdf


That looks like it'd work pretty good. It'd really benefit absent-minded People like me,who can remember where the Taps are,or the drill bits,but never both at the same time.


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Hillbilly said:


> That looks like it'd work pretty good. It'd really benefit absent-minded People like me,who can remember where the Taps are,or the drill bits,but never both at the same time.


If you carry a tri-tap for cleaning out threaded holes, you can leave it on the truck. I use the DTAPKIT now in place of the triple tap, too. I'd recommend that you set the clutch pretty low on your cordless, because I did get a little wild and broke the 8-32 already. The individual replacements are available for about 4 bucks. I see the new version of the DTAPKIT comes in a really nice case. Mine's the older version, and comes in a very flimsy plastic case. The new one in Brian's pic is the better version of the case.


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

My primary tool bag:











And tool belt with every day tools:










These go into just about every job.


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Hmmm.. Maybe a few things could stay in the truck? Nah!


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

What do you use the compass and the yellow Sharpie for? What's the little booklet above the Ugly's?


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

Yellow sharpe=ballast (came with a set of 8, it just sits there)
Compass=tracing recess, or any round cut out. I have a larger variety of hole saws now, but I still hang onto it
2nd booklet=Dr Watts. Similar to the Uglies, not as large, but a few things that the Ugs doesn't have. Got it free with my '05 NEC..1 nice thing-1st page is table 310-16!:thumbup:


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/tools/

This has a few closer up pics


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/tools/
> 
> This has a few closer up pics


Thanks, John. I just applied for a copyright on all the pictures in your album, so I'm going to have to ask you to remove them.

Kidding.... :jester:

Thanks for sharing!


----------



## JohnJ0906 (Jan 22, 2007)

The only tools that aren't in those pictures on photobucket are my laser, walkie-talkies, and my soft-side breifcase w/ "05, "02 NECs, calculator, hi-liters, more markers, etc.

I either have too many tools, or not enough. Please advise.






:laughing:


----------



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

JohnJ0906 said:


> I either have too many tools, or not enough. Please advise.:


Not enough! :laughing: 

I posted pictures of all the stuff I carry on the truck a few years ago, and drew lots of nasty, negative comments. I'm reluctant to do that at this point here, because of that. I think I may, though, at some point in the near future. I'm due to clean the main truck out, soon. Tired of crawling over stuff. Perfect time for new pictures. I had a couple of shots of just the back 2 feet or so of the one bucket truck, and got grouchy comments for days.


----------



## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Oh come on we all nice SOB's post away......


----------



## bduerler (Oct 2, 2009)

Craig said:


> I was just curious what tools you guys bring out to service calls. I try to keep my tool bag as light as possible for service, but it's hard to narrow it down when there is just soo many tools to choose from. Thanks.



anything and everything i own. prepare for the worst and hope for the best is what my grandpa says, dad says better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.


----------

