Shop Made Tool Boxes for New Power Tools

[Thomas McCurnin]

I am apparently the only person who misses the finely constructed metal tool boxes that used to come with every quality tool, such as Bosch, Porter Cable, and even Makita. These days they put the products into fabric zipper bags, which have a half life of only a few years. I am left with buying used metal boxes off eBay or making my own with 7/16 stock, finger joints and piano hinges.

Have any of you faced this issue and how to you cope with the lack of boxes for power tools?

Regards

Tom

[Jerry Bruette]

You're not the only person. Bought a Ridgid drill and impact driver for use at my cabin and threw the cloth bag away. Replaced it with a DeWalt DWST 17808 TSTAK box. Has storage for drill bits and drivers etc. in the cover and enough room for both tools and the charger.

[Andrew More]

While I can understand your disappointment, as a DIYer with a shop, I don't have any reason to store my tools in boxes, since I'm not taking them to a job site. Occasionally I find it useful to keep all my stuff for one tool together at which point I'll buy or make a toolbox.

So my preference would be that the tools come without any box or bag at all, and the manufacturer's cut the price accordingly.

It's still very possible to buy metal tool boxes, though you might find it easier to size them to the tool, and make something. Seems like even people going to job sites might find it better to make their own custom arrangement that works with their approach.

[Wayne Jolly]

I always look for tools that have decent boxes. It keeps the tools safe, clean, and most of the time all parts together when not being used.

Wayne

[Bruce Page]

I haven’t seen the zipper bags but it’s been awhile since I’ve bought any new power tools. The last tool I bought with a metal case was a Porter Cable 12volt drill.
I keep my circular saw, jig saw, nail guns, etc. in their original cases. The tools I use more often live in a storage cabinet (~$80 from a local salvage yard, IIRC). The cases for them live in the shop attic.

[john bateman]

Harborfreight has a couple aluminum cases you can trim the inside foam to fit. May not be large enough though.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Take a router for example--I'll have a couple different base plates, colletts, edge guides, etc. Throwing them on a shelf just doesn't work for me. I remember when I was a lowly apprentice carpenter and showed up on a job site with all my stuff in cardboard boxes and milk crates. The foreman basically told me to make a frigging tool box (on my own time) before I showed up on Monday. I guess I'll have to start building them again. Some of the Kennedy and Snap On boxes bring a premium on Craigslist and eBay, selling for over $100

[Jim Becker]

If you like your small electric tools in boxes, making them or buying Tanos Systainers ($$$) are reasonable solutions. My suggestion for shop made is to at least take a standardized approach like you get with the Systainers so you can stack them or fit them in an organized way on appropriate shelves, etc.

[George Yetka]

My thought was they did away with them because they cant have their toolboxes outliving their tools. I work for a decent size Mechanical contractor and tools are basically a consumable now. Even if you buy the best if you stick them in the hands of employees they either disappear or are destroyed pretty quickly. We had a job last summer with 2 guys on it they went through 4 cordless drill sets in 4 months. and only 1 drill of them burnt out. I like the idea of systainers and if I were still in the field I would probably do something like that. For my house I have done away with all my cases with the exception of a few tools that I will never use in my garage. If I work outside of the garage I pack buckets.

I dislike the blow formed cases ridgid uses because they take up a ton of room but have very little room inside for bits/blades.

[Thomas L Carpenter]

The cloth bags make good travel bags for things like electronics, camera gear, shaving gear, etc. I kind of like walking into a hotel carrying a bag that has the DeWalt logo on the side. They aren't much use for tools but then again I don't like the plastic cases either.

[glenn bradley]

I ditch all my bags and blo-molds BUT, I don't have to haul my tools to the site. My tools like in drawers and cabinets. If you do job-site work there is an entire culture devoted to all sorts of cool-Eddie tool boxes and mods.

[Frank Pratt]

Almost all my cases have been tossed. I've kept a few for tools that have small accessories that are better stored with the tool. For my electrical tools, which need to be mobile, I got a set of Milwaukee pack-out interlocking tools boxes. They are of impressive quality & far better than any metal toolbox I've ever had. My son has a set of them & his tailgate latch failed one day, dumping his boxes out at highway speed. The only casualties were a few scuffs & scrapes.

The fabric totes that were such a rage (thankfully fading now) are an abomination & never should have seen the light of day. I don't have the words to adequately express my dislike of them. the cheap blow molded cased are not far behind.

[Brian Deakin]

I use old leather tote/ handbags provided by my wife

They have the advantage of being easy to transport take up less space in workshop cupboards and they look good

[Tom M King]

What will fit in toolboxes are in waterproof ones in cubbies, so no unstacking needed. Something over 120 of these. My jobsites last for 1 to 2 years typically. The only tool I can think of that still lives in its original, metal toolbox is the Milwaukee 10-1/4" circular saw. All the blow molded cases get tossed first day.

[Warren Wilson]

I have to say I enjoy making little boxes to hold tools and associated gear. It’s never a big job and kind of fun to design them. I use 3/8 Balic Birch and then put on transfers of classic naughty pics (think old French postcards). Some guys have trucker babe calendars — I have 1920’s pinups on wood.

[johnny means]

I show up on any install with a dozen or more individual power tools. There's no way I'm lugging all those oversized metal cases to and from a job when a couple of cloth bags will do it. I suppose most tool buyers just don't see the utility of and aren't willing to pay the premium for a metal case.

[Gene Takae]

I use old leather tote/ handbags provided by my wife

They have the advantage of being easy to transport take up less space in workshop cupboards and they look good

But do you have shoes to match?:D Just joshing of course! That's great way to re-purpose something. But I think it's a ploy to allow her to purchase more handbags!

[Ellery Becnel]

I have picked up quartersawn cedar fence boards when they go on sale at the local BORG. I let them dry over time. I then plane one side and square up one edge, and glue up the boards. Rip it to the size needed to make a box for whatever tool. Then plane the opposite side to clean up and flatten. It has made some very nice, lightweight, inexpensive, storage boxes. Routers with multiple bases, edge guides, etc. Shop made Box joint fixtures, dovetail jigs, hand planes, etc.

Most of the boards are clean, with no knots! small hinges, and a latch of choice. I have also installed some carry handles on the longer boxes.

What ever feels right. That has been my approach.

[andrew whicker]

I would like to make my own sheet metal boxes one day. Takes tools I don't have room for at the moment.

[Jay Larson]

The foreman basically told me to make a frigging tool box (on my own time) before I showed up on Monday. I guess I'll have to start building them again.

I too, had the boss telling me to build some boxes for the tools. And on my own time. Didn't have much room at home at the time, so I got permission to stay after on the job site (we built custom homes) and make them. I was able to get half of them done on the first night, and the rest the second night. After that, he made me make some new ones for some of his tools. Actually, company tools, but same idea.

Once the basic ones were complete, I started upgrading them about once a quarter. Making them out of oak or maple, usually leftovers, and not plywood. I also took the time to size them so they would also work a second job. Stand it this way and it would work as a block the same height as the chop saw. Another tool box was the perfect height for a saw bench.