Whats in your toolbelt/apron?

You know, I have a apron that I bought years ago, and I think I have worn it once.

I don’t even keep a pencil in my shirt pocket. Unless I’m cutting/sanding something, I’m at my workbench,
and the three top drawers have all my most used things.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

No tool belt, but I always have my pencil, tape measure, marking knife, and 6” combination square nearby.

-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne

When I put on an apron (trying to do so more to help my jeans and t-shirts last longer) I try to keep a pencil on me – but that’s it. Sometimes I remember to clip the tape measure to my belt.

One of the things I wonder about Norm Abrams on TV is why he still wears a big old framing carpenter tool belt when building furniture. Old habits hard to break, I guess.

-- Paul, Texas

My shop is small enough that I can keep things at hand by strategically placing them around the shop. I keep measuring tools near the machines that need them the most and have duplicates of my most used marking/measuring devices. I like using magnets to stick small rulers to machines as well as dedicated wrenches for adjustments, etc.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.theeasellife.com

I wear an apron to keep the dust and stuff off my clothes about twice a year.

I have a tool bag but reserve it for when I am up a ladder, working outside away from the shop, doing electrical work but even then I often put it down and just grab what I need.

I wont let installers wear them either as I have repaired too many doors and drawers from the “swinging hammer”, screw driver handle that slides across something. ..........just not worth the risk.

As for what goes in the toolbelt. That would depend on the task at hand.

-- http://www.furnituremann.ca/

• 16’ L/R Tape
• Mechanical Pencil
• Sharpie
• Chalk
• Gerber tool
• Speed Square (I know, I know! I still use combo squares, but after bending two or three good squares I stopped putting them in my belt)
• Utility knife
• Driver bits
• Glass scraper
• A small handful of my two most-used types of screws

This is the stuff that if I’m not carrying it, I waste a bunch of time walking around to pick it up.

-- Coffee is best with a fine layer of sawdust on top. -- http://www.north40custom.com

I use a rolling cart, on the to is my drill, small clamps (in a bag), pencils, tape measure, socket set ( I can hear the boo’s now) and underneath, I have my boxes that hold tools (router, sander, circ saw) and inbetween is a hanging bar that holds my longer clamps. On the side is a magnet bar that holds screw drivers.

-- Adrian ..... The 11th Commandment...."Thou Shalt Not Buy A Wobble Dado"

I never wear a tool belt in the shop, usually just gets in my way
and it’s cumbersome to me. Hardly wear an apron either.
The only thing I can count on having on my person 99 % of the
time is a pencil.

-- Still learning everything

don’t use one, got a pencil and my glasses in my shirt pocket that is if I can find my glasses so I can find my pencil

-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon

Pencil, glasses, chalk, 16’ tape, 6” steel ruler and lots of sawdust.

-- Ron Central, CA

Can’t decide if I want one made of cloth, leather or rubber. So I don’t have one. All I carry is my tape measure clipped to my pocket and my pencil is….Now where did that damn pencil go this time?

The tool belt is hanging on a hook and a tool box is handy for the jobsites.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

I have a beautiful leather tool belt with thick well formed pouches that I bought years ago, and never got comfortable wearing one. I like my Carhart denim bibs, room for a pencil, safety glasses & my marking knife.

Any one want to buy a nice tool belt, like new condition???

-- Ed Collinge- Edmonds, WA.

I’ve all but stopped wearing mine. It catches on everything ,even the ladder and inevitably, I don’t have right the right tools.
I found a neat ladder bag that fits over my step ladder that hold a an array of tools around the sides. ( all except my cordless drill) The top forms a little well to set electrical parts etc on.
I use a pull cart when ever possible as it also doubles as a bench space when I’m desperate.
I am leaving a set of measures at each of my work areas rather than trying to port them around on my belt.
For the critical stuff I keep my best tools right at my work bench.
I have not found a tool belt that wont pull my pants off in about half an hour and this in itself is enough to stop using them.

Cheers

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

like bob #2 i have the pants problem . ive been losing my butt pretty steady the last few years and no longer have enuff left to support my pants and a tool belt so something had to go !! sometime we have to make hard choices . lol if anybodys wondering … yes i gave up the tool belt !

Thanks for the responses guys I think that I will look into a cart because my sjop is too big and I hate walking around looking for things that I need.

Yes i said too big. When you live in Michigan and have to heat it you can have a shop that is too big.

-- Hope Never fails

I do wear an apron in the shop, but take it off when using then lathe. It fits snugly, but a lathe can catch on the tiniest piece of clothing. I cut the pocket off, just kept catching sawdust. Keep a 6” rule, flat pencil sharpener, and marking knife. Everything else kept in a tray above workbench. Flat carpenter pencil kept on a retractor hooked to top of apron. Its the only way to have a pencil handy and out of the way.

-- Dan