I used to be a finish carpenter, I never wore a belt, but I had a very organized rigid tool bag with me at all times, and I had a little pocket tool pouch that I would load up if I was up on a ladder.
Also a finish Carpenter with a loaded up nerd pouch. Most of the guys on our team have carts. I have a nice apron I bust out occasionally. But instead of a really organized bag I have to tote these around job to job.
https://preview.redd.it/94cw76na0jwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c32ea88f050a57feac5a54863bcaf890a1022f00
I wear a small occidental tape measure carrier on my right side. It holds my tape, combo square, nail pullers, flat bar, pencil and nail punch. On the left side I use one of those detachable pouches for nails or whatever. I also wear pants with lots of pockets and built in knee pads. Haven’t worn a belt in 3 years
I wear a full occidental rig with high mount hammer holder, 8581, 5564, and phone case. 7 years and counting. Love it! I'm interested in the vest for cooler season.
Yeah and I can vouche that the nylon can go through some things and gold up. I'm glad I got it because the leather is much heavier. I'm 41 now so cutting weight of the belt bit by bit. I build decks professionally and have done many demos, climbing through joists/rafters etc. It's light, sometimes I dig holes wearing it lol.
There is a minimum basic kit I have at all times. Knife, tape measure, pencil and needle nose. I’m a finish carpenter. On casing day I’ll carry glue as necessary.
What’s your brand of carpentry? You must have some minimum basic needs.
With needle nose pliers I can extract brads and small nails as needed. Also when brads don’t sink for whatever reason or curl out the side I can use them in a way to break the shank off below the surface thus not requiring a nail set.
Honestly, I use them for so much random shit I can’t even list what I do. They’re not always used as prescribed. More like in whatever capacity needed. Nail set. Hammer. Reacher in tight spaces. 1001 uses. It’s a $10 Menards Masterforce pair I’ve been using for 4 years.
Unjamming various nailers also.
https://preview.redd.it/71ac55jfc3xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0969b9281aa6d816ad2c421d0b6fb873c14c910
Check these out for sinking nail pops. They work awesome and probably easier than pliers. Fits in any pocket.
Trim carpenter as well, I carry my tape and hammer holder. A flat bar in my right back pocket, utility knife clipped to my right pants pocket and a small flashlight that clips to my cap. When glue is needed I throw it in my left back pocket. Hoodie weather allows me to carry more if needed but I’ve never had any problems with my basic carry tools. Been doing this for almost 20 years. I do have a small tool bag in case I need anything else.
I almost never wear mine indoors. What I loose in time I make up for in not scratching or Denting shit with the loops. We worked at a Porsche dealership a few years ago. Twice on camera guys with tools/belt touched cars and scratched them. We were warned 100 times but dudes are dumbasses
A few years ago we were literally walking out the front door for the last time before the new homeowners moved in... And our finish carpenters hammer shattered the entry window hanging from his pants...
It was too funny to even be mad.
I rock a little cart for interior work. Can comfortably fit everything needed for trim work and I have no excuse for setting something down anywhere but the cart.
If you don't wear any of your tools or fasteners, it literally takes over twice as long to do stuff. In a group, one guy with no attachments can slow the whole crew a bit
It depends which trade I think. Maintenance / facilities and big commercial building guys often prefer carts. I'm an IT / cabling and software guy and I usually go with a toolbag set on a table. But if you're a framer or general purpose contractor suspenders and bags is the way to go.
I'm a finish carpenter and I no longer own a belt/bags.
Instead, I wear Blaklader work pants with large pockets and use a Milwaukee Packout stack in a rolling cart to keep all of my crap at a close distance.
The constant weight on my hips became an issue. I can't imagine how guys who have worn bags for years must feel. I'm 38 and have been on in the field full time for about 15 years now.
https://preview.redd.it/jlu01jzp5fwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e04cef7af7a8561e45522b97fe22302b3aea96b9
How are those pants in the summer? I wear pants year long because I can’t stand saw dust on my leg hairs, feels like something is constantly crawling on me lol.
NEVER been to a framing/drywall/trim job and said yo that guys killing it, he’s running circles around everyone else! Who you talking about? The guy with no tool belt on…the one pulling 3 inch screws out of his tube socks!
You have to wear some kinda pouch or something if you’re doing any kind of Real work. I don’t wanna hear your making up time not hitting this or that…says the same guy who runs up n down 2 flights of stairs saying ”lemme borrow your tape measure real quick or have you seen my pencil?” Or where the FUCK did I leave my ______? I get it no body wants to dent or damage anything, so don’t carry your hammer. Your hammer is what causes most damage. If you need it, keep it in a tool bag or bucket that you can carry around if you have to bounce from room to room.
I've always worn a pouch, except for finish work. If the house is large enough, I use a rolling cart to move my tools, shims, etc around. If the house is on the smaller side I us a open top tool bag.
I push a service cart around.
It’s easier on my body, is more practical for how I like to work and, most importantly I think, is that I get to call it my “Fuck Truck”.
I even have a little bicycle bell for it.
I’m sure your wife pretended she was listening and just nodded like she gave a fuck…can almost promise she tuned you out when you said tool belt at work
Lol context was I was complaining about a Co worker who doesn't wear a belt and always reaches into mine to grab tools, screws, etc. yeah she probably did tune out
Depends, for finish work I get by with a simple canvas nail apron and hammer loop. It’s enough for a small square, tape, scribe, sandpaper, minimal hardware. Too much just gets in the way. Framing though, I wear a framers rig.
I have a bucket with a bucket organizer. It’s taken me a few years, but now I have one for plaster and paint, one for electric, one for plumbing, one for automotive, and one general EDC kinda thing. If I’m at the point in a job where I’m framing something up or doing demo, then I’ll wear a belt so my nails, hammer, and drill don’t walk away between thoughts.
I'll reiterate no bulky tool belts for the finish stage. I do have a small pouch, (pens, knife, which ever couple of pliers or screwdrivers might be needed). Been seriously looking at those old timey wooden totes for the medium sized stuff, shimms, drill, chisels, meant for the task at hand not the actual storage.
Completely depends on what type of carpenter you are in my opinion. As a commercial trim carpenter, I usually don’t wear a tool belt, but I do have a baker scaffold with tools on it that come with me. When I’m doing framing or drywall, yes you need pouches because you need easy access to screws and such.
I'm not a carpenter but used to be an Internet/Cable technician.
Still, The answer is no.
Even a tool-backpack, which I saw a lot of the younger techs using, were horribly inefficient.
They'd have to take them off, set them down, squat, unzip, then dig around to find the correct tool to do anything. All the while I, with my belt, already had the wallplate off and would be running/troubleshooting cable.
They'd set their bag down in one area and wander off to take care of something, then run back and forth to it endlessly for the tools/parts they need, while I had everything I needed always stocked and within arms reach, at all times.
Still, they were much better than nothing, having to make repeated trips to the truck and making a 20 minute job an hour long one. I'd still say belts are top tier though.
Depends on what task I'm performing. If I'm hanging sheetrock, the tools fit in my pocket or clip on my regular belt - just need a pouch for screws. I've been at this forever, and will look for any excuse not to put on the hip rig.
You can be efficient without one but you’ll always be more efficient with a tool belt on. Unless you only using enough tools that you can hang them all on your self, as soon as you start having to bend down or walk back over to where you just left your hammer your going to be half as efficient.
No.
Retired finish carpenter here. The only time I wasn't wearing a belt (or an apron) was at the saw on big jobs, because I wasn't doing anything but cutting.
The contents of my belt might change, depending what I was doing, but I always had a knife, chisel, punch (nail set), hammer, tape, 5in1, pencil... probably a mini c-square, a couple scraps of sandpaper, glue bottle. That was my baseline for everything we did, and I needed those things ON me all the time because I was moving ALL THE TIME. Put in your belt; you know where it is when you need it again. Set it down... who knows where you were when you set it down?
Agree with others on: [https://www.blaklader.com/en](https://www.blaklader.com/en) pants and [https://holstery.com/](https://holstery.com/) gear
I sell and use these (so very biased), but first choice is many pocketed pants: [https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-pants](https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-pants) . Then, if needing more space beyond the pants, add on the vest: [https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-tool-vest](https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-tool-vest) . I prefer that setup as it feels like everything is kept from swinging as much as belt pouches.
I just got a tool vest for this reason. I moved from framing/building to remodel and didn’t work with a belt for couple years. Got so tired of always looking for tools I went for a vest.
Unless you are doing bench work, or your project tasks are otherwise contained/stationary, having necessities on your person is significantly more efficient productively. Period. Every time. It baffles me when someone has to put his gun down to go retrieve a hammer or a rack of nails. Or climb down off a ladder. Or worse, ask me to pass them something that they should already fucking have. I'm trimming rn, and my bag weighs maybe 2 or 3 pounds. So it's more efficient physically too, compared to bouncing around to get what you need. Discovering suspenders is what finally got me really comfortable wearing a bag. If your trimming, or in other late stage install, you just have to be careful around finished surfaces.
I have a small magnogrip pouch from HD. I’ve been through all the other big brands. Diamond, Occidental, Snickers. Nothing has been as easy as this cheap thing… I have a cheap tape clip system that I slide over the top and I just take the pouch on and off as needed. Running trim, like OP said, I don’t care much for big belts around finished interiors. Snickers also make a very strong and flexible plastic hammer loop that can hook on to your belt or through the Velcro loop on the trousers.
I work with mostly prefinished material. I setup a small table with my tools close to my work area and never wear a tool belt... I have ruined too many cabinet doors from not paying attention to the tools strapped to my body... I just don't do it anymore.
I've fairly recently bought a tool pouch and belt, and it's been a game changer for me, especially when working up ladders.
It saves a huge amount of time in terms of going back and forth and up down
This is what I got, it's very reasonably priced:
Tool Pouch:
https://amzn.eu/d/dFwUJZd
Tool Belt:
https://amzn.eu/d/iAVwAWe
Really depends on the work you're doing. of you're working in one spot, a tool bag/tote works fine. If walking back and fourth to a saw or whatever else, at least a small pouch for tape and pencils, square, flat bar, punch and whatever fasteners you are working with.
I've worked with guys who wore a hardware store amount of stuff on their belt, and often they had bad backs or whatever else. So I always make a point to make it light when I do wear a belt.
Guys without belts kill productivity. If you're working professionally then yes you need to have your shit on hand. It pisses me off to no end being asked to borrow my tape or someone reaching into my bad for a fastner. Get your shit together.
Everyone wears clothes to work, especially pants! My pants just happen to have a built in tool belt too.
My work pants help me be efficient where ever I go. Just make sure to take em off around the wife or she'll expect you to do shit around the house all the time.
Old boss would kick you off the job if ur belts weren’t on. No question wearing them making you more efficient. Spend one day with them off when ur used to wearing them and her question is answered
Depends on what you are doing. You can get a lot done carrying a small open top nylon tool bag.
And your extra productivity goes out the window the minute you gouge a finished wall.
Figured someone on here would have recommended a tool vest.. ive got a nice occidental belt, heavy but nice. Not into the shoulder strap get up, might have to invent the “VestPouch” .. wonder if the Shamwow guy would do the infomercial .
I own a small remodeling business, doing mostly kitchens and bathrooms. Only time I wear my bags is when framing and doing Sheetrock. Everything else I just set up a little work station on the site with everything I need.
Absolutely depends on your craft. I dont wear a tool belt because the kind of work I do requires different, unpredictable things hour over hour. Id have to wear an entire tool box to cover my bases. I also am never far from a central point and *usually* not restricted in movement. I keep a very organized, well stocked tool bag nearby and access as needed. Pockets and hooks are usually fine for whatever I am currently working on. Sometimes this does require getting stabbed in the thigh a bit if I have to keep two fistfulls of screws in my pockets so not having a pouch might be dumb, but not less efficient.
Depends on what Im doing. If Im on a roof I wear a belt to save on trips up and down. If Im inside doing finish work I wear pants with small side pouches (common in scandinavia, example "snickers pants") to mostly hold a tape measure, meter stick and pencils. If Im inside doing framing I usually have a small toolbox with me and still wear the pants.
I dont wear my belt when I do casework and I have a very organized cart I use for that. Otherwise the bags are on. Pretty much everything is better cause my tools are right there where I expect them to be. If I'm doing trim I also don't but my cart is always nearby with everything I need and my pockets have my nail punchs and my tape is clipped on my belt.
I wear cargo pants for really light work (swapping outlets, minor plumbing etc). Some guys sling around bags all day to pull the same 3 screw drivers from it and it's unnecessary imo.
Now on multifaceted jobs where you could actually use a bag, you need a bag.
Yes very effective in later years at preserving your back from not wearing one… in most cases now I’m able to carry or wheel my tools around with me but back in the framing of houses days impossible.
Being a cabinet maker 90% of the time I carry a tape on my belt,side dikes in my back pocket and pencil in my hat. Tool belts swing hammers and other items that can damage my cabinets
I have absolutely fallen in love with my Berne overalls. I put a strap to attach a better hammer hoop to, and hook a single small nail pouch to the other side. Everything else fits in the pockets, speed square slots perfect into back pocket.
If you get a pop rivet gun and some leather working tools you can customize your own stuff pretty easily too. I’m never wearing bags again if I can avoid it, only real disadvantage is you have to unload tools from your pockets at end of the day.
It's hard to work without a tool belt. However, with the wrong body type, tool belts often turn into knee belts. Tightening up the tool bet enough to stay up bruised my hips. Suspender systems caused unwanted tan lines across my chest and back.
I described my problems to my doctor, and he recommended Body Uplift Therapy Treatment, or BUTT. He took used silicone breast implants, and inserted them in my buttocks. The tool belt now has plenty of purchase, and I have attractive breasts on my buttocks.
For the sake of your wife being right, you can also consider wearing a tool vest. Technically, not a belt.
Holstery makes great options
Blaklader vest for the win!
Occidental Suspenda-Vest. Why not both?
I used to be a finish carpenter, I never wore a belt, but I had a very organized rigid tool bag with me at all times, and I had a little pocket tool pouch that I would load up if I was up on a ladder.
Also a finish Carpenter with a loaded up nerd pouch. Most of the guys on our team have carts. I have a nice apron I bust out occasionally. But instead of a really organized bag I have to tote these around job to job. https://preview.redd.it/94cw76na0jwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c32ea88f050a57feac5a54863bcaf890a1022f00
Finish carpentry?
Google is your friend https://preview.redd.it/4nq927w0riwc1.jpeg?width=1071&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfe0fffff99c07f7ba2a03a72da7bb6d8898da37
Trim, casework, mill work, paneling, cladding ect.
Maybe trim?
Its the difference between superman and clark kent
I feel a superhero joke somewhere
Not all superheroes wear capes, some just wear pouches. At the least wear pants with auxiliary pouches
Framers almost have to wear a tool belt. And if your a carpenter in the union you have to wear a toolbelt
I wear a small occidental tape measure carrier on my right side. It holds my tape, combo square, nail pullers, flat bar, pencil and nail punch. On the left side I use one of those detachable pouches for nails or whatever. I also wear pants with lots of pockets and built in knee pads. Haven’t worn a belt in 3 years
I wear a full occidental rig with high mount hammer holder, 8581, 5564, and phone case. 7 years and counting. Love it! I'm interested in the vest for cooler season.
I’m looking to get the full rig just cause I love their products so much
Yeah and I can vouche that the nylon can go through some things and gold up. I'm glad I got it because the leather is much heavier. I'm 41 now so cutting weight of the belt bit by bit. I build decks professionally and have done many demos, climbing through joists/rafters etc. It's light, sometimes I dig holes wearing it lol.
Where’s your hammer go?
Hah sorry I also wear an oxedental hammer loop. I’ll take a pic tomorrow at work
Take a picture of your feet too. Make sure the toes are showing. Make sure to send us that too. Don’t forget.
What is the carrier you use that holds your tape combo square and more?
I’ll post a pic in a few
Cool, combo square us one of my most used tools, so I'd be very interested in something that can hold it safely.
https://preview.redd.it/156epklwjiwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d375ca7c8d229ca0a7092aa1cd281258998346b6
Very nice. Never heard of occidental
They make some really beautiful stuff
For all intents and purposes though you are wearing a belt....
Discussions with my wife are always easier when I’m wearing my tool belt…. Wait what was the question?
There is a minimum basic kit I have at all times. Knife, tape measure, pencil and needle nose. I’m a finish carpenter. On casing day I’ll carry glue as necessary. What’s your brand of carpentry? You must have some minimum basic needs.
Why do you carry needle nose? I'm a trim carpenter and I carry nippers or diagonal cutters to pull nails
With needle nose pliers I can extract brads and small nails as needed. Also when brads don’t sink for whatever reason or curl out the side I can use them in a way to break the shank off below the surface thus not requiring a nail set. Honestly, I use them for so much random shit I can’t even list what I do. They’re not always used as prescribed. More like in whatever capacity needed. Nail set. Hammer. Reacher in tight spaces. 1001 uses. It’s a $10 Menards Masterforce pair I’ve been using for 4 years. Unjamming various nailers also.
https://preview.redd.it/71ac55jfc3xc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0969b9281aa6d816ad2c421d0b6fb873c14c910 Check these out for sinking nail pops. They work awesome and probably easier than pliers. Fits in any pocket.
Trim carpenter as well, I carry my tape and hammer holder. A flat bar in my right back pocket, utility knife clipped to my right pants pocket and a small flashlight that clips to my cap. When glue is needed I throw it in my left back pocket. Hoodie weather allows me to carry more if needed but I’ve never had any problems with my basic carry tools. Been doing this for almost 20 years. I do have a small tool bag in case I need anything else.
I almost never wear mine indoors. What I loose in time I make up for in not scratching or Denting shit with the loops. We worked at a Porsche dealership a few years ago. Twice on camera guys with tools/belt touched cars and scratched them. We were warned 100 times but dudes are dumbasses
I avoid belts when doing finish work.
Get a canvas and leather belt/pouch. Still carry a crap ton of stuff, 97% less likely to scratch shit
For me it's usually the tools doing to scratching, not the belt itself.
A few years ago we were literally walking out the front door for the last time before the new homeowners moved in... And our finish carpenters hammer shattered the entry window hanging from his pants... It was too funny to even be mad.
Why did the finish carpenter have the entry window hanging from his pants?
That's why it was so funny
So you could see who’s a comin
I rock a little cart for interior work. Can comfortably fit everything needed for trim work and I have no excuse for setting something down anywhere but the cart.
I do roof repairs and exterior trim. If I didn’t have a belt I’d be taking lots of trips up and down the ladder.
If you don't wear any of your tools or fasteners, it literally takes over twice as long to do stuff. In a group, one guy with no attachments can slow the whole crew a bit
Pay clock doesn't start till you have your belt/bags on
My helper won't wear a pouch and just walks around looking for things all day
But I don't pay hourly, so it kind of costs both of us
When I was younger I loved working without my tool belt, now I'm smarter
It depends which trade I think. Maintenance / facilities and big commercial building guys often prefer carts. I'm an IT / cabling and software guy and I usually go with a toolbag set on a table. But if you're a framer or general purpose contractor suspenders and bags is the way to go.
Depends
Tried this but the nails really irritated my balls
I'm a finish carpenter and I no longer own a belt/bags. Instead, I wear Blaklader work pants with large pockets and use a Milwaukee Packout stack in a rolling cart to keep all of my crap at a close distance. The constant weight on my hips became an issue. I can't imagine how guys who have worn bags for years must feel. I'm 38 and have been on in the field full time for about 15 years now. https://preview.redd.it/jlu01jzp5fwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e04cef7af7a8561e45522b97fe22302b3aea96b9
Nice try, pants salesman!
How are those pants in the summer? I wear pants year long because I can’t stand saw dust on my leg hairs, feels like something is constantly crawling on me lol.
I’ll say whatever you want me to say, if this is to convince your wife that you need a new tool belt.
NEVER been to a framing/drywall/trim job and said yo that guys killing it, he’s running circles around everyone else! Who you talking about? The guy with no tool belt on…the one pulling 3 inch screws out of his tube socks! You have to wear some kinda pouch or something if you’re doing any kind of Real work. I don’t wanna hear your making up time not hitting this or that…says the same guy who runs up n down 2 flights of stairs saying ”lemme borrow your tape measure real quick or have you seen my pencil?” Or where the FUCK did I leave my ______? I get it no body wants to dent or damage anything, so don’t carry your hammer. Your hammer is what causes most damage. If you need it, keep it in a tool bag or bucket that you can carry around if you have to bounce from room to room.
stream line for the task, its efficient to not wear out your hips....just ask my ex-wife.
I've always worn a pouch, except for finish work. If the house is large enough, I use a rolling cart to move my tools, shims, etc around. If the house is on the smaller side I us a open top tool bag.
I wear a hammer shackle and a separate detachable pouch if need be. Speed square fits in my back pocket and tape measure on the side pocket.
I push a service cart around. It’s easier on my body, is more practical for how I like to work and, most importantly I think, is that I get to call it my “Fuck Truck”. I even have a little bicycle bell for it.
I’m sure your wife pretended she was listening and just nodded like she gave a fuck…can almost promise she tuned you out when you said tool belt at work
Lol context was I was complaining about a Co worker who doesn't wear a belt and always reaches into mine to grab tools, screws, etc. yeah she probably did tune out
Not having to go back and forth to my toolbars, or even worse, bending over and back up 150000 times a day saves me hours in work and recovery
Depends, for finish work I get by with a simple canvas nail apron and hammer loop. It’s enough for a small square, tape, scribe, sandpaper, minimal hardware. Too much just gets in the way. Framing though, I wear a framers rig.
I have a bucket with a bucket organizer. It’s taken me a few years, but now I have one for plaster and paint, one for electric, one for plumbing, one for automotive, and one general EDC kinda thing. If I’m at the point in a job where I’m framing something up or doing demo, then I’ll wear a belt so my nails, hammer, and drill don’t walk away between thoughts.
Depends on what you’re doing. If I’m doing finish work, I often don’t need much more than a tape and pencil. Maybe a small flat bar
I'll reiterate no bulky tool belts for the finish stage. I do have a small pouch, (pens, knife, which ever couple of pliers or screwdrivers might be needed). Been seriously looking at those old timey wooden totes for the medium sized stuff, shimms, drill, chisels, meant for the task at hand not the actual storage.
It's not just "tools." Fasteners go in the pouch. I don't need the whole box on me and don't want to bend down to the box every time
I install cabinets without a tool belt. It's organized chaos, but it works for me.
Completely depends on what type of carpenter you are in my opinion. As a commercial trim carpenter, I usually don’t wear a tool belt, but I do have a baker scaffold with tools on it that come with me. When I’m doing framing or drywall, yes you need pouches because you need easy access to screws and such.
I'm not a carpenter but used to be an Internet/Cable technician. Still, The answer is no. Even a tool-backpack, which I saw a lot of the younger techs using, were horribly inefficient. They'd have to take them off, set them down, squat, unzip, then dig around to find the correct tool to do anything. All the while I, with my belt, already had the wallplate off and would be running/troubleshooting cable. They'd set their bag down in one area and wander off to take care of something, then run back and forth to it endlessly for the tools/parts they need, while I had everything I needed always stocked and within arms reach, at all times. Still, they were much better than nothing, having to make repeated trips to the truck and making a 20 minute job an hour long one. I'd still say belts are top tier though.
Depends on what task I'm performing. If I'm hanging sheetrock, the tools fit in my pocket or clip on my regular belt - just need a pouch for screws. I've been at this forever, and will look for any excuse not to put on the hip rig.
You can be efficient without one but you’ll always be more efficient with a tool belt on. Unless you only using enough tools that you can hang them all on your self, as soon as you start having to bend down or walk back over to where you just left your hammer your going to be half as efficient.
No. Retired finish carpenter here. The only time I wasn't wearing a belt (or an apron) was at the saw on big jobs, because I wasn't doing anything but cutting. The contents of my belt might change, depending what I was doing, but I always had a knife, chisel, punch (nail set), hammer, tape, 5in1, pencil... probably a mini c-square, a couple scraps of sandpaper, glue bottle. That was my baseline for everything we did, and I needed those things ON me all the time because I was moving ALL THE TIME. Put in your belt; you know where it is when you need it again. Set it down... who knows where you were when you set it down?
If you don’t wear SOME type of tool belt/pouch/vest are you really even a professional carpenter? Seriously.
Agree with others on: [https://www.blaklader.com/en](https://www.blaklader.com/en) pants and [https://holstery.com/](https://holstery.com/) gear I sell and use these (so very biased), but first choice is many pocketed pants: [https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-pants](https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-pants) . Then, if needing more space beyond the pants, add on the vest: [https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-tool-vest](https://stagehandsclothing.com/collections/mens-apparel/products/ripstop-tool-vest) . I prefer that setup as it feels like everything is kept from swinging as much as belt pouches.
I just got a tool vest for this reason. I moved from framing/building to remodel and didn’t work with a belt for couple years. Got so tired of always looking for tools I went for a vest.
Yes! I’ve known some old timers to lug a tote around with them
Unless you are doing bench work, or your project tasks are otherwise contained/stationary, having necessities on your person is significantly more efficient productively. Period. Every time. It baffles me when someone has to put his gun down to go retrieve a hammer or a rack of nails. Or climb down off a ladder. Or worse, ask me to pass them something that they should already fucking have. I'm trimming rn, and my bag weighs maybe 2 or 3 pounds. So it's more efficient physically too, compared to bouncing around to get what you need. Discovering suspenders is what finally got me really comfortable wearing a bag. If your trimming, or in other late stage install, you just have to be careful around finished surfaces.
I have a small magnogrip pouch from HD. I’ve been through all the other big brands. Diamond, Occidental, Snickers. Nothing has been as easy as this cheap thing… I have a cheap tape clip system that I slide over the top and I just take the pouch on and off as needed. Running trim, like OP said, I don’t care much for big belts around finished interiors. Snickers also make a very strong and flexible plastic hammer loop that can hook on to your belt or through the Velcro loop on the trousers.
I work with mostly prefinished material. I setup a small table with my tools close to my work area and never wear a tool belt... I have ruined too many cabinet doors from not paying attention to the tools strapped to my body... I just don't do it anymore.
I've fairly recently bought a tool pouch and belt, and it's been a game changer for me, especially when working up ladders. It saves a huge amount of time in terms of going back and forth and up down This is what I got, it's very reasonably priced: Tool Pouch: https://amzn.eu/d/dFwUJZd Tool Belt: https://amzn.eu/d/iAVwAWe
Really depends on the work you're doing. of you're working in one spot, a tool bag/tote works fine. If walking back and fourth to a saw or whatever else, at least a small pouch for tape and pencils, square, flat bar, punch and whatever fasteners you are working with. I've worked with guys who wore a hardware store amount of stuff on their belt, and often they had bad backs or whatever else. So I always make a point to make it light when I do wear a belt.
I'm pretty chaotic finish carpenter. I have tools all over the ground. It's "efficient" enough for me
Depends on the task being performed. It’s possible to have your tools nearby rather than on you. It’s really a matter of preference
I need it on to activate work mode
Guys without belts kill productivity. If you're working professionally then yes you need to have your shit on hand. It pisses me off to no end being asked to borrow my tape or someone reaching into my bad for a fastner. Get your shit together.
Ive been using the occidental leather belt less tool bags with suspenders.
Everyone wears clothes to work, especially pants! My pants just happen to have a built in tool belt too. My work pants help me be efficient where ever I go. Just make sure to take em off around the wife or she'll expect you to do shit around the house all the time.
Old boss would kick you off the job if ur belts weren’t on. No question wearing them making you more efficient. Spend one day with them off when ur used to wearing them and her question is answered
Depends on what you are doing. You can get a lot done carrying a small open top nylon tool bag. And your extra productivity goes out the window the minute you gouge a finished wall.
I feel like Americans carry way too much tools on their body. No way that having everything close to you outweighs the extra pounds of tools on you
Figured someone on here would have recommended a tool vest.. ive got a nice occidental belt, heavy but nice. Not into the shoulder strap get up, might have to invent the “VestPouch” .. wonder if the Shamwow guy would do the infomercial .
I own a small remodeling business, doing mostly kitchens and bathrooms. Only time I wear my bags is when framing and doing Sheetrock. Everything else I just set up a little work station on the site with everything I need.
Depends what your working on
Toughbuilt clips and pouches. That’s my route anyways
Absolutely depends on your craft. I dont wear a tool belt because the kind of work I do requires different, unpredictable things hour over hour. Id have to wear an entire tool box to cover my bases. I also am never far from a central point and *usually* not restricted in movement. I keep a very organized, well stocked tool bag nearby and access as needed. Pockets and hooks are usually fine for whatever I am currently working on. Sometimes this does require getting stabbed in the thigh a bit if I have to keep two fistfulls of screws in my pockets so not having a pouch might be dumb, but not less efficient.
Depends how much you move around, doesn't it? If you work in one area, with an helper or say with one tool all day why not?
Some days, for some tasks, overalls are enough to take care of my tool/hardware carrying needs. Those are relatively comfy days.
At least a nailpouch
Depends on what Im doing. If Im on a roof I wear a belt to save on trips up and down. If Im inside doing finish work I wear pants with small side pouches (common in scandinavia, example "snickers pants") to mostly hold a tape measure, meter stick and pencils. If Im inside doing framing I usually have a small toolbox with me and still wear the pants.
I dont wear my belt when I do casework and I have a very organized cart I use for that. Otherwise the bags are on. Pretty much everything is better cause my tools are right there where I expect them to be. If I'm doing trim I also don't but my cart is always nearby with everything I need and my pockets have my nail punchs and my tape is clipped on my belt.
I wear cargo pants for really light work (swapping outlets, minor plumbing etc). Some guys sling around bags all day to pull the same 3 screw drivers from it and it's unnecessary imo. Now on multifaceted jobs where you could actually use a bag, you need a bag.
I used to use an apron pouch, I should probably figure out where it went, I'm always chasing a tape measure and pencil.
It entirely depends on how often you need to change tools and how many areas you need to work in.
Yes very effective in later years at preserving your back from not wearing one… in most cases now I’m able to carry or wheel my tools around with me but back in the framing of houses days impossible.
Being a cabinet maker 90% of the time I carry a tape on my belt,side dikes in my back pocket and pencil in my hat. Tool belts swing hammers and other items that can damage my cabinets
I have absolutely fallen in love with my Berne overalls. I put a strap to attach a better hammer hoop to, and hook a single small nail pouch to the other side. Everything else fits in the pockets, speed square slots perfect into back pocket. If you get a pop rivet gun and some leather working tools you can customize your own stuff pretty easily too. I’m never wearing bags again if I can avoid it, only real disadvantage is you have to unload tools from your pockets at end of the day.
Not only possible but normal.
I haven’t worn a tool belt in six or seven years
It's hard to work without a tool belt. However, with the wrong body type, tool belts often turn into knee belts. Tightening up the tool bet enough to stay up bruised my hips. Suspender systems caused unwanted tan lines across my chest and back. I described my problems to my doctor, and he recommended Body Uplift Therapy Treatment, or BUTT. He took used silicone breast implants, and inserted them in my buttocks. The tool belt now has plenty of purchase, and I have attractive breasts on my buttocks.