Ultimate Festool Installers Mobile Cart

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ericbuggeln

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After long deliberations with BuilderBob I have gotten a full kitchen, bath or built in install down to 1 1/2 man trips to my box van. We were making too many trips and I wanted to consolidate everything into a mobile workstation plus some other loose items that my assistant could get while I was setting up the workstation. First the hand truck. Tanos has any offering for more then twice the $89.95 with free shipping that I paid for this one at www.handtrucksrus.com. It weighs 12 lbs and is very sturdy. It has 7' wheels with non marring rubber that can make it over 7' risers with ease, although if you had an assistant you would be better off just picking it up for full flights for like a second story bath. The meat of the workstation comprises of a Sortainer with two small pullouts, one medium, and one large with three dividers. This has all my small items which used to get lost in a Veto Pro Pac. This is followed by the Installers Set from five years ago transfered into a T-LOC. On top of that is a Sys 1 T-LOc full of GRKs and other install hardware. On top of that is Tanos Toolbox for loose items which may change from job to job.  They are filled up in the truck before the workstation is brought in. Once inside the Toolbox and Screw Sys come off, leaving access to the installers set and the sortainer, while not having too much stuff on the ground.
The tool box has two hangers ziptied to the handle so that I can fit the CXS and C12(the cutest couple in the Festool line) and a 100 ft extension cord and 50 ft air hose, with a hammer hook. There is a three way splitter on the back of the cart for compressor, batteries, and sirius radio. The Ridgid brad nailer(hidden gem), Cadex pin nailer, and quick clamps all hook on to the Toolbox. The rest of the Toolbox is for shims, laser level, hole saws, spring clamps, spade bits, glue, nail gun oil, assorted box of pins and brads, etc, etc.
The full unit rolls very quickly on flat ground. On stairs it is one step at a time unless you have a fearless assistant like me. It weighs around the same as a five gallon bucket of joint compound, which is right around 65 lbs. As far as lifting it into the box van, there is a gigantic step/bumper off the back of my rig, so i only have to lift half the total distance and then half again and it is totally doable. If you had to dead lift it onto a flatbed you would maybe need assistance or scale it down further. The last pic is of the stuff that would be brought in , in two trips by my assistant. Stabila Installers set, 55' rail, TS75, Trion, RAS, Centrotec mini sys, stud sensor mini sys, compressor, Fein Multimaster box outfitted with 3rd Hands and Jorgensons FF clamps.
Overall Im really pleased with this working prototype on which i will continue to revise as I use it in the field. It was fun to talk to BUilderBob about what tools would make the cut and which ones wouldnt for this project. Fortunately when things dont go my way, I still have a 14 ft box van full of tools to resort too. Let me know what you think, Eric
 
I bought this cart over other $50.00 models bc of perceived increase in sturdiness, but more for the 7' wheel which could get over most risers in USA.
 
Looks good, I have a cart like that and may try something similar.

With the items hanging on either side it looks a bit wide for maneuvering indoors, any problems with bumping into walls or doorways?

Also is this in lieu of or in addition to a dust extractor? 

I was thinking maybe the hoses and cords and perhaps even some of the other items would fit in a SYS3 or 4 which could sit on the CT. 

With stairs and other obstacles I can see how the cart would be more handy, but in most cases I would want to bring the CT anyway so it could carry a bit of the load, but would likely still need two trips to the van.

Jeff
 
ericbuggeln said:
Fortunately when things dont go my way, I still have a 14 ft box van full of tools to resort too. Let me know what you think, Eric
Click to expand...

I admire what you're trying to achieve but your claim to have come up with the ultimate solution is surely fundamentally flawed by your own logic? I'm not trying to be negative, just trying to get you to continue to strive for the perfect solution. BTW how can you have 1 1/2 man trips?
 
It fits through a 30" doorway and no matter which way you look at it, Im carrying a ton of stuff in, that all goes together, in one trip. Once the first load is in, the cart can be used to carry all the systainers in at once. The CT22 would be an extra trip that I didnt think of but I havent used it in the field yet. This is the ultimate set up for me, my box van and assistant. I apologize if you thought it was for you. If you worked solo this option could possibly suck for you. Just striving to be more efficient and that cart has the most install items that one man, me a six foot 200 lb male can get in and out of my box van and up and down a flight of stairs solo. I would love to hear other suggestions good or bad as it will never be finished, thanks Eric  
 
That is an awesome idea. Some days our guys are still rolling out tools at 8:45. With that first trip, one man can get started right away.
 
Thanks guys, glad you liked it. I dont have a kitchen install until after the holiday, but I will let you know how many trips I can get all the essentials of every install into the residence in. Eric
 
I love to see set ups like this and how they work. Thanks for the drawer contents shots. Remember to get some in use shots on the job.  The whole idea of a workshop in a box is what I have gone for. It takes me several trips by myself , but that gets almost everything in and set up. I am in the middle of expanding mine , haven't decided if it is a good idea or not yet. Time will tell.

Seth
 
Looks good Eric, but I think you could improve on the system and get rid of that 1/2 trip.

The stud finder is dead weight,  CH Hanson sells a rare earth magnet stud finder that is so much better and takes up no space.  It also looks like you could easily sling your cords over the handle and then you could put a holster on each side of the toolbox for your drivers and slim down that jellyroll.

Ditch the multi master box for a sys 4 with twice the clamp storage and the Festools and clamps can ride on top of your CT.  As for your rails and levels, I've been looking at the space between my CT handle and the sys stack as a possible solution...

Oh yea, where is your hammer, carpenters triangle, handsaws, 11 in 1, blue tape, 2P10, and multi master?
 
Kevin, the hammer is underneath the cords/hoses on a hook that came with my Skillers work pants that I have traded in for Bjornkladders. I carry a Tajima 16', Woodpeckers six inch carpenters square, and Festool folding rule on me at all times. Could easily throw some tape in there bc I use it for scribes on prefinished. I stopped using 2P10 and pin all my self returns now. I have seen that magnetic stud finder and when this one dies i will probably opt for something like that. Ditching the Multimaster box is a good idea and a reason to buy another systainer. Will have to see how that would fit, maybe use some leftover kaizen foam. The multimaster box was not getting used since i put it in a systainer with insert and is not used on every job. There is still room in the toolbox for more stuff and room for improvement so thanks for the comments, Eric
 
Based on Kevins remarks I was able to fit both 3rd hands and Jorgenson FF clamps in a sys 2, no real need for Kaizen foam, tight fit. Now I can attach that to the TS75, RAS, Trion and cart it in. Dude, you just freed up a hand, thanks Eric
 
Way to go....That Multimaster box is one of the few stock cases I have held onto, it is a great case.  BTW that Mag stud finder is less than $20 on Amazon, it saves lots of time as you can leave it on the stud and drill in line.  No more blue tape and tic marks and false readings. 

So what is the story with those 3rd hands?....mine are much much bigger.
 
Eric, now that you have used this setup for a while...what has it evolved to. What did you change, toss out, improve. Are you still using this system? It sure looks like a great concept but experience tells me that after a few months of actual use you probably made some changes.
 
Joe, i have used it on first floor residential kitchens and 24th floor commercial kitchens and I havent changed a thing. I do now have almost everything in systainers for my installs, so i drop off the mobile unit and use the cart to carry as many more systainers as possible in. The Tanos Toolbox is a gem and sometimes i just take that, if it is for something small. I owned everything already and the cart was $80.00, so well worth the investment already. I was concerned that some of the sortainer trays were gonna get jammed but nothing major and i have them pretty full. When you have to go 24 floors for something, you wanna make sure you have it in the first place. Eric
 
I know the feeling Eric. I have a ultimate bucket boss that bookends my ct stack. I set up the Bucket Boss as my "Go Bag" for client emergencies.

Emergency response is key, we even have the first aid sys in our topcoat essential emergency mobilization stack (teems).
 
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