TOOL RIGS & PRODUCTIVITY - RIGHT AT THE TIPS OF MY FINGERS
Skilled workers know the truth in the saying “the right tool is half the job.” But if you can't put your hands on that tool when you need it, where you need it, you haven’t even started that job. That's where tool rigs come in. More than just a “belt,” a tool rig is a “wearable workstation,” with a place for everything and everything in its place.
The result is basic cause and effect: saving time looking for stuff means productivity goes way up and frustration goes way down.
YOUR REACH ENVELOPE
Think of an office worker at a desk: everything is laid out in a “reach envelope”, so that computers, phones, pencils, and other office tools are right at their fingertips.
While it’s hard to drag a desk around a jobsite, workers do have their own wearable reach envelope from about their knees to their shoulders and all the way around their waist.
And just as touch typists don’t look at their fingers, a well organized tool rig means your eyes never leave the work when reaching for a specific pair of pliers, a wrench, or test equipment, or the gum you packed this morning.
SET UP YOUR RIG TO MATCH YOUR JOB
Sure, you can put screws and nails in those pockets, but what about snacks, calculators, sunscreen, markers, zip-ties, multi-meters, etc.? Carry a small notebook or code reference? Spare batteries for your drill? Maybe even treats for the neighborhood dog that sneaks up behind you.
The key is customizing your rig to fit the job you do and the tools you use.
Maybe you have 2 cell phones and never swing a hammer. Maybe you use more mallets than a marimba player. But whether you carry one screwdriver or the whole Sears catalog around your waist, lay them out and pick the rig components that hold ‘em where you need ‘em. Add some clips and lanyards to keep special tools secure, and you’re set to go.
THERE FOR NEXT TIME
A well-organized rig also gives you a place to park tools when you’re done. That’s especially handy when you’re working from a bucket or hanging from a utility pole. But even on terra firma, tools set down on a ledge or in the grass tend to get left behind or walk away. Mom taught you to put your stuff away so you could use it the next day; tool belts help you mind your mom.
ONE RIG OR TWO?
Just as there is different gear for hunting and fishing, think about keeping different rigs for different jobs. Framing and finishing? Tearout and layout? Troubleshooting versus new work? You have different bags for golf and bowling, so think about keeping task-specific tool rigs “ready to wear”.
But if you really gotta have it all with you all the time, check out a set of padded suspenders to help distribute the weight, as well as to add a few new locations for clipping stuff.
Just be careful around airport security screeners and really strong magnets.