<br><br> <div><span class="gmail_quote">On 10/31/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Cy Shuster</b> <<a href="mailto:cy@shusterpiano.com">cy@shusterpiano.com</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"> <div bgcolor="#ffffff"> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"><font face="Verdana Ref">I got a $20 one from Lowe's that I used for years.  It looks good, and doesn't transfer dirt from one customer's home to the next.  </font></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"><font face="Verdana Ref"></font></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"><font face="Verdana Ref">I had no problem with the hinge or latches, but the clasp for the divider separated early on.  Dan Levitan of NY makes his own "tool pallets" from perforated aluminum (looks almost like a screen) and elastic straps, so you place everything where you want it.  I use a soft-sided one from Pianotek now for my regulating tools, and just a messenger bag for my tuning kit with invoices and a few hand tools for fallboards and benches. </font></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"><font face="Verdana Ref"></font></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"><font face="Verdana Ref">--Cy--</font></font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"> </font></div></div></blockquote></div> <div>My decision to not continue with the aluminum cases was not just the lack of quality but the concern for front doors, furniture, etc.</div> <div>A hard case raises a liability issue since the case and its attachments(hinges, d-rings,rivets, corner tabs) are just that, hard and can therefore scratch doors, furniture, pianos. No matter how careful you try to be, accidents can and do happen. I was taught by a wise tech who told us to always put your case on the floor, never on a chair, table, bench, always the floor. However chair legs, sofa fronts(the wooden kind) piano legs, china cabinets, etc. are all in close proximity, frequently, of the piano and can be bumped, scratched, dented by a hard case. </div> <div>So as I noticed more techs going to tool bags it seemed this was a logical move to forestall any liability problems. My current tool bag has no outer snaps, zippers, d-rings, hinges, rivets or metal of any kind on the front or back to scratch or dent anything. It has a flap that drops over the zipper front and back the d-rings are on the sides near the top and do not protrude and are coated with plastic and the snaps are much smaller than the strap. It has the added advantage of durability and not being very expensive but that is truly secondary to the peace of mind I feel carrying it into a home.  </div> <div>It has the added advantage of having extra room so I can add tools for specific jobs if I am in a situation where it is difficult to run to my truck, when I work at the University I park 3 or 4 blocks away and prefer to load up things I may need. Also If I'm in a home and have run out to the truck a few times, I can put everything into it when I leave and sort it out at the truck, versus making 2 or 3 trips out.  </div> <div>For those jobs where I am doing, say a major grand rgulation I have a standard tool box, a big 24" yellow toolbox with all of my regulating eqipment in it, from punchings to teflon to McLube and Teflon spray and regulation specs book. I have another for parts only, another for felt only and finally a hardware box with a screw assortment, I work in areas where there isn't a hardware store on every corner! I use a Craftsman toolbag for my backup tools, stringing tools, pin driver, 2# hammer, string tails, block support jack, vise grips, loop maker, brass flange holder etc. </div> <div> </div> <div>I don't fault anyone for their choice of what they use for carrying their tools, when I started out I used a plastic attache case, I paid $4 for followed by an $18 Wards metal tackle box which served for over a dozen years before I "graduated" to my first aluminum case. It's all a matter of what you're comfortable with and serves your individual purposes. </div> <div>My point here was just to enlighten about my reasons for moving away from the aluminum cases other than the obvious quality issues.</div> <div>Mike<br>-- <br>The way some people find fault, you'd think there was some kind of reward.<br>Michael Magness<br>Magness Piano Service<br>608-786-4404<br><a href="http://www.IFixPianos.com">www.IFixPianos.com</a> <br>email <a href="mailto:mike@ifixpianos.com">mike@ifixpianos.com</a> </div>