Blow Molded Plastic Tool Cases

[Matt Meiser]

Just referring to the blow molded cases here--not bags, Systainers, etc.

Use em? Keep em for when you sell the tool? Toss em?

At first I kept the tool in them. They were a hassle because they took up a ton of room under my bench and I'd end up with stacks of them sitting out while I used the tool. Any more, for all my shop tools (except Festool, see below), I put them in storage. The tools get stored in cabinets. When I've sold the tool, 1/2 the time I forget I've got them. Eventually I throw them away anyway.

I do use a couple--I keep one for my 18V drill out for when we go camping. I put a socket adapter in the drill and use it to run the stabilizer jacks up and down. And I keep my hammer drill in one because I use it more out of the shop than in the shop and there's room for my masonry bits.

[Paul Ryan]

So far I keep them in their cases. My drills are rarley in their cases though, I keep the case so I have something to transport them in. I am kind of a pack rat I guess. I have a hard time throwing out something like cases. In my defense none of the tools I have, came in a case that is 10X to big for the tool Most of the cases fit the tools and or acessoiries that came with the tool. Some of my tools like my work sharp I wish had a case. The tool bags are nice too because the take up less space, but they don't stack well.

[Cary Falk]

I use some of mine. I store some of mine. I keep them around just in case I hav to take the tools out to a job or sell the tool.

[Leigh Betsch]

I pack'em full of crap and give them to the brother-inlaw for Christmas.

[Dave Lehnert]

I only keep my air guns in the case to keep the sawdust out. Everything else is out.

[glenn bradley]

Just a few more and I'll have enough to duct tape them together and get a permit to rent it out as an apartment complex.

[Ben Rivenbark]

Sorry, Matt, but if you are using stabilizer jacks you aren't camping! :)

[Paul Ryan]

Just a few more and I'll have enough to duct tape them together and get a permit to rent it out as an apartment complex.


Glenn,

You just gave me a heck of an idea, how bout a diving raft.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I keep them. I come from construction so old habbits die hard.

If anyone is looking to get rid of a Dewalt 18v 4 tool case Let me know.

Thanks! Jeff

[David Prince]

I keep them and use them. I do some jobs out of the shop and they work well for transporting the tool.

[David Prince]

I also want to add that a tool with a case is a deciding factor on new tool purchases. As long as the particular tool is comparable, I would pick the one with a case or buy from a particular vendor that sells the tool with a case.

[James Stokes]

I use mine. That way the cords do not get tangled around something else. I also work out of a van or used to any way.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I use mine, but they are empty. I use them to take up a whole section of shop cabinets so I can't put anything away, I can't find where the actual tool is, and I have to buy another tool. If I got rid of my tool cases I'd have to put away the pile of ratchet wrenches, jigs, loose bolts, and random paint cans that are out on my bench.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Another mobile user here.
I keep and use all of mine.

[Andrew Minear]

Some cases I do not store the tool in, because, there aren't a lot of little parts to go with the tool and the tool itself doesn't need protection, like corded drills etc. Those cases are gutted of the compartment dividers and re purposed for mobile containers. Some carry sockets and wrench sets, some carry stick fillers and touch up markers.

Andrew

[Hugh Jardon]

I keep some of my less used tools in their cases (planer, jigsaw, large circ saw), the accessories for others in the relevant case (auxiliary handles for hammer drills etc), and store the rest.

The idea of storing them is that I ever wish to sell the tool, I have all the bits that came with it.

[Gary Muto]

I can't get rid of them. Harder to store and retrieve which makes me procrastinate clean up as a result. It seems irrational to keep them.

[Myk Rian]

I couldn't vote.
I use some of them.

[Wade Lippman]

Some cases I do not store the tool in, because, there aren't a lot of little parts to go with the tool and the tool itself doesn't need protection, like corded drills etc. Those cases are gutted of the compartment dividers and re purposed for mobile containers. Some carry sockets and wrench sets, some carry stick fillers and touch up markers.

Andrew

How do you gut them? I did it once, but it is a miserable process. But perhaps you have a better idea than i did.

[Brian Darold]

+1 for keep all, use some.
I keep the cases for those tools I use outside of the shop, like the reciprocating saw, and tools I want to keep dust free like the nail guns. The remainder go up in the attic for when we move, or if I sell the tool. I keep thinking one day I'll find another use for them, but I never do.

I also have a couple of tools that are large and have a ton of accessories like my Dewalt belt sander. Since I don't have any better place to keep them, those tools stay in their cases and are pushed to the side of the shop.

[Ed Harrow]

Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.

The case with the 9.6 Makita drill was useful.

The case with the Fein Multimaster less so. Hard to coil the cord and keep it in the odd bit of space provided

Porter-Cable shoulda known that if the saw was kept in the case the strain relief on the cord was bent too sharply and would break. And why on earth there isn't a home for the rip guide in there is lost to me.

As mentioned above, one can 'gut' them and then, perhaps, have a more useful box. The Fein Multimaster is the perfect tool for such gutting.

[Marty Paulus]

I keep my stuff that came with a case in that case. Just makes it easier to transport them. I have a large hole in the water that is surrounded by fiberglass and has two small block chevy's that is constant need of something to be fixed or upgraded. Not to mention that when they are stored in my garage/shop that doesn't have dust control yet, they stay cleaner.

[Sean Nagle]

I keep all my "kit" tools in their cases, mostly because I don't have adequate cabinet/drawer storage for the tool. I have a belt sander and angle grinder that didn't come with cases so they just don't have a home right now and tend to get tossed around.

If I had decent, customized storage for my portable tools, I would store the cases in the attic.

[Stephen Edwards]

I keep them all but only use some of them. Some are repurposed for other tools that don't come with a case. For example, My HF multi tool came in a box. I rarely use it in the shop so I store it in a Dewalt cordless drill box for job site work. It's the same with a cheapo angle grinder.

So, tools that are used primarily in the shop aren't stored in their cases while jobsite tools are.

[Wayne Hendrix]

I keep most of my tools in them, it helps me to keep the shop organized. I just built my shelving to accomodate the boxes.

[Troy Turner]

I keep my air gun and 2-piece router in the case and that's it. The rest of the tools stay out too often to mess with the cases.

[John Harden]

I toss mine in trash as I store like tools (sanders, saws, nailers, etc.) together in drawers in tool cabinets.

I was tossing my Festool systainers too, then someone here alerted me to the vast hordes of crazy people who pay big money for empty ones off of e-bay. Sure enough, I checked it out and there's a lot of folks who not only drank the cool-aid, but keep returning to the table for more!!! ;)

So, I rooted around in one of my sheds and found three empty ones I had neglected to toss. Their for sale on e-bay now, where I'm sure they'll find a good, nurturing home.

To me, they're just another, useless plastic box. One fellow paid $70 for an empty one!!!!!:eek:

On man's trash is another's treasure, I guess.

Regards,

John

[Brian Penning]

I couldn't vote.
I use some of them.


Same here. Have kept only the cases for my Bosch Jigsaw and laminate trimmer. The rest were tossed.

PS. Wish the Dowelmax came with a case.

[Mark Bolton]

Custom shop and GC mobile user here. I trash (recycle) or store every case unless its a padded/protective case. The only ones I use are for our job site laser ($900) or something like that.

For us, with cordless tools and so on, we may have eight or ten drills and four chargers. Carrying all those cases is a waste. We simply lump all the drills and chargers into large bags (greenlee) so batteries, chargers and tools, are all together.

Most everything else is shop/truck stored in its place and needs no case.

Personally, due to the waste, I think consumers should be charged a premium for tools provided with such wasteful packaging. There is simply no need for that amount of plastic, shipping volume, and so on, for such tools.

With regards to many cordless tools in particular, you shouldnt be storing anything metal (bits/blade) in the case with the tool and open batteries. So the cases should be 1/2 the size easily.

Mark

[Jim Rimmer]

Personally, due to the waste, I think consumers should be charged a premium for tools provided with such wasteful packaging. There is simply no need for that amount of plastic, shipping volume, and so on, for such tools.
Mark
I wish there was an option to buy without the case at a lower price. In most cases I don't want it. Like otehrs I store my air nailer in one. I also store my belt sander in one to make it harder to get at so I am not tempted to use it and mess up a project. Also biscuit joiner because I don't use it much.

[Mark Elmer]

I keep all of mine too. I look at my tools as an investment and one I wish to protect. I was looking for one of my drills the other day and I could find the case but no sign of the drill it's batteries or the charger. Come to find out my son had come and borrowed them. I thought I was loosing my marbles. :confused: It would have been a great excuse to go and buy a new one but I am glad to see my old one back in it's proper spot.

My mechanical handtools I keep in their cases if they have them as well. It's easy to spot a portion of a set that is MIA if there's an open spot.

[Matt Day]

I voted that I keep everything in them, but that's because there wasn't an option to keep some tools in them and some out. For instance, my cordless drills stay out as well as my router that I made an attached base for. The rest of the stuff, jig saw, trim router, biscuit jointer, etc stay in the cases. I'd have a fine layer of dust that would accumulate on everything if I didn't do so. And I'm moving soon and the cases will be very useful.

[Mike Reinholtz]

First I ask the neighbor if he could use it, then I throw it in the recycle tub. The only thing I still have in the case is the Freud 8" dado set. Plastic cases are just way too bulky for me. It would be great if manufactures started selling stuff in tool bags...

[johnny means]

First I ask the neighbor if he could use it, then I throw it in the recycle tub. The only thing I still have in the case is the Freud 8" dado set. Plastic cases are just way too bulky for me. It would be great if manufactures started selling stuff in tool bags...

I have a lot of Rigid tools and they all come with a pretty decent tool bag.

[Brian White]

I keep the ones for the tools that are used out of the shop. Milwuakee tools, along with several others, used to come in a steel box that the tool fit in and had room for extra blades or bits . Not only were they smaller and had room for acc. you didnt have to spend the next 5 min trying to figure out the exact direction the tool has to fit :mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Rick Markham]

I use case my Router came in to keep all the associated bits and pieces in. I am notorious for misplacing important parts if they don't have a place. It also serves double duty as a weight to keep the big dog out of his rubber-maid container of food (probably the most useful feature of it actually). I have kept all of the rest of the cases, even though they are basically useless and take up space in my small shop area, which probably contributes to my lack of storage space/ organization. Come to think of it, it is time to throw some of them out and reorganize, maybe I won't misplace things when they have their proper place. Hmmm thanks guys... guess I am going to go clean up now :eek:

[Steve knight]

I put some weight in them and leave them by the dumpster. they are gone in a hour.

[Chris Padilla]

The frequency of the tool use determines if I keep or toss the case (assuming it came with one).

However, all my Festool cases are used whether or not they have the original tool in them (most do...but not the drill cases).