Reorganising my tool bag

[Keitai]

Had lots of rust on my tools because my van is so wet. So dried them out and sanded the rust off. What tools are a priority in your bags? I did a cull.
The photo is after sorting the bag

 

[foxhole]

spray metal tools with wd40, discard any not used in last 6months.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Did you sort out your parents blocked manhole/drains

Much more important and 'how do I clean my tool bag'.

Andy

 

[CBW]

Given my role and who I work for I have to carry everything I need in my van, so to prevent any jobs being delayed. What I do have is multiple tool boxes, and storage boxes for other things - Wham bam boxes are good for this.

What you may benefit from is separating your hand tools and power tools first - drill bits probably not needed in everyday toolbag? So I’d create a box/bag with drill and bits in.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Use boxes like Makpac boxes instead of bags wherever possible. Make up your own partitions to separate tools using 9mm plywood with foam protection at bottom and sides as needed. Tools floating around in bags or loose in the back of the van get dinged and damaged quite quickly as well as lost; ply lining gives you somewhere to clip or store certain tools such as skeleton guns and so forth (Google "Terry clips", etc). The system boxes allow you to select only the kits you require for the day if organised properly. Consider a matching open tote for loose tools, where appropriate, and for awkward shaped tools like caulking guns which won't always fit in standard boxes - these box systems allow you to clip together boxes an carry 4 to 6 tool sets at the same time (much easier than struggling with multiple differently sized manufacturers blow moulded cases) and all the major power tool makers have them (I use a mixture of Systainers, Makpacs, Hikoki HSC and Metabo Metaboxes as they are all compatible but I still have several Stanley pull along boxes in use as well). Add a piece of VCR paper inside each box. Add a silica gel bag, too, and hang a large one up inside the van all the time (can be had from Amazon, etc) - silica gel bags can be dried and reused. Spray everything with WD40 or wipe down with a rag dampened with 3 in 1 oil or sewing machine oil every time you put something metal away (including steel drill chucks steel tool holders on jig saws, impact drivers, etc). OK, so you'll have to wipe tools off when you come to use them from time to time, but better that than rust! Only carry tools you need for the job - that may mean having separate boxes for a door hanging kit (trimmer, planer, drill, etc), plumbing, as well as a couple of general boxes containing stuff you almost always use. For me, at the moment, that is hammer, nippers, cordless drill, drill bits, impact driver, pry bar, cat's paw, nail sets, Stanley knife, tape measure, etc. This list changes over time

Ply lining a van seems to make it drier as there is less cold surface for water to condense onto.

 

[Keitai]

Did you sort out your parents blocked manhole/drains

Much more important and 'how do I clean my tool bag'.

Andy

I think it's just the hole below downpipe which is full. I'll check the other drains. I know nothing about drains . Are you serious? I never know with you.

I'll lift up the manhole hidden in drive . As the manhole on pavement does seem to be connected to parents drains directly.

In the photo below the blue arrow shows the hidden manhole in drive which I haven't lifted up. The green one shows manhole in the street (which doesn't have a visible pipe going into it) and pink arrow shows the drain below downpipe where water isn't draining away

 

[Keitai]

Use boxes like Makpac boxes instead of bags wherever possible. Make up your own partitions to separate tools using 9mm plywood with foam protection at bottom and sides as needed. Tools floating around in bags or loose in the back of the van get dinged and damaged quite quickly as well as lost; ply lining gives you somewhere to clip or store certain tools such as skeleton guns and so forth (Google "Terry clips", etc). The system boxes allow you to select only the kits you require for the day if organised properly. Consider a matching open tote for loose tools, where appropriate, and for awkward shaped tools like caulking guns which won't always fit in standard boxes - these box systems allow you to clip together boxes an carry 4 to 6 tool sets at the same time (much easier than struggling with multiple differently sized manufacturers blow moulded cases) and all the major power tool makers have them (I use a mixture of Systainers, Makpacs, Hikoki HSC and Metabo Metaboxes as they are all compatible but I still have several Stanley pull along boxes in use as well). Add a piece of VCR paper inside each box. Add a silica gel bag, too, and hang a large one up inside the van all the time (can be had from Amazon, etc) - silica gel bags can be dried and reused. Spray everything with WD40 or wipe down with a rag dampened with 3 in 1 oil or sewing machine oil every time you put something metal away (including steel drill chucks steel tool holders on jig saws, impact drivers, etc). OK, so you'll have to wipe tools off when you come to use them from time to time, but better that than rust! Only carry tools you need for the job - that may mean having separate boxes for a door hanging kit (trimmer, planer, drill, etc), plumbing, as well as a couple of general boxes containing stuff you almost always use. For me, at the moment, that is hammer, nippers, cordless drill, drill bits, impact driver, pry bar, cat's paw, nail sets, Stanley knife, tape measure, etc. This list changes over time

Ply lining a van seems to make it drier as there is less cold surface for water to condense onto.

Thxs. I wonder if it matters whether I use a Makita product (Makpac) or dewalt one. My power tools are all Dewalt . I found this dewalt one-


https://www.mytoolshed.co.uk/dewalt-1-81-052-toughsystem-mobile-tower

Any good?

I was going to build a shelf in the back of my van (on wheel arches ) to put tools. Keep them higher and away from barrels of water I have in there

 

[ETAF]

I was going to build a shelf in the back of my van (on wheel arches ) to put tools. Keep them higher and away from barrels of water I have in there

At least with the cases on a trolley , you can remove from the van, quite a few of my colleagues have had there tools taken from vn overnight/weeekends

 

[Keitai]

Ignore the mess in my van. I was thinking of building some sort of shelf to go over this wheel arch cover in van. The wheel arch thing would take the weight. Then stack the makpacs or dewalt equivalents or bag or whatever on top. Off the ground and sway from water in my van

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Thxs. I wonder if it matters whether I use a Makita product (Makpac) or dewalt one.

It doesn't matter one jot. I started out with one Festool Systainer when I bought a rail saw about 10 (or more) years back and when the Systainer was the only game in town. I've kept with the same system ever since, partly because other manufacturers adopted the same connector standard. Ii also keep Bosch, Milwaukee and DW tools in my boxes but I work with guys who have chosen Sortimo (Bosch) boxes, others with DW boxes and one guy with the Milwaukee boxes.The only thing you need to realise is that these systems aren't compatible with each other, so pick one and stick with it. A good buddy of mine has the DW stack and is well pleased with it (enough to have added several extra boxes), although TBH he's a DW fanboy, too.

 

[Notch7]

get yourself some kaisen foam

and a label printer.

and do some 5S
https://www.5stoday.com/what-is-5s/


you might think I am joking but 5S is a serious principle that helps to get organised.
its worth a 5 min read to get the basics:

 

[CBW]

What about buying or (ahem) copying one of these? https://www.bigdug.co.uk/racking-c4...MIhZPHyPvC6AIViaztCh3jBQDNEAQYAiABEgJWkvD_BwE

 

[Keitai]

When I build the shelf on my wheel arch, are you supposed to angle the shelf at30 degrees to stop anything falling off?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Build a shallow open box (shelf with lips all round), not a shelf, or it will be all over the shop on the first corner or when you hit the first big pothole, which ever comes first

 

[martin hill]

get yourself some kaisen foam

and a label printer.

and do some 5S
https://www.5stoday.com/what-is-5s/


you might think I am joking but 5S is a serious principle that helps to get organised.
its worth a 5 min read to get the basics:



Notch7 is really James May i think. lol 5s great if you the only one using it. I got tasked many moons ago of 5s in the office at work. What a waste of time if people don't stick too it. But i done it for myself in my loft store for my tools and can near enough go up there in the dark for something now.