Carry case for laptop and portable printer

[Mike Richards]

Hi, I'm looking for a carry case that will hold my laptop and portable printer.
Used to have one with a shelf which held laptop and printer stored under it.
Just had to open case and plug in, ready to go. Any suggestions where to find this type of portable office?

Thanks
Mike Richards

[Gunnar Alquist]

I like the Pelican cases. Not sure if they are what you are looking for.

Welcome to www.pelican.com - Pelican Products is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced lighting systems and virtually indestructible cases. (http://www.pelican.com/)

[Jerry Peck]

This case ( 18" x 12-3/4" x 6" Aluminum Case (http://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-x-12-3-4-quarter-inch-x-6-inch-aluminum-case-39196.html) ) holds my portable printer and my netbook computer, along with the plug-in charger for both, extra ink, inverter (in case I need to charge while in my vehicle), and paper.

I turn the tool piece around and put it in backward, clipping a large folder to the smooth side of it (the backside is smooth, the tool pocket side acts as a cushion with no tools in it), the paper is kept nice and neat and flat and is always ready right there.

I two of those setups.

Added photos with edit: this is my older netbook and old portable printer (sorry - took the photos quickly and did not get a good focus on all of them)

[Mike Richards]

thanks. looking for something like picture attached

[Jerry Peck]

thanks. looking for something like picture attached

I looked for something like that too, contacted all the major manufacturers and no one had anything like that (computer and printer combos).

Maybe some small specialty company made something like that, but I could not find it.

Years ago I saw a product (or prototype product, not sure it was ever in production, but I saw one) with a notebook computer and matching printer where the printer was bundled with, and attached to, the bottom of the notebook computer - all made as one go-together-unit ... none of the major manufacturers I contacted (Dell, HP, Panasonic, etc.) made that either.

I am actually very pleased with the setup I ended up with, and, unlike a small specialty company setup as shown in that photo, my setup does not cost big bucks either. :cool:

[Ted Menelly]

Tiny laptop by the looks of it.

I have finally stopped trying to do not just the report on site but any part of it....for residential. Commercial, I still add items in as I go thru the job. There is just to much to remember depending on the building.

As far as the tiny laptop. I know everyone is in love with those things lately. My laptop has a 17 inch screen and does not weigh to much. Even if it weighed twice as much I would not care if I where to bring it to a home inspection. The trip all the way from the truck into the house might mount to a hundred feet, if that. I think I can handle it. As far as the large screen, I would never go back to a small screen. The entire large width of the report and then you could blow it up a bit and still fit width wise. Nothing like it.

As a matter of fact my laptop just seriously crashed and burned and I lost the past few days of entry. When I say crashed and burned, it will be the first time that happened that I was not able to retrieve something off a crashed computer. I mean nothing at all was retrievable.

Maybe someday if I ever get back to the 2 a day deal that I was doing up to a couple years ago I would possibly think of doing the report on site. Until then I have a portion of the day empty to relax and do a rerport.

[James Duffin]

I have never really understood how doing report on-site saves any time. A hour is a hour no matter where you are sitting.

[Jerry Peck]

There are many more reasons to be able to print in the field than just printing reports on site (which is not what I use mine for) - I use mine to print out installation instructions, code sections, standards, and other information I get off the internet or have on the hard drive so I can document what I am comparing the installation to, and to be able to give clients some of it to increase their understanding of what I am looking at, and why, and what I am finding.

Of course, though, I am not doing "home inspections" either.

[Ian Page]

Jerry - Is that a color printer or just b/w.?

[Linas Dapkus]

thanks. looking for something like picture attached
The one in the pic is here:
Allitech - carrying case, HP Deskjet 470, Canon I80, Canon I90, printer case, printer bag, specialized carry case, laptop carry case, printer carry case, field automation, sales automation, mobile computing, mobile worker, laptop travel case, printer (http://www.allitech.com/)

[Jerry Peck]

Jerry - Is that a color printer or just b/w.?

Color and B&W.

That printer is probably about 7 years old or so, I carry it many places but only use it occasionally, would not make a good report printer as it is an ink jet (too slow for printing reports and uses too much ink), but it does work very well for what I use it for.

The newer setup has this one: HP Officejet H470 Mobile Printer | HP® Official Store (http://www.shopping.hp.com/product/printer/Officejet/1/storefronts/CB026A%2523B1H)

I use the newer setup for my AHJ inspections, the in$pection report is one page, pass or fail, and why it failed.

[Jerry Peck]

The one in the pic is here:
Allitech - carrying case, HP Deskjet 470, Canon I80, Canon I90, printer case, printer bag, specialized carry case, laptop carry case, printer carry case, field automation, sales automation, mobile computing, mobile worker, laptop travel case, printer (http://www.allitech.com/)

I prefer the rigid case I use to that. Just my opinion.

[Ted Menelly]

I have the deskjet 470

It is a great printer. I had the 460 before that.

[Rick Cantrell]

I carry my laptop in a $5 canvas book bag I got at Books-A-Million. It dosen't look like a laptop is in there, so I don't worry as much about someone seeing it and wanting to steal it.

[Dana Bostick]

Hi, I'm looking for a carry case that will hold my laptop and portable printer.
Used to have one with a shelf which held laptop and printer stored under it.
Just had to open case and plug in, ready to go. Any suggestions where to find this type of portable office?

Thanks
Mike Richards

Printing is so "last century!" :rolleyes:
Waster of paper and not in keeping with the new "green" ethos and reducing carbon footprint. ;) Use a PDF, upload it to Google Docs or DropBox and let them download and print it if they need a hard copy.

[Ted Menelly]

Printing is so "last century!" :rolleyes:
Waster of paper and not in keeping with the new "green" ethos and reducing carbon footprint. ;) Use a PDF, upload it to Google Docs or DropBox and let them download and print it if they need a hard copy.

Since this thread started I counted the last inspection I printed. I stopped counting when I was way over 100. Before that it was the same or a lot more.

[Jerry Weaver]

Mike,

I have three of the Allitech soft side cases. I had some employees that used them ( had to let them go) . Go to allitech.com to check them out. They sell for 358.00 new. I would sell one for 175.00 plus shipping , if you are interested.
They are great. My guys would take them into the house and plug into an outlet and go about the inspection. After completing the Inspection they would sink their PDA and camera to the laptop, review the full report and then print it out right there.

Never had a problem with them.

Just contact me @ office@elitehomeinspections.com or through the post.

[Jerry Peck]

As far as the tiny laptop. I know everyone is in love with those things lately. My laptop has a 17 inch screen and does not weigh to much.

Ted,

I used to carry a 17" display notebook, but when I retired from inspections I stopped using it, then gave it to our daughter, then bought the netbook computer.

The netbook served me well while traveling and doing odds and ends of things, but after spending the last several weekends doing consulting work ... after the first weekend the netbook had to go, just too small for my eyes and hands/fingers - I bought a 15.6" display notebook computer and it fits in my rigid case just like the netbook (because it is thin too, just larger in keyboard and display).

I definitely agree that the larger size is a must for use for work like this (or for home inspections), while the netbook is great for limited work and traveling.

[Tim Spargo]

I ended up recently with a Victorinox Expandable laptop case... a lot of other stuff fits in there, I've ended up being able to carry a majority of my stuff with this bag over my shoulder and a ladder in hand as well.

They are a bit pricey, but really well made and various gadgets are nicely laid out in different compartments. At first, when I was told the price, I thought "take it back"... having used it awhile, it's really well made and should hang in there.

Don't know if they have options like that for a printer... but they are definitely durable bags.

[Ted Menelly]

Ted,

I used to carry a 17" display notebook, but when I retired from inspections I stopped using it, then gave it to our daughter, then bought the netbook computer.

The netbook served me well while traveling and doing odds and ends of things, but after spending the last several weekends doing consulting work ... after the first weekend the netbook had to go, just too small for my eyes and hands/fingers - I bought a 15.6" display notebook computer and it fits in my rigid case just like the netbook (because it is thin too, just larger in keyboard and display).

I definitely agree that the larger size is a must for use for work like this (or for home inspections), while the netbook is great for limited work and traveling.

My wish for laptops is to have the screen reversed so the wide width of it was up right and you could see the entire page of the document or page of the report that is being worked on. As light as they are today I do not see the screen being too heavy standing upright.

I have a Targus Laptop case that also holds my HP Officejet H470. I may not be able to flip it open and use the laptop in the case but the laptop, printer, paper samll handtools all fit quite nicely. Add all that up and there is a few pounds of weight there but like I say , it might be 50 to 150 feet into the kitchen of the home in most cases. I think I can handle it. Most of the time I do not bring my printer as I about never complete a report on site anymore. I will bring the laptop to down load pics and I have other info on there for clients. Diagrams and saved pictures and such for easy explanation to clients. Instead of having the folks squeezing into all the smaller areas I can just pull the picture up to show them the concern. God knows I do not want them on the roof or in a crawl squeezing into half baths with me (well maybe some of the nicer looking females):p

[Jerry Peck]

My wish for laptops is to have the screen reversed so the wide width of it was up right and you could see the entire page of the document or page of the report that is being worked on.

Those are called "tablet" computers and most of those have the ability to rotate the displayed image as in a normal notebook ('landscape' for lack of a better term) or as you described ("portrait' for a comparable term) - at least the ones I used to use had that feature.

[Ted Menelly]

Those are called "tablet" computers and most of those have the ability to rotate the displayed image as in a normal notebook ('landscape' for lack of a better term) or as you described ("portrait' for a comparable term) - at least the ones I used to use had that feature.

Only if they are being used as a tablet, not a laptop. I have a tablet sitting behind me right now (used it for a few weeks off and on......useless as far as I am concerned). I can spin the tablet and choose to use it in the opposite direction you would normaly use a laptop, in portrait mode, not landscape and only as a tablet not a laptop.

[Jerry Peck]

Only if they are being used as a tablet, not a laptop. I have a tablet sitting behind me right now (used it for a few weeks off and on......useless as far as I am concerned).

Agreed on both counts ... that the only way is in tablet, but they do make the displays go that way (that was my point) ... and they are useless as far as I am concerned too - I found that I never used it in table as it was just to awkward (at least for me it was awkward to use that way).

[Glenn R Cummings]

[quote=Ted Menelly;159827]Only if they are being used as a tablet, not a laptop. quote]

My HP TM2 rotates screen in either mode (tablet or laptop).
[CTL + ALt] + <arrow key> puts it in up, or down, or left or right.

I find it useful for IE full view, with the keyboard open and held like a book.

[JB Thompson]

**Thread from the dead**

I almost started another thread but then decided to resurrect this one.

For the last 7 years I've been using a catalog case to port my laptop and accessories (not tools) around to inspections. It will hold a seemingly endless amount of stuff and has been a hard worker. Alas, it is beginning to show signs of wear and I am thinking about retiring it.

A few of you have posted what you use but I thought maybe some others might post what sort of cases they use to carry their laptops to inspections.

Any takers?

Thanks, Bruce

[Rick Cantrell]

Still the same as my first post
The only thing different is now I use a netbook instead of a laptop


I carry my laptop in a $5 canvas book bag I got at Books-A-Million. It dosen't look like a laptop is in there, so I don't worry as much about someone seeing it and wanting to steal it.

[Scott Patterson]

I just hand carry my iPad to the kitchen where it stays for the inspection! It's case has a built-in Bluetooth keypad so typing is as easy as a laptop/notebook..... I don't worry about a printer, etc. as everything is emailed to the client. Life is good and pretty darn simple....

[Dana Bostick]

These days, I've come full circle. Back in about 2005, I was one of the first to venture into the slate form factor tablet field for use doing home inspections. At that time, I worked with the company that insisted we print the report on site. In my view, this was a mistake for a number of reasons. 1. It made both the client and the realtors sit around twiddling their thumbs for several hours while you do the inspection and then build the report and added pictures. 2. It was a "rushed" job at best, not infrequently leading to an amended report later to pick up something that had been missed. A huge waste of time and a hit on your credibility. At that time I had put together an expensive hard case with a foam liner fitted to carry my laptop and a laser printer.
These days, I don't even take a computer to the inspection anymore.
I have an excellent camera with a 20 power optical zoom and high-resolution capabilities. I take a ton of pictures, not all of which get used in the report but are merely my "visual notebook". I don't even have to write down equipment serial numbers, I just take a macro shot of the equipment data plate that I can look at later in my photo editing software and blow up as needed for better visibility.
Later, when I returned to my office is where the real work happens. I go through all of the pictures, correct for exposure if needed and annotate directly on the pictures for clarity. Only then you actually start generating my inspection report.

The end result is a very clear, thoughtfully worded and well illustrated inspection report that all of my clients rave about. Technology is great but in my opinion a computer and printer are worse than a waste of time at the inspection. After streamlining this process over the period of several years, I find I spend maybe an hour on the inspection site gathering data and at most, two hours creating the report back in the office. The end result is that the report is much better, the clients don't waste their time standing around waiting for me to get done, and I never have to waste ink/toner or paper printing a report on site.

[Matt Fellman]

Basic Targus laptop bag. Laptop gets setup on the kitchen counter.

I put in most comments and "house data" on site and then sink pictures and proofread later. I like to do a fair amount of work on-site so I'm not in and out of the house too fast (value perception). I try not to stand at my computer for more than 10 minutes or so at any one time so clients know I'm doing more than just typing.

For years I used a voice recorder but have gone away from that. I now just take a picture of EVERYTHING that must go in the report. Often times I'll just shoot a picture to remind me of something. For example, I take a picture of my hand in the shape of a "C" to remind me about CO detector.

My average time on site is 2-2.5 hours. Average time on the report once I'm gone is 20-30 minutes. Of course, there is a HUGE deviation from "average" depending on age/size of the house.

[Natasha Herron]

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