Anti Tool Bag
Anti Tool Bag
I don't believe in tool bags. Sure I have one, a leather one with a basic kit that keeps things organized, but when it comes time to work, it's a matter of rolling up the shirt sleeves, loosen the neck tie and taking of the tool belt.
Who needs to carry around all that stuff all day? If you are pulling wire, all you need is wire strippers, electrician's hammer [Klein Linesman's] and a utility knife. These fit in the back pocket. For trim out, it's just a cabinet screwdriver, strippers and Phillips screwdriver. For EMT, it's hacksaw, bender [doesn't fit in a tool bag any way] and electricians' chisel [Klein 600 - AKA door stop, tent peg, paint can opener, etc.]/reamer.
I've seen guys lugging a Roto-Split all day long and there isn't a shred of MC on the job site at all. Why do they carry it then? I've seen guys with humongous tool bags loaded with every tool they own. The problem is that this is all the tools they own. Then they slog a 3 1/2' wide swath through the office and their over-hanging bags sweep the secratary's cherished, heirloom flower vase and evrything else to the floor.
My present armament is a simple canvas apron: one big pocket for wire nuts and the other for "stuff". A slot for my utility knife [not razor knife!], another for two small groove joint pliers [Knipex and ChannelLock GL-6] and a 6" half round file. I have rolls of black and white phase tape somewhere in there too. This is the basic set up.
But I also have one of those big tool bags like the cartoon burglers in the Saterday Evening Post used to have. That is 38 pounds of stuff.
But I also have a tool cart which I recommend to everyone. This carries the 38 lb. as well as benders, drill and whatever else I be needing for the day.
So escew tool belts. They may enhance a character role on stage or screen but they're really dead weight. Norm Abrams always straps on his tool belt at the beginning of his show and he never takes any tool out of it.
~Peter