Portable Tool Kit - what works best?

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paulclark

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Rolling toolboxes with drawers are great in the shop, but a lot of my wrenching is done away from the shop, outside in a parking lot nearby.

I've tried a couple approaches - carrying out only those tools I need for hte job (and making multiple trips back for things I didn't know I needed). I tried a tool bag but invariably spend so much time digging for the right wrench and not finding it even when it's there. This led to carrying several five gallon buckets around, which just spreads the problem out more.

Does anyone have any great solutions they've found for an outdoor wrenching situation? A small rolling cart? Better organized tool rolls?

Sounds dumb, but this is holding me back from getting stuff done. Would love to hear what others have found that works for them. Thanks!
 
Get a small rolling box from HF, it might make you life easier. Something akin to this.
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keep them hidden well.

had 20yrs worth of tools stolen at the junkyard out of my maxi-van with no rear or side windows. it was nice of the thieves to lock the van back up for me. naturally the junkyard cameras were unavailable to me. i wouldn't have cared so much if the tools my grandfather left me weren't in there.
 
i have a 3 drawer craftsman tool box
the top opens up had has the socket sets in it (and is deep enough to toss a few hammers in, or a pistol)
one drawer of real wrenches
one drawer of metric wrenches
and one drawer of miscellaneous, screw drivers, pliers and the likes

this tool box acts as the "top chest" for my rolling cabinet around the house and holds those tools you need 90% of the time

it is light enough i can carry it into the car and where ever i need to go from there


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i dont consider it a "dedicated portable toolbox"
but it is my go to on the go toolbox

like i said, it has the basic 90% tools in there and enough room up top for the other 10% which i switch out depending on the job
 
I do dirt bikes as well as cars. I use a dedicated small tool box to grab when I go biking. Inexpensive box with cheap tools but it works.
 
I do dirt bikes as well as cars. I use a dedicated small tool box to grab when I go biking. Inexpensive box with cheap tools but it works.

i got an old truck box mounted to my trailer
it is big enough to fix a HUGE fly racing gear bag in, bout a dozen ratchet straps, a cooler, a portable grill and a socket set (you know the kind, in the hard plastic case)
does about all i need to do on the trail
 
i have a 3 drawer craftsman tool box
the top opens up had has the socket sets in it (and is deep enough to toss a few hammers in, or a pistol)
one drawer of real wrenches
one drawer of metric wrenches
and one drawer of miscellaneous, screw drivers, pliers and the likes

this tool box acts as the "top chest" for my rolling cabinet around the house and holds those tools you need 90% of the time

it is light enough i can carry it into the car and where ever i need to go from there


View attachment 1715655685


i dont consider it a "dedicated portable toolbox"
but it is my go to on the go toolbox

like i said, it has the basic 90% tools in there and enough room up top for the other 10% which i switch out depending on the job

As a "junkyard" kit where I don't know what I am going to be getting I try to carry 1 of everything. I have a toolbox similar to this and a full craftsman 200ish piece ratchet and socket tool set strapped onto a dolly so that I can just wheel everything around. The craftsman set has all the sockets neatly organized and the toolbox carries everything else (set of box end wrenches from HF, handful of different sized crescent wrenches, handful of different pliers, vice grips, hammer, pry bars, a good set of torx bits, penetrating oil, etc.) I can basically tear an entire car apart with that full kit and the only thing I'm thinking of adding is a good electric impact wrench because then I would be able to do the same jobs in a fraction of the time. It is really dependent on what you need, I have slowly built this kit for a few years after constant visits to the junkyard and realizing I didn't have the right tool to pull a specific part (frustrating)
 
Best I ever did was carry 2 slightly big tool bags.

One for sockets with socket organizers, ratchets and pliers.

The other for wrenches with wrench organizers, screw drivers.

I just threw little odds and ends in either bags as well.

But this setup was for side work.

When I was wrenching for a oilfield company I had a truck with a utility bed.
 
I do the canvas bags, they hold just enough tools for the job. One bag for plumbing needs another for electrical work and then a third for automotive. This works, I don’t have to do a search for the right tools for a particular job, grab a bag and be ready to go.

IMG_4140.JPG
 
This is always a really tough question to answer, because everybody uses and likes different things. The tool or box I use somebody else may not like. Plus, people use different things to do the same job.
 
I do the canvas bags, they hold just enough tools for the job. One bag for plumbing needs another for electrical work and then a third for automotive. This works, I don’t have to do a search for the right tools for a particular job, grab a bag and be ready to go.

View attachment 1715655701

That's a smart idea.
 
I have the same 3-drawer Craftsman toolbox, and also a cart like the one shown above, that I used to roll out to the driveway to work. Now I have a massive stack toolbox, so I just pull the tools I think I'll need and drop them on top of the cart (toolbox is in a small shop room at the back or my carport — the cars are in the carport). I also have a small Craftsman toolbox (with a tray) that is pre-loaded for road trips, and I might just use that for small jobs (does not include 1/2-inch sockets or torque wrenches). I have a heavy Craftsman tool bag, as well, that is also pre-loaded for road trips, for the other car – this is not as convenient because you pretty much have to dump it out to find anything. Then the British car has its own toolbox permanently in the trunk (guess why). You can tell I have a lot of duplicate tools... I also have a plumbing tool box and a small electrical tool box.
 
Build you own. I say that because in my line of work and in my life outside of work what I carry and is portable covers most of the quick and get things done projects...... It has served the purpose since 1990 for me and most tools are still intact. I do have it all in a nice Technicians case however a decent Toolbag with multiple pockets will do the job.

What works for you may not work for others. I could easily make a trip to Harbor freight and come up with just about the same setup short of the Hex wrenches and Machinest punch set which I seriously doubt HF has that covers my needs..

JW
 
HF, tell you what I dont mind their wrenches and sockets. My shop stuff is mostly snap on and craftsman. You loose something in a junk yard its not hard to replace cheaply.
 
HF, tell you what I dont mind their wrenches and sockets. My shop stuff is mostly snap on and craftsman. You loose something in a junk yard its not hard to replace cheaply.

You said a mouthful right there..... And we are talking about portable tools and not what stays in the shop (that's a different story.) A co-worker for example decided the other week they needed to borrow my Sidecutters. Couldn't find them, didn't know what happened nor did anyone else. I was not happy but they are Crescents and I just replaced them at a minimal cost (of course the original set just happen to show back up....)

Having a bag full of Snap-on a Knipex is a risk. No other way to put it. Crescent, Pittsburgh, etc. can do the job in most cases I have found. We get older, forgetful, and a host of people that surround you have no respect for your tools nor do they understand how much they cost... FYI...

JW
 
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Cant rely on it for everything but i take zipper cashiers pouches and throw cheap wrenches, sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, bits, allen keys, etc in them. Portable and might just get you out of a jam. I take full kits when i go to the yard but i still crack that little bag open all the time.
 
HF, tell you what I dont mind their wrenches and sockets. My shop stuff is mostly snap on and craftsman. You loose something in a junk yard its not hard to replace cheaply.

I mentioned this before, last place I worked at had an interesting tool policy...you buy your own, anything that breaks on company time, the company replaces

So, I went out and got the basics from Harbour freight figuring if it broke, they would replace it
I worked there for years, as a machine operator and using most tools daily...only one socket ever broke during that time

I dont mind harbor freight hand tools at all
 
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