Making apron to wear while repairing tubing—What supplies do you carry around?

[Sue @ Battel's Sugar Bush]

For Christmas I'm planning to sew a heavy-duty apron for my father-in-law to wear while he repairs tubing. In order to plan how many and what size pockets/loops/etc. to make, I'd like to know what kind of supplies everyone carries around the woods as they make repairs. Thanks!


A length of tubing
A knife?
A crimper
Some connectors
What else?

[Tweegs]

Combo tool (leatherman)
Tubing tool
At least 3 different types of fittings
Tubing cutter
Tape
Tie straps
A spare saddle or two
Main line wire splices and crimper
……………………………………………………

Because I’m me:
I carry a .22 to shoot those fuzzy tailed rats that are chewing up all the tubing.
Flare gun, with extra flares, because I’m good at getting lost.
Compass (see above)
Fire starters (see above, too)
First aid kit (those combo tools are tricky)
Duct tape (for the mouth, my language gets rather salty when making repairs)

Honestly Sue, the apron sounds like a great idea, I could use one. There never seems to be enough room in a bucket or tool belt. I’m sure the recipient will be very pleased!

[Thad Blaisdell]

I find that a backpack and a carpenters pouch, (which I use 2 different types depending on what I am doing). Are by far the way to go. I keep the things I plan on using the most in the pouch, with other stuff in the backpack. This way most of the stuff is secure in the backpack with no chance of falling out as I am walking. An apron might work but I think the combination I use works extremely well.

[Brent]

On anther thread there was a link to Forestry Suppliers
for tree marking

I went browsing and found this neat looking stuff.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/icat/Cat61/full.asp?page=10

check out the various multi pocket vests on the pages before this

PS when you click on an item the details page often has substantial price reductions

[maplecrest]

my apron has three bottom pockets 2 for spouts and fittings.one for tools. on the tie straps or belt, is a measureing tape holder that the two handed tubing tool slides into nicely, handle in each of two slots and carries easily.top two pockets are small, hold sheetrock knife, and hole brush for tapping [ clean carrot curls out of tap holes] and spare bits.i had a vest with lots of pockets once and i found the more pockets you have the more you have to hunt for what you need to do the repair job.keep it simple

[Killington Maple]

Leader is now carrying a pocketed vest that is pretty neat. Tried to find them online and Leader's price is right in line with everyone else's.
I usually carry canvas tool bags, crimping tool, cutters, everything that I'd need. Then I find out that I've always forgotten something!

[Homestead Maple]

.... then I find out that I've always forgotten something! Ain't that the truth.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I cant survive without a draw string parts bag with,

TAPE, NAILS, STARS, TAPS, Ts, STAR CAPS, Ts, ADJUSTABLE END TIES, WIRE, ZIP TIES, LATTERAL TO MAINLINE WIRE CLIPS, 10 DROPS, SPARE TUBING, DRILL, HAMMER, TUBING CUTTER, UTILITY KNIFE, BEER

Tweegs Have you thought of following your tubing back to camp:lol:

[jcb]

I cant survive without a draw string parts bag with,

TAPE, NAILS, STARS, TAPS, Ts, STAR CAPS, Ts, ADJUSTABLE END TIES, WIRE, ZIP TIES, LATTERAL TO MAINLINE WIRE CLIPS, 10 DROPS, SPARE TUBING, DRILL, HAMMER, TUBING CUTTER, UTILITY KNIFE, BEER

Tweegs Have you thought of following your tubing back to camp:lol:

I like to carry some food to go with the beer.

I use a pack and some type of tool pouch for the tubing cutter and a hammer loop if we are tapping. I find it much nicer getting around with to much stuff hanging to get in the way.

[THCPrecision]

Just a thought but a foresters or surveyers so called timber cruising vest works well and has losts of pockets that divide stuff quite well and spreads load out nicely

[ennismaple]

If you're going to forget everything but 1 item what would it be?

My vote - black electrical tape. It's the sugarmakers secret weapon! I keep a roll in every jacket and machine that goes to the bush.

[Tweegs]

Oh Haynes, what fun would it be to follow the tubing back out?

I mean, it’s not like I have to use the flare gun, it’s that I get to use the flare gun!:lol:

I did think of another little add on for the apron. Maybe a bit of Velcro to hold some of the pockets closed. Not a lot, just a small tab on a pocket designed to hold fittings or other smaller parts/tools.

I constantly find myself out there tripping over a snow covered branch or stump, and there is the occasional header down the slope resulting from said trip. I don’t mind the fall and slide near as much as having to go back and gather everything up. I often leave the side of the hill looking like a yard sale.

I’ll second the electrical tape when it comes to going out armed with but a single item. That or some toilet paper, because if I got out there having forgot everything else, I’d just………….:D

[Brent]

I lose so much stuff in the snow from sloppiness or taking nose dives, that I often go back home to get one of the carpenter's metal detectors to find what I've lost. Most frequent item is the nuts that hold the chain saw bar.

Maybe a good apron would have a space for the metal detector.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

A tool bag with a lot of pockets works great too if you don't want to use an apron. I have tried about everything and like a nice canvas tool bag about the best as it has room for two handed tubing tools, wire tensioner, etc.

[Parker]

Hmm- If I am repairing leaks during the season I like my one hander,,my tubing cutter,,a bunch of connectors with hooks, a couple of saddles, gorrilla tape, a little rope,,a littel wire,,a couple of end hooks,, a couple of drops,,A velcro thingee would be nice to wrap the drops up with,,,at the beggining of the season I put a 30 pack at the end of each major mainline so I dont have to carry any and get them all shaken up,,plus that is a littel extra insentive to check the entire line...

[Diezeldog]

In our bush we use a cabelas game bird vest classic upland II vest blaze orange so we can see everybody. You could put your truck in there and not be able to find it. We have 50,000 taps and just added another 12,000 this summer. We carried hammer, tubing tool, pruners, hand saw, wire ties, wire tie tool, extra wire, extra tubing, flagging, electrical tape, pad of waterproof paper, pencil, permanent marker to write on flagging, forrester crayon, channel locks, come alongs, wire grab, pipe clamps different sizes, nut driver and what ever else you can think of. Those vest are awesome for 39.95 you can't beat them.

[brookledge]

5/16 nut driver for tightening up a lose hose clamp
but I agree with ennismaple my number one item in my pocket when I walk out into the woods is to make sure that I have a roll of electrical tape
keith