A Look Inside The Top, Continued
Opening the lid on the top compartment reveals the upper top tray. The upper top tray is where I store my ’bread and butter’ tools, the tools that I regularly use and need quick access to. Over time, I have found that this is the best place to house tools that I need readily accessible, since this space also offers added security and the protection of being housed within the main compartment of the top box.
Here is the selection of items that I leave in the top tray. Perhaps the two biggest items of note are my favorite Snap On Screw Driver set, as well as my trusty Antec ATX Power Supply Tester. Both of these are very important items for me that I have learned to never leave home without.
In the top tray, you will find a MiniMag flashlight, a Leatherman PST II, a Torx T10 and Torx T15 screwdriver, a 3/16" nut driver, a 1/4" nut driver, an Antec ATX power supply tester, a small whisk brush, a interchangeable head mini screwdriver, a 12-foot tape measure, a variety of chip pullers, a variety of tweezers, a screw retrieval device, a six inch crescent wrench, a spare standard ATX port back, and a four-piece SDDX40 Snap On Screw Driver Set.
The Snap On SDDX40 four-piece screwdriver has become my mainstay screwdriver that I use for both flat head and Philips head jobs. While many may consider Snap On Tools expensive, Snap On Tools have served me well for the last five years. It is possible to purchase a multi-selectable head screwdriver that can be substituted for individual screwdrivers ; however, I find that I get better performance and control by using individual screwdrivers. The most important feature to bear in mind when selecting a screwdriver, nut driver, or Torx driver is to choose those parts with a strong track record against head wear. Many cheaper tools will not last, and if you are going to seriously use these tools on a daily basis, it is worth the investment to choose higher quality tools in order to prevent replacing the same tools over and over again.
The Leatherman PST II is another tool that always should have a home in any technician’s toolbox. With its flexible, selectable multifunctionality, the Leatherman is perhaps one of the most useful tools that any technician could own. If you were on the road with your laptop and could only carry one tool with you, then this is the tool to carry. As a matter of fact, I always carry a Leatherman in my laptop case as well as in my toolbox - you can’t have too many Leathermans.
