The Ultimate Toolbox
At THG we sometimes stumble onto a story that we think is worth writing about. For example, I was at a local computer store and bumped into a customer whose system was on the service bench for repair. As it turned out, this person happened to be a THG reader. We started talking about the odd problems he was having with his system that caused him to have to bring it in to the shop. It seemed that even the technicians at the store could not seem to isolate the problem he was having with his system. This customer suggested that it might need a more expert look, and wondered if I could look at his system quickly to see if I could isolate the problem. After talking about the computer at length, I realized that this had been an ongoing ordeal for him for over a week, and I agreed to break my own rule about not working on other people’s systems. Since the owner of the computer store knows me well, I asked him if he minded if I brought in my tools and took a quick look at this customer’s system. The owner replied that he didn’t mind, since his technicians were really stumped as to what was causing the system problem.
Unlike most other THG editors, my background is in IT. In the corporate IT environment, I had to be prepared to handle almost any emergency, so I am in the habit of never leaving home without my toolbox. This time, having my tools with me worked out well. Upon returning to the store with my toolbox, the store customer looked at my toolbox and said, “What an incredible toolbox! You have all of the right equipment to handle almost any problem. You should write an article about this on THG. I think readers would really like to know what equipment makes up a good toolbox for the technician who works on computers every day.”
Perhaps titling this story “The Ultimate Toolbox” is a little over the top, but the idea behind this story is to give you an idea what tools I think are important to carry with you when you are on the road. This is my everyday toolbox that I use in the lab and when I leave home, and what I have in it reflects the types of repair and troubleshooting problems that I have encountered. Since I happen to run into a lot of networking-related problems, I carry a lot of networking-related tools, as well as my normal computer tools. If you don’t work on networks, you obviously won’t need to carry these tools.
This article is perhaps better looked at as a recommendation of some of the types of tools you might consider adding to your toolbox. You will probably come up with ideas for other things to add to your toolbox, as well. The end result is that you want to have a collection of tools that will serve your needs on work assignments, while having all of those tools in one location that is portable. Although organizing a toolbox isn’t as much fun as playing the latest computer game, it will save you time and future headaches, so that when you are pressed into service, you are ready.
Selecting The Box
Selecting the right box to house your tools and to suit your requirements is one of the most important decisions you need to make as a working technician. Toolboxes come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. A trip to the fishing tackle section of a local sporting goods store yields a complete line of fishing tackle boxes that are probably well suited for your needs. Although they may not look as professional as other alternatives, in my opinion, function matters more than looks, but that it is up to you to decide if the same holds true for yourself. Your local hardware store also carries a complete line of different types of toolboxes. But don’t be hasty in making your decision until your have looked at all the other possible contenders.
A variety of companies also make suitcase/ briefcase style toolboxes for the professional technician. However, these tend to be expensive and often don’t address the needs of a computer professional. Often times, these can be purchased in a case and tools all-in-one package, which may be the solution for those wanting looks over function. And, this is not to say that these types of toolboxes can’t fit the bill. However, for the ultimate customization, it is most often necessary to assemble your own selection of items rather than buying a pre-packaged solution.
What Do You Use?
Over the years, I have had several kinds of toolboxes and have spent a lot of time assembling the collection of tools that I need to have on hand to be able to complete a task. Some people may tend to cut corners in their purchase of tools related to this industry by buying integrated tools. It has been my experience that a vast selection of individual, task-specific tools last longer and offer a lot more alternatives than an all-in-one tool, and this is my personal preference. And, of course, having some universal tools, such as a Leatherman, is a very good idea. I always carry a Leatherman in my laptop bag for emergencies. It has been my experience, however, that when you are in the middle of a complicated repair and you are trying to use an integrated tool, there is inevitably a situation where that all-in-one won’t fit in the tight space or it doesn’t work for this repair, and in that case, it can make you feel like you want to throw both the integrated tool and the computer you are working on down the nearest flight of stairs.
As far as the box that holds the tools goes, I have gone through many types of cases. I have tried the somewhat customized, steel briefcase, and that worked well for me for a long time. But, as my work environment became more sophisticated, so did the number of items, and the amount of space required to haul those items around grew, too.
Earlier this year, I came across the perfect blend of function and size in a toolbox. Although this box is significantly larger than any toolbox that I have ever seen, it does offer many options that I have never had before in a toolbox.
The Keter MasterCart 604968 is my toolbox of choice. It is large and roomy and I don’t have any problems finding enough room to carry all of the tools necessary for any situation.
My choice was the Keter MasterCart (604968). As first glance, this toolbox compared to normal toolboxes reminded me of a monster truck sitting next to a pickup truck. It is large. But after significant examination of all of the nooks and crannies and the options that it has to offer, I found that, for my purposes, this was the utopia of toolboxes. When I first looked at the MasterCart, it appeared to be overkill for the needs of a typical technician. However, with the increased amount of items that a technician is expected to have on hand, a significant amount of storage is not only convenient, it is a necessity.
What Do You Use?, Continued
The MasterCart itself offers seven basic compartments, in which needed tools and items can be stored and easily found. Even more unique is its design: it is possible to split the one large toolbox into two pieces, and carry only the top half when all of your stored items are not required. This flexibility is great! You only have to take along the top half or the bottom half, depending on the job at hand. The toolbox can be organized and then divided up by tasks, perhaps leaving the bottom half, as I do, for heavier tools, software, and pieces and parts that I don’t always need. The top half, however, contains my ‘bread and butter’ tools that are required in almost any job that I do.
When thinking about what kind of toolbox you need, it is important to define what kind of jobs you will be using the toolbox for, and what types of tools you will be using. The parts and selection of tools for a network technician, for example, would not be the same as that of a computer technician, since the tool sets are different in some key areas. In my case, I require a selection of both computer-oriented and network-oriented tool sets to perform both tasks, so my toolbox needs are likely different from other technicians.
The MasterCart, when fully assembled, also integrates the ability to tow the cart behind you using its built-in handle and wheel technology, like an upright piece of luggage. While this may not seem that important, often times you must park your vehicle a great distance from where the actual work site is and hike to the job site. The convenience of having the wheels integrated into the toolbox has saved me many times from carrying a heavy load with my arm. Obviously, not everyone will require such an elaborate toolbox setup as the Keter MasterCart. But the MasterCart and other design boxes built in similar styles should not be overlooked by technicians wanting both convenience and flexibility in storing and carrying their tools and supplies.
In this article, you will notice that we focus a great deal on the tool selection to equip the toolbox, but the selection of the toolbox is key when you are considering integrating all of your tools and supplies into one place. Often, the selection of the toolbox will dictate what is possible to carry and what isn’t. Although I have opted for function rather than style, in some circumstances, style may be a company or corporate necessity, and in those situations, you may have to put up with some inconvenience in order to fulfill this mandate. It is possible to purchase and integrate plastic containers and customized foam cutout pieces into briefcase style toolboxes to add function. The fact that the MasterCart can be divided into two halves provides a unique feature, as well as function, not found in other toolboxes. And, just as you want to select the right tool for the job, you will want to select the right toolbox for the job.
While the Keter MasterCart is clearly an excellent choice for many working technicians, you might have difficulty locating this product. Our emails and attempts to contact Keter met with a great deal of cryptic responses and unanswered questions. We were unable to get additional information from them as to where interested readers could purchase the Keter MasterCart. My Keter MasterCart was purchased at a local warehouse type store and was not even prominently displayed on the store shelf. A quick visit to some of the local hardware/ home improvement stores didn’t reveal any additional Keter MasterCarts, either. However, we saw products from companies such as Stanley and Plano that were offered features similar to those of the Keter MasterCart. If, like me, you are longing to find a Keter MasterCart, hopefully, your inquiries to Keter will meet with more success. Keter is manufactured in Israel by Keter Plastics Ltd.
A Look Inside The Top
A look at the top of the MasterCart detached from the bottom of the unit.
With the top of the MasterCart detached from the bottom tub, let’s look inside the top compartment. The top is basicially divided into five unique storage areas, the first of which are the left and right top bins.
The top of the MasterCart with both top lid doors open.
After opening the lid on the left-hand side top bin, you can see there are several important and readily available devices, the first of which is the Logitech MouseMan Traveler. The MouseMan Traveler is a USB, or PS2, compatible mini optical mouse that is stored in its own leather pouch. While the MouseMan might be an expensive accessory, its compact size and high impact performance make it an important and vital addition to any technician’s toolbox. If you want to opt for a less pricey mouse-pointing device, any USB/PS2 enabled device will do. Mouse failures are more common than you might think. With the advent of cheaper mouse technology, it is very important to have a reliable ‘rodent’ on hand for testing and troubleshooting.
A look at the left side of the top where MouseMan Traveler and other small items are located.
A Look Inside The Top, Continued
Next, I also carry an outlet circuit tester. The ability to test an outlet for proper polarity and grounding is often required. These devices are relatively cheap and are manufactured by a variety of sources. The circuit tester that I use is manufactured by TrippLite. In addition to these major items, I also carry a small quantity of solder, a CD Rom/DVD Rom audio pass-through cable, and some USB to PS2 converters.
The right-hand side of the top is where I store my Linksys USB100M portable USB NIC, as well as a selection of rails and slot covers, that will meet the needs of almost any situation.
In the right-hand top of the MasterCart, you will find a selection of rails, slot covers, thermal compound, and Leviton RJ45 punch down tools. In addition to those useful items, maybe the most important item that should not be overlooked is the unique Linksys EtherFast 10-100 Compact USB Network Adapter (USB100M). This compact USB device provides the ability to quickly plug into most computers via the USB port to test and troubleshoot network connectivity issues. Despite its compact size, the USB100M, which is no larger than about three dimes sitting end to end, provides a quick and cost effective way to check network connectivity issues without having to crack the system open and install a new NIC.
I also usually keep a No. 2 pencil in the same compartment where the rails and slot covers are housed, which comes in handy for various network and other chores where marking is required.
A look at the top tray that resides under the top of the MasterCart. The same tray design is used for the bottom tray, as well.
A Look Inside The Top, Continued
Opening the lid on the top compartment reveals the upper top tray. The upper top tray is where I store my ‘bread and butter’ tools, the tools that I regularly use and need quick access to. Over time, I have found that this is the best place to house tools that I need readily accessible, since this space also offers added security and the protection of being housed within the main compartment of the top box.
Here is the selection of items that I leave in the top tray. Perhaps the two biggest items of note are my favorite Snap On Screw Driver set, as well as my trusty Antec ATX Power Supply Tester. Both of these are very important items for me that I have learned to never leave home without.
In the top tray, you will find a MiniMag flashlight, a Leatherman PST II, a Torx T10 and Torx T15 screwdriver, a 3/16 inch nut driver, a 1/4 inch nut driver, an Antec ATX power supply tester, a small whisk brush, a interchangeable head mini screwdriver, a 12-foot tape measure, a variety of chip pullers, a variety of tweezers, a screw retrieval device, a six-inch crescent wrench, a spare standard ATX port back, and a four-piece SDDX40 Snap On Screw Driver Set.
The Snap On SDDX40 four-piece screwdriver has become my mainstay screwdriver that I use for both flat head and Philips head jobs. While many may consider Snap On Tools expensive, Snap On Tools have served me well for the last five years. It is possible to purchase a multi-selectable head screwdriver that can be substituted for individual screwdrivers; however, I find that I get better performance and control by using individual screwdrivers. The most important feature to bear in mind when selecting a screwdriver, nut driver, or Torx driver is to choose those parts with a strong track record against head wear. Many cheaper tools will not last, and if you are going to seriously use these tools on a daily basis, it is worth the investment to choose higher quality tools in order to prevent replacing the same tools over and over again.
The Leatherman PST II is another tool that always should have a home in any technician’s toolbox. With its flexible, selectable multifunctionality, the Leatherman is perhaps one of the most useful tools that any technician could own. If you were on the road with your laptop and could only carry one tool with you, then this is the tool to carry. As a matter of fact, I always carry a Leatherman in my laptop case as well as in my toolbox – you can’t have too many Leathermans.
A Look Inside The Top, Continued
One additional very useful tool, to address all of the power supply problems that most technicians encounter, is the Antec Power Supply tester. This little gem of a device is able to tell you if the power supply you are using is good or bad, as indicated by the little green light on the ATX power supply connector located on the end of the device. While this does not supply voltage readings, it does indicate whether or not the power supply is working in the system on which you are working.
Below the tray resides the area where I keep more of my heavy tools. This includes a selection of pliers and screwdrivers and a variety of other tools that I find helpful in many situations.
The bottom compartment below the top tray is home to an assortment of tools. These tools include pliers, wire strippers, RoboGrips, cable clips, an interchangeable small bit mini Torx screwdriver set, a variety of flat head and Philips head screwdrivers, as well as a 14-piece precision screwdriver set and drill bits. The assortment of pliers that is contained in this area of the toolbox may seem puzzling to those who don’t use pliers often for the building or repair of computers. I find that it is necessary to have needle nose and regular pliers in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit every possible situation. Pliers can often be helpful in a variety of situations where large hands can’t fit in between the compressed spaces of today’s typical computers.
These tools are at the heart of the mainstream repair requirements for most situations. In addition to all of these tools, also located in this area are both an AMD Socket A and Socket 478 P4 heat sink. These heat sinks are perhaps two of the most important items that a computer technician will replace on a regular basis. Fan failures on today’s heat sinks are commonplace, and there is nothing worse than being unable to run to the computer store to purchase a heat sink in the wee hours of the morning when the store is closed. In most cases, in a pinch, any high quality heat sink will do. Currently, I use the Thermaltake Volcano 6Cu+ and the P4 Volcano 478. These heat sinks are relatively inexpensive and provide a reasonable amount of performance for their cost. No toolbox is complete without having spare heat sinks on hand. These are one of the most high priority replacement items that you should stock on a regular basis.
The realatively inexpensive Thermaltake Volcano 6Cu+ and P4 Volcano 478 are two examples of heat sinks that make good road replacements. While they might not be the most high performance heat sinks, they do work well enough for most normal situations, and if you have to give them to a computer in need, you are not out a lot of money, so they are cost effective to keep stocked in your toolbox. Of course, if you can, you can always bill the customer for the cost of the replacement heat sink.
A Look Inside The Top, Continued
As I mentioned earlier in this article, I like screwdrivers that are more individually tailored for specific tasks. In some ways, this might go against the grain of conventional wisdom. However, I find that the high quality professional series Craftsman screwdrivers that I use are reliable and give me a better comfort level when dealing with tricky repairs or installations.
The variety of drill bits that I stock can be used with any drill and are mostly used for networking-related repair or installation situations. I would not consider these to be mandatory for most technicians, but they can come in very handy. Another one of the most interesting tools that I find very handy to have is the RoboGrip. RoboGrip pliers allow you to gain leverage in tricky situations where you must bear down on a part or device with a grip that you are assured will not let go. There are other tools that I sometimes carry in this compartment, such as a RayTek Digital Thermometer and an RJ-45 cable tester. Again, these two items are not mandatory and are not needed on a regular basis.
The front tray slides into the front of the top of the MasterCart, and it is held there by a latch that slides up and down to grant access.
Sliding the front lever up allows the removal of the see-through compartmentalized front tray. This tray comes equipped with flexible dividers that allow configuration of the tray in a variety of formats. This tray is where the most basic of items are located. In this tray are a variety of standard and micro jumpers, cable ties, cable clips, power converters, CMOS batteries, screws and standoffs in many shapes and sizes.
The types of computer cases you regularly work on will dictate the variety of screws and screw sizes that you will need to carry. In most cases, I have found that the standard, most universal screw sizes are all that I need to stock. Different screw head varieties, however, do come in handy, especially when dealing with finicky cases that require smoother head sizing in order for rails to properly fit inside a case. The rule of thumb when choosing what parts to carry in this genre will be dictated by your field experiences.
A Look Inside The Bottom
The bottom tray is a little bit bigger than the top tray, but it is of the same design. Being a little deeper, there is capacity for more stuff in the bottom tray.
Located in the bottom half of the MasterCart unit is the bottom tray. The bottom tray uses the same type of design and format that the top tray does. The bottom tray, however, is a little deeper than the top one. Contained in the bottom tray are tools that I do not use on a regular basis; however, they are important tools that I use for more specialized situations. In the bottom tray you will find the following: crimpers, punch down tool, scissors, wire tie gun, soldering iron, small drywall saw, 6-in-1 scraper, small hammer, can of compressed air, and a small torpedo level.
As you can see, the tools in the bottom tray have a common theme of networking. These are some of the tools that are required if you are installing or maintaining computer networks. The 6-in-1 scraper tool is also very handy for installing and removing stubborn heat sinks. Beyond that, these tools are some of the more expensive and exotic tools that are optional in a toolbox, depending on the type of work you regularly do.
The bottom base bin is home to many of the replacement items that I normally carry with me. In addition, I also carry my floppy disks and CD-ROMs that have much of the required software to cover just about any task.
The final bottom bin of the MasterCart is where much of the replacement items, as well as my regular software items, are located. Although it might appear to be cluttered, it really isn’t when you consider the ample size of the bottom bin of the MasterCart.
A Look Inside The Bottom, Continued
First, I carry a Happy Hacking Keyboard Lite 2. This keyboard is manufactured by a company known as PFU, which is owned by Fujitsu. The keyboard size is very compact, and is about half the size of a letter-sized piece of paper. Measuring only 11.57 x 4.74 x 1.52 inches, this PS/2 keyboard has bailed me out of more than one jam. With its compact size and light weight, it is easy to carry along while you are on the road. Keyboard failures have become more commonplace than they once were, with manufacturers continuing to reduce the cost of a typical computer keyboard by using cheaper parts. While not inexpensive, the Happy Hacking Keyboard 2 is extremely functional. Due to its compressed size, it sports an expensive cost of about $70 US, which might put it out of reach of all but the most diehard of technicians needing this functionality.
Replacement cards come in handy for a variety of situations. Normally, you should carry at least a basic AGP video card, as well as a PCI Network Card. I carry an ATI Radeon 8500 AGP video card and a 3Com 3C905C-TXM. These cards are stable and easy to install, and can save valuable time when trying to isolate video or network card failure. It is possible to substitute the video card or network card that is most prevalent in the environment that you serve for the two video cards mentioned above.
Next, cables are another failure point where you can be assured that if you don’t have them with you, you will surely need them. I carry an RJ-45 ten-foot crossover cable and standard network cable, as well as a typical seven-foot patch cable. Network cables aren’t the only points of failure within cables. Telephone cables are also prone to problems. I carry both an eight-foot and 15-foot replacement cable to replace modem cables that have failed. When troubleshooting cabling problems, it is almost quicker to replace the suspect cable rather than spending the time to test it.
Power cables are also an overlooked item. I normally carry a standard power cable, as well as a Trip-Lite Surge Suppressor with me. The Trip-Lite Model PS5503M is handy. While designed for laptops, it can be carried for temporary use in a situation where the current surge suppressor has been fried. While I use this only temporarily, to get the user back up and running until such a time as I can replace the PS5503M with a more suitable replacement, it is surprising how many computer users will simply plug their computer right into the wall after a surge suppression failure. (If the surge suppressor has been fried, you would think most users would realize that it’s not wise to plug the computer directly into the wall. I guess not, thus the need for this device.)
While we are on the subject of cables, more frequently than I would like to point out, IDE cables fail. Often the occasion for this failure happens when an IDE cable comes into contact with a heat sink within the system and melts through the cable. It is a good idea to carry several IDE cables in both the ATA100 and the ATA33 designs. Further, you will want to make sure that you have them in a variety of lengths, as IDE cables are not a ‘one size fits all’ product, unless you don’t mind having a lot of slack left over in the cable line.
A Look Inside The Bottom, Continued
Previously, we talked about fans of the heat sink variety. Fans do fail, and when they fail, they get very loud. When this happens, users complain. Stocking a few replacement fans, of both the 60mm and 80mm varieties, is essential. In addition to being able to use the 80mm fans as replacements, I also carry adapters to convert them from four-pin to three-pin, depending on a system or motherboard’s requirements. The 60mm fans also come in handy as potential heat sink replacement fans, as many heat sinks of the modern era now use 60mm fans. In most situations where it is possible, you can swap out the 60mm fan from the defective heat sink and replace it. After all, in most cases, these 60mm fans are held to the heat sink with nothing more than four bolts.
Other important items to have on hand if you work with laptops are IDE 2.5 inch to IDE 3.5 inch hard drive adapters. Such adapters can allow you to connect a stubborn or defective laptop hard drive to a desktop computer. In many situations, these adapters can be used to expedite data recovery from finicky laptop hard drives. A quick data recovery tip is to connect the worrisome laptop hard drive to a desktop computer and recover the data that way. If the laptop hard drive is running using the NTFS file system, you will have to connect the drive to a system that supports NTFS. Another use for these adapters is to use a desktop computer to clone laptop drive to laptop drive. This comes in handy if you do not want to go through the process of handling this hard drive upgrade in another way. These adapters can be difficult to find, but there are a variety of sources on the Internet that do sell them. However, if you do not work on laptops or notebooks that use the IDE 2.5 inch drives, then there is no need for you to have these adapters.
A spare hard drive has saved me a lot of time and effort more than once. Usually, you don’t have to carry an elaborate or expensive drive. In my case, I carry a standard 20GB 7200 RPM Western Digital hard drive. This hard drive can be used as a slave to rescue files from a damaged drive or as a test drive in situations where the user’s hard drive is suspect, or just as a temporary holding area for cloning drive to drive. The uses and obvious reasons for carrying a hard drive should not be underestimated. Even an older, small hard drive can come in handy. With the abundance of cheap, small, older hard drives, there is no reason why you shouldn’t carry a spare.
No matter how far current technology has come, one item that many technicians overlook is carrying along a box of blank diskettes. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I have been faced with a situation where all I needed was a blank diskette to copy the latest BIOS flash for a motherboard, or a small driver file to get a device up and running when I didn’t have Internet access. Until something appears that replaces floppy disks, all technicians should be carrying at least several blank floppy disks. (USB Flash Memory devices that can be plugged into the USB port using default Windows Mass Storage Drivers can also be helpful to have on hand as well.) One word of caution: use decent quality diskettes, as often, if the floppy drive is the problem, you will become increasingly frustrated trying to determine whether the floppy drive or your diskette is causing the problem. At times I even carry a replacement floppy drive, but I didn’t happen to have one in my toolbox when I took these photos.
A Look Inside The Bottom, Continued
Software in its many forms, diskette or CD-Rom, can rescue you from many jams. I carry a comprehensive amount of software to handle virtually any situation. These utilities, whether diskette or CD-based, should be a priority. There is no excuse for not having a Windows Startup disk, as well as some basic DOS-based diagnostics, in order to run basic tests to isolate potential problems. In addition, for those times when you are working on a system without high speed Internet access, service packs and updates on CD can be helpful friends that will save you valuable time. A look through my CD case reveals an extensive collection of software.
Here are some suggestions of CDs that you should have in your toolbox if you work on multiple systems that all have different operating systems.
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows ME
- Microsoft Windows NT4
- Microsoft Windows 2000
- Microsoft Windows XP Home and Professional
- Partition Magic
- Norton System Works 2002
- Norton or McAfee Anti Virus
- Driver CD with latest drivers for common hardware
- Hard Disk Recovery Software
Nothing is worse that working on a system and not having the necessary CAB files in order to fix a problem. Often times, this is one of the most overlooked areas for problems. I have seen situations that would have been easily solved if the technician had the right software. Many techs also carry a laptop on which resides most of the software that they need; however, it can cause problems if you have to configure the system to get connected to the network, and if you already have a network problem, this just adds more steps to an already difficult situation.
Conclusion: A Necessary Evil For The Working Technician
Toolboxes of all shapes and sizes will continue to be a necessary evil for most working technicians. Many companies expect their technicians to supply their own tools. Due to shrinking corporate budgets for technology, this will become more common and more crucial. If you are in a situation where you need to have these types of tools, this article should give you some idea of where to start.
While there is room for improvement and debate over what is or is not valuable to carry along, this may help give you the information from which to build your own ultimate toolbox. The tools in this toolbox may not resolve every issue, but the vast majority of problems can be addressed with this tool set. It is always interesting to think about what tools we carry, and why we carry them. Certainly, the tools that we carry will evolve as technology evolves. Writing this article now makes me think about what types of tools I will be carrying two years from now.