long tool storage

[imagineero]

Just wondering what people are doing with their pole saws, rakes, shovels, ladders etc. We've been storing our ladder on a rack inside the truck after the last one attached to the outside was stolen, but it gets so filthy and covered in chip. Have rakes and shovels on a rack on the chipper but they get put inside the truck bin each night. Still haven't found any good way of storing a pole pruner. I'd love to see photos or hear ideas people have for storing this stuff, especially if it's secure!

Thanks,
Shaun

 

[sgreanbeans]

Good one. I am always thinking about this!
I put my pole saw and all my Jameson poles, tank bars and anything long and straight into the ladder box of my bucket truck, the pole saw will fit thru if turned upside down (power head). We dont carry a ladder so I cant help you there. Rakes, shovels and all of that rides in the back of the pickups with the wheel barrows and such. Have often thought about what I could do to mount them on the truck with out it looking ghetto! Thought about some sort of flat box on top of the the chipper box, where they can lay flat and not blow off? Me, I like to have all kinds of hand tools, shovels, hard rakes, trench shovels etc, with me on every job, as ya never now what your gunna need. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it!

 

[Bigus Termitius]

I have a similar dilemma.

I used to store them in the Bucket Truck, but I had to take the saw head off to fit my Stihl 131 pole pruner.

Now, it all rides in the back of a pickup or the chipper truck depending on the job. I've thought about building a long tool cabinet, but I don't really want to sacrifice capacity. I don't use ladders, but I might start to consider it for orchard work. If I do, that can ride on top of the box and I'd have a way of locking it down.

I like sq. beans idea of bringing an arsenal in a pickup; I'd like to get a topper or cover to secure everything and keep it all dry.

 

[sgreanbeans]

I like to have all that, not necessarily for the tree part, but the logistics of it all, trench shovels work great when trying to pop up some lawn ornament that has been sitting in the same spot for 30 years!

 

[sgreanbeans]

Kinda off topic-
This made me think about my fence kit that I carry in the tool box. I have a fence stretcher, 3 hook deal ya use to pull chainlink tight, get them at Lowes.
Dont know bout the rest, but you Jar Heads will get this!
I dont know how many times I sent a boot to look for a piece of "Flight Line" or a PRC E-7, hell, I have made them check out, to go TAD to pull butts at the flame thrower range, even had them go to the SGT MAJ with a check out sheet in fire suits we got from CFR!
Here it is, wonder what would have happened if, one of the bazillion times, I sent a boot to supply to get a fence stretcher, he actually came back with one!
Every time I grab that thing, I think about that!

 

[TimberMcPherson]

We keep our pole pruner, big shot poles, pole saws on the ceilings of the chip box of our trucks.

Both "systems" have retired prussics with a biner securing them at the chipper end of the chip box to stop them sliding out.

For the canvas roof it just slides in between the supports and the tarp.

On the inside of the solid roof I fitted 3 inch long pieces of 5 inch drain coil at both ends. Mulch doesnt collect in them, easy to line the poles up and they can take some beating. The end of the power pruner even fits at the far end and the engine end can be binered into place.

 

[Kottonwood]

Here is how I do it.

The pvc pipe carries all my pole extensions. All of the heads (saws and pruners) are detachable and stay in one of the tool boxes on the truck.

I really like having all the tools stored on the pickup instead of the chipper truck. First of all I can store more, so I am less likely to leave something at the shop. Also, it allows me to move on to the next job and get started when the guys are still finishing cleanup. Another benefit is if we need to dump mid day, the driver doesn't drive off with all the tools you still need.

Either way you may want to incorporate some pvc pipe, it works great for the poles.

-Keith

 

[Kottonwood]

I forgot to mention, weatherguard makes a cap for the end of a six or eight inch pvc pipe that flips open and is lockable. I saw one on an electrician's truck and I have been meaning to get one.

 

[RAG66]

I have the Asplundh style truck and put two rakes, pitch fork, push broom, and scoop shovel in the "ladder" box. In addition to the hand tools I put my gas pole saw in motor first starting from a 90 degree angle to the truck. It took me a bit to figure out how it goes in.:msp_biggrin: