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Tools In Action - Power Tools and Gear: Sometimes it is easier for a manufacturer to go with an existing tool storage brand and just rebrand than build their own. This seems pretty clear when you see all the different variations of the Systainer.
This could be a fairly cost effective approach for some companies. Why spend hundreds of thousands of dollars developing cases for your product, but instead strike a deal with a company that already has an acceptable product, and charge a markup to cover the cost. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The product is versatile and easily adapted to the product, and it also comes in a range of stock sizes. I can say I would probably pay the extra money if my tools came in a Pelican case, I’d also actually use the case then too. The more I think about there’s been a considerable amount of talk about innovating tool storage over the past few years, and I can’t help but why? What’s wrong with what existed before, does it simply boil down to how do we make it cheaper, lighter, faster, and stronger? Typically I prefer the traditional steel toolbox – heavy, and strong. Admittedly though, heavy and strong can get old though, especially when you have more than one or two boxes, it adds up after a while, and it’s not always convenient to transport a large rolling box either. I agree that this brand of box does seem fairly cheap, but like I said before, its works reasonable well, if not perfectly in this application most of the time.
It’s interesting that brands of tool that use Systainer cases are also the brands of tool we have in our shop.
Personally, I don’t like this box. They are great for around the house and for use as parts bins, and I love that they all stack and nest and can be drawers, but they just don’t hold up well to an active work site. I’m surprised that the ones we have in the shop have made it that long.
I do see a box here that I like a lot. The air compressor in the Systainer box is brilliant. It allows you to stack air tools on top of it, and the wheels make it a great dolly. If I was a finish carpenter, I could probably put everything I needed on one stack of these boxes are roll it around the job site.
I just wish that the Systainer standard was designed a little more ruggedly, and now that so many different brands are offering it, I don’t think it will change any time soon.
I'm still very resilient to the idea of the stacking storage system like systainer because I csnt get in line with stacking storage that you have to un stack to get to the bottom case. Yes they make some systainer that has drawers for parts but i think that they aren't solving the bigger problem which is the ability to quickly get the tools you need. A properly arranged workbox has quick access to everything needed. Stanley has an interchangeable stacking system that utilizes front face loading and un loading. A place where I do appreciate festoons take on the matter is the ability to interlock the storage containers with various tools and accessories like the storage container for the plunge router and its ability to lock into the festool shop vacuum. I think that is an under utilized advantage of the systems potential and could easily be an opportunity for work benchs or storage of these containers when not stacked.
3 comments:
This could be a fairly cost effective approach for some companies. Why spend hundreds of thousands of dollars developing cases for your product, but instead strike a deal with a company that already has an acceptable product, and charge a markup to cover the cost. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. The product is versatile and easily adapted to the product, and it also comes in a range of stock sizes. I can say I would probably pay the extra money if my tools came in a Pelican case, I’d also actually use the case then too. The more I think about there’s been a considerable amount of talk about innovating tool storage over the past few years, and I can’t help but why? What’s wrong with what existed before, does it simply boil down to how do we make it cheaper, lighter, faster, and stronger? Typically I prefer the traditional steel toolbox – heavy, and strong. Admittedly though, heavy and strong can get old though, especially when you have more than one or two boxes, it adds up after a while, and it’s not always convenient to transport a large rolling box either. I agree that this brand of box does seem fairly cheap, but like I said before, its works reasonable well, if not perfectly in this application most of the time.
It’s interesting that brands of tool that use Systainer cases are also the brands of tool we have in our shop.
Personally, I don’t like this box. They are great for around the house and for use as parts bins, and I love that they all stack and nest and can be drawers, but they just don’t hold up well to an active work site. I’m surprised that the ones we have in the shop have made it that long.
I do see a box here that I like a lot. The air compressor in the Systainer box is brilliant. It allows you to stack air tools on top of it, and the wheels make it a great dolly. If I was a finish carpenter, I could probably put everything I needed on one stack of these boxes are roll it around the job site.
I just wish that the Systainer standard was designed a little more ruggedly, and now that so many different brands are offering it, I don’t think it will change any time soon.
I'm still very resilient to the idea of the stacking storage system like systainer because I csnt get in line with stacking storage that you have to un stack to get to the bottom case. Yes they make some systainer that has drawers for parts but i think that they aren't solving the bigger problem which is the ability to quickly get the tools you need. A properly arranged workbox has quick access to everything needed. Stanley has an interchangeable stacking system that utilizes front face loading and un loading. A place where I do appreciate festoons take on the matter is the ability to interlock the storage containers with various tools and accessories like the storage container for the plunge router and its ability to lock into the festool shop vacuum. I think that is an under utilized advantage of the systems potential and could easily be an opportunity for work benchs or storage of these containers when not stacked.
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