Custom tool and material restraint manufacturer Lift Buddy 2000, Euless, Texas, introduces its first universal rail-mounted tool caddy for aerial lifts. Designed by a former glazier, the Stow-a-way is a dual power tool holder with a center pocket designed to hold small hand tools, fasteners, and other job-related gear to keep them off the floor and secure while operating through rough terrain. The unit incorporates a 4”x5”x8” center tool compartment, as well as two drill and screw gun holders for added convenience.
Weighing about 8 pounds, the Stow-a-way tool holder uses a 14-gauge steel bracket measuring 4”x14” to hook the holder over the guardrail to it in place. The bracket is mounted on a mahogany wood caddy that is 28 inches long from the top of the steel bracket to the bottom. A 1-3/4-inch lower adjust bracket swings underneath the intermediate rail and is tightened for security. This lower bracket allows the unit to be used with both square and round guardrails, making its use universal for any aerial lift. Additionally, the Stow-a-way comes with a 6-inch lower adjustable bracket attached to its side that can be changed out in seconds to keep the body vertical and secure on lifts with offset railings. A T-handle knob is then twist tightened to secure the tool caddy in place. Releasing and moving the Stow-a-way is as simple as removing two keeper pins, loosening the T-handle knob, loosening the lower bracket, and lifting and moving the unit to a new location.
According to Lift Buddy 2000's Operations Manager Marshall Thomas, the Stow-a-way is a separate entity. It is not screwed or bolted on to the guardrails or platform, so it does not harm the structural integrity of the aerial lift. It also limits the amount of material you bring up, so it does not add unnecessary weight to the platform.
Thomas, a former glazier, designed the Stow-a-way with the aerial lift operator in mind. “Every time I had to perform work from an aerial lift, I always wished I had some sort of tool holder that would keep my screw gun, drill, and hand tools off the floor,” he said. “I also did not like wearing a tool belt while working from a lift because it is heavy and hampered my moving around in an already confined work space.”
Having studied numerous aerial lift guardrail configurations and drill and screw gun sizes, Thomas said he factored in these variables when designing the tool restraint, which he has been working on since 1999. He also wanted to make the unit as streamlined as possible. “I wanted it to perform its job well, while at the same time taking up little of the worker's space, which is at a premium in smaller lifts,” Thomas said.
The Stow-a-way comes standard with mahogany wood finish with the hanger bracket and L-braces in a safety red finish, which can be custom colored for an additional fee. Total price is $137.50, which includes shipping and handling. The Stow-a-way also comes with a two-year unconditional guarantee.
For more information, go to www.liftbuddy2000.com.
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