Excessive packaging or useless junk?

[Anonymous]

These plastic cases that power tools come in

Well, I always take 'em to the tip for recycling or leave tham at the place I bought the tool from and get really annoyed that the piles of junk come with the power tools. To me they take up excessive room and make the tools just that little more difficult to get ones hands on - and don't get me started on the environmental aspects. The only time I find them useful is when there are lots of small pieces such as sets 50 of drills etc.

Yesterday I received a piece of Festool kit to try out and it came in one of their 'systainers' which to me is the worst offender of all - huge, full of air with a tool lying somewhere in the centre, and pointless (and they are sold for over £60!!!! - forget the box and knock £60 off the price of the tool says I). The systainer takes up 3 times the room of the tool - well it did when it arrived, not any more :wink:

However, I feel others might not agree :lol:

 

[Gary]

In the workshop they can be a real pain, same with the blown cases that handtools come in (ie screwdriver sets, which I always dispose of).

I would have to say that they do have a limited use when it comes to moving them about for site work and the likes. That is if you can ever get then to fit back in the case the way they were designed to.

For the record I tried to pack a couple of sortainers for the first time yesterday and found them to be a real pain. Unused by me and I have a feeling they may be destined for ebay.

 

[Adam]

No, I use them to protect the tools, and carry them from one place to the other. I just wish they weren't so cheap and flimsy - some are very poor quality.

Adam

 

[Karl]

I keep all the cases in the loft. I take most of my power tools out on a daily basis, and found that the cases took up so much room that I couldn't get everything in the car. I now store the power tools in a 4 drawer stacker from B&Q - I have two of them, and they fit very nicely in the back of my estate. The tools don't get damaged as each drawer houses no more than a couple of tools.

Cheers

Karl[/url]

 

[tim]

These plastic cases that power tools come in

Well, I always take 'em to the tip for recycling or leave tham at the place I bought the tool from and get really annoyed that the piles of junk come with the power tools. To me they take up excessive room and make the tools just that little more difficult to get ones hands on - and don't get me started on the environmental aspects. The only time I find them useful is when there are lots of small pieces such as sets 50 of drills etc.

Yesterday I received a piece of Festool kit to try out and it came in one of their 'systainers' which to me is the worst offender of all - huge, full of air with a tool lying somewhere in the centre, and pointless (and they are sold for over £60!!!! - forget the box and knock £60 off the price of the tool says I). The systainer takes up 3 times the room of the tool - well it did when it arrived, not any more :wink:

However, I feel others might not agree :lol:

It depends on what you are using them for. The systainers are pretty much the only ones I keep and I often buy systainer cases for the non festool tools. The reason is that they stack, clipped together and as a result are easier to move from workshop to worksite and be well protected when they are on site or in transit. Since they are trade tools then thats what the manufacturers expect to happen to them. If however, you are going to only keep them on a shelf in a workshop and perhaps use them in the house once in a while then clearly they are superfluous. I do hope that you sent the systainer to a good home.

I can get 3 drills an impact driver and all the battery packs into one large systainer. I have two wheel bases and this means that I can have pretty much all my kit (inc bits and bobs in a couple of the sortainers) taking up the footprint of two box bases.

I agree that the blown boxes are worse than useless and usually get scrapped asap unless they hold fragile things securely eg laser levels.

edit: I think the poll is slightly misleading: the systainers aren't one off moulded plastic cases that can only be used for one tool and its bits. If I vote negatively for the moulded cases, the implication is that I am including systainers in this - which 'm not

Cheers

Tim

 

[exigetastic]

My Makita Circ Saw has been in my dilapited / leaky shed for the last few months...

I thought it was safe in it's box, however when I went to get it the other day there was a worrying sloshing sound

Fortunately it's ok apart from some light surface rust on the the blade.

I'm sure if I'd kept it in one of those plastic stacking storage crates (as my other tools) it would be fine.

Still confused as to how the water managed to get in though :?

Si

 

[tnimble]

I gate over packaging and unhandy packaging both for that you';; need to unpack the item which can also be a pain and you'll have to dispose valuable resources that are now wasted.


With some tools liek a drill or router a good case you can opt for would be ideal depending on how and where you use the tool. But such a case must be a good durable case with room for all bits and pieces and extra rooms for more. A plastic case with afew slots you're supposed to be able to press a piece in and need some kind of crowbar to get them back out does not meet my criteria for handyness.


A tool that is packaged in a plastic bag, which is then put on a carton which goes in an carton box with a clear plastic lit, which goes into a plastic wrapping which goes onto a carton to hang the piece in a shop and is sealed in plastic.... :roll:


But this does not only apply to tools. I also hate the wrapping used on DVDs, CDs, some books which you're supposed to tear off.

Or stores that per default try to put your purchases in plastic carrying bag at the counter without asking.

Or a piece of fruit or 2 slices of cheese that are sealed on foam cartons with wrapping.

 

[Chris Knight]

I think the systainers are very good. I also have an Elue biscuit joiner in a very good plastic case and a couple of Bosch tools likewise.

 

[Martingchapman]

I am a hobby woodworker and my tools stay in the workshop so for me the cases are a waste of space and money.
However, I imagine that if I was a pro taking my tools from site to site they would be useful.

Regards the Festool systainers, I have some Festool tools which I purchased without the systainers. My Festool dealer gave me a discount on the cost of the tool (roughly the trade cost of the systainer) and he kept the systainer. He recons he will have no trouble selling them so he is happy to supply me the tool in a cardboard box.
Any one else who is contemplating buying Festool but does not need the systainer see if you can come to an agreement with your dealer.

Martin.

 

[Travis]

I guess that you can tell which way I voted

Travis

 

[dickm]

I tend to keep tools in their cases, BUT wish they were fitted with better hinges and catches. The catches seem often to be just thinned bits of the moulding, and they start to split after very few uses.

 

[OPJ]

This is a very interesting thread. I never would have considered it before but, I bet you could save acres of space by discarding the cases somehow and storing the power tools and accessories inside cabinets, cupboards or maybe just pigeon holes.

It is a decision based on personal needs, that's for sure.

I don't like power tools that come in cardboard boxes (like my Metabo random orbit sander). They seem to offer less protection to the tool and can't surely withstand to much abuse as they are. I guess you could always knock-up a cheap box from MDF instead?

Perhaps they should start making the cases from ply, MDF or even chipboard - the same kind of stuff large machinery comes in. It would almost certainly improve their Carbon Footprint and, if you don't want the case, chances are you could dismantle it and use it for something else! :wink:

 

[Danny]

I voted for cases. I hate having my investments kicking around, I have a dewalt 18v reciprocating saw and 2 4 1/2" angle grinders that don't have cases and it really annoys me seeing them without one, I'm planning to build some out of some nice ply for them to protect them and keep everything together.

Now I can see a point to this thread, some cases really do suck and are totally not worth it, but I have to say I am a fan of dewalts cases. Nice sturdy plastic, excellent catches, and often plenty of space for screwdriver bits/ blades etc. I just wish other manufacturers would follow suit.

Danny

 

[brianhabby]

I voted for cases. I hate having my investments kicking around, I have a dewalt 18v reciprocating saw and 2 4 1/2" angle grinders that don't have cases and it really annoys me seeing them without one, I'm planning to build some out of some nice ply for them to protect them and keep everything together.

Now I can see a point to this thread, some cases really do suck and are totally not worth it, but I have to say I am a fan of dewalts cases. Nice sturdy plastic, excellent catches, and often plenty of space for screwdriver bits/ blades etc. I just wish other manufacturers would follow suit.

Danny

Here Here

I love the cases, they keep my tools clean and when I want to move them I don't need to worry about the tools inside getting knocked about. I just wish all my power tools had cases.

regards

Brian

 

[Bean]

I think they are largely a waste of space and money, systainers look wonderful but I wonder if I would have any use for them.
Considering the dangers from the amout of polymers already about as rubbish i voted Enviromental Disaster Area.

But then you may disagree

 

[woodbloke]

I keep all my cases in the loft as it's useful to pack power tools in then when moving. I recently got a Bosch c/s from Axminster that came in a very smart metal case and had a fabric hold-all, even better it came with an additional blade - Rob

 

[Shultzy]

I'm half and half. Some cases aren't worth keeping as the hinges and catches break after a few opening and closing. I thing they are good for those tools that are very rarely used and are kept "on view" in the workshop, but for tools in a cupboard out of the dust they just taker up too much space.

 

[Woodmagnet]

Hate them, they make it easier for the scumbags who rob sheds to carry your gear off. From now on they will go to the re-cycling site "freecycle",
or the tip. :wink:

 

[wizer]

half/half too. The tools most used are housed in a filing cabinet for easy access and the carry cases are dumped. Those tools that have lots of accessories and/or infrequently used are stored in their plastic carry cases. If I worked on site then i'd probably use systainers/sortainers exclusively.

 

[BradNaylor]

Pretty well all my power tools are Festool or DeWalt, and I keep them in their cases on shelving in the workshop. This keeps them neat and tidy, protects them, and makes it easy when I'm going out on site - just chuck the ones I'm going to need in the back of the van.

I wouldn't be without the cases - I can't understand why everyone doesn't use them.

Cheers
Dan