I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT MY...

What is the one thing you use in your job that you can't live with out?

Tool or Equipment (for installation) or Gadget (for business).

... ladder...

Litterally. I'm certain that without it, I'd be dead by now.

Pen,paper,and reading glasses. The reading glasses I can do without if it is a bright sunny day. Pen and notebook and glasses are always with me.

cell phone, that's my office. as for out in the field, caulk gun, I can improvise for just about any other tool, except my caulk gun.

My common sense. Having the ability to think through a problem and come up with a solution.

My planner.....I'm old-school.....gotta have my planner w/me at all times.

Truck and ladder are the obvious answers. Beyond that, sure grip cushion, nail bar, tool belt, roofing hammer, utility knife, safety boards, rope for tying the ladder off and caulking gun.

I would add metal brake and grinder but I've bent enough metal over deck rails by hand and chopped out enough brick mortar over the years with a roofing hammer that I guess it proves those things are nice but optional.

copperman Said: My common sense. Having the ability to think through a problem and come up with a solution.

Yep! :)

My battery powered Dewalt kit: Hammer drill, Sawzall, Grinder, light, Circular saw. Plus I have a drill accessary kit with square, hex, star, flat & Phillips drivers, nut drivers, paddle bits, extensions, etc. Plus diamond blades & cut-off wheels for the grinder. Metal, wood, diamond sawzall blades. I specifically have the diamond blade for cast iron sewer pipes to cut the 'bell' (female end) off so a new pipe flashing can be installed. Lots of ammunition to tackle any job in any situation.

I have 5 batteries that keep me in operation and have them numbered so I can keep track of charged & need charged.

My sense of humor. Without it the intense sobriety demanded by this occupation will just relentlessly grind you into powder. When your sense of humor goes on the blink it's like having a clogged fuel filter in your truck, and yes, I have to say my truck. Everything I need is in that thing. Computer close to that. Cellphone right behind that. Firepot right behind that. Estwing flat bar right behind that. And lunchbox. Got the estimate book, camera, and lunch in there. And my greenstone on my keyring. Glasses, of course. Thermos of tea. Quite a few things I can't live without, or think I can't. One of these days I'm going to really enjoy trying to do without all of them. Well, excepting a dictionary. Always have to have a dictionary. And Crimony...my pipe and Borkum Riff. Talk about a thoughtless, thankless addict. Wouldn't go anywhere without the pipe.

1. My air tools- Senco stapler and framepro, and a coil nailer (I am still trying to find one I like). I never would have gotten into roofing if I had to hand bang every nail. 2. My laddervatter- this is the key to my longevity. 3. My chevy 1 ton dually dump truck. Perfect tear off tool for residential roofing. Bought it new in '82 and kept me going to '05. Now, I just work out of my pickup and order a 10 yard dumpster for certain whole roof tear offs.

I supposed I could get along OK without my ladder these days. It's rare that a customer doesn't have a hatch.

The one tool that I'm pretty darn sure I could not do this without is my........ wife. She keeps me on track.

Coffee in the morn. Gotta get started with coffee and computer..the rest is easy and quite enjoyable EVERYDAY Oh and my most important is GOD without him/her I would be F.....

Nice post, woody. Nice floor, too.

If I'm just by myself well "it might be one o'clock and it might be three...time don't mean that much to me...I got my plans I don't know about you...tell y'exactly what I'm agonna do-o..." (60's Rolling Stones I think) Been setting gopher traps in the morning lately and then going to work. So far I've only gotten one, but I definitely nailed him. Maybe I skeered the others off. Hardly.

egg, your gopher reference reminded me of a time back over 40 years ago when I was employed on the railroad gang. We got stationed out on the bald prairie and with no lakes and streams to fish, we used our fishing rods and went fishing "gophers". We made a noose with the fishing line and placed it over the hole, let out a bunch of line, sit back and when they popped their head up we would "set the noose" and it was gopher on. Played a few that decided to run but lost the ones that went down the hole again. The game changed though when we all went to town and bought 22's.

Some cool stories. I've been trying to reduce my cat food bill by 80% via elimination of a whole family of coons that have found our back porch.