A truly mobile workshop

[Karl]

A comment by Doc on a thread on the other side prompted me to take some pics of my set-up for going out on site for fitting work.

Starting at the front

Clamps in the door pockets, and mastik/glue bag in the foot well

on the back seats

Plastic tower which stores the Freud router, SDS and normal drills, together will all those odds n sods which you can never place your hand on when you need them - stretcher plates, wedges, cable ties etc. Also have a Wickes step, a roller stand and a red cantilever box which contains the Mapp gun and associated plumbing bits.

On the other side

Fein extractor. The black and yellow tall box parked behind the front seat contains power planer, jigsaw, multimaster, biscuit jointer, a small hammer drill and all ancillaries such as biscuits, blades etc. You can also see the spirit level bag sat on top.

Sat in between is the compressor and a box with the guns, brads and hose in. There is also a 4' x 2' sheet of ply leaning against the rear seats to form the workbench.

In the boot

Screw box, bag of Milwaukee cordless, tool bag, Makita radio, CS, DW chopsaw, bag of quality hand tools :roll: and a couple of cheapo folding workbenches.

For those of you thinking "why doesn't the silly person just get a bloody van" :lol: , well two days a week I have to do the school run and need to be able to transport 4 kids. So it's tools out and car seats in!

Need to sort out the workbenches - those cheap plastic ones are a bit naff. Other than that, I think i've got everything pretty well organised, and I rarely go out on site having left something at home (mainly 'cos it's all in the car!).

Cheers

Karl

 

[Oryxdesign]

You need a crew van.

 

[Doctor]

Karl- I know you are a great fitter, from all the positive comments and pictures you post, and I know kids come first BUT.......

if a prospective fitter turned up in a car I doubt I would use him, just seems unprofessional to me, SORRY

First impressions and all that.

 

[Shane]

I did similar in my little old VW polo for a while, but it got a bet silly so I upgraded to a renualt espace. I can get all of my gear, and within reason furniture and/or stock into it on weekdays, and put the seats back in on the weekends 8) :lol:

I also have a LWB transit as well

 

[Shane]

Karl- I know you are a great fitter, from all the positive comments and pictures you post, and I know kids come first BUT.......

if a prospective fitter turned up in a car I doubt I would use him, just seems unprofessional to me, SORRY

First impressions and all that.

If Karls customers are happy with his work and he gets plenty of referals I doubt they give a toss what he turns up in

 

[speed]

Karl- I know you are a great fitter, from all the positive comments and pictures you post, and I know kids come first BUT.......

if a prospective fitter turned up in a car I doubt I would use him, just seems unprofessional to me, SORRY

First impressions and all that.

i have to agree

 

[L Harding]

must take an age to load and unload, you could rent a van for the money you'd save on time.

and where does the furniture you need the tools to fit go?

 

[Karl]

Karl- I know you are a great fitter, from all the positive comments and pictures you post, and I know kids come first BUT.......

if a prospective fitter turned up in a car I doubt I would use him, just seems unprofessional to me, SORRY

First impressions and all that.

i have to agree

Fair point guys. And one I am acutely aware of.

Until the little gits are old enought to get the bus, will have to make do with what i've got!

But as Shane has pointed out, I do ok at the moment. So i'm in no rush.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Qwibble]

Great use of space : )

 

[Karl]

must take an age to load and unload, you could rent a van for the money you'd save on time.

and where does the furniture you need the tools to fit go?

Actually, it takes about 5 minutes to load/unload. Everything has its place.

The majority of the time, the materials are already on site when I get there. If it is something I am supplying then I either hire a van or, if it is small enough (say replacement kitchen doors), take them round in the Focus without the tools - often the day/night before fitting.

Cheers

Karl

 

[mailee]

Nah Karl, I can't agree with this lot. Get rid of the kids, it'll be a lot cheaper in the long run. :lol:

 

[OPJ]

Wow! :shock:

Where do you put all your wood?

I assume you don't have an apprentice with you often?

 

[Shane]

Where do you put all your wood?

It has roof bars :lol:

 

[laird]

Why not get a suitable trailer ? Car for the family, car tows mobile workshop ? Car looks clean and tidy, trailer looks professional ( and carries advert).

 

[ByronBlack]

Why not get a suitable trailer ? Car for the family, car tows mobile workshop ? Car looks clean and tidy, trailer looks professional ( and carries advert).

That sounds like a good idea.

Karl, do you load/unload all this every night? If you don't, and you keep the gear in the car, do you worry about security - or do you park it in a garage?

 

[Shultzy]

Karl. I would edit your car reg out, you don't know who's looking.

 

[billw]

Being a complete traveller I'd appreciate that the person doing the job was keeping his overheads low by not leasing a van :lol: [/b]

 

[ByronBlack]

Karl. I would edit your car reg out, you don't know who's looking.

What about the hundreds of people that see his car reg everyday on the road?

 

[Karl]

Karl, do you load/unload all this every night? If you don't, and you keep the gear in the car, do you worry about security - or do you park it in a garage?

I unload most of it every night. Leave a few inexpensive items in the boot, under the boot cover.

It only takes 5 mins to unload, and if it all got nicked i'd be stuffed. So I make a point of bringing it in every night.

Cheers

Karl

 

[ByronBlack]

Karl, do you load/unload all this every night? If you don't, and you keep the gear in the car, do you worry about security - or do you park it in a garage?

I unload most of it every night. Leave a few inexpensive items in the boot, under the boot cover.

It only takes 5 mins to unload, and if it all got nicked i'd be stuffed. So I make a point of bringing it in every night.

Cheers

Karl

I think you've done well to fit it all in. I personally wouldn't be bothered by a tradesman who uses his car. (as a prior business owner, I understand the need to keep costs down).

If you do ever get a van, and if you haven't already done so, have a look at Jim Tolpins toolbox book, he has a large section on a van that has been kitted out as giant tool-box, some of the ideas are fantastic.