Check Out the ULTIMATE CARPENTRY CHECKLIST!! *Get your free interactive ebook here* : www.thehonestcarpenter.com/the-ultimate-carpentry-checklist This *150-item Visual Glossary* covers every important topic in carpentry. Check off the tools you have, the concepts you understand. And if you don't know a topic, just click on it for an explanation. Every carpenter and DIYer needs this free guide!
agreed but being a 'brand snub" will actually save you money in the case for cordless power tools since rechargable batteries arent standarized whoch means each brand' batteries arent interchangable across brands so. it pays to invest from the start on the highest quality brand for your first cordless power tool like makita or milwalkee so you can use any of those expensive batteries and chargers for more than one tool
This video was like watching a surgeon go over everything on a surgery tray. Watching an expert explain why they use everything they use and how, it's always a learning experience. Thank you for always making us a bit more skilled one video at a time
@@timwilson2920 same here. I am in my mid-fifties and spent many years on and off working with different contractors that were nothing but a joke. We never work full-time and I never learned anything, they always kept me as a general laborer only. To have a young man like this that helps show you how to do stuff would be awesome!
Yes a belt is everything on carpentry and demo work. I agree. The big mistake was that I overloaded it. Now I just carry what I need to get the job done because those things get heavy over time. Great video. I love the look of your show. Came a long way from when you first moved in.
I just retire after 22 years from the USCG and was hired on as a carpenter/woodworker with minimal experience. Your videos has been extremely useful as I transition into this new trade for me. Thank you so much for posting your episode and sharing your experience, it is much appreciated.
Just another DIYr. Thank you for your service. Best of luck on your new venture. Btw - I found Ethan's video on common injuries and mistakes very helpful.
The main thing I see absent in your tool belt is the large flat bar. On your last video I said I put mine in the loop of my left bag, where the belt goes. This is the thing, for all you wondering what to put in your bag. What ever you use the most and need all the time is what you tote. You'll figure that out soon enough. My carpentry days are almost over but I'll tell anyone this, I would not trade what I have learned for any job or any amount of money in the whole world. When you can build and fix your own stuff, nothing compares.
Hello Ethan! I just wanted to thank you for your insight and videos about being a handy man. I was raised by a single mother and had limited experience with tools and handy work. Recently my mother has had severe health problems and we have lost our previous home. Your videos have helped me create a tool set and knowledge base I can use to turn a piece of shit RV into a home. Please continue making videos and helping those of us men and women who never had someone to teach us how to be crafty. Thank you again!
Aw, I really hope that everything is going well for you an also your ma🥺🥰 i know that idk you, but I am v glad to hear you were able to do that to your RV!!😊🥳
I kinda fell in to a carpenter belt, I need to set it up for weekend projects! My go to belt is a rod buster belt! Been wearing one for oh my gosh 40 years now wow ! And I make all my leather , pouches , bolt bags, reel pad, and tape holder! Been doing leather work for 25 years, most of my co workers are sporting all my goods . Soon as the carpenters find out it’s me making the leather bags they always hit me up for stuff! It’s a pretty good feeling!! Thanks
Great video. I really need to spend the money on that rig. I've had a nice padded Occidental belt for 25+ years with cheap bags and suspenders. That looks like the ideal set up for all around carpenters like us. UPDATE: I hinted to my wife what a nice set up the Occidental is. Santa gave me a beautiful rig. Full framer with the suspension. Now after 28+ years using a hodgepodge of different bags and belts, I finally have the Cadillac! Life is good. I told my wife that she overspent on me. She quickly replied, "Nonsense, it's a gift that keeps on giving." She knows she can get whatever she wants built if I have the right equipment.
I'm right handed but I like my tape measure on my left , to pick it up with my left hand and through out the end of it fast and accurately to the end of the object I'm measuring.
When I was installing stained cabinets at a housing development I used to remove my bags to protect my work. My foreman almost fired me because he said I didn't look professional enough while installing the cabinets. I tried to be logical about the issue but he stood his ground. So I started wearing my bags and he checked on me everyday for a month to make sure I was following his orders. He never noticed the bags where completely empty........ Construction can be fun and stupid sometimes.
I installed cabinets for years. I took the bags off for that. Also, if that guy was being an a hole, you should have flipped him off and told him to sit and spin
Fwiw I only carry the bare minimum for the job required, ie if framing I just have one lightweight nail bag ,16 oz curved claw hammer ,32mm chisel, 8 metre tape measure ,Stanley knife, sliding square, chalk line and pencil . I have a homemade carry all that goes with me for all the other hand tools including cold chisel ,screwdrivers, nail puller,hand saw ,pliers ,spanners ,drill bits ,small level etc and I utilize tools as required . Keeping the weight down helps reduce fatigue and lower back problems .
I used to have a hard plastic toolbox with all the tools I carry for the job site, actually around the house or when helping family members...now I switched to a bucket organizer and I'm very happy with it. Any tool has its place so it easy to find and keep my tools in a good shape. I have a leather belt which I use to carry few tools when I want to work up in a ladder or moving fast from a to b.....
I spent years as a DIYer carting gear around in shopping baskets. Finally made the switch to a well set up belt, and so glad I did. Saved ratting around every weekend for stuff that now lives on the kit belt.
Where you keep you nippers is where alot of us old schoolers store and use a dedicated cats paw with flat end the flat end is great at recessing nails you can't quite get to with the hammer or the claw end when striking, the combo paw just floats around in right hand bag, usually gets loaned to helpers. Myself I use the oxys, 1 bag set up for framing with spendys, another the oxy lights for finish work, and other bags set up just for drywall, roofing, and electrical, so no swapping tools in and out, dedicated bags and tools for each trade. Usually the hand me down tools from finish work go to drywall or roofing like tape measures etc don't have to be as accurate.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 ty, yah got tired of swapping tools around, or trashing tools for certain trades to go back and use them for say finish work etc plus ruining good bags like the oxys for drywall for example, a bit of an investment for sure but worth it in the long run for sure
Bought my first tool belt last year. Used a bucket or box before. Just finally put into a position that my diy work covers acreage rather than the kitchen or backyard. Love your tool belt and I’m sure it was a pretty penny, but well worth it. Love the custom space for the speed square. Years ago this old house showed how to make a holder from square extrusion.
I read through a lot of comments thinking I'd find one and go "that's a good idea. I should grab one of those" It was all thank yous though 😆 Keep doing your thing man, you helping a lot of people
For the record the painters tool is usually sold in poundshops (dollar stores) as well as most prybars, not many tools worth buying from there but those 2 are fine.
Nice! I used to use my nips to cut the heads off finish nails to use as a bit to pre drill holes for screws or nails. Also carried a Yankee screwdriver back in the day!
As a landlord DIYer, I use a tool bag. Most my jobs don't have me moving around great distances, rather working on something at a "spot". It contains everything you listed, plus cordless drill, jewelers screwdrivers, set of Allen wrenches in both SAE and metric, scissors, glass scraper, more chisel sizes, drill bit set, larger flat prybar (in addition to catspaw), extra cordless battery, abrasive pads, 1.5" angled paintbrush, small vicegrips, larger/longer angled adjustable pliers, assorted putty knives, small roll of paper towels, trash bag, headlamp... Note nowadays your phone can replace some, like a bullet level, flashlight, measurement conversion app, "glasses" (via camera) for reading small instructions, etc. I have separate electrical toolbox and plumbing toolbox for those tasks, but the bag has all the common stuff for generic tasks.
I bought those bags and suspenders after watching your first video on them. I gotta say I love them and the only thing I did was add a klien bolt bag where you have your hammer loop in the back and put my hammer loop between my right hand bag and the loop for the suspenders. If anyone gets these bags also know that the suspenders loop tends to fall off the belt. I found a fix using Velcro if anyone had this problem I’ll explain what I did. Anyways great video!
I am completing a 6 month pre-apprenticeship course in carpentry. Our college loaned us most (we don’t do finishing work) of the tools you mentioned with the exception of linesman’s pliers instead of needle nose pliers. The school has been in business for 50 years - 50 years of red seal experience agrees with you on your tool selection. I’m not sure the US has a red seal designation for trades; you earn it after 4 years (28 weeks) of apprentice schooling and 4 years of apprenticeship and after passing a national examination.
@@doalex2085 Ceiling grid wires, retying rebar to get ties thru, just as good as nippers to pull a hard to reach nail or trim nails, etc. I would sub the linesman's for his slip-joint, and keep needle-nose. Concrete Form work a good ironworkers plier and dikes (diagonal cutters) are a must.
Quit my job as a landscape construction foreman a little over a year ago.. watched this video and mimicked the setup (with a cheap DeWalt belt not Occidental). Showed up to my first day as a carpenter, and bought a new power tool every month foer the next 6. Impressed the guys who hired me so much that within the first year, I earn 35% more as their apprentice than I did as the foreman landscaping. They commented.. "Hiring you was the best decision we ever made." Thanks for helping me start on the right foot. Hoping more folks benefit from this the way I did.
I use all of these tools. I like a fluorescent green utility knife so I can find it in the dark. I used to use those earplugs, but they gave me a nasty ear infection, that cost me some hearing. Ironic. I now use big, over the ear ones. They won't make me go deaf.
Worn a tool built for decades, and the way you presented your opinions and preferences has given me pause. I'm never against taking as many looks as necessary to improve how I go about performing my various construction tasks. Nicely done, useful, and relevant. Thankyou.
i wear overalls as work in scotland and not that warm here, things i got in them for my job in a timber frame factory are, Stanley knife, the double blade one, so i got a clean blade for cutting paper and a blade for plaster board, also have to change blades less often as change them both when they blunt. also carry a nail punch, a spacer for osb, air hose valve to hose bench down of saw dust. when i worked with my dad in his general building company, i made tool boxes up with all the tools needed for certain jobs, that way once we work out what is needed for that job, just carry the tool boxes in out the van. set them up in the corner of the room and no need to have a tool belt getting in the way when going through doors and just take the tools with you as you need them in the room or outside.
I like my ryobi 25ft measure. Bought it for like 11 bucks plus shipping on eBay, and its good. It’s comfortable, decent standout, blade is rigid enough and barely ever bends or twists on me. Lock is nice to use. Don’t get me wrong, I also have a powerlock that i keep around the house for quick measurements, but im totally gonna stick with my ryobi for most use
I recently started residential construction (from clearing the lot to passing the keys to the customer). I have a maximum tool belt with lots of storage and carry just about everything you have in there, you really can't do any task unprepared. If its in your belt you'll find a use for it.
Quick tip, don't let your tape measure slam closed it stretches out the tab at the end over time and is less accurate, put your finger in between when letting it closes it softens the blow when closing
I like using the cat's paw with the flat trim head opposite the nail head. Pretty much accomplishes the flat trim bar function and cat's paw function in one tool. Of course, it's not quite a thin as the trim bar. All this other stuff is good. I do favor the classic Estwing hammers tho, and I am kinda snobbish about that. Lol. I also like lineman pliers, instead of needle nose or slip-lock pliers.
I use a Douglas wooden, maple handle. As a younger carpenter I blew out my wrists framing during the day, and then drums in a band at night. It really helped absorb the shock.
Half of your setup was identical to mine, and I learned a few things that I want to try! Same bags, (but I'm not completely happy with them), same cat's paw, knife, tape, torpedo level, pliers, chisels and sawdust/debris. Thinking I need to look at carrying a demo screwdriver and a 5-in-one...
As a son of a carpenter, my father never used a belt but me now, on my way to be a carpenter (2nd degree. 1st is a laboratory technician) I will get one. I find this very useful. I'll try to buy one and to have it on me while working. Awesome tips and thank you!
Spent 20 years as a carpenter. Agree with your choices except I started when I was older than you now. I watched the weight of every tool carefully. As I aged it really mattered that I keep my tool belt as light as possible. That said my chosen belt was the same as yours except I had the first version of the same belt. Well done video.
Personally I use a bucket but then I am just a home owner doing jobs around the house. Most of my woodworking is done in my shop. That belt looks awesome but also very heavy. Thanks for the tooltoral
Great video! You mentioned you dont sharpen tools on the job, might I recommend that if you’re using a lot of chisels or sharp tools on a job, that you keep a round tool sharpener in your belt. I use a lot of sharp tools on certain jobs including axes, chisels, knives, lawnmowers, even scythes and having one of those little disk sharpeners has definitely saved me a huge amount of time.
Gotta love the realism and honesty of sharing the sawdust and leaves inventory with us 😂 The fact that you're the type of guy who isn't going to vacuum/clean out your tool belt before a video like this, so we can see the ordinary humble honest everyday reality instead of some disingenuous polished standard nobody really lives up to, is what we all love about you and your content lol. Thanks for another great video!
Nah, Wandel says that to fix a bad cut or joint, you put glue and sawdust on it to conceal the imperfections. Sawdust is, in fact, helpful for carpenters.
I'm building my own house in Portugal (a small wood, straw and clay 40 square meter house) for the past year and, man, if only i had discovered your channel sooner. I had zero building/carpentry experience so i would've saved lots of time and money and i would've surely enjoyed myself at the building site a lot more (using the right tools for the right job). You explain everything so well and without ego bullshit getting in the way. Awesome content. All the best to you and your project.
I'm building a shed in my back yard and have wasted an enormous amount of time looking for the the measuring tape, hammer, pencil, drill, etc. I now own a tool belt and found your video to be extremely helpful. Thank you.
I have a tool belt but never used it. Pulled it out after 6 years and came across this video. I was the type that had a organized set up for my jobs, fold out tables. One was strictly power tools and tool boxes under what they're for, like flooring and drywall stuff. Another table strictly for all fasteners and handtools. Gave me a visual, but as time is moving on and getting more into bigger jobs it was time. Thanks for the insite.
This was by far my favorite video! I’m grabbing this tool belt I’ve been looking for one mine holds the speed square cumbersome… I always carry a cats paw it’s my favorite tool!!!
Those fatlips are like $350. Suspenders another $125. Its an investment though. It's well worth it if you wear them everyday. If just a diy'er, I'd recommend AWP from lowes
I use to wear a tool belt as an electrician. Since I’m retired and just do work around the house, I now have a large rolling mechanics tool box in the garage that stores all the tools I’ve acquired over the years. Needless to say it’s quite full.
50 years ago I invested in a tool belt not unlike yours. It has a 4" wide leather best lined with sheepskin for comfort and nylon pouches like yours. I carry very nearly the exact inventory in the same locations as you do. ( I also have an antique voltage tester with 6' leads and a tiny neon bulb.) It has served me up and down both coasts, from concrete forms to cabinetry.
I got a grrande diamond back tool belt. On my right side an estwing 22 oz or my Vaughn 19 oz , chalk box, gloves, ear protection, safety glasses, lineman’s pliers, but extensions and random fasteners. For my non dominant, speed square, tape measure, trim square and my cats paw and a nail set
I currently have two Occidental Leather setup's. One is an all leather finishing rig designed for trim work and I have a ballistic nylon setup for framing. I can swap my stronghold suspenders from one rig to the next as needed. I try to keep a minimal about of tools in my belt. Normally I carry a 10/12/16oz Stiletto with straight claw and timber handle, 8" catspaw, 6" combi square, speed square, two nail punches, utility knife, Stanley tape measure, channel lock pincers, sharpie, carpenters pencil, pica mechanical pencil. Those are the tools I nearly always have on me, 👍🔨🇮🇪
Occidental pouches are he best. I like to set myself up for the type of work I am doing. Framing, trim, siding, roofing. Whichever one I am doing, I have the “core” tools in my bags, nearby I have a bag with all the other ones that I carry for other jobs, plus a few others I often need. This way I can carry only the weight of what i will likely use but have the other stuff nearby for when I need it. I always have my eye/ear protection, speed square, utility knife, pencil and tape measure, nail sets, and usually my end nipper pliers. Other than that it varies. Sometimes the hammer is even in the way, like when installing cabinets. The last thing you want to do is gouge the side of a nice cabinet with your hammer claw. Anyway, good video.
It's amazing that I almost carry the exact same tools, except I have snips for siding and gutter and metal roofing. I have a Japanese cats paw with one flat side that acts as a chisel, pry bar and many other things. I've never found another one like it and it's my favorite tool!
I own the bucket boss framers rig. Only use it for building decks , fill both large pockets with screws off I go. I am looking for interior trim belt . Not sure of the better brand, Diamond back Occidental leather Or a cool name Dead On
I need a tool belt. Can’t believe I’m just now realizing that. You have a knack for making videos on critical details that are probably so obvious to most pros that they don’t think about them, but not at all obvious to the rest of us.
I'm sold! Youre system is practical and smart and addresses alot of the things I and other diy ers run into when attempting home improvement jobs! Keep these type of vids coming! Thanks for the insight and wisdom of your years of experience!
As you say can be very helpful to put the tool belt on and get used to where you keep everything so that it is pretty automatic to reach for the right tool when you need it .And force yourself to the discipline of PUTTING EACH TOOL BACK WHERE YOU KEEP IT IN THE BELT . Then it becomes a chore to figure out which tools to keep in the bag generally . I am for keeping the weight down as much as possible . I lost 2 inches of height years ago which I think was due to lugging that belt around . Yes straight claw is the way to go for a hammer. I have used an Estwing 12 ounce for years because i did mostly finish work .A small machinist square is better than a "try "square . I have tried numerous mechanical pencils over the years . I generally prefer them over a pencil I have to sharpen . But I use a pretty thick lead mech. pencils so it will also work well for framing type work.and generally not break the lead so often . I think finish carpenters do more precise framing than straight framing carpenters . I have come to keep a RETRACTABLE Sharpie type pen too. Got tired of hassling with the lids . The Bic Intensity works well .I have always used what I call end nips for pulling nails and some other things .[cutting , dealing with small nuts , opening beer bottles , picking your teeth ,etc. [Do all you can to avoid having to go back to the truck to get something !] And I have settled on utility knives with break off blades since it seems that most of the use for a knife involves the point . Like you I keep a couple of nail sets . I think that dates back to when I used to drive finish nails and set the nails by hand . But they don't weigh much and still come in handy some times .I also keep an assortment of screw driver tips for my cordless drill driver . I wish the industry could settle on one kind of driver for most fasteners . #2 phillips would be A-ok with me for most applications , but Nooooooo, we have to have assorted types and sizes of star drives , square drives , phillips , etc ,etc . Pain in the ass ! I also keep a few sizes of magnetic nut drivers [ 1/4 and 5/16 mostly ] And as for the assortment of debris that inevitably ends up in the bottom of the pockets of my apron , to get driven up under my fingernails , sometimes I find something in there useful . But every decade or so I will use a magnet and shop vac to clean them out . As for tape measures I long ago settled on the 1 or so inch wide and stiff blades , 16 feet long which offer about 8 feet of "stand out " before they will droop .Stanleys are good . I take the clip off the back of them and slip it into a pocket to avoid the hassle and time consumption of trying to get the hook on the back to engage a holder . I put the assorted fasteners I am using on the left side as well as tools that I use typicaly with my left hand since i am right handed . Like wise the right side is used to hold the tools I use with my right hand . Duh ! I also have as you showed a mini pry bar in my apron . I think Stanley originated them and called them the Wonder Bar . I call it the Vunder Bar . Darn handy little gadgets . I have tried to position my hammer holster so that my hammer handle does not beat me in the knees . Also I use the metal version holder wrapped with tape . The metal version is easier to get your hammer into than the leather ones . and the cushiony tape keeps it from clanging around so much . Hey .....you asked
I use 3 different belt setups and what’s in them depends on the day and what I’m doing that day as I do many different trades at my company .. I can say I always have a framing hammer, Cats paw, Torpedo lighted level, Tape measure, Pencil & Marker, magnetic bit holder, flat blade screwdriver, Utility knife, and whatever fasteners I may be using for that job..
Do you ever need a small length of cordage? I carry a 10’ piece of paracord to tie things up sometimes. Like a piece of duct work that’s sketchy or even nuisance tree branches if digging outside. It weighs nothing and really turns out to be useful when you have it. 👍
I order paracord by the spool. You are correct, it is the most useful thing you can have around in a pinch. You can improve the grip of a took by winding paracord around it, it can be used to tie your pants leg around your boot tops when you are working in a flea infested barn, you can tie loops in both ends and put it over a rafter to hold a work light. And this is just this week’s uses. :)
8:47 Yesss! Nippers! When you do the nippers video, tell us if there is a way to sharpen them. Not a carpenter, but they are fabulous for electrical cutting smaller than 10AWG, and several other things, super handy.
I'm really glad you add a close up of yourself negating with your head after you said "in this pouch i also carry a lot of saw dust and leaves, cause those things are really helpfull for carpenters"
@@TheHonestCarpenter Understood, Ethan. And knowing which to buy for the long run on your show has given me peace of mind. So thank you again. You do humanity a great service. 😶
once or twice a year fatmax tapes are on sale for 16$ two packs so thats what i use, dalluge hammer is the best for formwork and framing,dewalt rebar tying pliers, estwing prybar with the blue grip cut off, stanley 99 knife,tajima chalk line and plumb rite,swanson square,fuller 1 1/4 chisel
10:56 as someone newly getting into this stuff I just want to say. If you didn’t shake your head I legitimately would’ve looked up what to use those for. My first though was like how climbers use chalk 😅
Female here who loves tools. Looking for something similar to what you use but I want a lumbar support type of belt. Really good video, thank you for putting this out
My advice? Get a solid ballistic nylon belt with suspenders. But let most of the weight go on your hips. Also, don't overload it. Our host has everything but the kitchen sink in his. I empty the bag out after a job, then fill it depending on the upcoming job. You won't need a speed square if you are running cables. But you will need cable clamps, pliers, cat's paw, pencils, etc. Just my advice.
Since I’ve just gotten into your channel, and emails, I just watched this video. Awesome advice, and thanks for the links. I am a weekend warrior. I have a new tool belt, and surprisingly I have some of the same items. Since I’m not as in depth as you and others, mine is set up with basic items, but it suits me fine. Thank you.
I am just so fortunate to have stumbled across your videos! Seriously, cannot say thank you enough! Please keep doing what you're doing. And, as I'm confidently assuming that you are happily married, tell your wife she did goooood! 😏 The knowledge I've gained from your videos is outstanding! Keep it up! Thanks So Much!❤
I love a good tool belt. A DIY can use a cheap belt. I live ballistic nylon, but uard to find these days. Go to the house me center and try a few on. Suspenders are really useful... especially since I have more belly fat than I'd like. (Hint: women love a guy with a well-used tool belt.)
Everyone has their own preferences on their bags…I worked in Oregon where it rained quite a bit and you worked in it or you never would work in the winter…so most guy’s had soft leather bags so when they got wet they would collapse and keep most of the rain out where large hard bags would retain most of the water…crazy …talk about some miserable days…but you did it…good video…oh you ever hear of a tool box…lol…save a back…
Very helpful, thank you. I've never used a toolbelt but now I'm considering it. I'm always setting tools down and spending 10-15 minutes looking for them later
It is 100% required if you're on a ladder, friend. It is vital for any big job. Once you get one, you'll wonder how you got aling without ine. Especially on a roof, lol. Also, women LOVE guys with tool belts. Seriously.
Great content as usual but your bag set up is WAAAAAAY different than mine! I started out in rough carpentry in the late 70s, progressed to finish (trim) work, then into fabrication (mostly wood and metal). My go to bag was LIGHT! Light in weight and light on tools. I remember newbies on the job site would often have nothing - No tools and no bag whatsoever. Often, the contractor would get a bunch of free cloth "aprons" from the lumber yard (with their logo on it) that he'd give the newbies to hold nails in and told them to borrow a hammer from someone. If they stuck around, they'd usually show up with a cheap, minimalist bag with a hammer, tape measure, pencil, etc. - just the basics for foundation work, framing and roofing. If they showed up with an expensive rig or a top of the line "boutique" tool, they were summarily laughed at. NO ONE was ever laughed at for having cheap tools. If anything, an old timer might see a newbie struggling with a POS hammer, walk back to his truck, rummage around, and walk over to the newbie with a well worn Vaughan and say, "here, this is just taking up space in my truck". In addition, expensive tools were often quickly "lost" on a job site - "have you seen my gold plated plumb bob?" "Do I look like your mom? Keep track of your own damn tools!" Speaking of being laughed at, the only thing I remember being teased for was taking more than 2 hits to sink nails while framing. There was a rhythm for framing; tap, WHUMP! tap, WHUMP! If your rhythm was tap, tap, tap, TAP, TAP, TAP! ...you ended up the butt of jokes. In other words, you were judged based on your skill, not your tools. You were judged ESPECIALLY on how well you could swing a hammer. The carpenters that had been around for a year or two often had jy-normous bags that looked like they weighed a ton. Seriously, it looked like they loaded their bags with EVERY SINGLE TOOL THAT THEY OWNED! I thought they looked ridiculous. Still, after a few years, I ended up with similar bags... After a while, those bags got REAL HEAVY and I started to pay attention to what the old timers were carrying - light weight, minimalist bags with, maybe a dozen tools in them - that's it. At first, I thought they might be an older newbie. After awhile, however, I noticed that they always seemed to have the tool that they needed - never going back to their bucket or truck. Also, the contractor usually asked their input on major decisions. I started pairing down my bags until all I had was a hammer loop on my left side (I'm left handed) and a generic 10 pocket bag on my right. I could count about 18 tools on my set up with some change up depending on what I was doing that day. My tool set up often changed slightly between morning and after lunch. I found that it was a rare occasion that I had to go back to my truck for something. My 10 pocket bag has two big pockets for fasteners and I usually have a pair of linesman's pliers at the bottom of the big bag (underneath framing nails) and a stubby, ratcheting combo screwdriver at the bottom of the outside bag (underneath drywall nails/screws). If I ever lost my bag (or had it stolen), I could walk into Ganahl lumber, drop 200 bucks (maybe 300), and walk out with the exact same set up. As far as suspenders - I've never seen a framer wear them. for foundation work, framing and roofing, you're usually doing a lot of stooping bending and stretching with your upper body and suspenders would be cumbersome. Plus, I'm a California native and it's just too damn hot for that. In the 70's and 80's, a framers uniform was pretty much a baseball cap, a t-shirt (or no shirt), raggedy shorts, his bags and converse hi-tops. The old timers always wore a baseball cap, button work shirt, jeans, bags, and gumshoe work boots. For me, it was the framers uniform. The only real fashion accessory/change up was the baseball cap. It was a conversation starter (sometimes an argument starter), how you displayed your likes and dislikes, and generally let people know who you are at a glance.
Good rundown, Kodoan! Definitely right about the stooping/bending thing. A harness doesn’t always roll well, so when I stand up sometimes, Ive got to pull my bags forward and slide my harness back. What I’ve found working alone though is that trips to the truck wear me out more than carrying weight, and they break work rhythm. If I’m doing something highly repetitive though, or in one place, I’ll actually lay my bags or hang them nearby, and draw from them like a tool box. Then I put them back on to work around the house again. Working alone is crazy tiring either way though, and I’ve always found I can’t do it much more than 7 hours straight before I start messing up cuts and forgetting numbers 😪
@@TheHonestCarpenter Yep, working alone or working in very remote locations is a whole different ball game! If your jobsite is a mile and a half hike from your truck, your game plan needs to adjust!
@@kodoan411 But you are from california, so your perspective is tainted by the shitty state that it has become. Does the army of homeless people living in your state interfere with the normal function of society?
What I don't get are all pouches for fasteners. I suppose guys use nail guns, but I hate lugging that stuff around, plus expensive tools, battery nail guns, and compressors get stolen. I've had day hires walk off with my tools more times than I can count. But, California, so...
Love your content, a little thing I do for my cat claw. Is slide it in between my pouch loop and belt. I make a little magnet, wrapped it around my belt. Put that in front so the head of the cat claw will always stay there.
I build sets and props for community theatre, so I have the advantage of working in the scene shop with a crib full of tools easily at hand. But that said, I wear a custom work apron so I don't walk my feet off fetching things from the tool crib. Center top pocket: slots for regular pencil, regular sharpie, chisel sharpie, and one open slot. Three large pockets at fingertip level. Left: new fasteners for current project; Middle: leather gloves, dykes, 4-n-1, used fasteners hardware trash; Right: three bits of sandpaper, giant sharpie, spare sharpie, giant washer, 2 zip ties, spare Phillips bits, tiny drill bits,, Dewalt fat 25' tape. Around the neck tie is a small flashlight on a carabiner. In my right rear jeans pocket is a Leatherman tool, a folding razor knife, and a tiny Stanley 10' tape. Clean bandana in left rear pocket to protect my phone screen from sweat and denim rub and for blood mopping and tourniquet. Building keys on a carabiner clipped to my belt loop so people can hear me moving in the dark. It doesn't sound like much but dang does it get heavy after a long day. If I could figure out a good place to stash a speed square or try square on me life would be better.
Another excellent video as always, good sir! I stopped using tool belts several years ago because of how bad they were on my back but I am very interested in the one you have. It looks like it gives some much needed, additional back support. I mostly use a bucket for my tools because I do more painting than anything else and I almost always have an extra bucket sitting around. I'm actually getting a tool pouch for my work bucket for Christmas and I'm pretty excited about that. It'll save me some aches from lugging around my standard tool box. Also, for my needle nose pliers I usually use my pair with some type of insulation on the hand grips because I've been bitten by a live wire too many times because of people mislabeling breaker boxes. I'm sure you've been there before as well. Keep up the good work. I always enjoy your videos and usually learn something new!
im not a carpenter, im an electician, but still look for your vids for tips and tricks at diy projects. Found that for me more convinient is chestrig. But still thinking bout belt to try it.
So much good content here that I can implement right away. I built your rolling table and it has been fantastic! Already did a few projects on it. Thanks so much!
a tip for the estwing cats paw is removing the rubber grip on it makes it slip into your belt more easily(which it appears you've done), and the longer it is the more leverage you get with pulling stubborn nails. (I've mostly heard them referred to as a nail pick up here in canada, by the by)
As an electrician I couldn’t imagine doing my job without a tool belt. The essentials are obviously one or two kinds of strippers, side cutters, linesman, and needle nose but I can never have enough small pouches to hold fasteners, wire nuts, or wagos. Also I love my 11 in 1 Klein screwdriver, just as compact as the 5 in 1 but with 2 additional nut driver sizes and 2 sizes for each type of screw head.
My hearing protection is over the ear protection on my hardhat. I personally like the toughbuilt belt, when I worked radon I would go from drilling through the side of the house to drilling a 6 inch hole in concreat to pipe work to electrical and sometimes even roof work. This meant that being able to swap pouches as needed was helpfull.
Claw hammer, painters tool, cats paw with flat pry bar end, mini 6” channel lock pliers, mini 6” needle nosed vice grip pliers, speed square, utility knife, 6 in 1 screwdriver, Stanley fat max 25’ for general measurements, Stanley 6’ keychain tape for smaller and more precise measurements, and 4 marking utensils, carpenters pencil, mechanical pencil, sharpie, and red lead carpenters pencil. That’s is my at all times set up. Obviously other tools come and go as needed.
Hey Ethan. I've been following your channel for a long time. I love and admire your content a lot plus it's been really nice learning from an experienced tradesman. Could you maybe do a rundown of what you would bring onto the job site regarding power tools, auxiliary items, or tools for different tasks, adhesives, etc? I'm looking to get into service work in the future and I'm wondering what I should keep in my vehicle at all times for tackling various tasks and projects. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you
I keep big water bottle with the spout part cut off in my trash pocket it’s much easier to empty out than just dumping into the pocket just grab the bottle and turn it upside down bang it around it the trash can a bit and your done instead of picking small screws and such out of the pocket 1 liter Aquafina bottle work well in my Klein belt.
For??? I always carry a cellphone now, and more than one pencil. They get dropped, lol. What I REALLY want is a holster for a cordless drill!!! I had to buy one extra and it doesn't fit well!
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I like that you’re not a brand snob. You have multiple brands and I can relate to that too. Thanks for the way that you do what you do.
Thanks, Parts! I’ve found a lot of different brands can serve 🙂
@@TheHonestCarpenter you didn't mention just where to get those chisel cups.
you should be a brand snob to the extent that you do not purchase tools from the CCP.
agreed but being a 'brand snub" will actually save you money in the case for cordless power tools since rechargable batteries arent standarized whoch means each brand' batteries arent interchangable across brands
so. it pays to invest from the start on the highest quality brand for your first cordless power tool like makita or milwalkee so you can use any of those expensive batteries and chargers for more than one tool
@@aa-tx7th Those brands don’t offer a version of every cordless tool.
This video was like watching a surgeon go over everything on a surgery tray. Watching an expert explain why they use everything they use and how, it's always a learning experience. Thank you for always making us a bit more skilled one video at a time
Same here. I am in my 50's, but would love to be his apprentice. I am so glad to stumble into this channel. Thank you, Honest Carpenter.
No doubt!
@@timwilson2920 same here. I am in my mid-fifties and spent many years on and off working with different contractors that were nothing but a joke. We never work full-time and I never learned anything, they always kept me as a general laborer only. To have a young man like this that helps show you how to do stuff would be awesome!
@@timwilson2920 d
Yes a belt is everything on carpentry and demo work. I agree. The big mistake was that I overloaded it. Now I just carry what I need to get the job done because those things get heavy over time. Great video. I love the look of your show. Came a long way from when you first moved in.
Thanks Dave! It definitely has 😁
I just retire after 22 years from the USCG and was hired on as a carpenter/woodworker with minimal experience. Your videos has been extremely useful as I transition into this new trade for me. Thank you so much for posting your episode and sharing your experience, it is much appreciated.
Just another DIYr. Thank you for your service. Best of luck on your new venture. Btw - I found Ethan's video on common injuries and mistakes very helpful.
The main thing I see absent in your tool belt is the large flat bar. On your last video I said I put mine in the loop of my left bag, where the belt goes.
This is the thing, for all you wondering what to put in your bag. What ever you use the most and need all the time is what you tote. You'll figure that out soon enough.
My carpentry days are almost over but I'll tell anyone this, I would not trade what I have learned for any job or any amount of money in the whole world. When you can build and fix your own stuff, nothing compares.
Hello Ethan!
I just wanted to thank you for your insight and videos about being a handy man.
I was raised by a single mother and had limited experience with tools and handy work. Recently my mother has had severe health problems and we have lost our previous home.
Your videos have helped me create a tool set and knowledge base I can use to turn a piece of shit RV into a home.
Please continue making videos and helping those of us men and women who never had someone to teach us how to be crafty.
Thank you again!
💜 Special thoughts for you.
Aw, I really hope that everything is going well for you an also your ma🥺🥰 i know that idk you, but I am v glad to hear you were able to do that to your RV!!😊🥳
I kinda fell in to a carpenter belt, I need to set it up for weekend projects! My go to belt is a rod buster belt! Been wearing one for oh my gosh 40 years now wow ! And I make all my leather , pouches , bolt bags, reel pad, and tape holder! Been doing leather work for 25 years, most of my co workers are sporting all my goods . Soon as the carpenters find out it’s me making the leather bags they always hit me up for stuff! It’s a pretty good feeling!! Thanks
That’s awesome, Alex! My grandfather was a master carpenter and excellent leather worker too. I still have a decorative belt he made 🙂
Added saw dust to my shopping list
😂
Sawdust gets...everywhere! Mark of a masculine man. I think I get more sawdust in my hair than I have hair.
Great video. I really need to spend the money on that rig. I've had a nice padded Occidental belt for 25+ years with cheap bags and suspenders. That looks like the ideal set up for all around carpenters like us.
UPDATE: I hinted to my wife what a nice set up the Occidental is. Santa gave me a beautiful rig. Full framer with the suspension. Now after 28+ years using a hodgepodge of different bags and belts, I finally have the Cadillac!
Life is good. I told my wife that she overspent on me. She quickly replied, "Nonsense, it's a gift that keeps on giving." She knows she can get whatever she wants built if I have the right equipment.
I'm right handed but I like my tape measure on my left , to pick it up with my left hand and through out the end of it fast and accurately to the end of the object I'm measuring.
Yup. My belt has the tape measure holder in the back, but you rotate it 180° and it's in the front. It works
OUTSTANDING!!!! I've been looking at these freaking tool belts at Home Depot and Lowes forever. Never pulled the trigger. Now I know. Thank you!!!!!!!
Get one. You'll wonder how you went without it for so long.
I as a inexperienced diy-er, truly appreciate this type of video. Thank you Ethan.
You’re welcome, Mary Beth!
A woman with a tool belt is pretty attractive, I must say.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 We always used to say the same thing about a woman in a pickup truck!
I usually have two different tool belts, one small one with less tools for finish work, and a framing setup for everything else
I'm the same. I dont like a heavy tool belt if I dont need it. Sometimes I feel sorry for electricians. Their belts are heavy.
When I was installing stained cabinets at a housing development I used to remove my bags to protect my work. My foreman almost fired me because he said I didn't look professional enough while installing the cabinets. I tried to be logical about the issue but he stood his ground. So I started wearing my bags and he checked on me everyday for a month to make sure I was following his orders. He never noticed the bags where completely empty........ Construction can be fun and stupid sometimes.
I installed cabinets for years. I took the bags off for that. Also, if that guy was being an a hole, you should have flipped him off and told him to sit and spin
Fwiw I only carry the bare minimum for the job required, ie if framing I just have one lightweight nail bag ,16 oz curved claw hammer ,32mm chisel, 8 metre tape measure ,Stanley knife, sliding square, chalk line and pencil .
I have a homemade carry all that goes with me for all the other hand tools including cold chisel ,screwdrivers, nail puller,hand saw ,pliers ,spanners ,drill bits ,small level etc and I utilize tools as required .
Keeping the weight down helps reduce fatigue and lower back problems .
I used to have a hard plastic toolbox with all the tools I carry for the job site, actually around the house or when helping family members...now I switched to a bucket organizer and I'm very happy with it. Any tool has its place so it easy to find and keep my tools in a good shape. I have a leather belt which I use to carry few tools when I want to work up in a ladder or moving fast from a to b.....
I spent years as a DIYer carting gear around in shopping baskets. Finally made the switch to a well set up belt, and so glad I did. Saved ratting around every weekend for stuff that now lives on the kit belt.
Where you keep you nippers is where alot of us old schoolers store and use a dedicated cats paw with flat end the flat end is great at recessing nails you can't quite get to with the hammer or the claw end when striking, the combo paw just floats around in right hand bag, usually gets loaned to helpers.
Myself I use the oxys, 1 bag set up for framing with spendys, another the oxy lights for finish work, and other bags set up just for drywall, roofing, and electrical, so no swapping tools in and out, dedicated bags and tools for each trade.
Usually the hand me down tools from finish work go to drywall or roofing like tape measures etc don't have to be as accurate.
Perfect idea, friend. I do have a separate belt for electrical.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 ty, yah got tired of swapping tools around, or trashing tools for certain trades to go back and use them for say finish work etc plus ruining good bags like the oxys for drywall for example, a bit of an investment for sure but worth it in the long run for sure
Bought my first tool belt last year. Used a bucket or box before. Just finally put into a position that my diy work covers acreage rather than the kitchen or backyard. Love your tool belt and I’m sure it was a pretty penny, but well worth it. Love the custom space for the speed square. Years ago this old house showed how to make a holder from square extrusion.
I read through a lot of comments thinking I'd find one and go "that's a good idea. I should grab one of those"
It was all thank yous though 😆 Keep doing your thing man, you helping a lot of people
For the record the painters tool is usually sold in poundshops (dollar stores) as well as most prybars, not many tools worth buying from there but those 2 are fine.
Nice! I used to use my nips to cut the heads off finish nails to use as a bit to pre drill holes for screws or nails. Also carried a Yankee screwdriver back in the day!
Fun video. I'm told that the UK version is exactly the same, except the little head-shake at 11:01 is removed because it's unnecessary.
As a landlord DIYer, I use a tool bag. Most my jobs don't have me moving around great distances, rather working on something at a "spot". It contains everything you listed, plus cordless drill, jewelers screwdrivers, set of Allen wrenches in both SAE and metric, scissors, glass scraper, more chisel sizes, drill bit set, larger flat prybar (in addition to catspaw), extra cordless battery, abrasive pads, 1.5" angled paintbrush, small vicegrips, larger/longer angled adjustable pliers, assorted putty knives, small roll of paper towels, trash bag, headlamp... Note nowadays your phone can replace some, like a bullet level, flashlight, measurement conversion app, "glasses" (via camera) for reading small instructions, etc.
I have separate electrical toolbox and plumbing toolbox for those tasks, but the bag has all the common stuff for generic tasks.
I bought those bags and suspenders after watching your first video on them. I gotta say I love them and the only thing I did was add a klien bolt bag where you have your hammer loop in the back and put my hammer loop between my right hand bag and the loop for the suspenders. If anyone gets these bags also know that the suspenders loop tends to fall off the belt. I found a fix using Velcro if anyone had this problem I’ll explain what I did. Anyways great video!
I am completing a 6 month pre-apprenticeship course in carpentry. Our college loaned us most (we don’t do finishing work) of the tools you mentioned with the exception of linesman’s pliers instead of needle nose pliers. The school has been in business for 50 years - 50 years of red seal experience agrees with you on your tool selection. I’m not sure the US has a red seal designation for trades; you earn it after 4 years (28 weeks) of apprentice schooling and 4 years of apprenticeship and after passing a national examination.
What are you caring linesman pliers for? You installing my rebar! lol 😂
@@doalex2085 Ceiling grid wires, retying rebar to get ties thru, just as good as nippers to pull a hard to reach nail or trim nails, etc. I would sub the linesman's for his slip-joint, and keep needle-nose. Concrete Form work a good ironworkers plier and dikes (diagonal cutters) are a must.
Quit my job as a landscape construction foreman a little over a year ago.. watched this video and mimicked the setup (with a cheap DeWalt belt not Occidental). Showed up to my first day as a carpenter, and bought a new power tool every month foer the next 6. Impressed the guys who hired me so much that within the first year, I earn 35% more as their apprentice than I did as the foreman landscaping. They commented.. "Hiring you was the best decision we ever made." Thanks for helping me start on the right foot. Hoping more folks benefit from this the way I did.
I use all of these tools. I like a fluorescent green utility knife so I can find it in the dark.
I used to use those earplugs, but they gave me a nasty ear infection, that cost me some hearing. Ironic. I now use big, over the ear ones. They won't make me go deaf.
Yes I would never work without a cats paw. The Estwing paw is the BEST. AS of my last purchase, they were made in Japan, & still a good tool.
Worn a tool built for decades, and the way you presented your opinions and preferences has given me pause. I'm never against taking as many looks as necessary to improve how I go about performing my various construction tasks. Nicely done, useful, and relevant. Thankyou.
i wear overalls as work in scotland and not that warm here, things i got in them for my job in a timber frame factory are, Stanley knife, the double blade one, so i got a clean blade for cutting paper and a blade for plaster board, also have to change blades less often as change them both when they blunt. also carry a nail punch, a spacer for osb, air hose valve to hose bench down of saw dust.
when i worked with my dad in his general building company, i made tool boxes up with all the tools needed for certain jobs, that way once we work out what is needed for that job, just carry the tool boxes in out the van. set them up in the corner of the room and no need to have a tool belt getting in the way when going through doors and just take the tools with you as you need them in the room or outside.
I like my ryobi 25ft measure. Bought it for like 11 bucks plus shipping on eBay, and its good. It’s comfortable, decent standout, blade is rigid enough and barely ever bends or twists on me. Lock is nice to use. Don’t get me wrong, I also have a powerlock that i keep around the house for quick measurements, but im totally gonna stick with my ryobi for most use
I recently started residential construction (from clearing the lot to passing the keys to the customer). I have a maximum tool belt with lots of storage and carry just about everything you have in there, you really can't do any task unprepared. If its in your belt you'll find a use for it.
Quick tip, don't let your tape measure slam closed it stretches out the tab at the end over time and is less accurate, put your finger in between when letting it closes it softens the blow when closing
Ouch on that snap back!
@@cattigereyes1 you slow it down with pressure, don't let it run full speed silly
@@tlheingrunst I like to use my thumb to stop my M1 garand from pinging on empty.
@@jsporish nice!
That's a great tip. Thanks for that
I like using the cat's paw with the flat trim head opposite the nail head. Pretty much accomplishes the flat trim bar function and cat's paw function in one tool. Of course, it's not quite a thin as the trim bar.
All this other stuff is good.
I do favor the classic Estwing hammers tho, and I am kinda snobbish about that. Lol.
I also like lineman pliers, instead of needle nose or slip-lock pliers.
I use a Douglas wooden, maple handle. As a younger carpenter I blew out my wrists framing during the day, and then drums in a band at night. It really helped absorb the shock.
Half of your setup was identical to mine, and I learned a few things that I want to try! Same bags, (but I'm not completely happy with them), same cat's paw, knife, tape, torpedo level, pliers, chisels and sawdust/debris. Thinking I need to look at carrying a demo screwdriver and a 5-in-one...
As a son of a carpenter, my father never used a belt but me now, on my way to be a carpenter (2nd degree. 1st is a laboratory technician) I will get one. I find this very useful. I'll try to buy one and to have it on me while working. Awesome tips and thank you!
Spent 20 years as a carpenter. Agree with your choices except I started when I was older than you now. I watched the weight of every tool carefully. As I aged it really mattered that I keep my tool belt as light as possible. That said my chosen belt was the same as yours except I had the first version of the same belt. Well done video.
Form Carpenter:
Stilleto hammer
Klein pliers and dykes
Mini adjustable spud wrench
Torpedo level
Cats paw
Chalk box
Vice grips
Razor knife
Tape measure
Speed square
Good setup! Dykes and wrench are all I’m missing 😁
Personally I use a bucket but then I am just a home owner doing jobs around the house. Most of my woodworking is done in my shop. That belt looks awesome but also very heavy. Thanks for the tooltoral
talk about buckets, i always grab a 5 gallon orange home depot bucket when i shop at home depot, its great for carrying hardware items
I use a bucket with a bucket buddy on it to carry all the hand tools I don’t keep in my pouch.
Buckets can work, and they make bucket bags, too.
Great video! You mentioned you dont sharpen tools on the job, might I recommend that if you’re using a lot of chisels or sharp tools on a job, that you keep a round tool sharpener in your belt. I use a lot of sharp tools on certain jobs including axes, chisels, knives, lawnmowers, even scythes and having one of those little disk sharpeners has definitely saved me a huge amount of time.
Wore a tool belt four years
Mine was never that organized but had a lot of the same tools. This was like a walk in the past tks
Gotta love the realism and honesty of sharing the sawdust and leaves inventory with us 😂 The fact that you're the type of guy who isn't going to vacuum/clean out your tool belt before a video like this, so we can see the ordinary humble honest everyday reality instead of some disingenuous polished standard nobody really lives up to, is what we all love about you and your content lol. Thanks for another great video!
Nah, Wandel says that to fix a bad cut or joint, you put glue and sawdust on it to conceal the imperfections. Sawdust is, in fact, helpful for carpenters.
@@tallswede80 Lol well yeah but presumably not from shaking out your tool bag on it XD
I'm building my own house in Portugal (a small wood, straw and clay 40 square meter house) for the past year and, man, if only i had discovered your channel sooner.
I had zero building/carpentry experience so i would've saved lots of time and money and i would've surely enjoyed myself at the building site a lot more (using the right tools for the right job). You explain everything so well and without ego bullshit getting in the way. Awesome content. All the best to you and your project.
I'm building a shed in my back yard and have wasted an enormous amount of time looking for the the measuring tape, hammer, pencil, drill, etc. I now own a tool belt and found your video to be extremely helpful. Thank you.
I have a tool belt but never used it. Pulled it out after 6 years and came across this video.
I was the type that had a organized set up for my jobs, fold out tables. One was strictly power tools and tool boxes under what they're for, like flooring and drywall stuff. Another table strictly for all fasteners and handtools.
Gave me a visual, but as time is moving on and getting more into bigger jobs it was time.
Thanks for the insite.
This was by far my favorite video! I’m grabbing this tool belt I’ve been looking for one mine holds the speed square cumbersome… I always carry a cats paw it’s my favorite tool!!!
Eastwing and Stanley nakes a double headed I really like. You can beat on them all day. No remodeler can do without a cat's paw.
Those fatlips are like $350. Suspenders another $125. Its an investment though. It's well worth it if you wear them everyday. If just a diy'er, I'd recommend AWP from lowes
I use to wear a tool belt as an electrician. Since I’m retired and just do work around the house, I now have a large rolling mechanics tool box in the garage that stores all the tools I’ve acquired over the years. Needless to say it’s quite full.
50 years ago I invested in a tool belt not unlike yours. It has a 4" wide leather best lined with sheepskin for comfort and nylon pouches like yours. I carry very nearly the exact inventory in the same locations as you do. ( I also have an antique voltage tester with 6' leads and a tiny neon bulb.) It has served me up and down both coasts, from concrete forms to cabinetry.
I got a grrande diamond back tool belt.
On my right side an estwing 22 oz or my Vaughn 19 oz , chalk box, gloves, ear protection, safety glasses, lineman’s pliers, but extensions and random fasteners. For my non dominant, speed square, tape measure, trim square and my cats paw and a nail set
I currently have two Occidental Leather setup's. One is an all leather finishing rig designed for trim work and I have a ballistic nylon setup for framing. I can swap my stronghold suspenders from one rig to the next as needed. I try to keep a minimal about of tools in my belt. Normally I carry a 10/12/16oz Stiletto with straight claw and timber handle, 8" catspaw, 6" combi square, speed square, two nail punches, utility knife, Stanley tape measure, channel lock pincers, sharpie, carpenters pencil, pica mechanical pencil. Those are the tools I nearly always have on me, 👍🔨🇮🇪
Occidental pouches are he best. I like to set myself up for the type of work I am doing. Framing, trim, siding, roofing. Whichever one I am doing, I have the “core” tools in my bags, nearby I have a bag with all the other ones that I carry for other jobs, plus a few others I often need. This way I can carry only the weight of what i will likely use but have the other stuff nearby for when I need it.
I always have my eye/ear protection, speed square, utility knife, pencil and tape measure, nail sets, and usually my end nipper pliers. Other than that it varies. Sometimes the hammer is even in the way, like when installing cabinets. The last thing you want to do is gouge the side of a nice cabinet with your hammer claw.
Anyway, good video.
It's amazing that I almost carry the exact same tools, except I have snips for siding and gutter and metal roofing. I have a Japanese cats paw with one flat side that acts as a chisel, pry bar and many other things. I've never found another one like it and it's my favorite tool!
I own the bucket boss framers rig.
Only use it for building decks , fill both large pockets with screws off I go.
I am looking for interior trim belt .
Not sure of the better brand, Diamond back
Occidental leather
Or a cool name Dead On
Just bought a carpenter’s belt the other day. Perfect timing!
I never used ear plugs, but if I could go back in time I would use them because now I know hearing loss is not a fun thing to have.
I need a tool belt. Can’t believe I’m just now realizing that. You have a knack for making videos on critical details that are probably so obvious to most pros that they don’t think about them, but not at all obvious to the rest of us.
I'm sold! Youre system is practical and smart and addresses alot of the things I and other diy ers run into when attempting home improvement jobs! Keep these type of vids coming! Thanks for the insight and wisdom of your years of experience!
As you say can be very helpful to put the tool belt on and get used to where you keep everything so that it is pretty automatic to reach for the right tool when you need it .And force yourself to the discipline of PUTTING EACH TOOL BACK WHERE YOU KEEP IT IN THE BELT . Then it becomes a chore to figure out which tools to keep in the bag generally . I am for keeping the weight down as much as possible . I lost 2 inches of height years ago which I think was due to lugging that belt around . Yes straight claw is the way to go for a hammer. I have used an Estwing 12 ounce for years because i did mostly finish work .A small machinist square is better than a "try "square . I have tried numerous mechanical pencils over the years . I generally prefer them over a pencil I have to sharpen . But I use a pretty thick lead mech. pencils so it will also work well for framing type work.and generally not break the lead so often . I think finish carpenters do more precise framing than straight framing carpenters . I have come to keep a RETRACTABLE Sharpie type pen too. Got tired of hassling with the lids . The Bic Intensity works well .I have always used what I call end nips for pulling nails and some other things .[cutting , dealing with small nuts , opening beer bottles , picking your teeth ,etc. [Do all you can to avoid having to go back to the truck to get something !] And I have settled on utility knives with break off blades since it seems that most of the use for a knife involves the point . Like you I keep a couple of nail sets . I think that dates back to when I used to drive finish nails and set the nails by hand . But they don't weigh much and still come in handy some times .I also keep an assortment of screw driver tips for my cordless drill driver . I wish the industry could settle on one kind of driver for most fasteners . #2 phillips would be A-ok with me for most applications , but Nooooooo, we have to have assorted types and sizes of star drives , square drives , phillips , etc ,etc . Pain in the ass ! I also keep a few sizes of magnetic nut drivers [ 1/4 and 5/16 mostly ] And as for the assortment of debris that inevitably ends up in the bottom of the pockets of my apron , to get driven up under my fingernails , sometimes I find something in there useful . But every decade or so I will use a magnet and shop vac to clean them out . As for tape measures I long ago settled on the 1 or so inch wide and stiff blades , 16 feet long which offer about 8 feet of "stand out " before they will droop .Stanleys are good . I take the clip off the back of them and slip it into a pocket to avoid the hassle and time consumption of trying to get the hook on the back to engage a holder . I put the assorted fasteners I am using on the left side as well as tools that I use typicaly with my left hand since i am right handed . Like wise the right side is used to hold the tools I use with my right hand . Duh ! I also have as you showed a mini pry bar in my apron . I think Stanley originated them and called them the Wonder Bar . I call it the Vunder Bar . Darn handy little gadgets . I have tried to position my hammer holster so that my hammer handle does not beat me in the knees . Also I use the metal version holder wrapped with tape . The metal version is easier to get your hammer into than the leather ones . and the cushiony tape keeps it from clanging around so much .
Hey .....you asked
I use 3 different belt setups and what’s in them depends on the day and what I’m doing that day as I do many different trades at my company .. I can say I always have a framing hammer, Cats paw, Torpedo lighted level, Tape measure, Pencil & Marker, magnetic bit holder, flat blade screwdriver, Utility knife, and whatever fasteners I may be using for that job..
I have the Denali 2.0 from Diamondback. I love the hammer holster and flat bar holster..
I'm just a home owner but this video imo was super good. The thought you put into the tool belt and tools is an education in itself.
Do you ever need a small length of cordage? I carry a 10’ piece of paracord to tie things up sometimes. Like a piece of duct work that’s sketchy or even nuisance tree branches if digging outside. It weighs nothing and really turns out to be useful when you have it. 👍
I order paracord by the spool. You are correct, it is the most useful thing you can have around in a pinch. You can improve the grip of a took by winding paracord around it, it can be used to tie your pants leg around your boot tops when you are working in a flea infested barn, you can tie loops in both ends and put it over a rafter to hold a work light. And this is just this week’s uses. :)
coil of steel wire could serve the same purpose. It could be formed into shapes with pliers which could be more useful than paracord.
8:47 Yesss! Nippers! When you do the nippers video, tell us if there is a way to sharpen them. Not a carpenter, but they are fabulous for electrical cutting smaller than 10AWG, and several other things, super handy.
I'm really glad you add a close up of yourself negating with your head after you said "in this pouch i also carry a lot of saw dust and leaves, cause those things are really helpfull for carpenters"
I once went straight back home when I noticed I left without my sawdust and leaves.
Very HELPFUL and in the long run money saving. Thanks, Ethan.
Thanks Marmalade! I’ve spent far more than I should on tools over the years 😅
@@TheHonestCarpenter Understood, Ethan. And knowing which to buy for the long run on your show has given me peace of mind. So thank you again. You do humanity a great service. 😶
@@marmaladesunrise ETHAN HAS BEEN HELPING COUNTLESS ONES FOR A LONG TIME 👍
once or twice a year fatmax tapes are on sale for 16$ two packs so thats what i use, dalluge hammer is the best for formwork and framing,dewalt rebar tying pliers, estwing prybar with the blue grip cut off, stanley 99 knife,tajima chalk line and plumb rite,swanson square,fuller 1 1/4 chisel
10:56 as someone newly getting into this stuff I just want to say. If you didn’t shake your head I legitimately would’ve looked up what to use those for. My first though was like how climbers use chalk 😅
I carry Bud Light, Modelo and Johnnie Walker Black in my tool belt with Ice.
Of course that’s my weekend work at home tool belt. 😂
That’s why you go with a big belt 😆
LOL. Get a separate "After 5 pm belt!"
I can't see to find the link for sawdust and leaves, where can I get those?
in a store they're between the elbow grease and headlight fluid ;)
I thought I saw them next to the toenails at home depot.
No no no. It's with the bucket of steam
Female here who loves tools. Looking for something similar to what you use but I want a lumbar support type of belt. Really good video, thank you for putting this out
Thank you, J! 🙂
My advice? Get a solid ballistic nylon belt with suspenders. But let most of the weight go on your hips. Also, don't overload it. Our host has everything but the kitchen sink in his. I empty the bag out after a job, then fill it depending on the upcoming job. You won't need a speed square if you are running cables. But you will need cable clamps, pliers, cat's paw, pencils, etc. Just my advice.
I just got this same setup today! Suspenders and the Cafe Fat Lip adjustable. Ive never been so excited to get back to work!
Since I’ve just gotten into your channel, and emails, I just watched this video. Awesome advice, and thanks for the links. I am a weekend warrior. I have a new tool belt, and surprisingly I have some of the same items. Since I’m not as in depth as you and others, mine is set up with basic items, but it suits me fine. Thank you.
I am just so fortunate to have stumbled across your videos! Seriously, cannot say thank you enough! Please keep doing what you're doing. And, as I'm confidently assuming that you are happily married, tell your wife she did goooood! 😏
The knowledge I've gained from your videos is outstanding! Keep it up! Thanks So Much!❤
She did good at what?
@Honest Carpenter yo bro, yur wife pack your toolbelt for you? Tell the truth now lolzzzz 😆
Jk jk
I recently got my first tool belt (DIY) and WOW!!! Made my job so MUCH faster! Mine's a baby belt compared to that!
I love a good tool belt. A DIY can use a cheap belt. I live ballistic nylon, but uard to find these days. Go to the house me center and try a few on.
Suspenders are really useful... especially since I have more belly fat than I'd like.
(Hint: women love a guy with a well-used tool belt.)
Everyone has their own preferences on their bags…I worked in Oregon where it rained quite a bit and you worked in it or you never would work in the winter…so most guy’s had soft leather bags so when they got wet they would collapse and keep most of the rain out where large hard bags would retain most of the water…crazy …talk about some miserable days…but you did it…good video…oh you ever hear of a tool box…lol…save a back…
Very helpful, thank you. I've never used a toolbelt but now I'm considering it. I'm always setting tools down and spending 10-15 minutes looking for them later
And no matter how many times I tell myself that I'm going to put everything back in a specific spot so I don't have to search, it never happens!
It is 100% required if you're on a ladder, friend. It is vital for any big job. Once you get one, you'll wonder how you got aling without ine. Especially on a roof, lol. Also, women LOVE guys with tool belts. Seriously.
@@sbffsbrarbrr Hint: at the end of the day, put everything away. Have a good work bench with a pegboard above it. Organize!
Thank you. Great information 👍 Peace and good fortune and good health to you and your family. ❤
Great content as usual but your bag set up is WAAAAAAY different than mine!
I started out in rough carpentry in the late 70s, progressed to finish (trim) work, then into fabrication (mostly wood and metal). My go to bag was LIGHT! Light in weight and light on tools.
I remember newbies on the job site would often have nothing - No tools and no bag whatsoever. Often, the contractor would get a bunch of free cloth "aprons" from the lumber yard (with their logo on it) that he'd give the newbies to hold nails in and told them to borrow a hammer from someone. If they stuck around, they'd usually show up with a cheap, minimalist bag with a hammer, tape measure, pencil, etc. - just the basics for foundation work, framing and roofing.
If they showed up with an expensive rig or a top of the line "boutique" tool, they were summarily laughed at. NO ONE was ever laughed at for having cheap tools. If anything, an old timer might see a newbie struggling with a POS hammer, walk back to his truck, rummage around, and walk over to the newbie with a well worn Vaughan and say, "here, this is just taking up space in my truck".
In addition, expensive tools were often quickly "lost" on a job site - "have you seen my gold plated plumb bob?" "Do I look like your mom? Keep track of your own damn tools!"
Speaking of being laughed at, the only thing I remember being teased for was taking more than 2 hits to sink nails while framing. There was a rhythm for framing; tap, WHUMP! tap, WHUMP! If your rhythm was tap, tap, tap, TAP, TAP, TAP! ...you ended up the butt of jokes. In other words, you were judged based on your skill, not your tools. You were judged ESPECIALLY on how well you could swing a hammer.
The carpenters that had been around for a year or two often had jy-normous bags that looked like they weighed a ton. Seriously, it looked like they loaded their bags with EVERY SINGLE TOOL THAT THEY OWNED! I thought they looked ridiculous. Still, after a few years, I ended up with similar bags...
After a while, those bags got REAL HEAVY and I started to pay attention to what the old timers were carrying - light weight, minimalist bags with, maybe a dozen tools in them - that's it. At first, I thought they might be an older newbie. After awhile, however, I noticed that they always seemed to have the tool that they needed - never going back to their bucket or truck. Also, the contractor usually asked their input on major decisions.
I started pairing down my bags until all I had was a hammer loop on my left side (I'm left handed) and a generic 10 pocket bag on my right. I could count about 18 tools on my set up with some change up depending on what I was doing that day. My tool set up often changed slightly between morning and after lunch. I found that it was a rare occasion that I had to go back to my truck for something. My 10 pocket bag has two big pockets for fasteners and I usually have a pair of linesman's pliers at the bottom of the big bag (underneath framing nails) and a stubby, ratcheting combo screwdriver at the bottom of the outside bag (underneath drywall nails/screws).
If I ever lost my bag (or had it stolen), I could walk into Ganahl lumber, drop 200 bucks (maybe 300), and walk out with the exact same set up.
As far as suspenders - I've never seen a framer wear them. for foundation work, framing and roofing, you're usually doing a lot of stooping bending and stretching with your upper body and suspenders would be cumbersome. Plus, I'm a California native and it's just too damn hot for that. In the 70's and 80's, a framers uniform was pretty much a baseball cap, a t-shirt (or no shirt), raggedy shorts, his bags and converse hi-tops. The old timers always wore a baseball cap, button work shirt, jeans, bags, and gumshoe work boots. For me, it was the framers uniform.
The only real fashion accessory/change up was the baseball cap. It was a conversation starter (sometimes an argument starter), how you displayed your likes and dislikes, and generally let people know who you are at a glance.
Good rundown, Kodoan! Definitely right about the stooping/bending thing. A harness doesn’t always roll well, so when I stand up sometimes, Ive got to pull my bags forward and slide my harness back. What I’ve found working alone though is that trips to the truck wear me out more than carrying weight, and they break work rhythm. If I’m doing something highly repetitive though, or in one place, I’ll actually lay my bags or hang them nearby, and draw from them like a tool box. Then I put them back on to work around the house again. Working alone is crazy tiring either way though, and I’ve always found I can’t do it much more than 7 hours straight before I start messing up cuts and forgetting numbers 😪
@@TheHonestCarpenter Yep, working alone or working in very remote locations is a whole different ball game! If your jobsite is a mile and a half hike from your truck, your game plan needs to adjust!
@@kodoan411
But you are from california, so your perspective is tainted by the shitty state that it has become. Does the army of homeless people living in your state interfere with the normal function of society?
What I don't get are all pouches for fasteners. I suppose guys use nail guns, but I hate lugging that stuff around, plus expensive tools, battery nail guns, and compressors get stolen. I've had day hires walk off with my tools more times than I can count.
But, California, so...
Love your content, a little thing I do for my cat claw. Is slide it in between my pouch loop and belt. I make a little magnet, wrapped it around my belt. Put that in front so the head of the cat claw will always stay there.
I also have two nail sets, but one of them is a door hinge bolt. I ground a chamfer on the end and it one of my favorite tools.
Very helpful. Thanks. And, yes, I seem to carry a pouch of sawdust and leaves also. Why? How?
C'mon! You need to ask? I empty my belt at rhe end of a job, and put everything away.
been a cladder and sheet metal worker for 10 years now. the destruction screw driver is hands down the most underrated tool in ones pouch.
I build sets and props for community theatre, so I have the advantage of working in the scene shop with a crib full of tools easily at hand. But that said, I wear a custom work apron so I don't walk my feet off fetching things from the tool crib. Center top pocket: slots for regular pencil, regular sharpie, chisel sharpie, and one open slot. Three large pockets at fingertip level. Left: new fasteners for current project; Middle: leather gloves, dykes, 4-n-1, used fasteners hardware trash; Right: three bits of sandpaper, giant sharpie, spare sharpie, giant washer, 2 zip ties, spare Phillips bits, tiny drill bits,, Dewalt fat 25' tape. Around the neck tie is a small flashlight on a carabiner. In my right rear jeans pocket is a Leatherman tool, a folding razor knife, and a tiny Stanley 10' tape. Clean bandana in left rear pocket to protect my phone screen from sweat and denim rub and for blood mopping and tourniquet. Building keys on a carabiner clipped to my belt loop so people can hear me moving in the dark. It doesn't sound like much but dang does it get heavy after a long day. If I could figure out a good place to stash a speed square or try square on me life would be better.
Another excellent video as always, good sir! I stopped using tool belts several years ago because of how bad they were on my back but I am very interested in the one you have. It looks like it gives some much needed, additional back support. I mostly use a bucket for my tools because I do more painting than anything else and I almost always have an extra bucket sitting around. I'm actually getting a tool pouch for my work bucket for Christmas and I'm pretty excited about that. It'll save me some aches from lugging around my standard tool box. Also, for my needle nose pliers I usually use my pair with some type of insulation on the hand grips because I've been bitten by a live wire too many times because of people mislabeling breaker boxes. I'm sure you've been there before as well. Keep up the good work. I always enjoy your videos and usually learn something new!
The suspenders are what saves your back by taking the weight of the belt off your hips.
@@donstevenson3211 thanks but I know that much. 😉 I just didn't know that there are work belts that work with suspenders.
im not a carpenter, im an electician, but still look for your vids for tips and tricks at diy projects. Found that for me more convinient is chestrig. But still thinking bout belt to try it.
Going to start my own business and I've been looking for the right channel to learn from for a week straight, so grateful I finally found it🤘🕊
So much good content here that I can implement right away. I built your rolling table and it has been fantastic! Already did a few projects on it. Thanks so much!
a tip for the estwing cats paw is removing the rubber grip on it makes it slip into your belt more easily(which it appears you've done), and the longer it is the more leverage you get with pulling stubborn nails.
(I've mostly heard them referred to as a nail pick up here in canada, by the by)
As an electrician I couldn’t imagine doing my job without a tool belt. The essentials are obviously one or two kinds of strippers, side cutters, linesman, and needle nose but I can never have enough small pouches to hold fasteners, wire nuts, or wagos. Also I love my 11 in 1 Klein screwdriver, just as compact as the 5 in 1 but with 2 additional nut driver sizes and 2 sizes for each type of screw head.
My hearing protection is over the ear protection on my hardhat. I personally like the toughbuilt belt, when I worked radon I would go from drilling through the side of the house to drilling a 6 inch hole in concreat to pipe work to electrical and sometimes even roof work. This meant that being able to swap pouches as needed was helpfull.
That makes sense 👍
Thanks. I like your videos that I'm actually going to do the unordinary practice.
I'm going to buy stuff from your links
Did it two days ago
Claw hammer, painters tool, cats paw with flat pry bar end, mini 6” channel lock pliers, mini 6” needle nosed vice grip pliers, speed square, utility knife, 6 in 1 screwdriver, Stanley fat max 25’ for general measurements, Stanley 6’ keychain tape for smaller and more precise measurements, and 4 marking utensils, carpenters pencil, mechanical pencil, sharpie, and red lead carpenters pencil. That’s is my at all times set up. Obviously other tools come and go as needed.
Pretty close to mine!
huge respect that you wan't to carry that beast around, i usually just use a bucket, for tool i know that i will need
I loooove your shop.
Excellent information even for a regular joe like myself to keep a group of good tools for home use.
Thanks hillbilly! 🙂
Hey Ethan. I've been following your channel for a long time. I love and admire your content a lot plus it's been really nice learning from an experienced tradesman. Could you maybe do a rundown of what you would bring onto the job site regarding power tools, auxiliary items, or tools for different tasks, adhesives, etc? I'm looking to get into service work in the future and I'm wondering what I should keep in my vehicle at all times for tackling various tasks and projects. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you
I keep big water bottle with the spout part cut off in my trash pocket it’s much easier to empty out than just dumping into the pocket just grab the bottle and turn it upside down bang it around it the trash can a bit and your done instead of picking small screws and such out of the pocket 1 liter Aquafina bottle work well in my Klein belt.
Great video. Only thing you forgot is magnets. Super handy.
For???
I always carry a cellphone now, and more than one pencil. They get dropped, lol.
What I REALLY want is a holster for a cordless drill!!! I had to buy one extra and it doesn't fit well!
@@scottslotterbeck3796 For quick access to fasteners. Quick tool holder.
@@jlcribber never thought of that.
@@scottslotterbeck3796 I have the Atlas 46 tool vest. They have really nice mag plates that velcro anywhere on the vest.