Do you use a work vest / tool belt? I'm looking.

[travis howe]

Curious how many folks use a vest and/or tool belt specifically for woodworking...not construction, etc....

If so what have you found that you like?

I seem to be the typical, where the heck did I just leave my tape measure, pencil, angle, etc, etc..... I don't want to gain 20lbs but I'd be interested in what you all generally carry around.

Cheers,

Travis

[glenn bradley]

I have tried many and I keep on trying but have yet to find something I like. Where I live, a tank top with a pencil and ruler pocket would probably be the best.

[Todd Burch]

I used to wear a yellow leather full apron. Strap around the neck, ties around the waste, covering just the front and going down almost to my knees. I think it was a welder's apron - got it from WW Grainger.

I quit wearing it when I figured out why all my shirts were brown across my belly. When I would sweat, the dye in the leather would transfer to my shirt, and since my belly stuck out further than the rest of my front, it took the brunt of the color transfer.

(feel free to have a field day with this you jokesters...;) )

Anyway, I'm apronless now.

Todd

[Frank Drew]

I like a bib apron for keeping the worst of the sawdust off the clothing, or even coveralls. Any of these has pockets for pencils and small rules, etc. I wouldn't wear a carpenter's tool belt in the shop (the shop is the tool belt, really.)

[Chip Lindley]

NO vest or toolbelt!! (I'm no TIM) But, I DO find that wearing Carhartt bib overalls (demin in summer/insulated duck in winter) is one convenient garment when in the shop!

I'm not built for tool belts! Gravity pulls them (and my pants) down toward the Equator!! I spend half my time hiking up my britches! No Plumber's Crack with Overalls!! Bib pockets for pencils, pens, penlights, little note pad, and cellphone! Big back pockets for STUFF! Even a tape measure! My shop is so crowded, a tape measure hanging off my belt invariably hangs on something and gets knocked to the floor!

I Swear By My Carhartts !!

[Chip Lindley]

Wayyy OFF TOPIC, but Love those Yardbirds, Glenn! The only band in the world to have had Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck AND Jimmy Page as lead guitarists! COOL!

[Myk Rian]

The tool belt is stashed in a milk crate somewhere.
In the shop I use either a canvas apron, or a full length shop coat.

[Michael Prisbylla]

Tool belts are for carpentry - I wear on when on the job but swear by my cheapo HF apron when in the shop. Has pockets for everything I need and keeps the worst of the sawdust off of me.

[Kevin Groenke]

I don't wear it all that much, but I've got an apron that I like. I modified the strap around the neck, to go over the shoulder front-to-back so that the strap doesn't dig into the back of my neck. Mine has enough, but not too many pockets (2 chest, maybe 6 waist in 2 layers) it's a mid weight tan canvas.

The apron is always stocked w/6"rule, 4"double square, 16'tape, 7mm mechanical pencil, retractable x-acto, scribe, chalk holder, card scraper, 4" dial caliper. Other tools go in and out as needed.

Kinda like this:
http://www.hartvilletool.com/shared/images/products//large/23274.JPEG



You could go pouchless.

http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/Woodworking/Assorted/Magnetic-Tool--Belt-010.jpg

[Greg Hines, MD]

I wear a toolbelt with suspenders most of the time, unless I am turning, then I wear a leather apron.

Doc

[Roger Jensen]

I tried belts and aprons with no luck, but found this vest at Duluth Trading Company and wear it all the time now:

http://www.duluthtrading.com/services/image.aspx?path=/media/images/products/64059fatiguegreen.jpg&width=250&height=250

It is mesh in the back so it is cool in the summer, but has lots of pockets for everything.

Roger

[Jim Becker]

Nope, not in the shop. I feel no need for the encumbrance that I feel wearing one. I do use a tool belt when doing home improvement/carpentry, however.

[Don Morris]

This has been discussed before, you might do a search and see more on it. I have a Woodcraft apron, hangs on a hook soon as you enter the door to the shop, along with my 1/2 mask and ear protectors. On the apron are a 6" metal ruler, 12' tape ruler, couple pencils, holds my remote dust control, and several pockets for whatever project items I'm working on. It's also a protector apron. I chose to wear one after my first kickback which happened 10 mins after putting together my first table saw.

[Peter Scoma]

I wear a rather large rig with suspenders and whatnot when doing home improvements but in the shop I always wear carhartt carpenter pants usually with a small tape measure pouch on my belt. Plenty of pockets for rulers and pencils and a hammer loop for when I need it.

PS

[Ben Franz]

Duluth Trading has a couple of aprons they call "Fire Hose" - heavy canvas. I have a full length apron with a few pockets and a detachable tool pouch (useless, IMO). It has a nice suspender rig rather than a neck strap so it's comfortable. They also have a tool apron with more pockets - same material - not sure if it uses suspenders. I chose the simpler apron so I could continue setting most tools down and then looking for them while muttering "Where the H*** did I leave that _______ (fill in tool of your choice)". That never gets old.

[Dewey Torres]

I use the woodcraft apron as well. When it wears out I may try something that does not go around the neck.

[Cindy Navarro]

I use a shop apron from Woodcraft and for turning I use a smock from IAP

[Keith Outten]

I have a custom carpenters apron that CW McClellan made for me from horse leather. It is very close to the canvas style apron in Kevin's picture. The custom straps are clear of the neckline, cross in the back and it has plastic buckles so I don't have to worry with tieing knots or bows. Once I adjusted the length of the straps is is literally a snap to put the apron on and take it off. I wear it because it is comfortable and provides a little extra protection that canvas doesn't. Lots of pockets, I keep an old computer hard drive magnet in one pocket so that my screwdriver is held to the outside of the apron when I am installing signs. The horse leather was never dyed or colored so I haven't had any problems with stains on my shirts as Todd experienced.

This one will never wear out.

.

[Barry Rowland]

I second the firehose jobber at Daluth. Nice wide suspenders to take the load off of your neck. I'm really not a fan of aprons but they sure are good at keeping the table saw dust and glue off my clothes.

Here's the one I use:

http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/specialty-shops/fire-hose-clothes-apparel/fire-hose-shop-stuff/22603.aspx?feature=product_4

It's on sale for now. I tried the around the neck styles and the belts with suspenders, but this unit is the best yet. Tough but soft material and enough pockets to carry everything I use often. Long enough to keep my legs and pants clean.

[Brian Penning]

I dunno...my wife says(threatened?) that if I get 1 more spot of glue or stain on my bathrobe she's gonna.......gulp!

[Lee Mitchell]

I keep several different items in the shop. One is a plain bibbed apron - no pockets - color black. It's actually a chef's apron that I picked up from Sam's Club. It's good for keeping my clothes clean, especially when painting/finishing or other potentially messy jobs. BTW, I like to sit while using the scroll saw. A chef's apron keeps more sawdust directed to the floor.

Another one I use quite a bit is a carpenter's nail apron. It does have small pockets for nail set, mechanical pencil, white pearl eraser, and a multitool. One of the nail pockets is home for my tape measure. The other nail pocket is dedicated to an assortment of finish nails. When needed, I'll empty that pocket into a jar, and add a specific fastener needed for a job.

From time to time, the tool belt goes on. It's usually for non-carpentry purposes. It's stocked with a multitool, favorite pair of pliers, center punch, utility scissors, small screw driver, another tape measure (in a pocket) and what ever small tools I need for a job.

How many of you have a collection of tried and didn't work aprons? I know I've got a bunch of them. :o

Lee in NC

[Matt Winterowd]

I used to wear an apron, but I didn't like the neck strap. I switch to a Blaklader tool vest and I really like it. Protects my shirt and carries all the various pencils and rulers and such without feeling like it's adding a bunch of weight.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Naaah It'd just be one more place to mislay my tools.

[Tony Bilello]

If the apron has a lower pocket i will cut it off. Pockets tend to get caught on tool handles. I build furniture and so most of my work is done on one bench or another so there is no need for carrying tools other than a tape which I wear on my side pants pocket.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

NO vest or toolbelt!! (I'm no TIM) But, I DO find that wearing Carhartt bib overalls (demin in summer/insulated duck in winter) is one convenient garment when in the shop!

I'm not built for tool belts! Gravity pulls them (and my pants) down toward the Equator!! I spend half my time hiking up my britches! No Plumber's Crack with Overalls!! Bib pockets for pencils, pens, penlights, little note pad, and cellphone! Big back pockets for STUFF! Even a tape measure! My shop is so crowded, a tape measure hanging off my belt invariably hangs on something and gets knocked to the floor!


Chip has it!

My bibs (Walmart - can't afford Carhart) are the best thing since sliced bread or bristles on bushes.
I can put 20# of stuff in the pockets w/out any sweat that my waist band will end up being a knee band.

[Phil Phelps]

I work alone. I have many machines that spin. The thought of clothing being caught in one of them and dragging me with it is frightening. I wear socks 'n shoes and a jock strap.
I work alone.

[Todd Burch]

I work alone. ... I wear socks 'n shoes and a jock strap.
I work alone.

TMI Phil. TMI.

[Brian Smith3]

I tried a shop apron for a while and couldn't get used to it. Either the pockets would get caught on something or I would forget to take it off when I go an run an errand, and it ended up sitting in the car for a day or two.

So I went to the local Goodwill and bought a few uniform shirts (like from Aramark etc) for $1 per shirt. The uniform shirts are great because they have a chest pocket for a pencil and a deep pocket where I put my phone/calculator/ipod. Then I wear a pair of Dickies work shorts with a small pocket at the bottom for an 8' tape and hang the rest of my small tools from my workbelt next to the DC (which I use if I'm doing construction jobs).

Now I can go to the Borg or do a simple errand for my wife and not change or leave anything in the car. Although people do sometimes mistake me for a Tire Installer named Raul, or a Saturn technician named Dave, or ask me about drywall at the Borg because I'm wearing a D&D Drywall shirt with the name Skip on it. So sometimes a short explanation is required.;)

[Greg Deakins]

I used to use the canvas tie off pouches such as the HD giveaways. I switched to a belt with bags, one was a nail bag, the other was an electricians pouch. From there I began putting suspenders on the belt, to help keep it from dragging my pants off. That got old so after a couple years I invested in some Occidental bags with the shoulder straps. Good for framing, or carrying lots of tools (which evolved into grasping the shoulder straps with my hand and carrying the bags). That turned into locking the bags together with a caribeaner and carrying them around a job site like a bucket. They still contain most of my good hand tools, but sits on the bench in my shop. In the shop I try to remain as light as possible, and just stay organized. Now if I need a pouch in the field, I will use one of those hip pouches that clips on the belt. Has just enough pockets to hold the smaller tools of trim, and a modified small clip on nail pouch to hold my "micro-taser" or lith-ion screwgun (just cut a hole in a cheapo pouch). Additionally, to save my pockets I have a leather strap that was made for me rivited together in the middle so I can thread my belt through, and a rectangular ring on the other end which accepts a tape clip gingerly. Also have an apron in the shop which is seldom used, and carharts are my basic issue anyway.

SO basically I have tried everything, but use nothing in the shop. If I WERE to use something in the shop however, it would be just the small hip pouch with a nail set, pencil, knife, little bottle of glue, scribe tool, etc., and the ever present tape holder. But I agree the shop basically IS the tool belt in my case.