In a workshop setting - when do you use systainers and when just normal drawers?

[mickmick]

Hello,
Quite new to festool stuff, but accumulating at a fast rate 
I am fitting out a new workshop at the moment and have been collecting ideas. I have some plans from benchworks which I really like and he has systainers all over the place. And I see many people making benches and even multiple benches with "sys-ports"/cabinest of drawers that hold systainers. Are these all full of festool tools? Or are the full of ALL of your tools, hand tools, even tapes and paint stuff? If so - why do people not just make standard drawers for miscellaneous stuff? I get having systainers for site, or for festool tools that have inserts that are made to fit. But miscellanious tools that could just as easily sit in a plywood drawer - why? Systainers are quite expensive so just checking I'm not missing something. Is is just OCD collector syndrome kind of thing? Or is there a distinct advantage to having ALL your tools in systainers? Your help greatly appreciated.

 

[Svar]

You are not missing anything. If you work in the shop and don't care for mobility, wide shallow drawers is the best options for all tools.

Keep in mind that even if you don't go to job sites, you might prefer mobility. For example, must stow away your tools so the boss can park her car in your shop (which she for some reason calls "garage").

 

[zapdafish]

I move my dust extractor around my workbench and the main thing on top is the shaper which comes in a systainer. I have a husky small parts thing that has screws and alot of other things I tend to grab for and it fit on top but I couldnt open it so I finally broke down and got a sys 4 sorttainer and am loving it.

Might treat myself to a sys-storage to sit on top of that later on, lol.

 

[tallgrass]

It really depends, there is a collector component to some. However there is also a work efficiency point to the issue. Drawers have their place. I have found uniformity of storage and organization are Key to productivity. Drawers tend to be collectors of stuff. If you can not see it and get immediate access  to it, than you do not have it. You do not have to use Systainers. I use Sortimo and systainers and such. There are a great amny choices at what ever price point you wish.  I keep everything concerning a tool in the systaner or sortimo(S/S)  box, and or in another S/S box right below the tool. This allows for immediate and through tracking of parts and consumables and such. The S/S containers fundamentally turn into a Box/drawer. take it with you or not. Many do not like this type of organization, However I find it valuable. IT saves me vast amounts of time. Things do not get lost into the black holes of drawers. As far as cost, they pay for themselves quickly in my opinion. If you track you time that is.

 

[grobkuschelig]

I love Systainers, because they allow me to have the main tool and all the accessories collected in a package.
I use them in the shop/garage, but in my opinion, as others have also stated, mobility is the main driver.

I can quickly pack a stack and be quite sure that I have everything I need. Either to work just inside a room or go support on a building site or whatever...

If I would ‚unpack‘ the Systainers back in the shop, mobility would be highly impacted, so I also use them in the shop.

 

[Systainer.Store]

For me, I have a combination of tools storage/display methods.  Of course I like systainers but I'll admit I'm not needing to be as mobile as many of those on this forum.  When I am mobile though, I pack my tools into some "general purpose" outfitted systainers.  I've got a couple "specialty" outfitted systainers that I use in the shop and mobile.

In the shop I like having most tools close at hand.  I believe Adam Savage coined this as first order of retrieval.

I've seen many photos of folks using the SYS-AZ drawer for systainers in the shop.

-Sys Tim

 

[tallgrass]

I actually use them as portable drawers in my shop. I use a combination of Sortimo and Systainer. I think people look at these things as in either or. I think of them as both. Just like the festool systainer cabinets that people make. the best of both worlds. This allows for extreme organization. This leads to greater work velocity.  For those that say that they are not professionals, therefore do not need to do this, I would suggest just the opposite. you are spending the most valuable time you have, your leisure and free time. Get the most out that time. now, if you like looking for tools and trying to figure out what your resources are than by all means, turn your time in your "shop" into a treasure hunt"