Systainers - waste of space?

[glenhyrst]

Am I the only guy who finds these boxes a waste of space?
I can see their merit for those who regularly work away from their workshops, but otherwise, apart from looking "pretty", I find they are functionally inadequate as they take up too much space and are awkward to open, particularly so when stacked and the one you want is not at the top.
I'm going to ditch mine and store the Festools, all 9 of them, in 2 modestly sized drawers.
But what do I do with the empty systainers?  They are too nice to throw out but what use are they??
Ideas please.
Thanks.
Phil

 

[Frank Pellow]

I am sure that you can sell the systainers.  Ihave bought extra systainers to store other things such as screws and have adapted some to store non-Festool tools.  If you lived close to me, I certainly would make you an offer for them.

 

[Bob Childress]

I am sure that you can sell the systainers. 

No no. What Frank meant was they are worthless and you should give them away. I'll take 2 Sys 3's.  ;D ;D

 

[stvrowe]

Yes - what Bob said.  I happen to run a Systainer recycling center out of my shop and will even pay shipping for those unwanted and totally useless Systainers. ;D
Steve

 

[Dan Clark]

Yep, completely worthless.  In fact, it's been rumored that they are hazardous to your health.  Furthermore, like CRT monitors, they contain dangerous chemicals and MUST be recycled at a licensed disposal facility!  That's the bad news.

The good news is that I - Dan Clark - am a licensed Systainer Disposal Facility.  For the modest fee of $20 (cash only) per systainer, plus shipping, I'll be happy to take them off your hands.  That's for Sys 1's, 2's and 3's.  For Sys 4's and above, I charge more because I only need the smaller ones...  Uhh...  I mean the larger ones are more difficult to dispose of. ;D

See, that's what's nice about this forum.    Festoolians are always available to help another Festoolian!  8)

Dan.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Too funny ;D Kudos on your efforts to keep the landfills free of systainers ;D.

Phil,
 Even around the house the "extra space" in the systainers are great for storing all the accessories($$$) that Festool offers. Rather than going to the basement three times, its easier to just grab the "drill" box and have drill bits,driver bits,angle head,etc,etc, right inside. If they were half the price I would change all my tool boxes over. As it is, I bought a couple extra for tools that didn't come with boxes.
 If you work only in your shop and the rest of your house is complete, ignore this. Mine is never done :.
Mike

 

[John Langevin]

In addition to all their obvious uses, I plan (in the near future) to adapt a Systainer 4 to use as a Cyclone to sit atop my CT22E and am also currently looking for suitable audio components to make Festool Boom Box (you heard it here first folks!). I also think I can adapt some to use on my boat (with a gasketed lid) to store camera and  binoculars as well as fishing tackle etc.

 

[richard.selwyn]

I go along with all of you - I just got back from holiday and was excited to find an empty systainer fitted for 125 sanding pads waiting for me that I bought off e-bay in Germany (about half price).  But what none of you have mentioned is that he needs a Sysport - homemade or hugely expensive original, then "particularly so when stacked and the one you want is not at the top." will no longer apply.  I just finished "knocking up" two 7 drawer systainers out of melamine coverd chipboard held together with pockets screws before going away (and had a space that the e-bay item fills.)  They're not worthy of featuring on the FOG, but with the 2 sysports that makes 24 easily accessible systainers in the workshop.  (Thanks by the way to all of you whose posts made designing and building them quick and easy)
But if Phil isn't convinced, maybe I could just pay the shipping for his empties to France?  Do you guys Stateside have the big systainer with a wooden insert for handtools.

 

[Corwin]

Hey Phil,

As you can see, many are in agreement with you -- you parting with your Systainers, that is.


Corwin

 

[Eli]

Hey John,
Have you seen Cambridge Soundworks Model Twelve? It would make a great retrofit to your "Berlin Blaster" Systainer jukebox. The sound is incredibly massive and they sell the components in a cheaper (unmounted) version...
I had the same thought about a separator on top of a ct22, and have ordered the Clearvue CV06 to that end...

 

[glenhyrst]

"Am I the only guy who finds these boxes a waste of space?" - I guess the answer's a pretty resounding "Yes"!
Thanks for all the offers of help in disposing of my Systainers but sadly, you've all provoked a re-think and  I'll just have to give them one more chance to prove themselves.
Ever since my days at Uni, I've been guided by the advice of the wag who wrote "Eat refec food, 5,000,000 flies can't be wrong". 
Phil

 

[bruegf]

You need to either build a homemade sysport or buy the Festool version.  It eliminates the hassle of unstacking and restacking to get to the tool at the bottom of the stack.  I really like the systainers now that I've built a sysport.

Fred

 

[John Langevin]

Eli, exactly what I was thinking. I have some Cambridge Surround speakers and they sound great. From the first time I saw the Model Ten in their catalog I thought, now that's a boom box!

 

[Programmergeek]

I also thing they are a waste of space in some cases, but glad they come in it.  Other cases they house the tool quite nice and protect it.  I am going to use a combination of systainers and keeping the tools on the shelf to store mind.  The systaniers are nice for tools like the router etc. where I can keep everything together in one box.  If you have allot of space I would just keep everything in it's own systainer but I don't so shelving some tools closer together is a better option for me then I can use the extra boxes to store other things that utilize there space better. 

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Am I the only guy who finds these boxes a waste of space? ...
But what do I do with the empty systainers?  They are too nice to throw out but what use are they??
Ideas please.
Thanks.
Phil

I, too, am thinking of removing at my more frequently used Festools from their Systainers since I don't frequently need to travel with them beyond my own property.  But I would definitely keep those Systainers, and I'd be happy to help you recycle some of yours.  When working around my house, I often find it convenient to carry the tools and fittings to the project location rather than doing everything in the garage/shop and carrying the completed project to the installation location.  I am thinking of  making compartmented inserts of wood to fit some Systainers for small handtools that I carry from the shop to the place of work.  For the larger Systainers, stackable trays with divided compartments to hold small fittings, fasteners, etc. are possible, as well as vertical compartments to house and separate individual tools.  I have also used Systainers many times as stepstools and for a seat, and to support work such as passge doors clamped to the side of my MFT.  And to keep drill bits, fasteners, and other small parts from rolling and falling through the spaces between the boards of the deck of my house.

Dave R.

 

[ririmarqueverte]

Hi,

Since i have started using Festools tools packed in systainers, i have comme to the conclusion that the systainers are for me the fastest and the most efficient way to organise my tools. In fact all my tools are now packed in systainers including trowels, screwdrivers, hammers and so on... As i mainly work outside of my shop i found out that this was the way to always be able to locate a tool. Also, i like the idea of carrying  tool "units". I have labelled them with a little drawing. For nuts and bolts, i use the sortainer which are great.

I could no longer go without them.

Incidentally, Makita is now selling its tools in blue systainer.

riri

 

[Joe Jensen]

Am I the only guy who finds these boxes a waste of space?
I can see their merit for those who regularly work away from their workshops, but otherwise, apart from looking "pretty", I find they are functionally inadequate as they take up too much space and are awkward to open, particularly so when stacked and the one you want is not at the top.
I'm going to ditch mine and store the Festools, all 9 of them, in 2 modestly sized drawers.
But what do I do with the empty systainers?  They are too nice to throw out but what use are they??
Ideas please.
Thanks.
Phil

You are not alone!!!!

I work mostly in my shop, and the systainers so far take up a ton of space, and they are a hassle to box and unbox each tool.  That said, I'm not a neat freak, and for nearly 30 years I keep my tools on a shelf above my bench.  I have the following (non-Festool) on an 8 foot wide, 12" deep shelf;
3 routers,
biscuit jointer
impact wrench
right angle drill
Circular saw
palm sander
5" ROS
Jig saw

And, there are likely some more I can't remember.  Quick and easy to grab, but not neat and tidy.  Nearly all tools today come with a case of some sort.  My new Bosch PS20 mini driver came with a really nice cordura nylon case.  I can't imagine every using it, but I can't get myselft to toss it. I have maybe 10 cases not counting Festool sitting around in my shop empty.  In the back of my mind I think I should have the case if I ever intend to sell the tool ???

I now have 7 Festool products, all sitting in their Systainers, all taking up space in my bench drawers.  I like the Sysport, but my kids tend to leave the garage door open and I've had several tools disappear.  I'm a little concerned that with a Sysport, someone could quickly take an entire stack.  So, my most valuable tools sit in drawers out of sight so they aren't so easy to steal.  I added 18 drawers recently ( some large enough to swallow the TS75 in it's Systainer). All are now full.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Joe,

I am similarly concerned regarding my Festools (and other brands) "walking" out of my garage because someone in my family has left the garage door open - and the garage faces the street.  Have you considered as a partial solution adding some hinged covers for those main tool shelves/cabinets?  You could close and lock them when not in use, thus helping to keep them out of spying eyes and prying hands.

Dave R.

 

[Joe Jensen]

Joe,

I am similarly concerned regarding my Festools (and other brands) "walking" out of my garage because someone in my family has left the garage door open - and the garage faces the street.  Have you considered as a partial solution adding some hinged covers for those main tool shelves/cabinets?  You could close and lock them when not in use, thus helping to keep them out of spying eyes and prying hands.

Dave R.

I built a new large outfeed table/bench/storage cabinet with a ton of Drawer space to store tools.  Would have fit all the small stuff easily.  Then I bought my first Festool, and now all those drawers are full of systainers with the tools in them, and I've taken even more of the shop space.  Oh well...joe

 

[greg mann]

In addition to all their obvious uses, I plan (in the near future) to adapt a Systainer 4 to use as a Cyclone to sit atop my CT22E and am also currently looking for suitable audio components to make Festool Boom Box (you heard it here first folks!). I also think I can adapt some to use on my boat (with a gasketed lid) to store camera and  binoculars as well as fishing tackle etc.

I heard a rumor that Festool was coming out with a 'Radio/CD player/MP3/Battery charger/Power Supply' Systainer sometime soon. Has anyone else heard anything? Bob?