average time wasted searching for tools???

[Bob39]

whats your secret to not wasting time searching for tools during install?? i always seem to put tools down, and end up trying to remember where they are... anybody use belts for res installs?

[Skip 2 my lou]

I think the secret would be not having to share your tools with anyone else. If 2 people are working out of the same toolbag it is a nightmare. I find a general location for my LC and have a bucket for "other tools". The regular tools get put back in place when changing tasks and the other tools get organized at the truck. I've used a belt on major construction jobs, but they are a pain unless you have to climb all day. The back pocket works great.

[DanW13]

Maybe you should take one of Martha Stewardt's classes on organization !!!

[smittyii]

its been in the 100's here. when it gets this hot i cant remember what i went to the truck to get by the time i get there! i have learned over the years to organize my truck and keep it organized to my liking. at least when i cant find something i have no one to blame but myself. my toolbag is a whole other mess. you have to remember to put tools back in it ,then where you left it in the first place.

[udarrell]

I worked out of vans' & should have bought organizing racks, etc., because finding the parts, test instruments & the tools I needed, was at times extremely frustrating.

Trouble shooting a system was easy compared to searching for something in a van that you can't find within a reasonable time frame.:mad:

[Twilly]

Twilli hires illegals to stand there with all tools in hands to be handed to Twilli upon request.

[captube]

You wouldn't like working with me

I give tool searchers the evil eye

Skip to my lou has a good plan. Twiili's also sounds good. :)

[firecontrol]

Try an open topped tool caddy that is square, ridgid and large enough to put your tools in while at the job. I had one for sheetmetal tools and always kept it within two steps of where I was working. Tools either go back in the caddy or in the back pocket but never on the floor or on top of something.
You just need to develop a habit of never laying something down and waking away from it. You'll find that the time saved from not having to hunt for a tool is much more than the few seconds it takes time and time again to put it in an easy access caddy.
We used to take a milk crate kind of plastic crate with us on the jobsite too to set the caddy on top of. That saves the bending down to get a tool. You'll appreciate that the older you get.

[Jay 41]

whats your secret to not wasting time searching for tools during install?? i always seem to put tools down, and end up trying to remember where they are... anybody use belts for res installs?

All sheet metal tools hang around ladder in tool belt, the rest of the tools stay in the van until adapters/ducting is done.

[energy_rater_La]

Twilli bi lingual??

[Skip 2 my lou]

It took me ten years to realize you have to keep your van somewhat straight. I used to just hope I could close the door at the end of the day and sometimes you work for free because of lost tools.

Helpers that aren't responsible for lost tools frighten me. A few weeks ago I had a helper trash one of my pocket thermometers, I ate free for 3 days at lunch time. Gain anything...no. But he learned the value of a pocket thermometer.