Unpopular Opinion - Tool Storage

[bwringer]

I thought he was saying that management said that the packout looked unprofessional.

Ah, I read it the other way around...

 

[M635_Guy]

Not trolling, they just don't seem like the right solution for anyone...even in the trades, it doesn't look like an optimal use of space and hunting through stacks of bins isn't efficient.

This doesn't require much imagination. It's a silly take.

As I think I said earlier in the thread, I have zero use for them but the guy who replaced my hot water heater a couple weeks ago had a highly efficient system built around it in his truck, and he loved it.

 

[RAS61]

When I need to be mobile I just put the tools in a 5 gal bucket and bungie strap it to a hand truck!

 

[richardlo]

Going to have to agree for the most part. I would love a metal toolbox setup I can see how it can be heavy so using sturdy light weight plastic has its benefits. Would I pay hundreds for these new plastic toolboxes with everything sold separately, no. At some point the hand tool market went from tools to name brand items like everything else.

 

[PoorUB]

Anyhow, lesson learned and I was told to not use them anyhow because they looked "unprofessional" in our work environment.

Who was the idiot that came up with that idea?? And what are you supposed to replace them with, five gallon buckets? If someone showed up to do some work with those cases filled with well organized tools I would be nothing less than impressed. Gouges and dents are part of the deal.

 

[brianh]

At Sears many years ago I got what they called bucket buddy, fits in a 5 gallon bucket with pockets inside and outside. It is my general use project tool set.

 

[IndyGarage]

I bought a packout a year ago and I like it with one exception.

I have all my tools in kits that go from small to medium to large to my entire shop. The packout is a medium system that can travel to where some significant mechanical work is being done. It beats having to go back to my garage multiple times for tools. I even bought the overpriced packout socket set because it is so compact and convenient.

The setup works well.

The only thing I don't like about Packout is that you have to lift everything off to get to the bottom box. It would be better for me to have the bottom box open to the front so you can access it with other boxes stacked on top.

 

[134k]

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[134k]

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[cweidert03]

I use the pack out in the bed of my SxS and have a few in my cabinets. I love them on the SxS as they are water/dust proof and mount easily with the pack out mounting plate, I also have a dewalt/craftsman for my RC cars parts!

 

[PoorUB]

We work in a pretty sterile environment, including the customers. Clean epoxied floors, controlled ventilation, everything labeled...etc. etc. It's an image thing. We aren't even allowed to wear baseball caps or hoodies. We have to look the part. Even with banged up metal cases, they are going to not stand out like a big red plastic box. I don't make the rules, I just have to follow them.

I tried my hand at a packout, because it's much easier to roll around. That was until I didn't have to roll/drag around an aluminum case anymore. They are dropped shipped from home to a customer, or from a customer to my next customer.

I might be confused, packouts were not acceptable, or the aluminum cases?

 

[Jmellc]

This has been a challenge for me too. I bought the Ridgid stackers a few years ago & used them about a year. They were usually easy to move around, as I was mostly on hard or paved surfaces. I agree about lack of trays. Large box is great for battery tools & other bulky stuff. Medium one good enough for some things but tray should be full sized & have better spots for small stuff. The flat parts box should have optional dividers that would be helpful.

Overall, I’ve found several things I liked but they were discontinued. I posted about that awhile back. I had a Craftsman rolling box years back. Had 2 full sized trays. Lower one totally open for chunky & long tools. Top tray good for small tools & a slot for long drill bits, etc. Sturdy enough to sit on at lunch. Again, great for inside work at a plant with hard floors. Worked well in service vans I ran. Eventually fell apart & I couldn’t get another one.

I had a great bucket organizer that was good for residential work. Had all the right pockets & tubes, etc. Easy to carry across a yard or up a flight of stairs. Got 4-5 years hard use from it & it was discontinued too. Never found another one close to it. Sadly, I didn’t write down info from the tags so I didn’t even know who made it. The store people didn’t remember it. If I had time, I’d like to make a custom bucket carrier. I’d put all tubes inside to keep it weatherproof & order a seat type lid to sit on at lunch.

I now work facility maintenance. I use a large pouch with shoulder strap or carry a few tools in my back pockets. I use a push cart if I need to carry drill & sawzall, etc.

Lots of younger guys use backpacks now. Good if you have a long walk to meeting point or have to climb ladders a lot. Also good for anyone taking a bus to work.

 

[silkman]

Depends on the job / trade.

Eg my DIY setup (pic the day I bought them)


I use the big box when working on my cars. The tote has generic tools to move around the house.

But this setup would look "gay" and out of place to someone who works outside on JCBs digging equipment on the field or for someone who works on an oil rig. Big equipment that break down are often repaired on the spot, can't be hauled to the shop. For these jobs you want a couple of old cantilever heavy metal cases and thats also why some 1/2" and 3/4" socket sets come in metal cases. You park the pickup next to the job and take out the tools, you don't need wheeled cases for that, you need something that is solid, will last and will be beat up.

 

[MovingAlong]

Milwaukee Packout, Dewalt Toughsystem, Flex Stack Pack, Tekton Stacking...all of them are terrible.

Yeah, those darn new startups, refusing to spend money on R&D, market research or even listen to customer feedback. What could they possibly have been thinking?

Predict they will all be out of business before Christmas.

 

[Aileron]

Do they make packouts to hold 3 and 4ft pipe wrenches? Still seems like extra trips to me. lokm at the dewaly pic on the 1st page. He putting a electrical box on a stuc. Why would you carry all those charges and drill to that worksite. He better hurry with that outlet so he can plug them in to charge.

 

[134k]

I might be confused, packouts were not acceptable, or the aluminum cases?

Packouts are not acceptable. But the aluminum cases are our company's standard and should always be used. I did recently find out another reason why we can't use the packouts, they can generate or hold static, and that's a big no-no in our industry.

 

[speed bump]

Do they make packouts to hold 3 and 4ft pipe wrenches? Still seems like extra trips to me. lokm at the dewaly pic on the 1st page. He putting a electrical box on a stuc. Why would you carry all those charges and drill to that worksite. He better hurry with that outlet so he can plug them in to charge.

How often are you or anyone swinging a 48? I work in a plant with a lot of pipe and I bet I don't get off two hands the number of times our maintenance crews swing a 48 each year.

 

[esben57]

870 - 1,000 Dollars (Canadian ?)

 

[Aileron]

How often are you or anyone swinging a 48? I work in a plant with a lot of pipe and I bet I don't get off two hands the number of times our maintenance crews swing a 48 each year.

Quite a bit. I was a service pipefitter in a service truck. Retired last year.

 

[LXCam]

I added to the dreaded collection this week with two of the small parts units. I gotta say, I like these.

 

[cycle61]

My travel tool case for nearly a decade has been a Pelican 1650. Purchased black, painted white, and it's developed a great patina over the years. It's dialed in for exactly what I need on the road, loaded up hits the scales for air travel between 95-98 pounds, and has accumulated easily 500k miles since 2015.



I like the packout style storage/transport systems for what they are, and we own quite a few. They make sense for lots of applications.

 

[slodat]

i was a road warrior for almost 30 yrs. Platt cases were my go to. Very $$$…. I used ( and still have) the plastic version of this one.

This is what I started out with about 25 years ago. They are similar to the higher end musician Anvil cases. I traveled full time with a traditional Platt case for about 8 years. They do get a little beat up, but they never got destroyed. Then, I discovered Harigg Storm cases..

My travel tool case for nearly a decade has been a Pelican 1650. Purchased black, painted white, and it's developed a great patina over the years. It's dialed in for exactly what I need on the road, loaded up hits the scales for air travel between 95-98 pounds, and has accumulated easily 500k miles since 2015.



I like the packout style storage/transport systems for what they are, and we own quite a few. They make sense for lots of applications.

I went to this style case almost.. I much prefer the Storm cases.. Anyway, I went to these about 2007 or so. I have two that I travel with. Inside everything is in canvas pouches and bags. I only have a couple hundred thousand flight miles on mine. Like @cycle61 this is what I've settle on for road work. My travel work is almost always on an airplane. When I do take my truck, I still much prefer my Storm cases.

I do see the appeal of the pack out style boxes when using a dedicated service rig or trailer. I have a few of the Rigid branded pack out style boxes in my shop for product development for a client. At the end of the day, it looks like Milwaukee and others have come up with a really functional modular tool and parts storage and deployment system. It's a great time to be alive!

 

[Pen & Wrench]

I love all the stories and opinions. I've been thinking about something more organized than what I've been doing. I need to improve my set up for going to the farm to cut trees with the skid steer and rebuild fence. Its a 120 mile drive one way and I need to bring enough tools and equipment to be able to build fence, keep the skid steer & attachments and a a chain saw running & make basic repairs. Also I go to help my daughter fix up her house and its a 300 mile drive one way to her place. Total trips, probably 5-6 trips a year and some local stuff with Habitat for Humanity. I try to bring everything I think I will need but invariably there are times I end up buying a $100 or $200 tool I need to do a job, and I have 2 of the same thing that I left at home. I have a DeWalt rectangular box with wheels on one end and a handle on the other. When I get everything loaded up I don't have a place for everything I end up hunting for tools that just got stuffed in the pickup. I can get by with something pretty basic but I like the idea of rolling storage, and a place for everything. I will say that the more trips I make I tend to dial in on what I will probably need to bring. But a good system would make my trips more productive and enjoyable.

 

[N8sToolz]

For my home repair and remodeling tools I used to just keep a bucket organizer. But a couple times left in the rain changed how I felt about it. I have a packout for all my carpentry hand tools and one for any mobile mechanic jobs.



I build a couple dividers that really made this work much better. It's water proof so I can live in the back of the truck for a while if needed.

I also grabbed a used Ridgid did something similar for plumbing.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I've read both sides of this debate and I've combined the ideas into the perfect tool solution that makes both sides happy. Stackable 5-Gallon Buckets. Have one bucket for electrical, one for plumbing, one for H-V-A-C and stack together as many as you need for the job at hand. Cheap and affordable. And YES, they WILL come in red!

 

[Bubba Fett]

I like the idea of this, but the toolbox itself isn't that great.

Live In Road Case with 52" 10 Drawer Tool Cabinet

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[tarbellb]

I've read both sides of this debate and I've combined the ideas into the perfect tool solution that makes both sides happy. Stackable 5-Gallon Buckets. Have one bucket for electrical, one for plumbing, one for H-V-A-C and stack together as many as you need for the job at hand. Cheap and affordable. And YES, they WILL come in red!

Snooze and lose my friend

YETI beat you to the punch

Beats Milwaukee Pack Out

- EVEN less usable space!
- EVEN heavier!!
- MORE expensive!!!
- non trade friends think it's the BEST!!!!

Get you some!