OT: Laptop tripods / bags - recommendations?

[FactoryTalktotheHand]

What do you guys use to haul your gear around? Right now I have a backpack, a table, and a chair that I carry with me, but with the laptop and all my tools, the backpack is absolute murder on my spine. Also, I have a decent table and chair, but even though they both fold they're pretty unwieldy to carry around a job site. The table is sit-down height only, and I either have to keep getting in or out of my chair or bend over and mess up my back.

I guess what I'm looking for is a nice laptop bag rolling case that has enough room to fit a tripod (something that can go stand-up height) made specifically for laptops. I'm not married to that concept and am willing to entertain any better ideas. Thoughts?

 

[JohnCalderwood]

This one has been asked before

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=93401&highlight=chair

 

[Doug-P]

You stated you're looking for a chair but, here's a table with adjustable legs.

http://www.pctabletote.com/

 

[Phil Buchanan]

I normally buy the folding plastic table and get a chair to go with it as part of the job and when I am finished I leave it there. Figure it into your price.

If it's a customer you do repeat work for of visit frequently Be-Friend one of the maintenance people or managers there to find a place it can be store and they can watch after it for you.

I leave it there so next time I don't have to deal with it or if I never go back I feel good knowing it's there for the next poor soul.

The cost is so insignificant it's not worth lugging it around. i put my tools, laptop and cables in my backpack and take 1 carry on bag. If I need any tools more than can go in the backpack it's normally a mechanical problem which the contractors or maintenance people on site normally have the tools to deal with.

Just my 2 cents but YMMV.

 

[ASF]

I normally buy the folding plastic table and get a chair to go with it as part of the job and when I am finished I leave it there. Figure it into your price.

That's my MO as well. First thing I do when I arrive on site for a commissioning or long term job is walk through the switchroom and note down distances and spaces. Then I point out all the things the install crew have missed, which buys me some time to take a trip into town to buy a plastic table, folding chair, extension cables, powerboards, long patch cables, whatever I need to make my job easy. You're right - for the small cost of it, if it saves you half an hour scratching around trying to find something to rest your $2000 laptop on and an extension lead to power it, you're already two steps ahead.

 

[Paullys50]

That's my MO as well. First thing I do when I arrive on site for a commissioning or long term job is walk through the switchroom and note down distances and spaces. Then I point out all the things the install crew have missed, which buys me some time to take a trip into town to buy a plastic table, folding chair, extension cables, powerboards, long patch cables, whatever I need to make my job easy. You're right - for the small cost of it, if it saves you half an hour scratching around trying to find something to rest your $2000 laptop on and an extension lead to power it, you're already two steps ahead.

+1

I was just at a site the other day, some other engineers were standing all day leaning on a make shift table. They did this for an entire week last month.

"Guys, Walmart is just down the road pick up a folding table and chairs and expense it."

 

[Highland Controls]

Kind of related. I was on a startup in North Carolina last week and took my folding table. I have a folding chair, but I rarely take it because I can always find a chair onsite. I asked for a chair and was told chairs are not allowed on the production floor. They gave me a bucket to sit on. Also, no microwave or coffee maker in the office area. They told me OSHA said they were not allowed. I never heard of that before. I immediately thought that management was blowing smoke up someone's @ss.

 

[Phil Buchanan]

I never heard of that before. I immediately thought that management was blowing smoke up someone's @ss.

Indeed they are.

 

[Tharon]

Kind of related. I was on a startup in North Carolina last week and took my folding table. I have a folding chair, but I rarely take it because I can always find a chair onsite. I asked for a chair and was told chairs are not allowed on the production floor. They gave me a bucket to sit on.

I've sat on 5 gallon buckets often. We used to have a rule against chairs on the shop floor here as well. So I'd carry a chair with me when I had to spend longer than usual time with a machine. Eventually I got a wheeled cart that was tall enough for me to comfortably work on while standing. I never did like sitting down, but my old carts were not tall enough to stand with.

I like the fold up tables shown in this thread, they look really nice. But it sounds like they aren't tall enough to stand at and type comfortably.

I've switched to using old AV/Projector style carts. Those are adjustable to the perfect height. But portability is an issue with them.

 

[FactoryTalktotheHand]

You stated you're looking for a chair but, here's a table with adjustable legs.

http://www.pctabletote.com/

I own one of those but they're a bit too chintsy for my taste. Also, it doesn't extend to stand-up height.

 

[CharlesM]

I like these back packs and bags.

http://www.vetopropac.com/catalog/laptop-series

My wife got me one of these
http://www.globalindustrial.com/p/material-handling/hand-trucks-dollies/hand-trucks-folding/best-value-folding-hand-cart-150-lb-capacity?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gclid=Cj0KEQiAisy1BRD7_YSgpduD2cEBEiQAPR3UuPzLCDLotFV0pXn3qgA6HrKs5D0rtXQH_fuX9pKJkP4aArds8P8HAQ

 

[RussB]

I have used this bag with the customized strap for more than 10 years. Even going up/down stairs it does not bother the old back. The 5" of bungy attached to each end of the strap absorb nearly all of the impact. It's typically loaded to 15+ lbs.
I'm more concerned with comfort than looks.

 

[Phil Buchanan]

I've sat on 5 gallon buckets often. We used to have a rule against chairs on the shop floor here as well. So I'd carry a chair with me when I had to spend longer than usual time with a machine. Eventually I got a wheeled cart that was tall enough for me to comfortably work on while standing. I never did like sitting down, but my old carts were not tall enough to stand with.

I like the fold up tables shown in this thread, they look really nice. But it sounds like they aren't tall enough to stand at and type comfortably.

I've switched to using old AV/Projector style carts. Those are adjustable to the perfect height. But portability is an issue with them.

For around our plant I buy these for my men to use as programming carts

http://www.amazon.com/Waterloo-TRX4...d=1454611935&sr=1-11&refinements=p_4:Waterloo

The height is perfect and we put programming cables and such in the slide drawers.

When we get them we mount a power strip to the side and also mount a retractable reel drop cord on them so it does not walk away and you can plug all your gear into the power strip and you can put your laptop and and other items in the big top drawer and lock it when you go to lunch or coffee break.

They are wide enough for 2 laptops side by side and 2 people but we don't do that often because we have enough of them to go around. makes a good lockable "command center" to keep prints and such when doing a large install or modification.

The top is a nice place to layout large format drawings and everyone gather around on big install projects.