Today, I came to the conclusion that I need a toolbelt dedicated to framing. What style do you use, and what’s in yours?
The problem is that working for a builder, I am forever putting “whatever” in my toolbelt. And I don’t do that much rough carpentry on the job (and am no good at it – yet). What a pizz off to find I’ve got a pouch with each pocket filled with wood screws, drywall screws, concrete nails and finish nails. EFF that.
And forget unloading/reloading it when I set myself to framing. Being such a novice, I can easily get started and not realize that I don’t have my chalkine. Probably second nature to most of you, but then, I usually don’t carry the line, right, so I might not dig it out if I’m not expecting to cut sheet goods.
What sort of setup do you have? How many pockets/pouches? Do you prefer a bag in front, or on the hips?
What solution do you use to carry a speed square? I’m constantly catching it on stuff, no matter where I put it. How about cat’s paw? Same problem, I seem to get a hose or cord snagged on it about eleven thousand times a day.
I only work with one other guy, and his idea of a pouch is NOT going to work for me. I need help.
Replies
My favorite method is a smaller belt with suspenders and a bucket boss full of EVERYTHING... carry the bucket/ rather, keep it near you and you can easily just grab that chalkline when you need it.I don't carry a chalkline in my belt unless it's layout day... On a normal framing day in my bags:
My belt kinda hangs in the back/hip region. There is a big bag and a smaller bag attatched to the front of it on each side with my tape all the way in the back. My hammer hangs near the front right with the cats paw dirrectly in front of it..I organize my tools by their job..On the right side(I'm right handed) I put all of the "sharp tools" (Utility blade,chisel,keyhole saw,tin snips, a metal and a wood sawzall blade,and a 4 in 1)and on the left side all the precision tools(speed square, torpedo level, bevel square,needlenose pliers, my stair dogs, and the chalk line when I'm using it)in the smaller pouches I put hand drive nails on the left and pneumatic nails on the right...That's my formula and It has worked for a decade plus. Alot of the stuff "framers" carry seem to be useless 80% of the time, especially considering how many times I've seen a framer wrestle to get himself and his big old belt through a 16 on center bay in a wall, not to mention rolling trusses and the fun that comes along with that even without an overly stuffed bag..I hope that helps you out..
All I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
Cloth apron is the best choice! Jim Allen and I had a discussion about this a while ago. I started out with a tool bag with everything in it, including lunch. Now as the older I got the less I carry.
To answer your question, most of the framers I work with use a leather belt with 2 side pouches. Speed square goes in an empty nail bag. The more you use air the less you have to carry. That is why I said a cloth apron. Carry about 12 12d's and 12 8ds, pencil, tape and speed square. Cats paw, you leave at the horses and grab as needed!
It' the friggin pencil that gets me!
My ears must stick out too much or something.
Falls over sideways in the pouch and wedges perfectly in the bottom.
Pocket t shirts are your friend!
I don't own any T-shirts with pockets. LOL!
But I will integrate some in.
Thanks for the tip.
See if you had been a smoker you would already have them!!
Sleeve if you're tough, right?
These pencil retractable holders are great. I've seen them at lowes and HD also. They clip on to your bag or clothes.http://www.styluscentral.com/detail.asp?product_id=PP-A108
t' the friggin pencil that gets me!
My ears must stick out too much or something.Falls over sideways in the pouch and wedges perfectly in the bottom.@@@ Mine is on a pencil pull from Homer. Wonderful device. Like a yo-yo attached to my suspenders. Grab, mark, let go and it retracts. This thing is like crack. I carry spares with me after one broke/wore out and I had to go back to the old ways.The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
I do more finish carpentry than framing. I use an apron for trim and cabinets and a heavy duty set o nail bags with 'spenders for framing. They make my back hurt though.
Edited 11/12/2008 9:32 pm ET by badarse
cloth??? for real??? how many do you buy a week???All I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
1 every 6 mthys, and I don't buy, they still give them away!
lol
yeah, I gave mine away in the 90's, I will agree with the ease of not carrying the weight of a small child around my waste thoughAll I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
I got to the point of, why bother, all the young bucks have all the tools in their belts, and only a quick grab will get me all I need>G<
I hear ya... like I said, dragging my fat a## with a big old belt on through a 14 and a half inch bay is darn near impossible anymore...let the yungins carry all the unneccesary sheeiteAll I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=20001.8058
So far, so good.
The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
Back when I was doing carpentry for my existence I had pretty much the same belt with pouches from framing to finish carpentry. As the different tasks required different tools I'd dig them out in the a.m. from the tool bucket and load up the belt. I think its a common thing to end up with all manner of fasteners in each pouch or pocket. I think I'd do a overhaul cleaning about once a month and trash the odds and ends that had accumulated from all the different tasks.
Pretty close to what davidhawks posted.
Take off the 3rd. large bag on the right side though.
Framing set up for me.
Bags hang on the hips:
Left side from the bottom: nailbag, speed sq., nail bag, top small bag holds that chalk line all by itself. This side also has sleeves for cats paw and a combo sq ( don't usually carry that unless I need it)
Right side from the bottom : nail bag , nail bag ( upper bag has sleeves for 1" chisel, a pair of linemans pliers, nail set, pencil, utility knife, and keel (crayon)
Small bag on right side top hold tape (actually a leather holder on my bags)
Center rear: hammer loop .
Empty the bags of useless (to the days efforts) fasteners etc. each day ( that is why you drink coffee , to create the empty cans you need to fill with the days left overs)
Edited 11/12/2008 8:53 pm by dovetail97128
why a 1 inch chisel and not a 1 1/2 incher...don't get me wrong, work what works, but I keep all chisels in bucket short of my one and a half...just always made sence that way...All I ever wanted in life was an unfair advantage...
Truth be told it varies on what I am doing. 1 1/2 for rough framing, beat up chisel, sharpened so many times it is about 1/2 it's original length. 3/4 to 1 1/2 for finish , sometimes dump the pliers and add an extra chisel
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
I have yet to see a pro in the field wear their pouches in the front. This is not T.V. you know. :) I've had my Diamond backs for 10 years like Davidhawks.expensive but worth it.
I keep one set of bags for every thing and switch out tools depending on what I'm doing. Mine are an old set from Duluth Trading, really worn out and no longer available, but I have seen simialer ones to them. These have one large and one small pocket on each side. The large right side pocket has some smaller slots inside it that carry a 4 in 1,small prybar, linemans pliars, usually a stiff puttyknife and a torpedo level (sometimes). Other small slots hold a pencil, razor knife and crayons. The small pocket on the right usually has my chalkline if I'm using it, or misc fasteners or hardware. These are all items primarily used with my right hand.
On the left is a pocket for the speed square, the large pocket holds loose nails or nail strips and the small pocket holds my tape. These are all used primarily with my left hand.
Hammer loop hangs on the belt behind the right bag. (I'm right handed)
I have a two compartment bucket with the metal "loop" handle removed and a wooden one substituted that wont "fall over". When I'm not wearing my bags they hang over this bucket. In the bucket I keep often used tools that are too heavy to wear on my belt:a couple various hammers, large prybar, catspaw or other items unique to the job at hand. When I'm working in one spot i leave the bags on the bucket and give my back some rest. I also toss tools out of the bags into the bucket if I know I wont be using them to lighten the load. The bucket also gives me a place to toss misc. hardware etc. without losing it. This whole bucket with bags is the first thing to come out when I arrive.
I've been using this setup long enough that I know without looking where a particular tool is.
If I try to work without my bucket and bags I am constantly searching for things I laid down somewhere
I have never seen two people with the same set-up, you really just have to experiment
Occy's let you slide the speed square in between the pouches on one side of the bags. Also have a loop for a cats paw depending on the size.
Some of the tool holders in my occy's have difficulty holding any of the grossly oversized tools that makers are making these days.
Combo square yes
speed square yes
Utility knife no, p.o's me
Chisels yes
Screwdrivers sort of.
Leather occys are heavy empty, get the occy lites.
I bought my occy's because I figured "they are bigger they will carry more" I have learned that the more I have to carry the more beat I am at the end of the day. Ordered them from the good old Tool Crib.
Webby
For framing and general carpentry I have a set of Occidental Oxy Lites - Framer bags. I use their light weight suspenders a lot of the time.
I have in 'em:
25' fatmax tape, speed square, chalkline, two utility knives--usually one with hook blades--pencil and lumbercrayon, a bunch of different impact driver tips stuck into one of those strip things, a combination square, a cat's paw, Hammer, nailset, scriber, whatever nails or screws I'm using that day, sometimes a stabila torpedo level...
what else?
often a handful of laminate samples I use for shims...Oh, a little slim prybar/scraper and a pair of dykes. (diagonal cutter) and usually a sort of sharp 1" chisel.
BTW go look at Occidental's site--they've got it any way you want...left hand or right handed.
And the speed square slips between the two fastener pouches on your left. You never know it's there.
Yep , that is what I have , couldn't remember that far back to think of who made them.
;-) http://www.medfordtools.com/occidental/systems/8080.html
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Got CRS already?
Early onset CRS... Brutal...
;-)
Hmm. I should start being more conscientious with emptying out the bags.
Maybe, for the moment, the best strategy would be to augment my current belt (two bags with two pockets each) with one or two more little pouches. Could hold my chalk box, maybe utility knife.
Occi lites, have had mine about 5 years now. When they get to dirty just thrown then in the washer and dryer.
Nailer
Today, I came to the conclusion that I need a toolbelt dedicated to framing. What style do you use, and what's in yours?
@@@ You need a belt and a bucket with organizer and (if you visit OSH) a bucket seat that will also hold fasteners and small stuff.
With my company I can be doing fascia replacement one day and drywalling a water heater enclosure the next. Trying to move tools in and out of one set of bags has not worked. Forget stuff. One set of bags will not answer all the needs.
My system is that I have belts set up for each type of trade complete with tools needed. These are backed up with bucket organizers. They all have the Occidental leather suspender clips on them and the Occy suspenders move from bag to bag.
I have belts set up for:
Framing (Occidental Stronghold Adjustable Framers)
Trim (Oxy Lights)
Electrical (Kleins) with full set of tools (FWIW - Oxy really blew the design on the sparkie bags. My set is relegated to phone/cable.)
Drywall (Oxy leather DW bag and an Oxy barrel bag parts bag)
Mechanical/Plumbing (My old CLC electrical bags with wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, etc.
Currently I am breaking in a set of Oxy Lites from my fall harness while doing facia work. They are headed north next summer to the boat. My old Oxy leather bags are on the fall harness.
The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
I slept on it, and I've come back around to seeing it that way.My boss is the sort of fellow who will take exception if I don't have all the relevant items in my belt. It'll make my life much better just to grab a belt, check to see that it's stocked up, and then dive into it.
I slept on it, and I've come back around to seeing it that way.My boss is the sort of fellow who will take exception if I don't have all the relevant items in my belt. It'll make my life much better just to grab a belt, check to see that it's stocked up, and then dive into it.@@@@Remember the bucket. I just carry the basic load plus what I need for the procedures at hand and the rest, that I might need or will need later are in my bucket or Rubbermaid Roughneck tote in the corner.The kids see all those pockets and try to fill each and every one, regardless of what they are doing. I suspect one of them has a milling machine somewhere on him. Doesn't have a cordless screw driver - that's what I'm for. The ToolBear
"You can't save the Earth unless you are willing to make other people sacrifice." Dogbert
I used to carry hammer in loop on back until I saw a guy miss a step off the ladder, fall on his butt while the hammer swung out, caught the floor just so and he seriously wrecked his back as he fell on the hammer and it acted like a post his back bent over!!! He was out for 6 months.
I use a leather belt, tape in middle, hammer, paw on right, speed square, chisel, knife on left, nails etc in right. I too, use a bucket boss for other stuff to keep close but packing too much in the belt is a pain.
Suspenders work well to with a pencil holder!
Those loose hammers can HURT you. Mine almost pitched me off a roof a couple of weeks ago. Hammer sleeve in my new bags all but eliminates that threat.The best reward for a job well done is the opportunity to do another.
occidental leather makes the best ones i have used. Many different types Framer , trimmer, etc
I agree with those that are wearing their pouches on the sides, I prefer good leather ones with 2 pouches on each side. I also use a hammer loop to the rear....hangs right over the small of the back. Nice as it doesn't hit me in the knees when walking, poke me when I kneel down, easily accessible and when reaching back to grab the hammer you move directly into a full swing. But whatever you are comfortable with is the best, like many other things in life ...just be consistant with your tool placement and you will soon become accustom to their placement and you too will be quick.
I usually carry fastners on the left side as I swing the hammer with my right hand. On the right side pouches I carry tape in the bottom small pouch for quick easy access, in the larger upper pouch I carry speed square, and allen wrench set for nailer adjustments and my chalk line/box.
both sides have little pouches for pencil, lumber crayon and retractable utility knife.
Good Luck,
Ebe
Framing is the only time I wear a tool belt. I have saddle bags. My hammer hangs just over right cheek.
My left bag 3 pouches that decrease in size as they descend. the top bag is my tape measure (with no clip on it) toward the front of is a small place to put my chisel. The bag of the bag has a place to slide a cats paw that I don't carry. I clip my chalk box to that spot ( I screwed the clip from my tape on it).
Speed square is in my back pocket.
My right side (I am right handed) has 3 pouches as well. One big one with little loops up high, and two smaller ones next to each other hanging off the big one.
In the big one I have, from front to back in the holders. Carpenter pencils, knife, pliers, some weird looking pliers thing, and a sharpie. A small crescent lays in the bottom.
The bottom two bags catch clip nails and my little snacks.
The left side bottom two bags are for hand nails.
I was told long ago that I was a right handed framer and should set myself up as such. My foreman at the time took my bags at lunch and dumped them. The way it is set up now is the way he did it. I drive nails, I don't pull em, Cats paw stays in bucket or job box.
I usually keep pencil in my ear or mouth, too hard to get out when they get short.
There was a thread on here a few years ago where we took pics of our tool belts, if I can find it I will post a link.
I attached a pic of the toolbelt I wear. I have removed the suspender loops and have a quick grab hammer loop. I don't use the supplied belt either, as it didn't have holes to get down to my 32" waist.
I bet diesel has a good set up but haven't seen him on here much lately.
October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
I don't have it spread out correctly for viewing, but I love my Occi lites framers. 13 years and goin. Course, I do where a light weight CLC set up for lite duty work.
I also love my carry all/catch all. Usually goes with on every job. Takes the place of the bucket boss, one could say.
Neither cold, nor darkness will deter good people from hastening to the dreadful place to quench the flame. They do it not for the sake of reward or fame; but they have a reward in themselves, and they love one another.
-Benjamin Franklin
you guys much not work in bad weather. those toolbelts look like mine after i yr. Another reason to go lite, aprons!!!