Systainers and Sortainers replaces........

dinkjs

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Joined
Oct 22, 2009
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228
So I love the idea of sortainers and systainers for other methods other then fitting the actual Festool Products...I bought last week the Systainer 1 Uni and I love it from Bob Marino to put all my insert bits and holders.  And I was thinking that for a shop these would be perfect to replace an actual tool box with all the different configurations the Systainers and Sortainers have.  Has anyone switched over to a all Systainer, or Sortainer system and gotten rid of there tool box all together?
 
By tool box do you mean tool box to carry around? Or mechanics tool chest?

For anything being transported , including all my small hand tools and such, I have switched to Systainers and Sortainers. I have most non-Festool power tools and other tool "set ups" in them for both shop and transport.  Shop small items and handtools are remaining in other types of drawers etc. 

Seth
 
Sortainers are nice, but it's hard to beat the vete pro pac for quick access to you hand tools.
I take mine for installs and keep it next to my bench at my shop. Nothing rattles around in the bag when transporting either.
 
I agree about the veto pro pack.  I have one and I love it.  I have the XXL version.  The one downside to this specific bag is weight when fully loaded, it probably weighs around 60 pounds.  At least I know it holds a lot.

I purchased my bag several years ago, I think they were made in the USA at that point.  Now they are made in China and it is sad to say but looking at my bag, now 3-4 years old, and a brand new bag side by side I see definite quality differences.  That said it is still a great bag.

Best,
Daniel
 
Daniel I also have the xxl which I bought about 4 years ago before I had any systainers. Now I think I will be buying the XL or LC version and use a systainer for the extra stuff I always need to bring to a job. I feel this combo suits my workflow best.

Another thought i had for people who like systainers for hand tools is to put the LC open version in a systainer 5 for traveling to jobsites. My 2 cents.
 
I've gone over to systainer and sortainer for all my day to day stuff, as a kitchen fitter I only need a limi ted amount of tools but I need screws, bits and pieces and of course drills so I use a stack of systainers
 
I use a five drawer tanos systainer IV at the bottom, then a 9 drawer sortainer, then my drill box systainer 3  and on top my systainer 1 with drill bits in all sat on dolly wheels (had to bracket it all together as picking it up and loading in and out of my van I didn't trust the old style clips on the sortainers), nice and manoeuvrable and all close to hand
 
==> Daniel I also have the xxl which I bought about 4 years ago before I had any systainers. Now I think I will be buying the XL or LC version and use a systainer for the extra stuff I always need to bring to a job. I feel this combo suits my workflow best.

+1.  Use systainers to replace rubbermaid totes -- stackable/locking.  use 1 LC and 2 XXLs for tools.  the systemers are more for 'supplies' -- screws, sandpaper, etc.  i find them great for consumables.  but for tools -- no, the XXL is just too perfect to 'stuff' what you need and go.  don't know of anyone who has gone systainer for 'everything'.
 
hhh said:
==> Daniel I also have the xxl which I bought about 4 years ago before I had any systainers. Now I think I will be buying the XL or LC version and use a systainer for the extra stuff I always need to bring to a job. I feel this combo suits my workflow best.

+1.  Use systainers to replace rubbermaid totes -- stackable/locking.  use 1 LC and 2 XXLs for tools.  the systemers are more for 'supplies' -- screws, sandpaper, etc.  i find them great for consumables.  but for tools -- no, the XXL is just too perfect to 'stuff' what you need and go.  don't know of anyone who has gone systainer for 'everything'.

hhh,

I agree the xxl is excellent for just stuffing what you need while still being able to do a quick inventory and keep everything organized. 

There was a thread a while back about a mobile sortainer workshop.  I can't find the link perhaps someone can help me out.  I know it was about 9-12 sortainers of various sizes configured for different installation jobs.  It was very well done.  This is probably close to what you are talking about when you say sortainer/systainer everything. 

Best,
Daniel

 
+1.  Use systainers to replace rubbermaid totes -- stackable/locking.  use 1 LC and 2 XXLs for tools.  the systemers are more for 'supplies' -- screws, sandpaper, etc.  i find them great for consumables.  but for tools -- no, the XXL is just too perfect to 'stuff' what you need and go.  don't know of anyone who has gone systainer for 'everything'.
[/quote]

I have done it and although I really like the look of those Veto bags my Festool/Tanos solution is actually cheaper. It's not often you hear that said on here. I use a Sys5 for hand tools with a homemade insert using 65mm square downpipe. It's been in use for neally 9 months and is proving to be very robust and extremely useful.

This is what I did. I wanted the tools below in a systainer and didn't like any inserts that I had seen. They were all too specific and wouldn't adapt to changing needs.

[attachimg=#]

So I got hold of some 65mm downpipe and made this. It is all glued with no screws at all and was really simple to make.

[attachimg=#]

With all my tools in everything is easily accessible from the top of the systainer and it adapts to my changing needs. I also didn't wanto be bending down all day so I needed it at a sensible height.

[attachimg=#]

I made this cart which also serves as a home for all sorts of other things that don't fit in sortainers/systainers. E.g spirit levels, my Irwin clamps, metre ruler, guide rails and so on. It has the advantage that all my hand tools are at about 100mm so I don't end up bend down peering into my toolbox all day trying to find something.

[attachimg=#]

Add a couple of sortainers to the mix and I have a solution that constantly adapts to my changing needs and I have everything I need and some in a footprint of less than 500mm x 400m. It is easy to move and creates so much space on site. The boost in productivity is awesome  and work is so much less stressful as I can always find things.

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

Everything also fits in the back of my van really well and I complement the use of systainers with 400 x 300mm euro containers for consumables that stay on the van. They are the grey boxes in the pictures and they cost about a tenner each. They're tough as old boots as well.

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

 
That is Seth's

I have been completely SYStematized since 2009.   The system has some Serious limits when used for "all trades"  It is not a good  "rough carpentry" set up as wormdrives and sawzalls dont fit.
my tile kit works well  2 sys1 for spacers a sys 2 for grinders and a sys 3 for trowels and such.
cordless go in a sys 4 on top a 11 drawer sort for often used screws and bits.
painting tools dont work in systainers  [unsure]
drywall kit works -sys3 for knives and  sandpaper and such and a sys 2 will hold a bit more than 1 bag of easy sand.
electrical kits  awesome sys2 hold outlets, cover plates.... i have one ea  for wt, lt almond, and almond. and a sys 2 for elect tools  see Inner 10 for additional insite in this area.
plumb kit sys 4 for dwv, sys3 for tools, sort 7 for copper .
router kits sys 3 for incra accessory with 2 sys 4 for mounted routers.
laminate kit sys4
festool clamps sys 1
drill bit/door jig sys 1  and the list goes on
have well over 45 systainers and my trailer is set up for them.  

now i am a professional remodeler so I deal with using them in a rigorous way.  There needs to be something like a Magliner Jr that can latch them in the 2 wheel mode (1 stack up to 4')  or in the hand cart  mode (3 separate stacks up to 3' ea).   It is a good system but if it were 150% wider it would be  better all around.
 
Amazed at some of the systainer solutions.  i have about 50 of the things and non are as well pimped-out.  I may borrow some of these ideas for a rainy day project.  I use the soft cases for things like demolition tools, plumbing, electric, and other heavy, bulky, etc stuff.  Found over time, if I kept these type of tools (assuming they fit) in a systainer and it was dropped, hit, etc on site (usually during demo/rough-in phase), then the systainer would get damaged.  Find that that I use more systainer-centric solutions further down the line after all the rough is completed and starting to rock/trim/etc.
 
Charimon said:
That is Seth's

I have been completely SYStematized since 2009.   The system has some Serious limits when used for "all trades"  It is not a good  "rough carpentry" set up as wormdrives and sawzalls dont fit.

I managed to get my Sawzall and SDS Rotary Hammer in.  The Sawzall is in a Sys -III, but blade removed and front foot removed. SDS is in a Sys- II, it is the type with vertical motor.

I wil try to get pics up.

I think a worm drive could go in a Sys - V the way a Domino XL fits. Down slope so to speak.

Seth
 
andy5405 said:
+1.  Use systainers to replace rubbermaid totes -- stackable/locking.  use 1 LC and 2 XXLs for tools.  the systemers are more for 'supplies' -- screws, sandpaper, etc.  i find them great for consumables.  but for tools -- no, the XXL is just too perfect to 'stuff' what you need and go.  don't know of anyone who has gone systainer for 'everything'.

I have done it and although I really like the look of those Veto bags my Festool/Tanos solution is actually cheaper. It's not often you hear that said on here. I use a Sys5 for hand tools with a homemade insert using 65mm square downpipe. It's been in use for neally 9 months and is proving to be very robust and extremely useful.

This is what I did. I wanted the tools below in a systainer and didn't like any inserts that I had seen. They were all too specific and wouldn't adapt to changing needs.

[attachimg=#]

So I got hold of some 65mm downpipe and made this. It is all glued with no screws at all and was really simple to make.

[attachimg=#]

With all my tools in everything is easily accessible from the top of the systainer and it adapts to my changing needs. I also didn't wanto be bending down all day so I needed it at a sensible height.

[attachimg=#]

I made this cart which also serves as a home for all sorts of other things that don't fit in sortainers/systainers. E.g spirit levels, my Irwin clamps, metre ruler, guide rails and so on. It has the advantage that all my hand tools are at about 100mm so I don't end up bend down peering into my toolbox all day trying to find something.

[attachimg=#]

Add a couple of sortainers to the mix and I have a solution that constantly adapts to my changing needs and I have everything I need and some in a footprint of less than 500mm x 400m. It is easy to move and creates so much space on site. The boost in productivity is awesome  and work is so much less stressful as I can always find things.

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

Everything also fits in the back of my van really well and I complement the use of systainers with 400 x 300mm euro containers for consumables that stay on the van. They are the grey boxes in the pictures and they cost about a tenner each. They're tough as old boots as well.

[attachimg=#]

[attachimg=#]

[/quote]

I like the trolly nice!  Looks handy little thing!

Shame I can see you have some gripfill though horrible crappy stuff.

Jmb
 
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