# Plastic lock together tool boxes/organizers



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Anyone use these? I'm talking about Milwaukee Packout, rigid pro system, DeWalt tough system and tstak, etc. I bought some of the rigid pro system to mess with since they are cheaper and durable, and so far I really like them. I have 1 small tool box with my 18v drill, 18v impact, drill bits, paddle bits, etc in it and 2 clear top organizers. One organizer has wirenuts and such on it and the other is all fasteners. So far I really like them and can see myself moving to more of these and less euro bins. I also have the milk crate thing for most of my power tools. 

Anyone else use these things?


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Yes. Here are the DeWalt units. I have been switching everything over to the Milwaukee ones though. They are a bit better built and I like that they click and stack better.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I love the Milwaukee Packouts, but they are damn expensive.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Some day, when I grow up, I’ll buy some Systainers.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

HackWork said:


> I love the Milwaukee Packouts, but they are damn expensive.


I hit a HD sale a while back. Bought a whole crap ton of them. This little vacation is giving me time to play around with what goes where and to label everything. Labeling it makes it easy to glance and see what needs to go on my supply list.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Switched said:


> I hit a HD sale a while back. Bought a whole crap ton of them. This little vacation is giving me time to play around with what goes where and to label everything. Labeling it makes it easy to glance and see what needs to go on my supply list.


Are you having your kids label it? Or did you misspell Fasteners on your own? :biggrin:

I let my 10 year old niece label everything in my van because her handwriting is much better than mine.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

HackWork said:


> Are you having your kids label it? Or did you misspell Fasteners on your own? :biggrin:
> 
> I let my 10 year old niece label everything in my van because her handwriting is much better than mine.


I mispell on my owun.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I tried a few of the Dewalts, they're OK but the tabs snap off too easily, I am in the process of switching to Ridgid. 

The milk crates are important to me. The ridgid $20 milk crate is a pisser but the milwaukee $40 milk crate is worse. 

The milwaukee dolly is a great idea, but again it's an $80 dolly or something like that. I'll make something work with the Ridgid. 

The ridgid wheeled base unit is shorter by itself than the Dewalt or Milwaukee so it's easier to stow under a table or etc. on site.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

I decided the price difference between the Milwaukee and the rigid was too great for too little improvement. I'm gonna get a rolling box or 2, and keep rolling with it. Now the crappy part is the Adrian steel shelves in my van aren't wide enough to stack 2 rigid boxes side by side.


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

The rigid boxes are in my opinion the best for your buck. You get a good quality product for a reasonable price. 
The Milwaukee packout organizers were the game changer for me. I'll try and post my set up soon. 

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

splatz said:


> The milwaukee dolly is a great idea, but again it's an $80 dolly or something like that.



$29.88 Splatz, I may get one someday. 



https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-150-lbs-Fold-Up-Truck-73777/206126280


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

TheLivingBubba said:


> $29.88 Splatz, I may get one someday.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-150-lbs-Fold-Up-Truck-73777/206126280


I mean the Packout dolly 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...lti-Purpose-Utility-Cart-48-22-8410/310989240


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

Ya, I'm too cheap to buy that. I'd find a way to mount it to a furniture dolly or garbage can wheel set.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Harbor Freight dolly

I've got a bunch of these all different sizes.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

TheLivingBubba said:


> Ya, I'm too cheap to buy that. I'd find a way to mount it to a furniture dolly or garbage can wheel set.


It would actually be cheaper to rip the lid off some other Packout thing and screw it onto a $12 generic dolly.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

The plumber I have been working with in MA must have a fortune tied up in those milwaukee pack outs. He hauls in about a dozen of those things when doing a boiler. Then again, once his apprentice gets them in there, not too many trips to the truck. I must have made a 100 trips to the truck for all my bits and pieces so there is something to this.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

I've posted these before I think. This is one of my older vans. I built some wood shelving to put the boxes in. They work great for all the parts and pieces. If I am doing 1/2" EMT I can just grab the 1/2" box and it has all my connectors, couplings, and various straps.

Have it set up for all kinds of things with various sized containers. Harbor Freight also has some knockoff units that work pretty good. I used them for years without real complaint.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I mean the Packout dolly
> 
> https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...lti-Purpose-Utility-Cart-48-22-8410/310989240


Nothing like telling you to drop em and bend over!

$90 for that?


Geez


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Not that I take the show on the road with more than a bag and a veto these days but I'm loving these portable boxes.

I'm looking to get a set just for the little things I do on my own. But being cheap I'm leaning to the Craftsman boxes. I think they are very affordable.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

For lift work, I built my own materials sleeves. These consist of 2x4 sticks wrapped with 1/8 plywood -- the cheap stuff. The inner 2x4 sticks are not screwed, are free to slide forward and back. The sleeve is picked up via a cut-out 'handle' on one face only. (use a hole-saw and sawzall )

They fit on scissor-lifts and eliminate no-end of materials trips.

One sleeve is dedicated to 1/2 EMT, another to MC, another to 3/4 EMT -- etc.

Then when running EMT you can just reach down to get your stuff.

I favor MC + 3/4 EMT... I'm not working Big Projects.

I came up with this ugly kluge after rain kept destroying the thin cardboard that the SH sends out with minor materials.

Even j-boxes work with sleeves.

If Trump sends me a recovery check -- same as Boeing -- I'll pop for the Festool stack. Otherwise I'll have to launch my own TV show.


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## TheLivingBubba (Jul 23, 2015)

splatz said:


> It would actually be cheaper to rip the lid off some other Packout thing and screw it onto a $12 generic dolly.



Do that, and then if you have an apprentice make him put his phone in the bottom one you ripped the lid off of. The packout will always make it into the building and out with everything that way. :vs_laugh:


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## Bird dog (Oct 27, 2015)

telsa said:


> For lift work, I built my own materials sleeves. These consist of 2x4 sticks wrapped with 1/8 plywood -- the cheap stuff. The inner 2x4 sticks are not screwed, are free to slide forward and back. The sleeve is picked up via a cut-out 'handle' on one face only. (use a hole-saw and sawzall )
> 
> They fit on scissor-lifts and eliminate no-end of materials trips.
> 
> ...


 @*99cents* will be here drooling. :vs_laugh:


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Switched said:


> I've posted these before I think. This is one of my older vans. I built some wood shelving to put the boxes in. They work great for all the parts and pieces. If I am doing 1/2" EMT I can just grab the 1/2" box and it has all my connectors, couplings, and various straps.
> 
> Have it set up for all kinds of things with various sized containers. Harbor Freight also has some knockoff units that work pretty good. I used them for years without real complaint.


VERY. Nice! 

I have not evolved past using the spare cardboard box from the supply house phase. The work vehicle is always (and has ALWAYS been) a cluttered mess. Might just be time for me to make something new happen. Good post.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

https://www.craftsman.com/versasystem?gclid=CjwKCAjw3-bzBRBhEiwAgnnLCiD14Px4_n88_gxKSh9e_XcFcpJhZ8MjTlFJnztnieQhuTejPYeTMhoC0DkQAvD_BwE

https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-VERSASTACK-System-20-in-Red-Plastic-Wheeled-Lockable-Tool-Box/1000390943


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

My dad loved craftsman tools. I started out only buying craftsman when I began starting my collection. 

Their friking garbage now. And that was well before Lowe's bought them out.


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

MHElectric said:


> My dad loved craftsman tools. I started out only buying craftsman when I began starting my collection.
> 
> Their friking garbage now. And that was well before Lowe's bought them out.


Almost all of my wrenches & socket sets are USA made Craftsman tools from the 70’s & 80’s. Good stuff! They may not hold up working on big heavy equipment but for the industrial electrical work I did they were/are great.

The rest of my hand tools are a mixture of Klein, Greenlee, & Bondhus.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MHElectric said:


> VERY. Nice!
> 
> I have not evolved past using the spare cardboard box from the supply house phase. The work vehicle is always (and has ALWAYS been) a cluttered mess. Might just be time for me to make something new happen. Good post.


One thing it really helps with, is keeping it clean in the van. My old way of grabbing this/that and then when I was done, just toss it back in the van. Toss it in some random direction. 

With the bins, because I take them with me generally, I put the excess back before I take the bins back to the van. This keeps the van tidy longer.... Notice I said longer....


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## Dan the electricman (Jan 2, 2011)

I keep my most used tools in the rigid stack. Pull it out of the van, wheel it in, and get started.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MHElectric said:


> VERY. Nice!
> 
> I have not evolved past using the spare cardboard box from the supply house phase. The work vehicle is always (and has ALWAYS been) a cluttered mess. Might just be time for me to make something new happen. Good post.


Put a lot of thought into what you want to do before taking the plunge. 

Originally I was setup with briefcase style organizers. They worked well because I was working out of a pickup, so I could take what I needed. I was going to use them when I got a van, but I switched to Eurobins.

Eurobins are great, and make it very easy to grab what I need quickly, and I can also take the bins with me into jobs. 

But now that I am thinking of possibly getting a smaller van, I think briefcase style organizers might be able to hold the material in a smaller footprint.

A rack like this near the side door and back door would give easy access to all that material:


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

HackWork said:


> Put a lot of thought into what you want to do before taking the plunge.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Mine resembles that remark!!

Two things to watch out for. First is the racking system for Tough System. It seems like it comes with holders for 3 bins and you can add later. BUT between the cross arms and brackets you can fit 3 boxes and not just anywhere. To be fair you can stack a couple boxes too and fit maybe 4-5 but watch out for weight limits! On the other hand even with stupid idiots on the road I have yet to have any boxes so much as move more than 1/4" if that on this system compared to rigging lips, bungees etc. To keep my other crap on the shelf when I get to the job.

Second is they aren't designed to mount over/on wheel wells. So you cant according to the instructions use that area. And the side brackets mean they can't mount side by side. So in a standard cargo van you get ONE rack total. The photos in this thread hold tons more boxes. So my hint is you want these.

Third look at the Packouts and the usable space. A lot of space is totally wasted on a lot of plastic. For bigger parts like a box of wood screws or 1/4 To say 5/8" bolts and nuts hands down the Dewalt Tough System organizers rule. The Packout one is a very close second. But for say Stakons it's a huge waste of space. That's where the other organizers work.

But for smaller parts I've tried the Dewalt organizers, Packout, Stanley branded organizers, Ketter, and Husky. In terms of bang for your buck I like the Dewalt organizers the best. I can fit say all my Stakons in one with room to spare. If you get the one with dividers though it's OK for say conduit fittings but not Stakons because they get under the dividers and you cant just take out the one or two bins you need. So get both kinds. Then stack two to four high on your van shelves and you will fit everything in far less space than the drawer and bin systems. We all know you can fit more (with zero organization) if you out all your tools in bags then just dump them all in a heap. The organizers are like that.

Be careful of the T Staks. With the Packout, Ridgid, and Tough System you can fit say a drill driver, most of your bits, and a selection of screws in ONE box. Or say a Sawzall or an impact wrench plus all the sockets and wrenches. The T Staks are just small enough they don't work like that...better as organizers. But the Dewalt Tough Organizers (not Tough System) at $15 for the more expensive ones make the T Staks a terrible deal for basically the same thing.

And you can have it both ways. When I worked out of a pickup I kept up to 4 half width organizers stacked in the roll around Toughsystem bottom bin with room to spare. It held all my Stakons, crimps, screws, and wire nuts in half the bin. The other half had bags of tape (motor tech...I use multiple rolls of tape per job), sticky backs, and tie wraps with room to spare for crimpers, cab,e cutters, and longer tools that don't fit in my bag. I still, have it in the van. Stacked 4 high with a drill box, wrench/socket box, bolt box, and topped with an open crate with all the materials and maybe a bag with a saw in it and basically I can haul in every tool 500 yards into someone's plant in ONE trip.

The good part is that it forces me to out everything away too. The garbage and stuff I need to sort out goes back in the tote bin on top. Packing the van is 5 minutes if that.

Don't forget too stacking organizers are like battery systems. They are not compatible with each other.

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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

HackWork said:


> Put a lot of thought into what you want to do before taking the plunge.
> 
> Originally I was setup with briefcase style organizers. They worked well because I was working out of a pickup, so I could take what I needed. I was going to use them when I got a van, but I switched to Eurobins.
> 
> ...


The euro bins work reasonably well, but there are downsides for me. We do quite a bit of sawmill work and the like, so driving across muddy, rutted sawmill yards, crushing pits, etc, makes whatever is in the euro bins bounce out, bounce into other bins, tip the bins over. They make a mess. When I need multiple of something and grab euro bins to where I'm working, I can only carry a couple at a time and they are prone to tip over. My plan is not to completely get rid of them, but to set up more kits like switched did,. 

I want to be able to grab my emt kit and have 1/2 and 3/4 fittings, straps, and strut clamps. I don't want to have to grab straps separately, or grab different boxes of set screw or compression fittings. I waste a lot of time doing that, and I inevitably don't grab everything I need on the first trip. I also eliminated the individual small jugs of screws and whatnot, so I don't have to hunt for #12x1" screws or the like. I do a large variety of work, but that includes a lot of repair work, so I want to grab my sealtite kit and some sealtite, some other kits, and roll. I should be able to shave many trips to the truck this way while also making my inventory more flexible. I think a mix of rigid boxes and some smaller briefcase organizers is going to be the ticket, and I can slowly transition over time without spending a few thousand bucks all at once.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

splatz said:


> I
> 
> The milk crates are important to me. The ridgid $20 milk crate is a pisser but the milwaukee $40 milk crate is .


You BUY mik crates?


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

bill39 said:


> Almost all of my wrenches & socket sets are USA made Craftsman tools from the 70’s & 80’s. Good stuff! They may not hold up working on big heavy equipment but for the industrial electrical work I did they were/are great.


 Same here, my Craftsman stuff is mostly made in USA '80s and '90s with some older hand me downs. I got one of there mechanic's sets around that time, it's still great. I have some Snap On and Mac Tool odds and ends from the same time frame and the premium brands are nicer looking and maybe a little nicer ratcheting action, but functionally no better or worse.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

bill39 said:


> Almost all of my wrenches & socket sets are USA made Craftsman tools from the 70’s & 80’s. Good stuff! They may not hold up working on big heavy equipment but for the industrial electrical work I did they were/are great.
> 
> The rest of my hand tools are a mixture of Klein, Greenlee, & Bondhus.



Agreed, I have Craftsman wrenches and socket sets from 60's-80's and they are all going strong. I think I've only snapped one socket (12pt 13mm). I've used them on heavy equipment with no issues.

For doing underwater mechanical work I've used Pittsburgh impact sockets exclusively in case of loss but in all fairness I have to say that I haven't broken any even driving them with a sledge hammer, but I do use the proper size drive.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Craftsman wrench tools used to be made by EASCO.

That contract was severed ages ago -- so Sears could go down-market.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> Same here, my Craftsman stuff is mostly made in USA '80s and '90s with some older hand me downs. I got one of there mechanic's sets around that time, it's still great. I have some Snap On and Mac Tool odds and ends from the same time frame and the premium brands are nicer looking and maybe a little nicer ratcheting action, but functionally no better or worse.



I've broken way too many Snap-on sockets to agree. Only brand I've had that issue with.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> I've broken way too many Snap-on sockets to agree.


That’s because you’re a gorilla, Mech.


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

The trouble with Harbor Freight impacts us they’re so fat they don’t fit in a lot of places.

Recently bought a Lowe’s Craftsman set if sockets to replace a lot of missing 1:4 and 3/8 ones. I have never broken sockets either except Snspin. I have galled non-impact sockets badly with an impact gun but that’s it until now. Even on bigger sheet metal screws the Craftsman sockets just burn up. I think one if the big issues is they are all 12 point sockets. Where I usually use 6 points for strength. Except the crazy 13/16 5 sided utility socket you need on transformers and vaults.

Bought a cheap Husky set to replace them...no issues except they’re laser etched. I prefer stamped but hey it’s throw away tools. As a service contractor most of my sockets eventually get lost 5 decks down or in someone’s tank of something that I can’t or won’t fish around in to get it out.


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## bill39 (Sep 4, 2009)

MHElectric said:


> My dad loved craftsman tools. I started out only buying craftsman when I began starting my collection.
> 
> Their friking garbage now. And that was well before Lowe's bought them out.


My local Lowe’s guy told me Craftsman is building a huge factory in Texas to bring manufacturing back to the USA. 

Haven’t fact checked this but I love a good rumor. Hope it’s true.


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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

Another vote here for the DeWalt tough system boxes. I've been running them for a year so far with no failures. Custom 'rack' in the van to hold them.

I have them organized by job type. Ie. Residential, conduit, flex, pvc, screws/bolts, etc.









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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

99cents said:


> That’s because you’re a gorilla, Mech.


Oh I won't disagree on that point but of all the brands I have of my own and have used of others they just crack way too easy.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

paulengr said:


> The trouble with Harbor Freight impacts us they’re so fat they don’t fit in a lot of places.
> 
> Recently bought a Lowe’s Craftsman set if sockets to replace a lot of missing 1:4 and 3/8 ones. I have never broken sockets either except Snspin. I have galled non-impact sockets badly with an impact gun but that’s it until now. Even on bigger sheet metal screws the Craftsman sockets just burn up. I think one if the big issues is they are all 12 point sockets. Where I usually use 6 points for strength. Except the crazy 13/16 5 sided utility socket you need on transformers and vaults.
> 
> Bought a cheap Husky set to replace them...no issues except they’re laser etched. I prefer stamped but hey it’s throw away tools. As a service contractor most of my sockets eventually get lost 5 decks down or in someone’s tank of something that I can’t or won’t fish around in to get it out.



I've used the HF impacts on stuff with enough room where it isn't an issue, heavy equipment, pipe flange bolts, propeller shaft nuts, and that type of thing.

Never used them for any electrical or automotive applications.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Oh I won't disagree on that point but of all the brands I have of my own and have used of others they just crack way too easy.



I think I will never break any of my snap-on tools because I barely use them, they are lovely but too goddamned expensive and I only have the ones I have lucked into for bargains here and there. They are like the good dishes we never eat off of, they are more for admiring than actually using, and when I do I treat them with kid gloves.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Mobius87 said:


> Another vote here for the DeWalt tough system boxes. I've been running them for a year so far with no failures. Custom 'rack' in the van to hold them.
> 
> I have them organized by job type. Ie. Residential, conduit, flex, pvc, screws/bolts, etc.
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting thay, I had no idea that attached from the back like that.

Like that rack in the van but don't you miss the side door access to the cargo area?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

splatz said:


> I think I will never break any of my snap-on tools because I barely use them, they are lovely but too goddamned expensive and I only have the ones I have lucked into for bargains here and there. They are like the good dishes we never eat off of, they are more for admiring than actually using, and when I do I treat them with kid gloves.



Lol, I have some of their ratchets and like the fine gearing of them with the exception of the 3/4" drive, it has a handle that slides inside 3/4" RMC to add a little torque.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I was thinking about what someone said for setting up one of those for EMT fittings, 1/2 3/4, connectors, couplers, one holes, and mini's, maybe some raintite 1/2 all in one bin. Maybe another for flex, ac, mc, etc.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

nrp3 said:


> I was thinking about what someone said for setting up one of those for EMT fittings, 1/2 3/4, connectors, couplers, one holes, and mini's, maybe some raintite 1/2 all in one bin. Maybe another for flex, ac, mc, etc.


 I started down that road but it did not work out. 



My inventory of conduit fittings is mostly leftovers. I buy the carton quantities to make life simple and keep the leftovers. Too small to bother returning and I'll use them eventually. Many times, small jobs can be done entirely from the leftovers. The problem is I sometimes have a lot of leftovers, too many for these containers. 



This is not elegant but I put the leftovers in clear plastic bags and put all the leftovers for a given size in a five gallon bucket. I just spread them out on the floor, see what I have, and pick what I need for what I'm doing from the leftovers. I have enough 3/4" stuff there's two buckets, one for compression couplings and connectors, the other for set screw. 



I could use a parts holder bin to work out of, something like @telsa described, not for storage, to fill from what I buy and / or from the leftover buckets. Maybe I'll get industrious and build something...


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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Like that rack in the van but don't you miss the side door access to the cargo area?


Not even a little. The whole side door opening is wasted space IMO. Stuff just collects on the floor there anyway, which ends up blocking access.

This way I have all my most commonly used tools/fittings front and center.

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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

nrp3 said:


> I was thinking about what someone said for setting up one of those for EMT fittings, 1/2 3/4, connectors, couplers, one holes, and mini's, maybe some raintite 1/2 all in one bin. Maybe another for flex, ac, mc, etc.


That's how I have mine set up. Easy to see what I have, and everything is right there for small jobs.

I go through and restock the boxes every Friday from the shop stock.




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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

Like this:









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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

When I got the new van, I just threw stuff in those organizers and its a bit disorganized. I recently added the second stack left over from the last van and haven't filled but two of those yet. Looking to get a little better organized. Mine are on either side of the door and I can walk between them easily. That is also where my tool bag goes.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Splatz brought up a very valid point about using these organizers. 

In order to do it in a streamlined way, each storage bin needs to hold about 1.25 times the amount that comes in a case of each fitting. This way when you get down to about a quarter case you buy a new case and dump it in.

But that would require a huge organizer to hold all those huge bins. So we use organizers like pictured above in which there are anywhere from 6-20 of each fitting. So what do you do? Go to the supply house and buy 3 of this fitting, 6 of the other, 8 of the other, etc. etc? Or do you buy cases and then have to fill up the organizer from the case, which not only requires the time to keep doing that, but the space to store those cases of fittings.

So then you say, "_Why don't I just keep the cases on the shelf and put them into a $5 Husky tray when I need them_?" Typically we need couplings, connectors, and straps. Those 3 boxes could fit into a tray with a ton of other material you will need for the job.

One of the things I always hated, and the main reason why I don't use these systems for tools and material, is bringing in excessive amounts of stuff that I know I won't use.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> So then you say, "_Why don't I just keep the cases on the shelf and put them into a $5 Husky tray when I need them_?" Typically we need couplings, connectors, and straps. Those 3 boxes could fit into a tray with a ton of other material you will need for the job.



This in a nutshell is why I'll bite the bullet and pay $20 for a milk crate. They are about the same size as a bucket, but they are square, not round. Cartons things come in are square, and fit better in a big box than a big bucket. You can stack ten milk crates in a smaller space than you can ten buckets. You get a fancy milk crate that stacks and interlocks with rolling toolboxes and now you're talking. 



But buckets cost between $0 and $3, milk crates are $20 for Ridgid or $40 for Milwaukee.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

I thought you meant real milk crates. I actually bought them, but don't tell wcord...

I like the square ones, they hold what I need and fit better where I want to store them.


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## zac (May 11, 2009)

I know he's a plumber! 






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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> Splatz brought up a very valid point about using these organizers.
> 
> In order to do it in a streamlined way, each storage bin needs to hold about 1.25 times the amount that comes in a case of each fitting. This way when you get down to about a quarter case you buy a new case and dump it in.
> 
> ...



You need to decide if you are going to be set up for service or install.

My vans were always set up for service quantities. If I was doing an install box quanities came from the shop or supply house.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

MechanicalDVR said:


> You need to decide if you are going to be set up for service or install.


I like the way you think. Tough to be able to run things like a well oiled machine when your trying to do both. 

It is so much easier to set up vehicles for install work. Tools, materials, ladders, drop cords - done. Service work requires a little bit of everything to make it happen and then double that if you do both residential and commercial. 

At one time I considered completely dropping service calls and only doing install work. I think that would've made my anxiety go down and let me enjoy life a little more. Or at least do less service work.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

HackWork said:


> Splatz brought up a very valid point about using these organizers.
> 
> In order to do it in a streamlined way, each storage bin needs to hold about 1.25 times the amount that comes in a case of each fitting. This way when you get down to about a quarter case you buy a new case and dump it in.
> 
> ...


The full boxes get kept at the shop, and the truck organizers will be refilled as needed there. We have to keep inventory anyway, due to the wide variety of work that we do and supply house delivery schedules, so why keep full boxes on the van? I tried to keep assorted emt fittings in euro bins, but they get really beat up and the screws and glands rattle out and get lost on rough roads. After a month in a euro bin in my truck makes most fittings look like absolute trash. I'm hoping smaller quantities and segregated in organizers will help with that.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MHElectric said:


> I like the way you think. Tough to be able to run things like a well oiled machine when your trying to do both.
> 
> It is so much easier to set up vehicles for install work. Tools, materials, ladders, drop cords - done. Service work requires a little bit of everything to make it happen and then double that if you do both residential and commercial.
> 
> At one time I considered completely dropping service calls and only doing install work. I think that would've made my anxiety go down and let me enjoy life a little more. Or at least do less service work.


Thank you!

I started in this trade running service calls as a kid with an Uncle that had a decent sized company and he did the service calls himself. 

Then I spent most of my time in the trade doing service calls even when working for a contractor that did mostly install / new work. 

That is why I got in the habit of separating things into tool sets for specific tasks and small organizers for parts long before any of these packout things were ever an idea. 

Making money comes down to efficiency, being efficient comes down to being organized.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I like service, but it does make remodels tough as far as scheduling goes. Then again, the service isn’t going to end, though maybe slow through this mess and will keep some of us going for the short term.


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Making money comes down to efficiency, being efficient comes down to being organized.


Yes it does! 

And guess what I'm not? :biggrin: Organized. 

Despite having spent 4 years in the army, I am about as fly by the seat of your pants as they come. The last thing I was on time for was the last my formation.. :vs_laugh:


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I think I lasted a day in ROTC, and realized this wasn't my thing. That's not a criticism, I have a few friends from college who are likely still there. I'm lucky if I can keep my shoes tied. I could run (when I was young) shoot, and do a lot of other things, but a lot of the rest of it, I'd be in real trouble.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I remember being a stellar ASVAB candidate and was heavily recruited when I was at the end of high school. I'm sure they'd let me in, but I'm sure I'd suffer and probably made, though not intentionally, any training officers, sargents, etc suffer too. I have a lot of respect for those in service.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Going_Commando said:


> The full boxes get kept at the shop, and the truck organizers will be refilled as needed there. We have to keep inventory anyway, due to the wide variety of work that we do and supply house delivery schedules, so why keep full boxes on the van? I tried to keep assorted emt fittings in euro bins, but they get really beat up and the screws and glands rattle out and get lost on rough roads. After a month in a euro bin in my truck makes most fittings look like absolute trash. I'm hoping smaller quantities and segregated in organizers will help with that.


A month of unprotected wall plates banging into each other ruins them for any reasonable cosmetic use.

My criteria for storage of parts.

Have the discipline to:

Decide upon a system that is easily adaptable by adding to it.
Keep the system labeled. Storage containers all look alike.
Parts from jobs go back to their specific storage.
Have a separate storage area for non stocked parts specific to the job it is designated to.

Usable parts and fittings really require a clearly labeled *sealable* container to keep them sorted and out from under foot so-to-speak ready for use. Keeping the parts in the same place on the truck also lets you see at a glance if you need to replenish your stock. 

The labels need to be accessible and easily replaceable or you won't do it. 

If you are like me sometimes I'm not disciplined enough to put parts and tools back in their place therefore I have 5 or 6 of one part or fitting all over the truck in bins, in tool bags, in the cab, under the big parts on the floor and can't find one of them. 

Having not put the part or tool back where it is stored is a big problem for me. 

1. It takes up my time looking for the part I could be using on the job. 

2.. It takes up mental space to try to remember where I last saw _one of those._ 

3. It takes up space in the truck I could have used to put something else.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MHElectric said:


> Yes it does!
> 
> And guess what I'm not? :biggrin: Organized.
> 
> Despite having spent 4 years in the army, I am about as fly by the seat of your pants as they come. The last thing I was on time for was the last my formation.. :vs_laugh:



*A*ren't

*R*eally

*M*arines

*Y*et


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

MechanicalDVR said:


> *A*ren't
> 
> *R*eally
> 
> ...


Lol! Go eat some crayons Marine.



...And thank you for your service. :thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

MHElectric said:


> Lol! Go eat some crayons Marine.
> 
> 
> 
> ...And thank you for your service. :thumbsup:



Lol!

Welcome and thank you!


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

*U* ncle 
*S *am's
*M *isguided
*C* hildren


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

LARMGUY said:


> *U* ncle
> *S *am's
> *M *isguided
> *C* hildren



No denial there!


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## Offset (Dec 14, 2018)

If you're ok with an upright version of organizer, try to get your hands on a couple of Stanley XL organizers, the older version.
(Cant post links yet)
You can set them up to have up to 46 compartments and they're made in Israel. The plastic holds up extremely well. I've had two of these for over 8 years with no complaints and no cracking even in extreme cold weather. I highly recommend them.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Mobius87 said:


> Another vote here for the DeWalt tough system boxes. I've been running them for a year so far with no failures. Custom 'rack' in the van to hold them.
> 
> I have them organized by job type. Ie. Residential, conduit, flex, pvc, screws/bolts, etc.
> 
> ...


NICE!

I guess I don't quite understand the usage of the "L" shaped brackets instead of shelving. Are the brackets made so you can slide the boxes in and out without unlatching anything or lifting them up out of a keyed slot or some other latching device? 

I do understand the shelving you didn't install saved you one half of a complete box in volume.


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

LARMGUY said:


> NICE!
> 
> I guess I don't quite understand the usage of the "L" shaped brackets instead of shelving. Are the brackets made so you can slide the boxes in and out without unlatching anything or lifting them up out of a keyed slot or some other latching device?
> 
> I do understand the shelving you didn't install saved you one half of a complete box in volume.


I plan on building shelving, just because I travel to some rough sites and stuff gets tossed all around my truck. I don't trust any kind of bracket to hold up long term, but shelves last forever.


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## Mobius87 (May 20, 2019)

LARMGUY said:


> NICE!
> 
> I guess I don't quite understand the usage of the "L" shaped brackets instead of shelving. Are the brackets made so you can slide the boxes in and out without unlatching anything or lifting them up out of a keyed slot or some other latching device?
> 
> I do understand the shelving you didn't install saved you one half of a complete box in volume.


The L brackets mimic the factory plastic arms that the boxes clip to on the cart in the second pic. The boxes have factory grooves on the sides that the brackets slide into, and then the handles clip over to hold them in place.

The brackets are dado'd, glued, and screwed together. It's been almost a year of daily use so far and they show no signs of failing. And yes, the van has been banged around pretty good during that time.

Could have done shelving, but I'm quite happy with how this came out and it works.


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

LARMGUY said:


> NICE!
> 
> I guess I don't quite understand the usage of the "L" shaped brackets instead of shelving. Are the brackets made so you can slide the boxes in and out without unlatching anything or lifting them up out of a keyed slot or some other latching device?
> 
> I do understand the shelving you didn't install saved you one half of a complete box in volume.



You slide it onto the brackets holding it by the side handles. A rib on both sides of the box engages the bracket so that it can really only slide in or out like a drawer. The handles drop down around a rectangular block on the outside of the bracket that prevents it from sliding back and forth. The brackets are bolted into 1x2 square tubing with 1/4x20 bolts and nylock nuts. You can easily buy brackets and drill your own holes.

It is really a very natural motion just like a drawer where you grab the drawer by the handle except it’s on the sides instead of on the front. It is much easier to insert and remove than shelves with retaining straps or even the ears on the sides.

You can put them very close together vertically, with only about an inch in between. The biggest limitation is the cross arms and brackets Dewalt provides takes up space. You can easily supply your own alternatives. Also as long as you don’t overload the bracket you can simply stack them and engage the ears for a 0” gap such as leaving the less used box on the bottom but unlatching the ears is not as easy as the intended “drawer” system. It is the same as the brackets on the cart. At around $100 per rack it’s priced low enough that custom shelving really isn’t that much of a cost saving either especially if you build it “contractor tough”.

Realistically you won’t get more than 1 or 2 more boxes with custom shelving at best because you lose 3/4” with the plywood plus another 1/4” or so gap so the spacing is the same and you still need some way to keep the box from sliding out of the shelf. As it is I can usually open boxes and get to items without even removing the box or just removing the one above it and usually just slide it part way out like a drawer.

Another option is they have some job boxes that you can hang the boxes in vertically but Dewalt seems to think this makes already pricey job boxes worth 200% over the normal overpriced rates.


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