As a kid, Georgia technician Robert Reiser would go to work with his father and watch him fix cars in awe. Despite his fascination with cars and repairing them, Reiser wasn't always sure that becoming a technician was the path for him. In fact, he was prepared to take on separate work, but when his father got sick, things changed.
"I was going to do something else, then he got sick, and I ended up staying local," Reiser says. "I got a job at a tire shop when I was like 16 or 17, and I've been doing it ever since."
Now, head technician of American Tire and Auto Care in Flemington, New Jersey, Reiser has had a handful of toolboxes throughout his career, but none shine brighter than his current setup: an 84" Snap-on EPIQ.
More space and more light
Before purchasing the EPIQ, Reiser was operating out of a box that offered him a good bit of space, but he needed more. That's where the EPIQ came in. With deeper drawers and more space, it was a natural progression for Reiser.
With two little ones at home, Reiser had to be intentional with how he grew his setup. Over time, he purchased a number of additions to the original box. Three years ago, he acquired the hutch, a year later the two lockers, and six months after that the two upper cabinets rounded it all out. Each new addition is the same crisp white color as the one before.
"I have side cabinets, like small boxes, that are white next to it," Reiser says. "I really like the white because when customers come in the shop, they say how clean it is. It's just a very nice look."
Aside from the additional space the box brought him, Reiser was drawn to the EPIQ's array of light fixtures. There's a light that shines in every drawer, in the hutch, and in the lockers.
If you ask him what his favorite part of the whole setup is, he'll tell you it's the hutch.
"My favorite part of my toolbox would probably be the hutch," Reiser says. "That's where I have my computer. I do all my work in there. It's like the most organized."
Organize to keep the flow
Keeping a toolbox organized can be difficult, especially when you're actively working out of the box. Needing to pull out multiple tools for one repair can make it challenging, but a good organization system can solve that problem.
Reiser keeps his drawers in shape by having a specific place for each type of tool.
"The top couple of drawers I have sockets and stuff like that," he explains. "Wrenches, pliers, and my screwdrivers and picks are in my hutch so they're easy to get to. I keep all the stuff that I use commonly in the big drawers that are easy to get to."
The lockers house his specialty tools for testing and timing. Meanwhile, bigger equipment like fans and cooling tools are kept above the lockers. Since he doesn't use these tools as frequently, he finds it's best to keep them more out of the way.
To help his workspace stay relatively tidy and keep track of tools while performing repairs, Reiser uses a roll cart.
Advice for new techs
For technicians looking to buy a new box, or techs who might be in the market for their first one, Reiser encourages them to buy a box that they can grow into.
"Buy something that you're not going to have to replace within a year or two, because that's what I see all the time," he says. "Think about if you're going to stay in the business before buying a toolbox first of all, and if you truly are, make sure that you're buying something that you're going to have space for."
Pride in his setup
After putting time and effort into his setup, Reiser rightfully has a lot of pride in how it's turned out.
"My toolbox is gorgeous," Reiser says. "I love it."
When he can find time between managing his work and his job as a father, Reiser plans to add two new drawers. It's a relatively small addition, but Reiser will make the most of it.
