tool bag recommendations

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jimdavis

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Location
salt lake city, UT USA
Hi guys,

I'm in the market for a new tool bag/tote and I'm wondering if you have any thoughts or recommendations. I'm considering the Klein tradesman pro ultimate electrician's bag or extreme electrician's bag. I also looked at the Veto Pro Pac tech LC which looks good but is pretty pricey. I do mostly heavy commercial and industrial construction and I carry quite a bit of tools. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
jimdavis said:
Hi guys,

I'm in the market for a new tool bag/tote and I'm wondering if you have any thoughts or recommendations. I'm considering the Klein tradesman pro ultimate electrician's bag or extreme electrician's bag. I also looked at the Veto Pro Pac tech LC which looks good but is pretty pricey. I do mostly heavy commercial and industrial construction and I carry quite a bit of tools. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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That bag looks good (Klein Tools 55452RTB Tradesman Pro Organizer Rolling Tool Bag )If you're moving a large complex.





 
I use the extreme electricians bag. I would recommend it. It's held up for several years and has plenty of pockets and pouches. There is also a husky bag that is pretty much the same thing for half the price at Home Depot. Might not last as long though
 
I have two of these and it hits the tradeoff between being too small and being too heavy when fully loaded. Well built and looks like half the cost of the Kleins. I've been tying these to the bike. I like the cheap bags that come free with cordless tools, or even Rubbermaid totes but they fall apart too easily.

http://www.amazon.com/BucketBoss-Extreme-06149-Daddy-Gatemouth/dp/B0001UGXB4/

I would say absolutely a system on wheels with the minimum being a hand truck with 10" pneumatic tires, with totes or bags tied to that. Next step up are platform carts or even a gorilla cart.

http://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Carts-Dump-Cart-Cubic/dp/B002Y2R154/ref=sr_1_6?s=lawn-garden
 
jimdavis said:
I was actually considering the one without the wheels.
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I've been using an old 18" Nicholas bag with shoulder strap as my primary tool bag for almost 2 decades now, haven't worn it out. What I have worn out is my shoulder. The bag tends to collect tools and stuff that should be in other bags or bins as the week goes on, and if I forget to de-clutter the thing daily I'll find myself sucking down Aleve by Friday. Middle age and all that.

So....if you're working in places with relatively-smooth floors and if you're not a spring chicken, I'll suggest going for the bag with wheels.
 
I am just waiting for the suggestion of the Festool bins and cart system. I won't recommend it myself since I could not afford it. :)

Tapatalk!
 
GoldDigger said:
I am just waiting for the suggestion of the Festool bins and cart system. I won't recommend it myself since I could not afford it. :)

Tapatalk!
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hmph. i'm not saying a word...... :angel:

it's not what most folks would find useful.
festool makes some cool stuff, but when the festool version
of a tackle box is $80, well, ya aren't gonna buy a half dozen
of them, y'know?

i admit it. i bought one.... but ONLY one.
 
I have two of these and am very happy with them. I have converted a small dolly to carry the tool boxes. Screen Shot 2014-04-26 at 3.08.05 PM.jpgI

Also use this belt with suspenders with my own tool bags. Screen Shot 2014-04-26 at 3.10.53 PM.png
 
I have a Husky bag with wheels and retractable handle from Home Depot and I love it. I used to rock an old school, regular, metal Craftsman toolbox. Carrying that thing around just got ridiculous. Now I can wheel all my tools around without any problem, no more shoulder strain or anything. The only issue I have is that there is quite a bit of unsecure pockets on the outside I use so in order to keep tools in there I have to trust people won't take them. I've had plenty of tools taken in my short years in the trade, sad to say.
 
lapseofmind said:
I have a Husky bag with wheels and retractable handle from Home Depot and I love it. I used to rock an old school, regular, metal Craftsman toolbox. Carrying that thing around just got ridiculous. Now I can wheel all my tools around without any problem, no more shoulder strain or anything. The only issue I have is that there is quite a bit of unsecure pockets on the outside I use so in order to keep tools in there I have to trust people won't take them. I've had plenty of tools taken in my short years in the trade, sad to say.
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Those metal Boxes were great, but heavy.
 
LEO2854 said:
Ha!

Back in those days we all had them and made sport of those who used anything else..:lol:

We were young....:D
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That I don't doubt! :lol:

My first day as a pre-apprentice: Never picked up a tool in my life. I was a graphic designer/photographer. Good friend hooked me up with the apprenticeship, telling me it was good money. Got my tools and my big ol' metal toolbox. First day, a pack of journeyman grabbed my toolbox and threw it down a flight of stairs, stating that it looked better beat up than brand new. Bastards. It never closed right after that :lol:
 
LEO2854 said:
Those metal Boxes were great, but heavy.
Click to expand...

before i started using the festool systainers, i was looking for
a really good toolbox, and ended up with this indestructible
molded plastic mil spec thing... you could throw it off the back
of a truck full, at 60 mph, and nothing much happened to it.

and when you found out how much it weighed, you really
wanted to chuck it off the back of the truck.

i've still got it, and it's gonna get pressed into service as
the new dirt bike toolbox... it's strong enough to flip the
lid closed, and leave the folding front door open for access
to the drawers, and use it as a bike stand... hell, it would
probably hold up the back end of my work van.

pelikan makes one of these godzilla cases as well....

http://www.pelican.com/dealers/marketing_tools/electronic_docs/Pelican 0450 Brochure.pdf
 
It's funny where I work alot of the younger guys have the Klein backpack, it seems to hold a fair amount of tools. Yet the older guys have those tool bags with the handles and wheels.

Myself I use the large husky tool bag with shoulder strap and wheel it around with a 2 wheel dolly. As someone mentioned earlier the old shoulder aint what it used to be.
 
lapseofmind said:
I have a Husky bag with wheels and retractable handle from Home Depot and I love it. I used to rock an old school, regular, metal Craftsman toolbox. Carrying that thing around just got ridiculous. Now I can wheel all my tools around without any problem, no more shoulder strain or anything. The only issue I have is that there is quite a bit of unsecure pockets on the outside I use so in order to keep tools in there I have to trust people won't take them. I've had plenty of tools taken in my short years in the trade, sad to say.
Click to expand...

Spray paint them all pink. No one takes pink tools.
 
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