Systainers, Sortainers, Organization -- Help

[jonny round boy]

     Hi,

   Thanks for doing this.  One more measurement would be great- the height of the sm and med drawers?

         Your pics help get a good idea of what can go in these. The catalog photos make the drawers look small, and the depth doen't show up without seeing them pulled out. The size starts to show when I see in your pucs that you have pliers , screwdrivers and such in them.

Thanks,

Seth

Doh!!! I knew I'd miss something typing it all out a second time!

Internal height of the small & medium drawers is just a gnat's whisker short of 35mm.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

    Speaking of putting things iin Systainers- does the cover plate for the TS55 fit into a specific location in the TS55 Systainer? I know it can go in but I have been trying to figure out if a spot is molded in for it.  The rip guide has a place molded for it.

Seth

 

[semenza]

[/quote]

I just got off the phone with Timmy, the 4 drawer Sortainer's larger drawer is the same size as the Systainer 1. I think you could put the jigsaw's plastic insert in the large drawer and blades and other accessories in the smaller drawers.
[/quote]

        OOOOHHHH!!!, Now I get it  ??? :    You mean the entire Systainer - I insert from the saw case.

Seth

 

[semenza]

Hey Mike
I'm sure you know that all the specific Festool cases and inserts can be found online through their homepage. Just look up the tool, and it will say which systainer it is shipped out with.
I've got the OF 1400 router, and it fits a ton of extra accessories inside (all the accessories that came with it plus my guide stop, my MFS hardware [minus the profiles], and some of my more often used router bits).
If I were needing even more space, I would just buy the next size up and put a box roughly 15 1/2" x 11 1/2" underneath everything inside.
If you are needing those extra accessories anyhow, you will be taking the tool out of the box first.
In the end, you will end up with an extra systainer. I am sure you can use that extra systainer for something else.
I like the looks of those sortainers with the drawers but sheeeeesh, $100 will buy alot of beer.

Good luck

Greg

Hi,

    Not a bad idea. There really aren't that many accessories for the jigsaw to justify the cost of a sortainer. Mainly I want to get the rip guide ( Parallel stop ) and rail guide ( Guide stop ) in.  I think maybe a Systainer - II will leave enough height to attach them to the lid.

Seth

 

[Corwin]

I should simply have stayed away from this site from the get go.  Actually, I was doing just fine on my own with these Festools, or so I thought.  But no.  First discussions of the Boom Arm got me deeper into this little hobby.  Then it seemed almost foolish to let the pre-release price of the Domino setup get away.  Now this.

Now, up to this point those Sortainers looked really small in the catalog photos.  Sure they looked awfully handy, but would they work for me.  'Till now I may have never known.  

Wounder just how many of these I should start with?  Hmmm, should I be thanking you for posting this information?   Seems like I should, but then again...

 

[TahoeTwoBears]

Okay, so I ordered the 4 drawer Sortainer to learn a bit more. Here are my findings re: the jigsaw idea above. The insert doesn't fit in the large drawer. You would have to do some serious trimming and I suspect would damage the structural integrity of the insert. I next tried putting the insert in a larger Systainer thinking about the idea of storing all the extra bits under it in a box or foam with cutouts. The insert didn't fit well in a Sys 3. It might fit better if I trimmed around the edges but didn't bother. I'm guessing that the easiest thing to do here in the states is to get another Sys 1 to store the extra bits in and hook it to the jigsaw's Sys 1. Bummer that I can't get the convenience of a drawer system.

Somewhere else on the forum, I thought that I saw a mention of a Sortainer available in Germany that has two small and one medium drawer the same height as a Sys 1. Swapping out the two small drawers for another medium drawer would probably be the best solution of all. Alas they're not available here. The saga continues.........

 

[jonny round boy]

Somewhere else on the forum, I thought that I saw a mention of a Sortainer available in Germany that has two small and one medium drawer the same height as a Sys 1. Swapping out the two small drawers for another medium drawer would probably be the best solution of all. Alas they're not available here. The saga continues.........

Tahoe,

there may be a solution, but I'm not 100% sure it'd be possible:

You could take 2 of these -
[attachthumb=1]

And, since these too are constructed in a modular way, disassemble them (that's the bit I'd be a bit unsure about - not sure if they'd be welded/bonded together).

You could then create one of these size 4, 5 drawer systainers currently being discussed in another forum -
[attachthumb=2]

And with the bits left over, make one of these to put under your jigsaw box for blade storage -
[attachthumb=3]

Though obviously it'd have 2 small & 1 medium drawer rather than 4 small.

I've thought about doing this myself, but as I say I'm not sure how easy they'd come apart. I do have one, but don't fancy emptying it right now to find out!!!

 

[Brice Burrell]

Tahoe, one more idea. You could try the diced foam insert Festool sells to make your own jigsaw insert for the 4 drawer Sortainer.

 

[semenza]

Okay, so I ordered the 4 drawer Sortainer to learn a bit more. Here are my findings re: the jigsaw idea above. The insert doesn't fit in the large drawer. You would have to do some serious trimming and I suspect would damage the structural integrity of the insert. I next tried putting the insert in a larger Systainer thinking about the idea of storing all the extra bits under it in a box or foam with cutouts. The insert didn't fit well in a Sys 3. It might fit better if I trimmed around the edges but didn't bother. I'm guessing that the easiest thing to do here in the states is to get another Sys 1 to store the extra bits in and hook it to the jigsaw's Sys 1. Bummer that I can't get the convenience of a drawer system.

Somewhere else on the forum, I thought that I saw a mention of a Sortainer available in Germany that has two small and one medium drawer the same height as a Sys 1. Swapping out the two small drawers for another medium drawer would probably be the best solution of all. Alas they're not available here. The saga continues.........

        The jigsaw systainer insert will fit in the larger systainers with a little trimming at just a couple of points.  I did this so that I could try out some ideas. It will not weaken it and it can still go in the sys - I with no problems. If you have an insert from something else in a larger Systainer, just flip it onto the jigsaw insert and you can see exactly were to cut a little off.
        I have made a lift out tray to fit on top of the jigsaw insert in a Systainer - III. I will post pics as soon as possible. The poly is still drying. If this works out, these trays could be simplified a bit and anyone could make a bunch to be used in other systainers also.

Seth

 

[semenza]

Somewhere else on the forum, I thought that I saw a mention of a Sortainer available in Germany that has two small and one medium drawer the same height as a Sys 1. Swapping out the two small drawers for another medium drawer would probably be the best solution of all. Alas they're not available here. The saga continues.........

Tahoe,

there may be a solution, but I'm not 100% sure it'd be possible:

You could take 2 of these -
[attachthumb=1]

And, since these too are constructed in a modular way, disassemble them (that's the bit I'd be a bit unsure about - not sure if they'd be welded/bonded together).

You could then create one of these size 4, 5 drawer systainers currently being discussed in another forum -
[attachthumb=2]

And with the bits left over, make one of these to put under your jigsaw box for blade storage -
[attachthumb=3]

Though obviously it'd have 2 small & 1 medium drawer rather than 4 small.

I've thought about doing this myself, but as I say I'm not sure how easy they'd come apart. I do have one, but don't fancy emptying it right now to find out!!!

Hi,

      I think it could be quite difficult to actually cut the carcass of a sortainer in order to alter its size. Perhaps the horizontal drawer shelves can be moved up or down though. If they are screwed in place.  I do not have a sortainer. Does anyone have on that they could check this out on? I am not sure how useful this would be though.

Seth

 

[semenza]

O.K. here are the pics of the tray- The flat bottom is 1/4" plywood,  the risers / legs are 3/4" x 1 5/8" tall, the edge around the top is 1/2" x 3/4". It is finished with flat black spray paint and topped with a coat od semi-gloss poly. Things I plan to change or add are-  a handle of some type to lift it out more easily (one on each side, or one in the center, or on across the top), taller edges, and this can probably be a simple rectangle rather than cut out to match the systainer shape exactly. 
     One thing that is hard to see in the pics- there is a  3/4" space along the back of the tray. In other words the tray does not go all the way to the back wall of the systainer. This is to allow it to easily pass by the stiffening rib running along the top back edge of the systainer, when lifting it out.
    Yes, I am using the sys - III from my sander to test things out  .

 

[semenza]

Hey Mike
I'm sure you know that all the specific Festool cases and inserts can be found online through their homepage. Just look up the tool, and it will say which systainer it is shipped out with.
I've got the OF 1400 router, and it fits a ton of extra accessories inside (all the accessories that came with it plus my guide stop, my MFS hardware [minus the profiles], and some of my more often used router bits).
If I were needing even more space, I would just buy the next size up and put a box roughly 15 1/2" x 11 1/2" underneath everything inside.
If you are needing those extra accessories anyhow, you will be taking the tool out of the box first.
In the end, you will end up with an extra systainer. I am sure you can use that extra systainer for something else.
I like the looks of those sortainers with the drawers but sheeeeesh, $100 will buy alot of beer.

Good luck

Greg

  Hi,

    Anyone looking for nice boxes to fit in systainers or under systainer inserts.  The Plano (and I am sure others as well)  brand  of fishing tackle sorters fit quite well.

Seth

 

[semenza]

Hi,

      Just a note for anyone thinking of using a sortainer for jigsaw accessories- the parallel (rip) guide for the jigsaw is 2" high when flat on its back. This will not fit into the small or medium drawers. It would hav to go in the large.

Seth

 

[Brice Burrell]

Seth nice work on the trays, why didn't  someone think of this sooner? ???
Thanks for sharing.

 

[jonny round boy]

Further to my earlier post, I've looked into the possibility of customising the sortainers.

The components that make up the frame (top, bottom, 2x sides, and a shelf with metal strengtheners) can indeed be taken apart. They're held together with strong latches either side, circled in this picture -
[attachthumb=1]
All you have to do is un-clip these at either side, and the top/bottom can be removed.

So, take 2 sortainers & remove the drawers. Remove the top from one, and the bottom from the other -
[attachthumb=2]
[attachthumb=3]

Swap the top sections over -
[attachthumb=4]

And finally, clip them together -
[attachthumb=5]

And there you have it - 1x size 4 sortainer, and 1x size 1 sortainer!!!

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks, for the info Jonny. Now the question: why isn't Festool offering us the components so we can make any size sortainer?

 

[TahoeTwoBears]

Splendid!!!!!!!!!!!

Super, just what I was after. And this saves a ton not having to order the same thing from Germany.

I just tried pushing on the latches. It may take 2 men and a strong boy to hold down all of the tabs at once  ;D. More hands than I currently have available, but I'll keep trying. I'm really stoked by this idea...

Mike

 

[TahoeTwoBears]

Just another thought. I found that behind some of the interior tabs, there appears to be a plastic "lock" that precludes you from pressing the tab back out of the way. I'll work on it more this evening, but it currently looks as if slipping these pieces together is a one time deal when the tabs click into position. 

Mike

 

[jonny round boy]

Splendid!!!!!!!!!!!

Super, just what I was after. And this saves a ton not having to order the same thing from Germany.

And the added bonus that all the twiddly bits will be green and not blue!!!

I just tried pushing on the latches. It may take 2 men and a strong boy to hold down all of the tabs at once  ;D. More hands than I currently have available, but I'll keep trying. I'm really stoked by this idea...

Mike

Yes, the latches are quite strong, but then again they have to hold together when you lift the handle, and any other systainers that happen to be fastened to the bottom of it....

Still, if it was easy, it wouldn't be a challenge would it!!!  ;D ;D ;D

 

[jonny round boy]

Just another thought. I found that behind some of the interior tabs, there appears to be a plastic "lock" that precludes you from pressing the tab back out of the way. I'll work on it more this evening, but it currently looks as if slipping these pieces together is a one time deal when the tabs click into position. 

Mike

Sorry, didn't see your last post before I posted. Bugger. Still, finding a way around it will keep you out of mischief for a while...