does anyone use those plastic cases that your drill, or other tool, comes in after you start using the tool? I’ve got some 8 or so empty plastic tool cases that are just laying around. Can’t we buy those tools without those cases? What do I do with them? Can’t make tackle boxes out of them. One time use is all they have: from the store to my place and then they sit forever. I could toss them into the dumpster but then they will end up in that floating island of debris in the pacific ocean, bobbing up and down forever.
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Replies
Throw them under the house and if you need to ship the tools or when you move you have a safe box. I know what you mean though. Apple computers a couple of years ago rethought their packaging to be less but enough. Other companies need to follow their lead. I think what they were going for with the big plastic thing is it looks "professional" and like you are getting more. Those fat fold out handles feel like you got ahold of some thing great when you leave the store. Ah those were good times . . . going on hunting trips for a new power _______ tool ( fill in the blank ) .
I am blessed with so much in that way now. I haven't bought a portable/hand held power tool for ever. It is embarrassing how many sanders I have. Only use for metal. None stored in their original boxes.
You are right; they need to rethink the big honkin plastic box thing.
Some are recyclable.
roc
Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=40904.22
and www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I have to confess, I tend to keep them in case I get a new and better tool, and sell the original on Craig's List. Having a picture of the tool and the case makes a better ad.
Eons ago, we had a member who really needed a case for .... hmmmm .....I think his PC router, he was desperate for one, couldn't find one. It was definitely the exception to the rule, LOL!
In my shop, I don't use the cases. However, I keep them to use any time I do work elsewhere. I have a 16" enclosed trailer for my tools. I find it much easier to haul and protect them in the cases. It also helps to keep chargers and extra batteries with the cordless drill they go with, as well as wrenches and things for other tools.
I also keep them for when I am working away and especially when I need to keep accessories with the tool. Since I am out of the apartment business, I rarely do that any more.
I see the usefulness of cases if you are transporting your tools to work elsewhere, but for many, like myself, the only function they serve is to get the tool from the the store to my house. The place where I work could fill a dumpster with those boxes, and they do, every year. I look at them and wonder if they couldn't be returnable, but then I realize that almost always the tool boxes are obsolete because they have changed something about the design or accessories. I took one with a triangular symbol indicating that it was recyclable to our collection center for such things and they looked at it and tossed it in the general garbage bin. My guess is that today it is in that Texas-sized garbage raft floating out in the Pacific.
Edited 11/29/2009 1:01 am by RJT
I put a brick in them to give the appearance of being full and leave them in the open back of my pickup. I think the good fairies take them away for me.wotI started out with nothing...and I still have most of it left!
Edited 11/29/2009 9:35 am ET by wotnow
You should super-glue the flap latches shut, lest the fairies deposit the brick in your windshield, Wot. ;-)
Most of the time, I toss the cases in the recycle bin, but I've kept the cases for my air nailers (finish nailer, brad gun, and pin nailer) and my Dremel MM.
My biggest complaint about the cases is storing the cords. There's no way I'm gonna try to fold them back into that tight little bundle so the case can be closed.
My other beef with them is the lack of space for other stuff I might use with the tool. The cases usuall only hold whatever came packaged from the factory and that's it. Try to put something else in, and it won't fit.
The best cases I've ever had came with my Milwaukee Sawzall and a Makita 9.6v cordless drill. Both had plenty of room for the tool and whatever other stuff I needed. I still have the Sawzall, but the Makita has long since been replaced.
...and the worst case has to be the kreg jig's. used it once and could not figure out how to get everything back into it's place.
eef
Which case? I use my pocket screw system case at least once a week. No room for screws, but I buy those in boxes of 500 anyway.
I store mine with my LN plane boxes.
I keep the tools that I don't use a lot in the cases. They stack on the shelf better and it keeps them clean.Domer
yes, amen to the kreg jig case! in general I would have to say that it is primarily the cases for rechargeable tools that are throwaways once you get them home as you don't want to keep the charger on the shelf in a case. I do use the cases for the circular, sabre saws, the routers. It is just the drill cases that are a problem.
r,
did some cabinet work for a local store, of late, and it was convenient to have many of the tools in cases. installation is a least favorite pain in the #### and the suffering is somewhat mitigated when things aren't made more difficult to carry.
eef
Edited 12/1/2009 2:43 pm ET by Eef
When did you buy your Kreg jig? They did a packaging change a few months back, going from large a large blow-molded case for the K3 to a much more compact one. Their other products received similar packaging downsizings.Chris @ http://www.flairwoodworks.com and http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
chris,maybe three years ago. it was a source of some humor trying to get all the "kreg krap" back into it's individual, original niche. i gave up, but did so laughing at the absurdity.
eef
RJT:
I sometimes think the designers of those cases go to great lengths to make sure that the tool can only be fitted once into the case at the factory. Once you bring it home it is almost impossible to fit the tool and its power cord back into the case and close the plastic clips.
The exception being Festool that provides stackable, useful cases that make it easy to move your tools safely.
Hastings
Yeah, I use some of them. My Makita drill and driver fit in the original case, along with the charger, a big set of driver bits, a set of drills, countersink, Vix bits, and some other goodies. Likewise the sawzall, right angle drill, and rotozip also live in their cases -- with their accessories -- all for the same reason -- I use them outside of the shop more than in the shop. The Festool sander, sandpaper, and vacuum accessories live in their systainers on top of the vacuum. That's just because it's easier than the alternative. OTOH, my original PC 630 set (1 motor with fixed, plung, and D-handle bases) came with a case, but I have no idea where it might be.
Depends on the tool. My circular saw, dremel, corded drill, and biscuit joiner are all in their cases still. They are not used that often, and in the case of the saw and drill are transported more often than not. For cordless drills I usually toss the case.
My router is the only tools that doesn't live in it's case that I keep. It slides nicely under the router table, and actually has some useful organizing in it.
The oddest case I have is a little metal case I got with a makita combo drill and impact driver. Way too big for the two drills. But displays them nicely...
RJT:
Yes, I use them. I have a large storage unit I built just for the purpose of storing power hand tools in their cases. I won't buy a power tool that doesn't come with a case. That's because I am constantly transporting tools to job sites to do work. Even the tools that don't travel are kept in their cases when not in use. They help me to maintain some organization and kept the tools stored safely when not in use.
gdblake
R,
What to do with all of those cases?
A while back there was a contest to see who could come up with the best use for all of the "systainers" that you get with Festools.
The one I liked best was "fill them with cement and use them as stairs".
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
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