What is it with Systainers

[HDClown]

      My reply can be found Here . Much of what has been written already in this thread, but maybe a couple additions. Keep in mind it was written almost seven years ago in the pre T-Loc days so some things have changed. But  the  basics remain the same.

Seth

I've noticed almost none of the pictures in your old threads (even one that aren't really old, just 2 years or so) don't load, I've seen it on talkfestool.com and FOG.    At least a few of them seemed very interesting but without pictures the points don't really come across.  Was wondering if it's perhaps a quick fix that would make all your old pictures show up again.

 

[semenza]

      My reply can be found Here . Much of what has been written already in this thread, but maybe a couple additions. Keep in mind it was written almost seven years ago in the pre T-Loc days so some things have changed. But  the  basics remain the same.

Seth

   

   

I've noticed almost none of the pictures in your old threads (even one that aren't really old, just 2 years or so) don't load, I've seen it on talkfestool.com and FOG.    At least a few of them seemed very interesting but without pictures the points don't really come across.  Was wondering if it's perhaps a quick fix that would make all your old pictures show up again.

    There was a problem on FOG a few weeks ago that caused some picture problems. On some old threads there are missing pictures due to previous FOG (before Festool owned the forum) running out of space.

  Not sure what happened at tF. If I still have the pictures and can reload them. I will try to do so when I come across the missing ones.

Seth

 

[skronk]

Dear Shronk,

I hunt every year in the area west of Aberdene and believe it is incredible beautiful, nice people, great Scotch, wonderful hunting and so-so food except for the sticky toffee pudding.

Others have given you good useful reasons Festool people like the Systainers. All those reasons are valid AND they are way cool.

We value the Festool products and the Systainers keep them safe and looking good. They also keep all the little pieces together.

It's a pity my waistline can't agree !!! [eek]

 

[yetihunter]

Hi all,

New here, and enjoy reading the forum. Just bought TS55 and MFT3 with dogs.

I have to ask, with respect, how can people get so excited about a plastic box? Am I missing something ? [eek]

Usually when I buy a tool, the first thing binned is the plastic box to save space !!!! [huh]

Regards from Scottish Highlands

The simple answer that escaped everyone else is:

If you don't need portable containers to transport things,
you won't get excited about the sytainers.

If you're always in your one and only shop, they're useless.
Actually, strike that, they'd be a detriment.

I love my systainers, but I certainly don't store my woodworking hand tools in them.

 

[guitar_ed]

Hi Skronk,

I am also a hobbiest in my garage, and I find the Systainers easy to move and stack, taking up a minimum of space.  More, it's having to reorg my space while I am working.  Since things are organized on, on a cart of some sort, I can move things around to get to various tools easily.

I also have thing about keeping my tools & their accessories together, so I can get to them with one hand, all in one place.

Hope this helps,

edg

 

[avrs22]

When I show up on site with my 4 systainers and my dust extractor I usually get asked lots of questions as no one around here has fesstool or mirka sanders or has any sanders hooked up to a dust collector.
Some are impressed, some are jealous and will be making fun of me for how much I paid.
But once they see how well it works with no dust they kinda feel ashamed of there cheap dewalt sander.
I like my systainers.

 

[teocaf]

Hi all,

New here, and enjoy reading the forum. Just bought TS55 and MFT3 with dogs.

I have to ask, with respect, how can people get so excited about a plastic box? Am I missing something ? [eek]

Usually when I buy a tool, the first thing binned is the plastic box to save space !!!! [huh]

Regards from Scottish Highlands

The simple answer that escaped everyone else is:

If you don't need portable containers to transport things,
you won't get excited about the sytainers.

If you're always in your one and only shop, they're useless.
Actually, strike that, they'd be a detriment.

I love my systainers, but I certainly don't store my woodworking hand tools in them.

i don't know about "useless", or a "detriment", at least in my case.  i make space on my shelves for the individual systainer with enough space above it to open it, get the stuff out and then keep the tool on top of the lid while i'm working on a project.  when i do a cleanup and blow out the shop so i can do some metalwork like grinding and welding, then i put the tool back in the systainer as a protective measure.  for some things that came with a systainer that i keep hung on the wall, i use the systainer for other tools.  for example i recently got a few proxxon tools that i was able to group together in some of the empty systainers.  it's nice to have similar sized, stacking sets of boxes for all the obvious reasons.  i use clear sided stacking totes for the bigger stuff, systainers for power tools and clear lidded stanley containers for the hardware.  that way it's easier for me to keep wood and metal dust out than to keep everything in the open and clean it each time.  still, some things do stay out all the time, and i also toss the cardboard boxes that some other tools come in--i guess it all depends on what methods of work one has set up for himself.

i do chuckle when i read all about the color matching and all the latch customization, but i'm really doing that because i'm amused at the human condition at large, myself included.  some do it with the systainers, and i certainly do it with other things.  i say let everyone have their fun and do in their own shop what gives them the most pleasure.

 

[Ed Bray]

I took advantage of the 4 for 3 Amazon UK offer to buy 4x SYS 1 systainers, I also have ordered from N&B a SYS 2 and a SYS 3. I am planning on storing all my Ryobi One+ tools in them to save me tripping over them all in the 'dining room'.

I will still have to order more when I see what I have left after filling those ordered.

 

[blaszcsj]

Hi Skronk,

I am also a hobbiest in my garage, and I find the Systainers easy to move and stack, taking up a minimum of space.  More, it's having to reorg my space while I am working.  Since things are organized on, on a cart of some sort, I can move things around to get to various tools easily.

I also have thing about keeping my tools & their accessories together, so I can get to them with one hand, all in one place.

Hope this helps,

edg

I agree with this as well. I have only started purchasing Festools and systainers. I am not a tradesman but the systainer system allows me to keep all my stuff organized. So if I want to route something, I pull out my router which is attached to the accessory box or drill something, bits are all in the same stack. I find if I dont do this I get piles of tools laying around and have to have big cleaning days. The systainers really allow me to select and force clean up to keep things tidy. Love them and have not looked back.

 

[mrrhum]

I'm guessing that you're getting the general drift by now.  [big grin] But I have to jump on the testimonial bandwagon, too. I'm a tradesman working in a big city (Chicago), so I have to worry about parking and theft. That means a smaller, enclosed truck, and stuff that's easy to carry in every night. I drive a mid-size SUV (Nissan Pathfinder). It used to be a bit nightmarish loading that thing up, finding room for everything and arranging it so that a sudden stop wouldn't end up with me sitting under a two or three hundred pounds of tools and supplies. Pretty much everything goes into Systainers now and they all get strapped down. (Bags of plaster get stuffed into square buckets.) It also saves me a lot of time, since the Systainers all have their place. I can load up in seconds instead of minutes. A place for everything and everything in its place... My God, I'm turning German!  [wink]

 

[Darren653]

When you look at the other name brand systems--DeWalt T-Stack/Tough Box and Bosch L-Boxx)--all of them are designed so that you need to unload the stack to properly get to a box in the middle, which is more time consuming and laborious.

The Dewalt Toughsystem are designed so you can access a middle box. You can do this either whilst they are locked together (as you would a systainer) or, if locked into the trolley. Each individual box can be removed leaving others perfectly in place.

I still can't decide which system I want to go with. The Toughsystem seems more practical and I prefer the larger size of the boxes, but I'm always using my Festool dust extractor so I like the idea of stacking on this...Just not to sure how much weight the wheels would take across rugged site terrain :/

 

[richy3333]

I have a load of dewalt tough boxes, in fact they are up for sale, including the trolley. Don't worry about the trolley, I've used it to move 100kg+ and it does it easily. Fine for site work. The boxes are bomb proof but as a consequence heavy.

 

[HDClown]

The Dewalt Toughsystem are designed so you can access a middle box. You can do this either whilst they are locked together (as you would a systainer) or, if locked into the trolley. Each individual box can be removed leaving others perfectly in place.

I still can't decide which system I want to go with. The Toughsystem seems more practical and I prefer the larger size of the boxes, but I'm always using my Festool dust extractor so I like the idea of stacking on this...Just not to sure how much weight the wheels would take across rugged site terrain :/

Took another look at the ToughSystem and see that they only latch onto the cover, so that you can flip them open when still latched, nice move DeWalt.  Their tool car design where you each box hangs independently is also a nice touch compared to a stack of systainers on a cart.  Being able to complete remove a box without having to unstack certainly has its benefits.  It's too bad they don't offer a taller cart option though, since that design concept limits the number of boxes you can put on it.

If you're on rugged terrain a lot, or ever have to deal with boxes being outside in the rain, the ToughSystem seems like the smarter way to go.  The ToughSystem is built for rough use.... think outdoors on the construction site, knocked around in pickup truck beds, etc.  Used in a hard and heavy type fashion.  Not really something the systainer was probably ever thought of being used for, and when you look at the thickness of the plastics and pliability, you can see Tanos expects them to be used in more controlled places, treated with a little more care with handling.  They can still take some abuse, but not what a ToughSystem box could take.

If you're in the USA, You may also want to look at the Rigid Pro Box system sold in Home Depot.  It's same concept as the ToughSystem, possibly even made by same company who makes ToughSystem for DeWalt.  It's a lower price.

 

[Zebt]

Bought the CXS drill two years ago and never looked back, always loved the Systainers. Now just bought the MFT top Sys2. So now I have to buy the F clamps...... oh dear... where will it stop?
The real problem is I'm an electronics engineer so limited in stuff that is relevant.. wish I was a carpenter  :-[

 

[#Tee]

like most everyone already mentioned. i would dare you to try to go back to your old box or ways of organizing tools/accessories and youll see why we get excited over these plastic boxes. ive been frustrated many times looking for tools/bits in various bags and weird boxes that dont stack yes its my fault for being unorganized but once i spent the money on the systainers i became more meticulous on where i store everything cause stacking them just look so sexy.

 

[Gwerner]

like most everyone already mentioned. i would dare you to try to go back to your old box or ways of organizing tools/accessories and youll see why we get excited over these plastic boxes. ive been frustrated many times looking for tools/bits in various bags and weird boxes that dont stack yes its my fault for being unorganized but once i spent the money on the systainers i became more meticulous on where i store everything cause stacking them just look so sexy.

Yep, before Festool the first thing I would do after buying a new tool was trash the unwieldy case it came with. Now I look for reasons to grab a new systainer for a cool new storage solution.

 

[Michael1960]

Bought the CXS drill two years ago and never looked back, always loved the Systainers. Now just bought the MFT top Sys2. So now I have to buy the F clamps...... oh dear... where will it stop?
The real problem is I'm an electronics engineer so limited in stuff that is relevant.. wish I was a carpenter  :-[

Welcome Zebt - just pretend to be a carpenter or worse still a cabinet maker!  Good to have another Aussie on the FOG

 

[Kev]

Bought the CXS drill two years ago and never looked back, always loved the Systainers. Now just bought the MFT top Sys2. So now I have to buy the F clamps...... oh dear... where will it stop?
The real problem is I'm an electronics engineer so limited in stuff that is relevant.. wish I was a carpenter  :-[

100+ systainers in and I don't have one legitimate reason for the spend ... you're in good company [wink] [big grin]