ADVICE please (tool bag / box reccomendations)

Post new thread
Search the forum,

Discuss ADVICE please (tool bag / box reccomendations) in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

S

SPARK2B

hi all, hope you are all well and enjoying this 3 day weekend, be you working or off or both.

firstly, my first year of level 2 is about to finish within the next 6 weeks or so,....i have learned so much since i signed up for college in sept and started this new route, and have gained invaluable advice from the discussions here and from members in private messages,...all more appreciated than i can express on here.....

many thanks to all !!

NOW,.....TO BUSINESS, the kit / tools is growing, and i am soon to be applying for trainee / mate work (as soon as the savings start to run low ........my question is,..what to keep it in, i am buying decent kit, so would like something nice to keep it in,...do you recommend......

...tool box,.....?

....tool bag,....?

...open top type bag,.....?

just to fit hand tools , drill, hammer, bolster, tape, fittings etc in..

..and any recommendations for a belt pouch for drivers and snips etc etc,....as one i had before although not cheap, was shallow and often spilled bits and bobs

so guys, advice on this and any links most appreciated

*****I CANNOT, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE SPEND THE MONEY ON A VETO PRO-PAC***** YET.......


as always, your input is most appreciated

SPARK2B
 
*****I CANNOT, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE SPEND THE MONEY ON A VETO PRO-PAC***** YET.......
Click to expand...

Oh dear me, not another daft bugger in the making?? lol!!

Why the hell would you ''WANT'' to spend 200+ quid on a bloody tool bag?? Spend the money on a useful tool or tools!!
 
The Stanley fat max open tote bag is good, and as shaky says, the facom bag, that looks nice too, I keep the Stanley bag in the van just with the heavy bits in like files and hammers etc.

I tried them, but still went and bought two Veto Pro Pac OT-XL bags at £185 a shot, nothing comes even remotely close to them in quality or functionality.

engineer54 has the right idea, best of spending it on tools, but I think he is just jealous because he hasn't got one lol :yesnod:, he still uses a tesco carrier bag, me personally like to have top quality bags to carry my tools in, but...tools are more important that the bag.
 
I always use the ck technicians toolcase. It keeps everything in it's place and you know where everything is. However it wouldn't suit somebody working on sites in construction it's mostly for sparks working in finished builds (housing/offices/hospitals). If it's sites you'll be working on then an open tote would probably be better.
 
I always had the CK technicians bag. And I worked consruction.
I've moved to the CK backpack style and I love it. Not as roomy as an open tote..but it leaves both hands free. Its only heavy until I get it on my back then I cant tell. I've carried my drill in it before a few times
 
I use a Stanley fatmax waterproof toolbox. They come in 23" or 28" and are super tough.
It doesn't get full of dust, keeps weather out, can be used as a step up (even under my 14 stone) has nice solid lockable clasps, and can be used as a cutting bench. None of these things are possible with these designer handbags.
Should set you back 30 to 40 quid, and last you a while. Mine is good as new after 4 years.
 
I wouldn't touch the Facom in all honesty, looks the business but is anything but. Interior straps rather than pockets mean things don't stay organised too easily, pockets would have been a bonus.
The steel down one side bends as you carry it over the shoulder, due Tobit resting on your body as it should. Repeated straightening of this bar eventually snaps it though. I get laughed at on site for my tools being so clean and bag being immaculate so that shows I look after my stuff however within a week the zip to conceal the rain cover had broken under no pressure. Also within 6 months a hole had appeared in one of the exterior pockets. All in all it was binned after 6 months of ownership! Not good for sites at all and to add it wasn't heavily laden as I have several bags for different sets of tools.

The bag I use now and have done for a few years is A Stanley Fatmax round top bag, discontinued now but Dewalt now do the exact same one with a few modifications. Absolutely great bag with loads of pockets to keep everything in its place.

Expect to pay around £50 to £60 for a decent bag.
I would add I prefer bags over open totes now as you can keep dust out as well as prying eyes. A tote can be too inviting with all gear on show but at least with a bag it's hidden under a cover. Also I prefer bags over tool boxes due to I think they are easier to carry around and can be more organised. Tool boxes do have their place and I do own one for big heavy tools, mainly first fix and as said can be used as a step and a number do come with grooves to hold work while cutting, great for plastic trunking etc.

As said though for everyday hand tools and the like, a bag like the Stanley Fatmax round top for me every time.
 
Engineer54 said:
Oh dear me, not another daft bugger in the making?? lol!!

Why the hell would you ''WANT'' to spend 200+ quid on a bloody tool bag?? Spend the money on a useful tool or tools!!
Click to expand...

Because they have a 5 year waranty. As I would go through more then 200+ quids of over tool bags in that time. And yes I have two of them :)
 
I’ve been using ammunition cases for over twenty years. Just about indestructible. They don’t look pretty but that’s not what I wanted.
Some of the tool bags seem to put looks before function.
 
Tony said:
I’ve been using ammunition cases for over twenty years. Just about indestructible. They don’t look pretty but that’s not what I wanted.
Some of the tool bags seem to put looks before function.
Click to expand...

ill be getting ammo boxes when I start driving around in a van. im not on company insurance so I take as few bags as possible
 
Mark1985 said:
I use the stanley fatmax bag,Stanley UK - FatMax® Tool Bag its not too bad apart from the tool you need is always buried at the bottom of it.. i don't see the point in spending loads on a bag as its not going to earn you any money,better off spending money on tools you need..
Click to expand...

a decent bag will save you time therefore money

besides a decent bag is less likely to scatter tools all over the place
 
I really don't get people saying don't waste money on a good bag:
1) a good well organised bag looks professional and like you have pride in your tools. If you have pride in your tools you will appear to a customer to have pride in your work.
2) ease of finding the tool you need. Too many lads I see on site are emptying bags all over the place just to find a tool, taking un-necessary time.
3) people bang on about buy the best tool you can afford. A good bag maybe expensive but is protection for your expensive tools.

In my opinion a good well organised tool bag saves you time, looks professional and protects your hard earned tools from the elements of sites and from prying eyes. I can tell in very little time if anything is missing from my bag. Call it OCD but it's saved me time and money over the years.
 
Had a Stanley FatMAX bag and didnt like it as it was not organised at all, better off with a bag for life. Now using the CK Technicians Tool Case for 6-7 months and love it, would buy another after this one.
 
fuel said:
Had a Stanley FatMAX bag and didnt like it as it was not organised at all, better off with a bag for life. Now using the CK Technicians Tool Case for 6-7 months and love it, would buy another after this one.
Click to expand...

buy the magma over the standard ck, there still ck but better quality

this is why ive got veto xxl-f

my gear wouldn't fit in a ck technicians bag

esy9y4y6.jpg



ck is 46 x 42 x 21 h l w
veto is 40.8 x 64.8 x 24.1 h l w
 
Last edited:
Eh? 200 quid on a tool box and lets face it, it's not even that. It's basically a rigid bass.

I'll have a tool box at £40 and then £160 woth of tools, ta.

Jim
 
jimjimjim said:
Eh? 200 quid on a tool box and lets face it, it's not even that. It's basically a rigid bass.

I'll have a tool box at £40 and then £160 woth of tools, ta.

Jim
Click to expand...

I paid 175 ish for mine.

where are you getting 200 from and ive had 2 bags fall apart in half the time ive had the propac so its already paid for itself.

I refuse to carry a toolbox around for miles when I can get a perfectly good bag with a shoulder strap

if I wanted cheap I would just use a drill box
 
I also have a veto xl and bought it very reluctantly (£149.00) after realising I'd spent twice as much on other makes in 5 years as the cheaper makes just fall apart at around 5 to 6 mths

I personally never liked boxes especially as most sites you had to carry them up flights of stairs which isn't good for your back!

Also bags do stay well organised which saves time, and no one breaks them by standing on them or sawing through the edges!

So in view of this yes they are very expensive but then so are the tools they carry,

I reckon I've usually got @ 5/600 quids worth in mine, had mine for 3 1/2 years now and still in very good condition , a bit dusty but otherwise near new,

So if you can afford it they are well worth the money and for the detractors of spending this much, I think the adage "buy cheap buy twice" is very true in this case

For the OP I'd go for something like a stanley tote they're cheap do the job but won't last more than a year but its not a bad start and with a bit of imagination there are ways to adapt them to make them more organised, ( you may already know this but also you can offset against your tax even if your on the books as you can for any tools )

I did look at the snickers range which do have some good ideas but I felt the quality wasn't there for the money!
 
I got a decent Stanley metal sided toolbox with a lid you can stand on when I was in my second year of my apprenticeship for about £30.

I've still got it, the catches are a bit bent but it still holds all the heavy/non-everyday tools, hammers, chisels, stocks nd dies, nibblers etc.

I also have a bag for everyday tools and a tool belt I use to hold tools for little odds nd sods jobs.
 
I think whatever you get tool bag/box wise will drive you mad and be next to useless or no different from a strong carrier bag. Ive had boxes, tote bags and now oh how a hate it, a tech ck bag thing. I can never find anything, nothing fits into the stupid loop things, on fact I seem to loose things on regular basis. I hate this bag even more than a tote bag and i regularly attack it with my pad saw or screwdriver for being so completely useless…
 
I stopped buying any bags/boxes described as "electrician's" years ago when I realised that they are either unsuitable or overpriced because they're targeted at electricians.

For the last six years I've been using a carpenter's/kitchen fitter's bag which is Howden's own brand. It's far better quality than any of the electricians bags I've seen and that includes the ridiculously high priced ones. The perimeter has more than enough pockets and loop for drivers, strippers etc etc. In the middle goes everything else because while there are dividers I don't need them.

They're designed to hold hammers, drivers, chisels, drill bits etc so they cope very well. When you consider that the tools an electrician uses are no different in the main than a chippy there's no reason to spend £150 - £200 on a bag because it says "electrician" in the description. I have a better quality product for £40:00.
 
imago said:
I stopped buying any bags/boxes described as "electrician's" years ago when I realised that they are either unsuitable or overpriced because they're targeted at electricians.

For the last six years I've been using a carpenter's/kitchen fitter's bag which is Howden's own brand. It's far better quality than any of the electricians bags I've seen and that includes the ridiculously high priced ones. The perimeter has more than enough pockets and loop for drivers, strippers etc etc. In the middle goes everything else because while there are dividers I don't need them.

They're designed to hold hammers, drivers, chisels, drill bits etc so they cope very well. When you consider that the tools an electrician uses are no different in the main than a chippy there's no reason to spend £150 - £200 on a bag because it says "electrician" in the description. I have a better quality product for £40:00.
Click to expand...

I am sure you have a nice bag and are happy with it, but am confident my £190 bag will be of better quality and more suited to our trade. I'm afraid I'll have to agree to disagree with you.

i agree that some tools are the same, but on the whole they are quite different.
 
uksparks said:
I am sure you have a nice bag and are happy with it, but am confident my £190 bag will be of better quality and more suited to our trade. I'm afraid I'll have to agree to disagree with you.

i agree that some tools are the same, but on the whole they are quite different.
Click to expand...

can you post a picture? it sounds like a good option for op
 
YOUR like a bunch of bloody women argueing over bags, my bags bigger than your bag. You will all be bloody dancing round them next, get yoursen's a good cantalever metal toolbox.
Right i finished now, so carry on Girls :sifone:
 
uksparks said:
The Stanley fat max open tote bag is good, and as shaky says, the facom bag, that looks nice too, I keep the Stanley bag in the van just with the heavy bits in like files and hammers etc.

I tried them, but still went and bought two Veto Pro Pac OT-XL bags at £185 a shot, nothing comes even remotely close to them in quality or functionality.

engineer54 has the right idea, best of spending it on tools, but I think he is just jealous because he hasn't got one lol :yesnod:, he still uses a tesco carrier bag, me personally like to have top quality bags to carry my tools in, but...tools are more important that the bag.
Click to expand...

I still have and use, the all leather sectionalised tool bag i was issued with as a 2nd year apprentice, which is very similar to those issued to old LEB electricians. I doubt very much if the VETO or most of the other modern logo'd grossly expensive tool bags will last as long as mine has, and mine wasn't new when it was issued to me either!!
 
I use 2 bags and a toolbox, 1st a small army surplus radio bag (had it 10 yrs) and 2nd a ck technician backpack for about a year (no complaints) and then a toolbox(stanley fatmax) for the larger and rare use items the best of the lot is the army surplus bag 5 quid takes plenty screwdrivers spanners crimpers meter wire strippers allen keys essentially a lot ,for me its why lug everything when you can take only what you need even if it does look like a camouflaged handbag
 
Chrisuk said:
Grab totals yourself a bargain boys and girls

At first it said the Stanley fatmax tool bag costing £39.99 at homebase was going to cost me £19.99 plus £3.95 p&p

When I went to pay it only cost £20.95 in total

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=181389619402&alt=web

Half price, not bad at all

ypygy3yq.jpg
Click to expand...

I had one of those, there not as hard wearing as you think I destroyed mine after less than 6months (my first tool bag at work when I didnt have any tools)
 
shanky887614 said:
I had one of those, there not as hard wearing as you think I destroyed mine after less than 6months (my first tool bag at work when I didnt have any tools)
Click to expand...

Let's hope I can get more than 6 months out of it, I actually bought a 19" tool bag yesterday,a very similar design, as leather flap over the top so it's not always open like a tote bag but then I saw the Stanley for £20 today so thought I'd buy that also, the 2 will hopefully last a year+
 
GMES said:
YOUR like a bunch of bloody women argueing over bags, my bags bigger than your bag. You will all be bloody dancing round them next, get yoursen's a good cantalever metal toolbox.
Right i finished now, so carry on Girls :sifone:
Click to expand...

Give me room girls,I now have 2 bags to dance around ha
 
Learn to look after your toys , Boys and Girls
 
This is what I've used for the last 18 months with no issues. We are mostly domestic and it does me for all my hand tools and big enough to throw a drill in too, but not too big that you can fill it up and not lift it!
 
Resu said:
This is what I've used for the last 18 months with no issues. We are mostly domestic and it does me for all my hand tools and big enough to throw a drill in too, but not too big that you can fill it up and not lift it!
Click to expand...
What do you rewire with that Resu " Doll's houses it's a little bit tiny :rofl:
 
kbco_derby_2001_11.jpgYour all just playing at it . this is my compact tool case that caters fo most of my needs on a day to day basis
 
@Resu
Yeah I looked at that but it looks a bit small so I went for the fatmax tool bag, it's bigger same price and can go on my shoulder and can be closed
 
New posts

Reply to ADVICE please (tool bag / box reccomendations) in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

Similar Threads

richy3333
hand tools when your old and falling apart
Hi All. Hoping for some advice please. I've severe arthritis in the hands (all three :flushed:) A large dollop of osteoarthritis but I'm also...
    • Like
    • Friendly
Replies
27
Views
1K
pc1966
P
C
Advice needed for Starting up
Hello all, First of all I apologise if this is in the wrong forum, I figured the general forum may be the best bet :) Thank you for taking...
Replies
3
Views
605
caffienatedsparks
C
lookingforradiators
Electric radiator advice please
Hi, I recently moved into a house with electric storage heaters and am looking to replace them with electric radiators. Gas and oil are not viable...
Replies
7
Views
601
Rockingit
Rockingit
V
Advice on certificates for sale of house please
Hi Everyone, This is my last question/post for tonight, promise. Please can I ask for a little advice on certificates as I am now questioning...
Replies
4
Views
955
vanessap
V
T
Returning to the trade
Hi Folks , Just looking for a bit of advice as I'm looking to get back on the tools so please bare with me if this is a bit long winded. I'm a...
Replies
1
Views
645
Mike Johnson
Mike Johnson

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Pushfit Wire Connectors Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

YOUR Unread Posts

Tags

advice aus cable circuit course earth electric electrical electrician hello led light lighting lights looking new please question rcd socket supply switch testing training wiring
This website was designed, optimised and is hosted by untold.media Operating under the name Untold Media since 2001.
Tiling Advice
Back
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website. For the best site experience please disable your AdBlocker.

I've Disabled AdBlock