Festool 499901 Cantilever Toolbox Review

[jonny round boy]

Sorry, I forgot to take any pictures today. I will be doing some work at home tomorrow, so will definitely take some then. I'll also do a short update to this review too, now I've had the toolbox just over a year.

 

[jonny round boy]

OK, just brought my tools in & took some pictures, and since it's been just over a year, I thought I'd update this thread.

A few weeks after I got this, I realised that it just wasn't big enough for everything I wanted to carry, and I had a couple of tools that simply wouldn't fit in, so I bought a SYS-MFT to sit underneath:

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

The SYS-MFT holds my larger tools and less frequently-used tools, such as demo hammers, cold chisels, pull-saw, drywall saw & rasp, a few clamps, and a winbag:

[attachimg=3]

The cantilever toolbox holds the rest of my hand tools:

[attachimg=4]

It's pretty much as full as I can get it!

[attachimg=5]

In one side, the top section holds all my screwdrivers (24 of them!) and my wire cutters. The bottom section holds various miscellaneous tools: a small 100g (3 1/2oz) pin hammer, filling/scraping knives, junior hacksaw, folding flush-cut saw, mini pry-bar, a couple of spanners, and 2 files.

[attachimg=6]

Moving to the other side, the tops section holds all my measuring & marking tools: 3 squares of various sizes, digital callipers, tape, 3x steel rules, 3x knives, scribing tool, several pencils, pens & markers, and a couple of small LED lights.

Below that, I have 5x chisels, from 6mm up to 25mm, a leather strop and strop paste, a couple of pipe cutters, multimeter, PTFE tape (no idea why that's in there!) and 3 of the grey boxes with various small bits of miscellaneous crap. There should also be a socket tester in there, but I've just noticed it's not there - don't know where that is now... [unsure]

This is how it usually travels to site, on top of my rolling set-up:

[attachimg=7]

(Yes, the T-Loc latch on the SYS-MFT is completely the wrong shade of green! I don't know why, but it arrived like that...)

The toolbox is good, but it's not perfect. On the plus side, it's very sturdy (more so than you would expect) and has held up well to my abuse without any part of it breaking. It's a nice size to carry around, and hold more than you'd think.

On the minus side, the footprint of it when on site & opened up is too big. Because I've crammed so much into it, getting anything out of it disturbs everything else in that section meaning it won't close, so I end up leaving it open all the time. It always ends up sat on the floor getting in the way, and if I need anything from the SYS-MFT below it's a real pain to get to it. Also, it seems to catch every bit of sawdust that's generated (mainly from my jigsaw, which is cordless & gets used without DC). It's become a chore at the end of each day to try & arrange everything inside so I can actually close it!

I've recently decided that it just doesn't really work for me any more, and so this morning the nice chap from DPD delivered these:

[attachimg=8]

[big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

All the stuff from the toolbox is (hopefully!) going to be transferred into these shortly. I'll probably keep the SYS-MFT for the bulkier, 'rougher' tools, so they're all in one place. I'm not sure what I'll do with the toolbox - I might sell it, or maybe keep it & use it for something else. I've got various 'electrical' tools such as crimps, soldering iron etc. that are just thrown in the van, so maybe I'll use it for a dedicated 'electrical' box...

Jonathan

 

[charley1968]

Thanks for the good and honest review. Hadn't thought of the footprint of the systainer when it's opened. As i have the tendency to clutter my storage-boxes, i'll give this one a miss.

 

[Iceclimber]

I really like the idea of these organization systainers in theory. My local Woodcaft stocks many of them and every time i am in there i am drawn to them like candy, or crack, or candy flavored crack or Rob Ford to donut flavored crack, or crack and donuts

Anyway i never leave with them. So soon as i touch them and start playing with them i cant help but think I will destroy these things in like 8 hrs of real use. The first time i touched one with the pop out drawers one of the snap closer tab things fell off in my hand.

I am by no means a dewalt fan but in comparison to their tuff line of containers these things are brittle fragile toys. Granted the Dewalt stuff offers nothing in the way of being organized and leaves out that whole part put of the equation that Tanyos address so well. Like no little drawers or bins, no systaroll or anything like that that makes the whole tanyos system much more attractive. Well actually the Tuff system does have a drawers container and they do have a cart but lets face it they are not systainers and we all want a pile of easily organized systainers. Why could they just not make sysstainers out of a plastic that is not so brittle and make the operational pieces more bomber?

I for one would accept a little added weight and extra cost for real life job site usability. Im sure mAny people use these on job sites without fail but the way i work on sight these babies would have to be reserved for my home shop as i would break them in the field in ten minutes. The. In a home workshop i just assume. Uild my own drawers and cabinets that i can dimension and organize however i see fit fr my needs.

I really wanna jump on the sustainer bandwagon but the lack of durability os a real deal breaker for me. 

 

[grbmds]

Mostly I'd use one to keep the tools I am using for a project handy in my workshop. That's the only place I'd use one. I've stopped myself from buying many times; not because I felt they weren't durable or had some use, but mostly because I think that, once I have one, I'd just fill it up and it would be another container I'd constantly have to reorganize. Do others use these for similar purposes?

 

[mac sparrow]

I have to agree with jonny.  I had one for several weeks and got rid of it soon after.  It is too small to be of any use.  I just couldn't figure out what to store in it in the end due to the restriction in size.  I have no doubt it is an ideal product for certain people with certain applications though.

I have the 5 drawer Sortainer which I've just converted into a drill systainer and I'm planning to keep: 1 x Makita Drill, 1 x Makita Impact, CXS & the BHC 18 along with many drill bits etc.  I think that's pretty good given the overall footprint.  Sortainers have grown on me having hated them until recently.

JRB - do you have a BHC18 by any chance?  If so could I kindly ask if you could snap a wee photo of it inside the large Sortainer drawer please?

Thank you

 

[neeleman]

The BHC does fit in the large drawer of a Sortainer and it closes as well.
There is still room for a the dust adapter, an extra battery and some drills.
[attachimg=1]

 

[sancho57]

After mine sat empty for a while, Much like JRB I decided that I was going to use mine for a tool box. I got a lot of stuff in it. But I got tired of digging around for every thing. What I found that works great for a tool box is a 5 drawer Tanos sortainer. I got everything in it. If I had more room  I would pair it up with the 5 drawer sortainer. But my shop is rather small so I keep the sortainer on my CT with the work center. The tool box once again sits empty
Seems to be a pretty good combo. I plan on building a multifunctional stool to set my workcenter on, Ill have some drawers built in and Between tool box, 5 drawer sortainer, workcenter and the drawers on my multi functional stool, Ill be in good shape.

 

[Luzzy]

Since I've used Systainers and the both the open toolboxes and the Sys Storage for almost a year now , I'll weigh in. I should clarify - I've used Systainers for years but last year decided all of my hand tools and daily use tools were going to be better organized .

A little background - I work 75% of the year in shopping malls doing retail tenant fit out work . From metal framing to acoustical ceilings to millwork packages. I wanted the ability to roll from my truck in the parking lot to the jobsite inside the mall without losing tools off my rubbermaid cart. For times when I wasn't working in the mall , and I need to bring tools into someones home or a residential jobsite , I wanted a compact and organized system that transports easily. And finally , I wanted a system that would stack neatly into my crossbed toolbox or sit just as stable in the bed of my truck or on the seat.

The systainer system met all of what I wanted. Additionally , the sys-cart allows for easy,flexible mobility.

After using a Craftsman carpenters box for years , I was forced to pare down my tool box a bit. However, I found that all of what I really needed fit comfortably in the sys storage box. What I cleaned out were items that did not have to be in with my daily tools. I have my Hilti impact and drill with charger and drill bits in a Sys2. I have three Hilti lasers(spot,line,layout) in a SYS3. I top my Sys storage with the large open toolbox. In that I have eye and ear protection,knee pads on one side and my 14" stabila level and estwing bar on the other.

After a year of using I can tell you two things. My daily work efficiency had improved because the Festool system helps organize AND these boxes have held up incredibly well to gang boxes,truck boxes and transporting just about daily. The durability was a big question for me and I can honestly say they have passed with flying colors.

 

[Tinker]

I had gotten on of the open style boxes and it really works fine.  When the "cantilever" box first came out, i jumped on that right away.  I thought it would be handy to keep tools, nuts, bolts and screws as i was wring on a project.  As JRB found out, when open, it just seems to take too much room of which i have little to spare.  I have not used it since the first couple of months, but that open box is never empty, nor is it far out of reach.  I am now debating whether or not to get another or get the deeper of the two open boxes. 

Somebody above mentioned the cantilever box looks like an old tackle box. That is maybe what attracted my eye.  I had a couple of tackle boxes of that type for years. Some of JRB's picks showing screw drivers in one section and mix of tools in another and bigger tools in the bottom reminded me of my old tackle boxes. They went on many a fishing excision over the years. 

Later, when I started my mason biz, I cut out some of the partitions and used them for carrying many of my smaller mason tools.  One for brick and block tools and one for stone tools.  Later, i decided those metal boxes just did not stand up to the battering they were getting and adopted one of those canvas and leather bags nearly all other masons were using.  That was a much better choice for the work I was doing and the tools i was carrying. that bag never dented and it was never a problem to open, no matter how much sand and other dust got onto or into it.  And, it never got so full of tools but what I could not dump another one or two in there.  Of course, when i started adding stone tools to the mix, I could barley pick it up.  But it never broke.  Only me  [unsure]

even with it full to somewhere near capacity, I could always find the tool i was looking for, even if i had to dump the entire contents onto the floor, or ground  :  I would hate to do that with the cantilever boxes.  I would never figure out how to put everything back in.  With both the Festoy open box and my old mason bag, it is an easy matter to just put everything back into the container.  [cool]
Tinker

 

[grbmds]

Actually a tackle type (cantilever) box that is a Systainer so it could be stacked on a Systainer with movable partitions on all levels would be the best solution. Maybe that exists already? Does it?

 

[mac sparrow]

Thank you very much neeleman, exactly what I'd hoped for.  Thank you.

Isn't it interesting that a straight forward review of the cantilever toolbox has lead onto how we use systainers and the various mobile options each one of us has adopted.  I have regular battles with myself regarding the number of systainers I have vs the cost of them vs how much portability I actually need vs the Ron Paulk approach (too many lock downs, tie downs etc) vs OCD vs "they are tools not jewels" (got that quote from someone on FOG last year, cheers) 

I expect I am not alone and it will be a subject that I will deal with for as long as I am able to work with tools, makes you wonder what guys did 50 years ago.  I love examining the intricate panel work in churches and how they did it, what tools were used, how the tools were transported. 

I have condensed my drilling items into 2 x Sys 3's & 1 x 5 drawer Sortainer, in that setup I carry nearly all drilling items I am likely to need except the big heavy stuff or metre long drill bits.

 

[neeleman]

Although the Systainer concept is interesting and organized, many of us who carry more tools to a job-site or store them in a van have noticed that they take to much (empty) space.
I normally use a SYS 4 HWZ for my hand tools and another for a few electrical machines, all in one systainer. The one with the machines becomes real heavy and sometimes I doubt if Tanos have taken this in account. When another systainer is used on top the small knob which holds the T-Loc knob carries all the weight!
Sometimes I do use the SYS CART for the heavy systainer. Downside is that on the job site all the machines lay around without protection and sometimes gets damaged or sprayed with paint or plaster.
Lately I have changed all my systainers to T-Loc versions. In my workshop they look really nice all those coloured systainers/sortainers/toolboxes (67 now). Especially if you have other branded tools also stored in coloured Tanos systainers. They are widely available in Europe although not cheap.

 

[Brent Taylor]

I have to agree with Iceclimber on the fact that the DeWalt Tough system works better for my style of working and storage needs. I do use the Systainer for some of my storage and transport needs and have been looking a the cantilever box, I had 2 hiptop boxes years ago and they worked well for me.  After reading this post I think I will be look at the 4 drawer. Thanks for sharing you insight. B

 

[#Tee]

I have this and dewalt tstak system in which i leave for mostly outdoor use. if youre into throwing your tool boxes around the dewalt can take the abuse. i use the sys storage for my electrical tools and i baby this thing lol..its too pretty to get tossed around and get scratched up  [embarassed]

 

[pjblues]

I have had this box for about 6 months and use it all the time. It works great, I store a lot of misc. hardware in it and have never had a problem. I was worried about the latches at first but they seem to function very well.
[smile]

 

[Carl Prentiss]

Thanks for sharing, demo-ing, photographing, and describing, Jonathan.

 

[BPCFinishing]

I just ordered one about 2 months ago and it has significantly improved how I work day to day.  I attached it to the top of a sortainer that houses my cxs and bits.  Only gripe is my hammer won't fit but luckily it squeezes in the bottom drawer with my drill.  Here's a sample of what I carry in the cantilever with room to spare.[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]

 

[stevieob]

I've been looking for a cantilever tool box for years.  They just don't seem to exist any more, at least not in Ireland!

I got my Festool set up last year.  I'm a hobbyist and do not use the stuff very often at all.

I have read through this thread and while it seems that you guys like the box, it appears that it is not really suitable for your needs.  But you all seem to be tradesmen.  Can I ask you though, for use as someone's home tool box to store some screwdrivers, spanners, hammers, wrenches, pliers... simple basic stuff would you recommend it?  Maybe with an open top toolbox underneath it if I need extra room?

Also, where is a good place to buy, this site want the nearly the same price again to ship it across the Irish Sea!
https://www.powertool-supplies.co.uk/index.php?dispatch=checkout.cart

Of course, if any of you want to get rid of yours if it's knocking about and not being used, I'd be happy with a second hand one

 

[Tinker]

@ stevieob
i am a hobbits and i have had that tool box for a couple of years now.  At first, i wondered why I I had bough it until i did a couple of projects taking me away from my own shop.  With a little extra thought in organizing, I was very pleasantly surprised at just how much i could squeeze into it. I now even use it in my crowded shop at home.  I often find my work bench more loaded with tools than pieces I am trying to work on.  By making use of that "cantilevering tool box, i am finding my work bench much less cluttered.  When finished with a project, i unload the box and ready for the next project.  I am starting to wonder why I did not get two of them.

AH HA!  the slippery slope attacks once again!  [scared] [eek]
Tinker