Modular Tool Storage Systems

[Michael Zerance]

I am in the market for a modular tool storage system. I am considering DeWalt ToughSystem, DeWalt Tstak, and Bosch L-Boxx Sytems.

I work both in the field and in the shop and I need to get better organized to make it quicker and easier to load and unload tools. Whichever system I go with I will be building a shelving system with trays/drawers to store the boxes in the shop (like this: http://bethepro.com/forums/topic/l-boxx-shelving/).

I am leaning towards the DeWalt ToughSystem for a few reasons. They are larger than the other options and they seem like they would be more durable. Also, it seems that DeWalt is starting to offer some of their tools in the Tough Cases.

I figure that I would need about 20 boxes of various sizes. Pricing works out to be around $970 for both the Tough System and the L-Boxxes but the Tstaks are almost half of that at $500.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?

[Martin Wasner]

I hate DeFalt. With a passion. I hope that company dies in a fire.

I have three of their boxes. Pretty tough and nice sizes. I'd recommend them. I have zero experience with the other brand you mentioned.

[Greg R Bradley]

Partly depends on what you want to store.

First let me say that I just bought 8 more Bosch L-Boxx. Those are made by Sortimo. I bought them because I already had a dozen or so and they were $14.88 & $19.88 each. The big disadvantages of the Sortimo plastic boxes is the units require both hands to release them from each other and then you have to lift all the boxes off the top. So if you have a stack of 5 boxes and you want to remove the top 4, you have to bend over and use both hands to release the top 4 and then lift those off the bottom one. The largest boxes, particularly the #4, bulge out if heavily loaded, meaning that boxes don't want to click into them well if you store heavy stuff in them.

FWIW, I do like the metal Sortimo boxes and use those in a heavy construction company.

The early style Tanos boxes, most commonly found in Festool in the US, are not that great either. The newer T-Lock Tanos boxes are really, really nice but not quite as sturdy as the earlier ones. They are also available in a bigger size that locks together with the normal size. This is great for long things like long drill bits that won't fit in the normal size boxes. Tanos are a bit expensive but mostly worth the money.

Dewalt is an intereting standard for big stuff. They mostly are individual boxes that connect into their carts. I would agree with Martin that Stanley Black and Decker (Dewalt) is one of the worst sleaziest companies out there that has ruined an amazing number of tool companies. But, some of their stuff is OK. Just don't rely on the company to continue a line. They will abandon and screw over the customer and never give it another thought.

What do you want to store? If big stuff on a cart, consider the Dewalt. If normal size stuff, the Tanos T-Locks are worth the price.

[John Schweikert]

The Festool t-locks/Tanos t-locks are by far the easiest but more expensive. They connect smoothly and carry easily. I have 5 Festool t-locks with tools. Also have half dozen of the Bosch L-Boxx versions which are ok but when stacking and unstacking can be quite frustrating.

Beyond that, a $6 fliptop plastic tote works great too. I use those for camping gear as well, simple, cheap, and the clear ones make easy visual of contents. http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-12-Gal-Flip-Top-Tote-Colors-Vary-by-Store-211512/202520515

As a commercial photographer for 17 years, I've learned that any type of case, bag, tote, etc that is made of dark materials just makes finding things that much more difficult. The Festool boxes make life easy. The Tanos are dark and less desirable. The Bosch are dark blue. Dewalt is black. The deeper a container, clear or light color is good.

[Tom M King]

326286Probably more bulk than you're looking for, but I have over 110 of these Stanley/Bostitch toolboxes. They come in two different sizes, and are waterproof. I built cubbies to store them in. Even though they are stackable, without the cubbies, it's more trouble to get to the one you want. Nothing rusts inside them, even if carried in the back of a pickup in the rain. They're in a 30' trailer now, along with bigger stuff. This is the only picture I have here. 20" boxes go for 20 bucks and the larger ones 30 bucks. It's nice to be able to get my hands on anything I want quickly, and to have everything together-like jigsaw blades with jigsaws, all Dremel bits and pieces together, any hand plane I want without having to worry about it being rusted, etc., etc., etc., etc.... I've been using them for 7 years now, and the only problem is the number keeps growing. We do a lot of different kinds of work, but any tool for any job is quickly accessible.

[mark mcfarlane]

Probably more bulk than you're looking for, but I have over 110 of these Stanley/Bostitch toolboxes. They come in two different sizes, and are waterproof. ...

Which raises the question. do some of these seal better than others? I have a few systainers and they close well, but they don't have, for example, a gasket for vapor/airtight sealing,...

[Greg R Bradley]

The Festool boxes make life easy. The Tanos are dark and less desirable. The Bosch are dark blue. Dewalt is black. The deeper a container, clear or light color is good.
Festool boxes ARE Tanos.

Tanos basically invented the modular system followed by Sortimo. The European courts determined this and now Sortimo has to pay Tanos a license fee on every box.

Both of these companies then sold their products and the licensing to manufacture to most tool companies. In Europe, if you buy many tools they come in a modular box. Here is an example of a Makita Circ Saw in an original style Tanos Box:
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Most people in the US that have seen a Tanos box probably saw it via Festool, since they put every tool that fits into a Tanos box.

Tanos eventually improved the original style box into the T-Locks, which most people still are likely to see from Festool in the US. It seems to me that Europeans have to be a lot more efficient with storage since they have to work in smaller spaces.

You might get the idea that Tanos boxes are dark but that may be that Woodcraft and Lee Valley sell them in dark colors. Lee Valley also sells them in the same light gray that Festool uses along with lots of different color handles and T-Locks for quick identification. They are available in many colors from other Tanos sources. Fein Orange, Mafel Red, Dewalt and Mirka Yellow, etc. Dewalt has been moving away from Tanos original style and putting lots of tools in their own boxes. Here is Dewalt in original Tanos before moving away from them:
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Michael,
If you are building a shelf for each box, then you are eliminating some of the advantage of the Tanos T-Locks. The huge advatage of the T-Locks is how easy they go together and come apart.

Here is some good info from Sortimo Van Systems:
http://www.sortimo.com/vehicle-device/van-racking-solutions/sortimo-workmo/
http://www.sortimo.us/ (http://www.sortimo.com/vehicle-device/van-racking-solutions/sortimo-workmo/)

I saw several innovative storage systems at SEMA this year. What are you planning to use? Trailer, Van, ?

[Michael Zerance]

Dewalt is an intereting standard for big stuff. They mostly are individual boxes that connect into their carts. I would agree with Martin that Stanley Black and Decker (Dewalt) is one of the worst sleaziest companies out there that has ruined an amazing number of tool companies. But, some of their stuff is OK. Just don't rely on the company to continue a line. They will abandon and screw over the customer and never give it another thought.
This is one of my main concerns. I want to be sure that I don't choose a type that could be discontinued. This is why I dismissed the Ridgid boxes even though they are as big and sturdy as the DeWalt ToughSystem boxes.

[Michael Zerance]

326286Probably more bulk than you're looking for, but I have over 110 of these Stanley/Bostitch toolboxes. They come in two different sizes, and are waterproof. I built cubbies to store them in. Even though they are stackable, without the cubbies, it's more trouble to get to the one you want. Nothing rusts inside them, even if carried in the back of a pickup in the rain. They're in a 30' trailer now, along with bigger stuff. This is the only picture I have here. 20" boxes go for 20 bucks and the larger ones 30 bucks. It's nice to be able to get my hands on anything I want quickly, and to have everything together-like jigsaw blades with jigsaws, all Dremel bits and pieces together, any hand plane I want without having to worry about it being rusted, etc., etc., etc., etc.... I've been using them for 7 years now, and the only problem is the number keeps growing. We do a lot of different kinds of work, but any tool for any job is quickly accessible.

This is essentially what I am trying to accomplish. I want all the tools to be separated into individual "kits" with their respective accessories. These boxes are a little large but this is the type of organization I am after.

[Michael Zerance]

Festool boxes ARE Tanos.

Tanos basically invented the modular system followed by Sortimo. The European courts determined this and now Sortimo has to pay Tanos a license fee on every box.

Both of these companies then sold their products and the licensing to manufacture to most tool companies. In Europe, if you buy many tools they come in a modular box. Here is an example of a Makita Circ Saw in an original style Tanos Box:
326294
Most people in the US that have seen a Tanos box probably saw it via Festool, since they put every tool that fits into a Tanos box.

Tanos eventually improved the original style box into the T-Locks, which most people still are likely to see from Festool in the US. It seems to me that Europeans have to be a lot more efficient with storage since they have to work in smaller spaces.


I just purchased a Makita track saw which came in the Tanos systainer. The Tanos were one of the options I was considering but, after receiving the Makita case, I am not too sure. They do not seem too durable and they may be a little small to fit larger tools. I'm not sure if I could fit some of my nailers or drills in them. Maybe, I'll give them a second look.

[Michael Zerance]

Michael,
If you are building a shelf for each box, then you are eliminating some of the advantage of the Tanos T-Locks. The huge advatage of the T-Locks is how easy they go together and come apart.

Here is some good info from Sortimo Van Systems:
http://www.sortimo.com/vehicle-device/van-racking-solutions/sortimo-workmo/
http://www.sortimo.us/ (http://www.sortimo.com/vehicle-device/van-racking-solutions/sortimo-workmo/)

I saw several innovative storage systems at SEMA this year. What are you planning to use? Trailer, Van, ?

The shelf system would be for shop use; so that I can slide out a drawer to access the contents in the box rather than having to stack and unstack boxes. For site work they will go in my van or in the tool box on my truck. I was hoping that I could put all the loose tools into the storage boxes and eliminate the metal van shelves (at least on one side). This would open up the cargo area a little bit to allow more room for transporting materials and projects.

[Michael Zerance]

Currently, I store tools either in their cases or in wall cabinets around the shop. The tools being used usually end up cluttered on my desk or on a small countertop underneath the wall cabinets. The accessories (collets, wrenches, bits, blades, etc.) end up scattered all over. When it comes time to take the tools to the jobsite I have to pull the tool from the cabinet, find the tool box, gather all the bits and guards, make sure that all accessories are included, and throw it into the van or truck.

If I had the modular boxes, the tools could be stored in the boxes on roll-out trays. All the accessories would be included in the box. This would act as a kind of "mechanics toolbox" in the shop. When finished with the tool, it goes back in the box; everything has it's place. When it's time to go to the jobsite, grab the boxes (kits) that are needed and throw them in the van or truck.

I'm not doing a lot of demo and rough work anymore so I probably don't need the ruggedness of the DeWalt boxes but it would be nice to have.

[Greg R Bradley]

Sounds familiar. In my opinion, the Tanos system is the best solution for most of it. Downside is price.

The T-Locks have the most space inside compared to the size outside. They have the two Midi sizes that will clip on top of or below the standard size T-Locks. Those will hold 18" long drill bits which most other boxes will not. You could use some of the Dewalt boxes for that as they are mostly wider boxes.

The T-Locks will clip on top of Rack-Systainers http://www.woodcraft.com/product/158085/racksystainer-iv-with-4-rackboxes-anthracite.aspx with pull out drawers for small hardware or Drawer Systainers http://www.woodcraft.com/product/158077/drawersystainer-iii-variant-2-anthracite.aspx with rows of drawers.

The Tanos or Sortimo systems seem worth building into a work van. The Dewalt system seems useful for some heavy duty and long stuff where the boxes just stay on their rack in your workshop, which is then rolled and attached into your van as a unit when required.

Not sure any one system works for everything.

I also use stacking Divider Boxes: http://www.uline.com/BL_8821/Divider-Boxes?keywords=grid boxes

These are cheap ones that are not completely sealed. Some dust can work into the lower box in a stack. The original ones are dustproof but at much higher cost. A stack of these tied down with one strap is completely solid in a mobile unit.

[Tom M King]

Which raises the question. do some of these seal better than others? I have a few systainers and they close well, but they don't have, for example, a gasket for vapor/airtight sealing,...
I tested the first one I bought with a pressure washer. They don't leak.

[Dan Rude]

I am just a DIY home owner and volunteer. You might want to consider RIDGID's Pro Tool box system. They are rugged and modular. I have been buying the Bins $14,95 to expand it, I do plan on making inserts for the cases, but they are water tight, except for the bins. They lock together and the base unit has built in wheels and handle. The black Friday deal was buy 2 and get the small case free. Here is a pretty good review of them:http://toolguyd.com/ridgid-pro-tool-storage-review/ I have 2 sets, plus about 4 bins. They all can lock together which is nice. I paid the $98 buy 2 lower units and get the smaller parts bin tote free. I got this deal last year and again this summer. Dan

[Greg R Bradley]

I just purchased a Makita track saw which came in the Tanos systainer. The Tanos were one of the options I was considering but, after receiving the Makita case, I am not too sure. They do not seem too durable and they may be a little small to fit larger tools. I'm not sure if I could fit some of my nailers or drills in them. Maybe, I'll give them a second look.
Don't forget that is the original style Tanos box. That is the original box design from when the concept was invented. It seems to be manufactured by Makita and is a bit below Tanos quality. The T-Locks are a huge improvement in ease of use. You can clip 5-6 T-Locks together in the time it takes to do one of those. You can also turn the T-Lock and open a box that is in the middle of the stack.

The T-Locks will clip onto the top of that unit for compatibility as Tanos has made sure not to leave anyone stranded.

There are Systainers available in Midi size, which is about 50% wider than the one shown above. These will clip above or below the normal T-Locks. They also have a Maxi size which is twice as wide and twice as deep as the Makita container shown above. Those haven't been updated to the T-Locks yet.

The T-Locks are just a little bigger outside than inside. The Classic Tanos waste a bit more space than that and the Sortimo ones a bit more than that, particularly in width. Clearly the Dewalt boxes waste far, far more than any of those and are heavy. But they seem to be able to hold more long stuff and seem a bit harder to destroy. I can see them being useful for the people that pile tools into a toolbox.

[Michael Zerance]

I am just a DIY home owner and volunteer. You might want to consider RIDGID's Pro Tool box system. They are rugged and modular. I have been buying the Bins $14,95 to expand it, I do plan on making inserts for the cases, but they are water tight, except for the bins. They lock together and the base unit has built in wheels and handle. The black Friday deal was buy 2 and get the small case free. Here is a pretty good review of them:http://toolguyd.com/ridgid-pro-tool-storage-review/ I have 2 sets, plus about 4 bins. They all can lock together which is nice. I paid the $98 buy 2 lower units and get the smaller parts bin tote free. I got this deal last year and again this summer. Dan
I like the Ridgid boxes and almost picked up a couple sets when I saw that deal they had going. They are similar in size and material to the DeWalt ToughSystem. The price is right.
The reason I dismissed the Ridgid is because I am not confident that they will maintain that line for the foreseeable future. I want to be sure that I can continually add on to the system without worrying about them being discontinued.

[johnny means]

Personally, I hate the T-Lock cases. Sure, they lock easily and stack in one easy step. IMO, the locking mechanism are too weak. If you should ever find yourself carrying your TS55, Domino, a couple of sanders, and a systainer full of hand tools up a flight of stairs by the handle on top, don't be surprised if that chintzy little match pops right off like your pants button on Thanksgiving. DAMHIK.

[Michael Zerance]

Clearly the Dewalt boxes waste far, far more than any of those and are heavy. But they seem to be able to hold more long stuff and seem a bit harder to destroy. I can see them being useful for the people that pile tools into a toolbox.

I got my hands on one of the Tough System boxes today and, you're right, they are heavy. They may be too bulky and heavy for my use. If I was still remodeling consistently and doing demo and rough work, I would not even hesitate to get them.

[Michael Zerance]

There are Systainers available in Midi size, which is about 50% wider than the one shown above. These will clip above or below the normal T-Locks. They also have a Maxi size which is twice as wide and twice as deep as the Makita container shown above. Those haven't been updated to the T-Locks yet.

That may make it the most versatile of all the systems I've been looking at. I doubt, with those sizes available, I would have any tools that couldn't fit into the system.

[Dan Rude]

Mike, the issue of being discontinued is always a concern. I myself have kinda come full circle on this. I moved to tool bags for awhile, after the hard cases my tools came in. I still like my older Milwaukee and PC steel cases. The newer cordless have the blow molded cases that only seem to hold the tool and charger. What no place for bits or accessories. :eek: I then started using bags, like the tool wall ones and my electricians bag. Bucket Bosses are nice too. I just needed someway to move or take my tools with me when working away from home or at home. I have bad legs so always running back-n-forth for tools cuts into the time I can work before needing a break. So I look for different ways to accommodate my needs. Good Luck in what you decide. Dan

[Rick Lizek]

For the most part I use brief cases or small suitcases which I get for free or $5 at goodwill. They work like a modular system for me. I prefer something that sits side by instead of stacking.

[Michael Zerance]

Okay...got it narrowed down to the Bosch L-BOXX or the DeWalt TSTAK systems.

L-BOXX for versatility and the fact that some Bosch tools can be purchased with an L-BOXX and insert for a good price.

TSTAK for price and they are a little bit longer.

Any final thoughts?

[jack duren]

L-BOXX isn't really intended to be abused. Keep this in mind...

[John Schweikert]

I find the L-Boxx tool inserts a little silly because they waste space. You could fit four 12V drill/driver/impact size tools in the shortest L-Boxx with no inserts or only two 12V items with inserts.

[johnny means]

I find the L-Boxx tool inserts a little silly because they waste space. You could fit four 12V drill/driver/impact size tools in the shortest L-Boxx with no inserts or only two 12V items with inserts.

Let's be honest. The appeal of modular storage systems has nothing to do with efficiency.:)

[Martin Wasner]

Except space efficiency. I bought mine so I could click them together and stack them high and strap them to the wall of the install trailer.

[Michael Zerance]

Today I picked up both a small ToughSystem case and an L-BOXX 1.

My take is this:

The ToughSystem is well built, hefty, and worth the price. The tool inserts are stout, well-formed, and fit snugly into the box. The latches, hinges, and handles all feel really strong and durable. It's a very nice box but, due to the bulk and weight, is better suited for rough jobsite work. I don't think anyone would be disappointed with these boxes unless they were looking for something lightweight and streamlined.

The L-BOXX is well constructed and thought out. The tool inserts are flimsy and they don't really snap into the box. The box has no lip to open the lid so you have to open the lid by the latches (which feel a little flimsy). All-in-all, it is nicely engineered and would serve well for lighter tools and working inside, in finished spaces.

That being said, I just placed an order for 17 various styles of the DeWalt TSTAK boxes. I couldn't justify the premium for either of the other two boxes. I think that the TSTAKS are about the size of the L-BOXX and are probably a little more durable. The main selling point was the price. All 17 boxes cost me $346.83 with no tax and free shipping. Both the ToughSystem and the L-BOXX would have been over $800.

Now, what do I do with all the original tool cases? Should I save them to increase the resale value of the tool when it's time to upgrade? Try to sell the empty cases themselves? Cut them up to make inserts for the TSTAK boxes? Any thoughts?

[Keith Weber]

Personally, the modular thing for me is totally inefficient, and I prefer floor cabinets with drawers to hold my tools/hardware. If I want a tool, I just pull open a drawer and grab it. No messing around with latches and lids. That said, my job isn't going to people's houses all day to work, so I can see the appeal for those with that kind of job. Most of my work is done right in the shop.

I use Lista cabinets, and wouldn't trade them for anything. The Lista cabinets definitely have sticker shock if you don't have a way of getting a big discount, but there are cheaper alternatives if you don't need/want the high-end stuff. The nice thing is that while organizing all of your stuff, and making things easily accessible, they also double as a nice bench to work on (or store clutter).

326653

I've been wondering the same thing regarding what to do with all of my empty, molded tool cases. They're taking up a lot of room in my storage loft. I'll likely never use 90% of them again, but I don't think the resale market would be any good at all on an empty box.

[Tom M King]

Here's a video of the boxes in my cubbies. We work on old, historic houses, doing all sorts of work, so the thousands of tools I have are safe in these, but still take my helpers less than 30 seconds to get to any tool I call for. They come in 23 and 28 inches long sizes. I wish they made some bigger ones.

I'm sure they are not ideal for someone working in a shop, but we might be doing stone work for months before I need a particular hand plane for working on wood. A lot of the boxes have tools in them large enough that I had to throw the trays away because there wasn't room left in the box. The "Pulling" box is probably the heaviest. Heavy ones are on the floor where they just get drug out. Hand planes are in Plane 1, Plane 2, Smooth, 5-6-7, 8, Molding1, Molding 2, Sash&Bead, 55, H&R, and probably some more that I can't remember, but if I think of a plane I need, the guys will know where it is. Some planes may go years before I call for it, but it's there safely waiting the call.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzK21pnF-Sg 20 bucks for the small ones, and 30 for the large ones. For what we do, I can't think of a more efficient or safer way.

[Greg R Bradley]

.....
I use Lista cabinets, and wouldn't trade them for anything. The Lista cabinets definitely have sticker shock if you don't have a way of getting a big discount, but there are cheaper alternatives if you don't need/want the high-end stuff. The nice thing is that while organizing all of your stuff, and making things easily accessible, they also double as a nice bench to work on (or store clutter).

326653

Different solutions for different uses. I've bought around 30 Vidmar and Lista cabinets and they are incredibly useful but can't see any way to justify them for woodworking use. However, if one of those businesses gets closed, some of them will be the first things to follow me home. They have forklift brackets built into them for a reason. One 8 drawer unit with concrete anchors, Rotary Hammers, Bits sits on a truck and weighs just about 3,000 pounds. They are solid enough to move around in a construction site with that much weight inside. The lightest duty ones are rated at 400 pounds per drawer. Those 4 cabinets shown by Keith above are about $10,000. The 7 sitting near me at this moment are mostly the next size taller and one is the style that is 50% wider. I paid about $11,000 about 20 years ago. Around here, beat up units sell for way too much compared to new. I've found I can buy new, delivered and specd the way I want for what the typical used dealers want for used.

[johnny means]

If anything the most space efficient method of storing and moving tools is large bags or cases of some sort. I can fit many more tools into a milk crate than I can into any four "system" type boxes. Neatness doesn't equate to efficient use of space.

[John Sanford]

If anything the most space efficient method of storing and moving tools is large bags or cases of some sort. I can fit many more tools into a milk crate than I can into any four "system" type boxes. Neatness doesn't equate to efficient use of space.

This. Modular tool organization is about efficiency of time, not space.

[Keith Weber]

I've bought around 30 Vidmar and Lista cabinets and they are incredibly useful but can't see any way to justify them for woodworking use.

Greg,

I'm sure that you could justify them if you paid what I did (less than you'd pay for a McDonald's Happy Meal.) Right place, right time. I'm not sure that you can count woodworking as something that doesn't justify nice cabinets. There are guys on this forum that buy multiple, new machines directly from Martin. I'm sure that they wouldn't bat an eye at the price of Lista Cabinets, especially if they get them discounted by 50% in a corporate bulk purchase. I was even at a guy's hobby shop last week where the Festools were the low-end tools in his shop. How did he justify them?... He made good money and he wanted the best. I say good for him. There's lots of heavy stuff in woodworking shops that would tax the capacity of cheap cabinets. My machine shop drawers are easily the heaviest, but I've got cabinets full of hardware, heavy duty casters, 3-phase motors, etc. in the wood shop that aren't going to blow away anytime soon.


The 7 sitting near me at this moment are mostly the next size taller and one is the style that is 50% wider.

I've got about 5 of those tall ones as well. Nice cabinets -- lots of storage. I like my short 40" wide cabinets the best, though, because you can use them as a bench as well.


Around here, beat up units sell for way too much compared to new. I've found I can buy new, delivered and specd the way I want for what the typical used dealers want for used.

Yeah, it's kind of ridiculous. I've seen 15 year old, dented and rusty tall cabinets with missing dividers go for $1000/ea. at an auction. You see scratch and dents come up all the time, too, after having a run in with a forklift or getting knocked over, but the sellers of those seem to think 25% off of list is a good price. There's always good deals for those that have the patience to keep looking.

But enough about Lista Cabinets, as they are not for everyone. As I mentioned before, there's lots of cheaper alternatives. The Gladiator style and others are available at the big box stores. I've seen some nice setups in peoples' garages with those.

[Michael Zerance]

Those cabinets are nice and if I was going to be in the shop all the time, it would be the way to go. However, I bounce around between jobsites and and the shop so much that those cabinet systems would be inefficient for me.

Last week I was in the shop fabricating a built-in. Friday, Saturday, and Monday I was installing kitchen cabinets in a customer's home. Today I'm building drawer boxes and countertops in the shop. Tomorrow I'll be doing some soundproofing and drywall in a customer's home. Over the weekend I'll be making a mantel in the shop, Monday I'll be in Orlando fabricating solid surface on a jobsite. Tuesday I'll be back in the shop fabricating roll-out trays.

It drives me crazy trying to keep track of the tools that I need for the job and making sure they are loaded up with all their accessories, then unloading and storing them in the shop in a way that they are accessible for use when working in the shop.

The system I envision is a cabinet with roll-out shelves to house the TSTAK boxes. Each tool will have it's own box. Since the latches on the TSTAK are on the bottom, they can be left unlatched making it a simple two step process; slide out the shelf, then lift the lid. It's not about maximizing space, it's about being able to get to the tool (and accessories for that tool) quickly, without having to hunt for it or dig through a pile of other tools while also making it easy to grab a bunch of the tools I need to throw in the truck to take to the jobsite.

The alternative is to have two of every tool. I tried that. I end up favoring one over the other. I have two belt sanders and only use one because it is superior. I have a box full of DeWalt drills and impact drivers that I keep in the van but I still end up bringing my 20V set from the shop anyway. The other option is to get two identical tools but then they somehow both end up in either the van or in the shop. For example, I have three trim routers sitting in the shop now, one chucked with an 1/8" roundover, one with a 1/4" roundover, and one with a flush trim bit; none in the van where at least one of them should be.

[Michael Zerance]

I started transferring all my tools to the Tstak boxes and I made a few cabinets with roll-out trays to house them. I still need to add the frame and spray on a finish but I figured I would post an update.

327712 327713 327714

[Greg R Bradley]

You've been busy!