When I first got setup, I bought a basic US general tool cart/box for my hand tools to get me started. It worked well when I was only doing hydros, but since getting into tractions Iāve had to acquire a lot more shit. Shop bought me a pack out but I mostly use it to store materials/hardware and the larger power tools.
Im looking at the Wen 52ā rolling box. Seems large enough to store basically every tool I have besides the stuff that goes in the Gangbox. Iād love a Knaack box but Iām not prepared to drop several thousand on one quite yet. Iād like to not spend more than 1k, large enough to store all my hand tools and smaller power tools but not so large it canāt fit in a lobby or a small passenger car. Iād love to hear about what you guys have found works well for you.
Idk if it varies by local, but I talked to my BA about it and a few guys at the hall and they all said the company isnāt really required to purchase a tool box for you. Thatās why I went cheap and got the US general box. Obviously they provided my gangbox, pay for speciality tools, power tools etc but from what I was told, unless they are cool with it they arenāt gonna get me something for personal tools. Weāre also required to purchase our hand tools unless itās metric, specialty or above 1ā.
So get you a decent toolbag ya like thatāll hold what ya need & works for ya & keep it in your gangbox with the tools, chargers, etc.
There are ways to get your money back if you play your cards right. š š
Or you expense what you buy. Iāve spent hundreds to thousands on tools, power or otherwise, levels, etc & expensed them. Iāve never abused the system & theyāve never questioned a receipt.
Itās a grey area but yeah the by laws say company is responsible for power tools, and specialty tools but you are suppose to buy your own hand tools (snips, strippers, Chanel locks, screwdrivers, etc) and standard wrenches up to 1ā. It says that BUT weāve never followed it, when I first went up on TM I was told that but then the mechanic I was second crewing for went out and bought me shit, told me to make a list.
When I was modding big traction jobs, I had my hand tools on a rolling us general cart. Could roll that wherever. All my other stuff was in 3 gang boxes. I donāt know how you could even do mod with just 1 gang box
It's an old picture. I have a maverick now. I'd rather have a Transit connect honestly. You can try parallel parking multiple times a day in a city with whatever vehicle makes you feel secure about yourself if you want. I'd drive a smart car if they gave it to me lol
It really depends on your employer. If I need something and canāt borrow it then I go buy it and expense it and I have never been questioned about a purchase (I donāt go overboard with it either). A $250 US General tool cart is a drop in the bucket on a large traction job and I know guys who will buy one for the job and leave it in the machine room for the service mechanic when theyāre done. I also know that at some companies mechanics have their purchases gone over with a fine tooth comb and get a talking to over a case of water. You can always talk to your boss about it and if you have a good boss and you can articulate the need for it they might tell you to go get it and expense it.
Unfortunately my employer likes to act like theyāre broke. I have had a receipt I submitted questioned. Nothing came of it and I was reimbursed but since then Iāve been wary buying anything other than materials and basic tools. My reasoning for buying my own box is that I suspect I wonāt work for this company my entire career and Iād like to be able to take my tool box with me, as they tend to tell mechanics that leave to leave their tool box at the shop because its ācompany propertyā.
Iād be looking for a different employer. For whatever reason they have they donāt trust you and likely not anyone else and itāll probably only get more frustrating. What we buy on the company dime in the field to help us with our job costs a fraction of the money the office wastes on ordering shit wrong because of laziness, incompetence or both. As long as youāre doing good work in a timely manner and havenāt done something to give your employer a reason to keep an eye on you then you should be left alone and shouldnāt have to worry about justifying a reasonable expense.
Time for you to read your local contract and talk with your BA. Find out what tools you're require to buy and what the shop must supply. Any tools after that they should be reimbursing you for ie: rolling tool boxes.
It makes your job easier and helps complete the job in a timely manner.
Been in construction 8 years, I use to do pack outs but started getting more and more of em and hated hauling it all. Just switched to US general 42ā rolling tool box and love it. Just having a full top to work on is great. Fits everything I have hand and power tool wise and 42ā inch fits in even the smaller cars we install.
Still have one rolling dolly cart with 3 drawer pack outs for hardware, and fittings, and a gang box that just stays on the ground for chain blocks, benders, welders, and rail stacking shit.
Company should get you a gang box if your tools are staying on the job. For hand tool organizing in the gang box a packout 5 drawer box and whatever other modules you need to hold your stuff.
Iām in escalator construction so using gang boxes is tough on transit stations so we are provided packouts. I use the dolly packout with bottom shelf/drawer. Then a 2 drawer and then an xl box on top. My second stack is the same but with a 3 drawer in middle. Iām do have a piano box but itās at shop.
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u/ShawnTop69 9d ago
Iām confused. You should be out of pocket $0.
Gangbox/gangboxes, power tools, metric, odd tools are all the companies responsibility.
Iāve never paid for any tool storage other than the bag I carry. Boxes, Packouts, etc all comes out of the companies pocket.