(Topic ID: 234352)

How do you move your parts and tools around?

By arolden

5 years ago



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  • 6 posts
  • 4 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 5 years ago by ForceFlow
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    #1 5 years ago

    Hi all

    I am interested to know how those of you who repair machines for others move your parts and tools around. I am looking for an easier way to move a relatively large amount of parts and tools around to help customers repair their games. I'm after a solution which allows me to store all of my tools in a mobile kit that I can put in the car or truck, easily move around to where the broken machine is, then easily pack away when I'm done.

    So far I have looked at some mobile toolbox sets, which are great for power tools, but not very good for storing small components. A set of fishing tackle boxes looks like it might be a good idea. Curious to hear your input.

    Thanks!

    #2 5 years ago

    This box.. rolls around and fits the booth of my car.
    Top comes off and I take it always with me.
    Has soldering iron, dmm, screwdrivers, lamps,
    Remote battery holders, and some game parts like microswitches. Also bridges and diodes.
    Bottom part has boxes with rubbers, fuses, coils, cleaner, manuals, targets, ..
    For a lot of repairs this top box only is enough.

    Depending on type of repair and how easy to enter the location I will go back to my car and roll thr bottom part in (with the coils in its heavy - difficult to do stairs) or just take the parts I need.

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    #3 5 years ago

    I have been looking at some similar Stanley sets available here - definitely great for mobility. What are they like for smaller parts storage?

    #4 5 years ago

    I'm using this Craftsman toolbox. The top slides open easily and is designed such that if you keep heavy items in the top it won't become topheavy and unstable when fully open.

    The clear-lidded compartment is full of removable bins that you could use for LEDs, balls, coils, rubber, screws, ect., or remove them and store larger items if you wish.

    The other top compartment has a removable center divider. I keep my soldering iron, solder and wire in one half. The other half has my Dremel and various test fixtures -- items that I don't want to store down below and take a chance that they'll get damaged.

    In the bottom compartment I keep bins of common components - fuses, transistors, diodes, caps, ICs, etc., a 12" toolbox (small, I know, but it's large enough for screwdrivers, nutdrivers, crimper, stripper, allen wrenches, pliers, cutters and wrenches and is the perfect size for carrying around at shows), Hakko desoldering kit, LED shop light, digital level, DMM and my tablet. There's some space left that I can throw in specific parts needed for whatever job I'm going to.

    The whole thing can be padlocked and fits nicely under a machine. I've been using it for a couple years and have been very happy with it.
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    #5 5 years ago
    Quoted from arolden:

    I have been looking at some similar Stanley sets available here - definitely great for mobility. What are they like for smaller parts storage?

    Bottom parts is 1 drawer and 1 large empty space. I put smaller parts boxes in it.

    #6 5 years ago

    I stuff 4 boxes full of supplies, parts, and tools, plus my regular toolbag. Sometimes I'll bring additional boxes of parts on top of that for specific stuff, and/or an additional box of parts organizers full of LED bulbs.

    One of those boxes has a large stack of parts organizers with a lot of commonly used electronics components (resistors, capacitors, diodes, POTs, connector housings and pins, header pins, etc)

    Another one of those boxes has all of my soldering tools and supplies.

    If I were doing house calls, this would not be enough. I'd need to have a lot more parts on-hand to be efficient. Some guys who actually do house calls have stacks of drawers installed in their vans with parts and tools. With what I carry around, I'd probably have to make 2-3 trips plus one or two parts orders for a house call on a neglected game. I'm not sure if that would be fair to a potential customer, and would end up being a lot of traveling for me.

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