Anyone use a tool cart when working on their bus?

[belfert]

I've been thinking about getting a tool cart for working on my bus.  Right now I end up schlepping parts and tools back and forth from my garage every time I work on the bus.  I could just roll a cart in and out of the garage quite easily.

There are two styles.  One style has a sliding top and the other has a top that opens upward.  The models with the opening top need to be open for the drawers to top.

Any opinions on tool carts and the two different styles?

[Lin]

Looks like an efficient way to do things.  It would not work well for me since my area is completely unpaved, and those little wheels won't work.  Also, I like to keep getting up and walking back and forth from the garage to increase the exercise value.

[Busted Knuckle]

Brian we have & use 2 of them like the bottom on all the time! Don't know what it's be like without them.
  BK 

[belfert]

BK, I'm surprised you don't have regular tool boxes, but a tool cart is probably less money.  Any issues with having to open the top to release the drawers?  I kinda like the split top for working area, but the split top ones are smaller.

A tool cart would really come in handy when it starts to rain sooner than I figured it might.

[Busted Knuckle]

BK, I'm surprised you don't have regular tool boxes, but a tool cart is probably less money.  Any issues with having to open the top to release the drawers?  I kinda like the split top for working area, but the split top ones are smaller.

A tool cart would really come in handy when it starts to rain sooner than I figured it might.

Brian,
You've seen my tool box that big teal colored box about the size of you car. (And dads "Job Box" is almost as big.)
It's a lot easier to have 2 carts loaded with the basic tools for any job in the drawers and then lay specific tools for a specific job in the top & roll them to the work area than to get 2 or 3 people to help me push my box around. (we use 2 so dad or I can each have one @ different buses)

Also remember bus parts are heavy. You start puting heavy parts on those slide tops for a work area and you won't have to slide them long. (they won't be there to slide)

And no actually we don't have a problem with having to raise the lid to open drawers. Once sitting where we are working we leave the lid up.
  BK 

[bevans6]

I had all my race car tools in a top box, I would bring it out to the trailer, or back inside the shop depending on what I was doing.  The problem was that even just the top box was 200 lbs.  I tend to use a rolling tray if anything for temporary jobs now.

Brian

[Van]

I myself need more of an off-road toolbox, since there are no self propelled ones I just use the back of our truck.

[Don Fairchild]

Brian, I built a 2'X4' roll around table with a shelf. I roll the table and my tool box up to a bus and can lay out parts and tools as I work. I am thinking about building one 3x5 so I can have more room. By useing the table I dont have to clean my tools and put them back in the box until I am ready to, I can also clean and lay out all of my bolts and gaskets and what ever else I may need and go to work that way I am not wasting time running back and foruth to the shop

Works for me

Don

[Tikvah]

I have a cart that I use.  Becomes a catch-all, but saves a lot of trips to the garage.  I wouldn't be without it.

Dave

[Ed Hackenbruch]

I am one step above Van. My tool cart is powered by an 8V71, and i live in it.

[belfert]

I ended up buying a slightly version of the second tool cart pictured from Craigslist for less than half of the new cost.

If I was going to buy the one in the first picture it would have been from Amazon most likely as I will getting a bunch of Amazon gift cards in a month or so.  I missed one of these on Craigslist for $40 the other day by an hour or two.

[gumpy]

Brian,

I personally don't think you will find a tool cart like you've shown to be very useful. First of all, it's not going to work well in the dirt/grass. The wheels are too thin and will sink in.

I would recommend you go down to menards, northern tool, or Harbor Freight and get yourself a lawn wagon with pneumatic tires on it. it will have flip down sides and a handle
like you'd have on a Flyer wagon. You can flip it up and put all your tools in it and pull it anywhere you want to. If you get the small one, you can probably fit it in a bay and take
it with you to use on your rocket launch excursions. Plus, you can use it for all sorts of yard work. I have one here, and use it all the time around the house and on the bus.

You will  never get all the tools you need in the first pass, so will always be going back to the garage for something else. But when it comes time to put it all away, it's just one trip
with the wagon loaded!

Just my 2 cents...

craig

[white-eagle]

I use a Chevy Express van with a tool box, cabinets, drawers.  pulls right up to the work area of the bus.  Easy wide open double doors.  Most of the lubricants, rust prevention (no Eagle jokes, please), graphite, liquid wrench, etc, right there also. 
The only problem is i have to open a beverage and take a break whenever Fran has to go to the store  .

[Uglydog56]

You can get inflatable caster type wheels at harbor freight. Put two straight one and two caster type, then a little red wagon type tow handle and it would probably be ok. Thats what i did to my tool cart, my welder cart and my racetrack genny with satisfactory results.

[belfert]

Whatever end of the bus I'm working is usually parked at the end of my paved driveway so going off road should not be a issue fortunately.  I normally back the bus in so the engine is hard to work on, but I turn the bus around when doing serious engine work.

I'll just have to see what happens when I start using the tool cart.  I can always sell it if it doesn't work out.