TekPicks

We have been long fans of the Rubbermaid ActionPackers for their exceptional durability. But they have always lacked in one area of utility, movement, i.e. the lack of wheels. We pack our AP’s full, so it would be great to have a little help moving them, especially if we are stuck out at job site alone.

And so we have begun the conversion to Plano units. While we have not had years to stress test yet, these boxes have found a place in our hearts with their heavy duty construction, reasonable price and best of all, wheels! Our favorite model the XXL, also sports three locks, tie down hooks and FAA approval for all airlines. We did find a couple areas for improvement though…a domed lid would add a ton of extra storage and metal hinges and locks would solidify any durability concerns.

Link: Plano Molding 1819 XXL Wheeled Storage Box

I am always on the lookout for neat ways to carry my gear and the related accessories. I came across Built Bags recently and found some pretty cool options, including the Cargo organizer. Constructed of durable, water resistant neoprene the Cargo Organizer has 4 interior pockets to make stores all your chargers, cords, cards or whatever a breeze. The whole thing folds in half and zippers close. No more cords tangled with my socks!

Link: Built Bags Cargo Organizer

One of our favorite unsung heroes around the shop is our clipboard collection.  They are great for helping us keep our various project papers neat and organized, plus we always have one with us in the trucks when we head out to a scene for better note taking.  Without them, we probably would not be able to read our own handwriting.  Despite their utility, we have never found ourselves sitting around thinking on how to improve this venerable tool.  Good thing there are companies like OXO out there.

With a one swipe of their design pen, they added a simple but very nice improvement to our friend: a concave edge on at the bottom making balancing it on our bellies much easier.  As an added bonus, the board is also coated with a non-slip surface to help better secure all those papers.  Pretty nifty if you ask us.  Available at Staples.

Keeping the shop organized can be a tough thing with different people in and out all day. Pretty soon, stuff just starts getting misplaced which along with being quite annoying is a huge time suck when you have to stop what you are doing to look for a particular part or tool. To help keep our stuff organized we like the Akro Mills line of small cabinets. They come in a variety of sizes and drawer styles and can be mounted right to a wall or tool bench. Check them out for yourself, we are pretty sure you will dig them too.

Grab It: Akro Mils #10744 44 Drawer Cabinet

Technorati Profile

Looking to remodel your workshop? Look no further than the Ulti Mate Garage Storage Kit. This is one sweet system that includes a huge workbench, 2 overhead cabinets and 2 tall floor cabinets giving you a great reason to go out and buy some new tools. The cabinets are constructed of MDF with high quality hardware like adjustable aluminum feet to compensate for uneven floors. With 10 total pieces and a 10% off coupon out there, each unit average a very affordable $170 per piece to be the envy of your neighborhood.

Grab It: Ulti Mate Garage Storage 10 piece Kit 15′

We love us some wire shelves. Sure they are a bit pricey, but they make up for it in functionality and durability. We use them for everything from organizing our IT equipment, file storage and small evidence storage. We favor the models on wheels since they make moving when necessary a whole lot easier. This one has a 600 lbs capacity, far greater than the plastic counterparts and the shelves are adjustable in one inch increments.

Grab It: - Quantum Mobile Wire Shelving Unit

There are dozens of tie travel cases that essential do the same thing: keep your ties neat and wrinkle free while traveling. While we have not done extensive testing on offerings out there, our favorite is this nifty roll-up model by WildTies. The cylinder is the longest and widest that we found so it can easily accommodate the longer, thicker ties we favor. Just insert the narrow end in first and wind it up.

Grab It: Wildties Large Tie Winder Storage device by WT Accessories – Clear Plastic