Small Light toolbox 🧰

[will_mck]

With two ruptured discs in my lower spine I've had enough lugging around a traditional cantilevered toolbox stuffed with two sets of every kind of spanner. The old toolbox is on it last legs, never really fitted in the cab of any machine, is awkward to carry and weighs like lead. I was thinking of slimming down what I carry about and make do with one set spanner and a few adjustable spanners etc. Want to travel light. Dad's idea of having everything you needed was carrying two sets of visegrips everywhere . Anyway anyone any suggestions of a good light, small, handy tool box that will sit in a cab corner? Seen an electrician with a small cloth type toolbox the other day.

 

[Nearly]

Rucksack an easier carry than a box?

 

[Kidds]

It must be a complete mystery what caused your slipped discs.

 

[will_mck]

It must be a complete mystery what caused your slipped discs.

Starting to see maybe dad was right after years of thinking hacking at everything with visegrips was a bit unrefined. Think the slipped discs were a bad combination of being tall, bagging and palletising 1000's of 50kg bags of grain over the years, pulling yfc tug of war and more than anything lifting 2 toddlers all times of the day and night.

 

[An Gof]

Here’s my lightweightbtool solution for the tractor.


30/27 oe spanner

24/22 oe spanner

19/17 oe spanner

13/10 oe spanner

Facom 16/17/18/19 ratchet spanner

Facom 8/10/12/13 ratchet spanner

Teng 8-19mm 3/8 socket set with ratchet

3/8 breaker bar

1.5-10mm hex key set

Knipex needle nose pliers

Knipex electrical pliers

Knipex mini bolt cutter

Knipex 250 cobra pliers

Knipex 180 adjustable wrench

Halfords 1/4 drive socket set

Facom ratchet screwdriver with bits.

Lump hammer.

 

[Magnus Oyke]

Your tools weigh way more than the box. Just how many tools do you need to take with you?

Are you moving the tools between different machines?

If you're moving tools between different machine either put a decent box that locks somewhere on each machine, or make brackets to set your tools box in as you move between machines. You really don't want tools in the cab, if you ever roll the machine over, the rolling over bit will be the least of your worries.

I just take enough tools with me to make adjustments, but am in the fortunate position where the machines come home at night, but at some point you have to decide where to stop with the amount of tools you take with you

 

[zero]

Sealey AP509 Rubber Bottom Tool Storage Bag 305mm

Heavy-duty tool bag constructed from tough polyester with a hard-wearing rubber base. Single internal compartment with built-in pockets enclosed with…

www.primetools.co.uk

I've got one of these, holds enough tools to get me going and home to fix whatever properly..

 

[Kidds]

An adjustable spanner, cable tie/bale string and a hammer maybe, sometimes just find a good rock instead of the hammer.

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Here’s my lightweightbtool solution for the tractor.


30/27 oe spanner

24/22 oe spanner

19/17 oe spanner

13/10 oe spanner

Facom 16/17/18/19 ratchet spanner

Facom 8/10/12/13 ratchet spanner

Teng 8-19mm 3/8 socket set with ratchet

3/8 breaker bar

1.5-10mm hex key set

Knipex needle nose pliers

Knipex electrical pliers

Knipex mini bolt cutter

Knipex 250 cobra pliers

Knipex 180 adjustable wrench

Halfords 1/4 drive socket set

Facom ratchet screwdriver with bits.

Lump hammer.

Knipex grips are very handy
SS

 

[Paddington]

I have a Stanley Fatmax waterproof toolbox, much lighter than a steel box, can be left out in the rain. One tote tray and you can stand on it, or sit on it for a marmalade sandwich break.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Sealey AP509 Rubber Bottom Tool Storage Bag 305mm

Heavy-duty tool bag constructed from tough polyester with a hard-wearing rubber base. Single internal compartment with built-in pockets enclosed with…

www.primetools.co.uk

I've got one of these, holds enough tools ro get me going and home to fix whatever properly..

yes ive got a couple of stanley fatmax ones very similar to that nice and soft if they have to go in cab. only the foot long ones not the biggys .
they make good hd food /flask bag as well.

 

[will_mck]

Here’s my lightweightbtool solution for the tractor.


30/27 oe spanner

24/22 oe spanner

19/17 oe spanner

13/10 oe spanner

Facom 16/17/18/19 ratchet spanner

Facom 8/10/12/13 ratchet spanner

Teng 8-19mm 3/8 socket set with ratchet

3/8 breaker bar

1.5-10mm hex key set

Knipex needle nose pliers

Knipex electrical pliers

Knipex mini bolt cutter

Knipex 250 cobra pliers

Knipex 180 adjustable wrench

Halfords 1/4 drive socket set

Facom ratchet screwdriver with bits.

Lump hammer.

Would that knipex adjustable wrench do away with a set of spanners? I don't always keep the cantilever box in the cab, but say I was away combining or away at an out farm I might take the box and dump it in a hedge where I'm working. I work at a quarry during summer months and take the toolbox down there every day. I was thinking of packing an essential light toolbag or something that would tackle most jobs. Fed up lugging the cantilever box around, could keep it back in the yard where it belongs and take the light one out and about

 

[will_mck]

Here’s my lightweightbtool solution for the tractor.


30/27 oe spanner

24/22 oe spanner

19/17 oe spanner

13/10 oe spanner

Facom 16/17/18/19 ratchet spanner

Facom 8/10/12/13 ratchet spanner

Teng 8-19mm 3/8 socket set with ratchet

3/8 breaker bar

1.5-10mm hex key set

Knipex needle nose pliers

Knipex electrical pliers

Knipex mini bolt cutter

Knipex 250 cobra pliers

Knipex 180 adjustable wrench

Halfords 1/4 drive socket set

Facom ratchet screwdriver with bits.

Lump hammer.

What kind of bag is that do you mind me asking? A kit like that would be handy

 

[An Gof]

What kind of bag is that do you mind me asking? A kit like that would be handy

https://www.facom.eu/ProductSheets/ProductSheet_9350_1.pdf

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Would that knipex adjustable wrench do away with a set of spanners? I don't always keep the cantilever box in the cab, but say I was away combining or away at an out farm I might take the box and dump it in a hedge where I'm working. I work at a quarry during summer months and take the toolbox down there every day. I was thinking of packing an essential light toolbag or something that would tackle most jobs. Fed up lugging the cantilever box around, could keep it back in the yard where it belongs and take the light one out and about

I use two different sized Bahco adjustable spanners and two Knipex grips for work. Mainly plumbing and boiler related stuff.
The only downside is the Knipex tend to take the corners off a nut, but if you can ‘fix’ your problem and that’s the only issue then they are the best combination.
I have every possible sized Bahco adjustables but only really use the middle sized units. So tiny & huge are left at home.
SS

 

[An Gof]

I use two different sized Bahco adjustable spanners and two Knipex grips for work. Mainly plumbing and boiler related stuff.
The only downside is the Knipex tend to take the corners off a nut, but if you can ‘fix’ your problem and that’s the only issue then they are the best combination.
I have every possible sized Bahco adjustables but only really use the middle sized units. So tiny & huge are left at home.
SS

Are you using the cobra pliers rather than the flat face pliers/wrench?

 

[BuskhillFarm]

I have one of those tool boxes that mounts to the steps. Ratchet and set of sockets, a roll of Chinese spanners, cable ties, hammer and can throw a battery impact gun in too if needs be. Anything more serious back to the workshop, hate doing much out in the field

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Are you using the cobra pliers rather than the flat face pliers/wrench?

Cobra. One up from the smallest which copes with 10mm nuts & etc and a medium one which is fine for any tap or 22mm pipe fitting.
SS

 

[An Gof]

Cobra. One up from the smallest which copes with 10mm nuts & etc and a medium one which is fine for any tap or 22mm pipe fitting.
SS

Thought so, the pliers/wrench with the flat face are MUCH kinder on fixings
But in general all Knipex tools are well designed and great quality

 

[suffolksmallholder]

Thought so, the pliers/wrench with the flat face are MUCH kinder on fixings
But in general all Knipex tools are well designed and great quality

As I wrote, the two most used hand-tools in my tote bag are the Knipex grips and the Bahco adjustables. Ah, and a medium sized Stanley flat-head screwdriver with a nice bright orange (Stihl orange) handle. It opens cans, gouges things, pries and pokes things and, surprise; works as a screwdriver on the occasional flathead screw
SS