I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?

Well, they're nice for totin' to the jobsite. The blow-molded
cases_are_ a bit "specialized", being good only for their intended
tools, and little else. My old Milwaukee driver-drill case is a steel
box with a storage shelf laid in on top. It's great for assorted drill
bits, driver bits, a rivet gun and a yogurt cup of rivets. But with the
advent of these blow-molded cases, forget about all that. Sigh. I store
the molded cases under my workbench, on top of the miter bench, and in
my truck. Tom

bob wrote:

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?

IMHO, a big YES

By all means, keep the cases.

If you are not too far down the road, let me suggest something.

Design a storage system where you use these coated wire baskets they use
in closet organizers or something similar.

Make the baskets all the same size regardless of what is in them.

Since the baskets are are open, any saw dust will fall out.

If you damage one, easy replacement.

By keeping the molded cases, you maintain a package that keeps all of
the parts and pieces of a particular tool together.

Ever look at a Fein Multimaster?

Typical German, well thought out, but lots of bits and pieces.

Just one example, there are others.

Lew

I toss them.

In 90 years, your great grandson will pull out that special tool that
was handed down to the eldest son of an eldest son and he will bring
it to the Antique Roadshow. Won't he be disappointed to learn there
was a case that the tool came in and because it is missing, the tool
is only worth 6 bucks instead of the collector price of 15 to 19
bucks.

You really have to think ahead.


Pete

"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by tossing the cases?
I put them on ebay. I don't have any idea why anyone would pay $10 for
them, but they do. Very easy to ship since they don't even need a box!

bob wrote:
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?


the cases are up in the attic. It really is amazing how they pile up.
The only case I use is for the dado set.

Dave

bob wrote:
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?



For the stuff that I know is going to "travel" from time to time, I keep
the cases stored on a high shelf in the shop (10' ceiling). For the rest
I just store the cases up in the attic of the shop just in case I ever
need them or if I want to sell it.

-jj

--
Remove BOB to email me

Ebay baby!!! People will buy anything - including empty boxes.

"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by tossing the cases?

In article ,
"bob" wrote:

[snipperized for brevity]

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?

After I read your post, I realized that I had never given it any thought.
Most (75%) of my power tools are in their cases. The ones I use all the
time, like my routers... on the shelf... no cases.
My cordless Milwaukee 14.4 volt drill. In the case. Always. The charger
and a few bits and bits belong together. It also helps during clean-up
on a site, to see if I retrieved all my bits and bits. I also just
realized, that it is my only cordless pro-grade tool.
Other tools... like my Milwaukee jigsaw, pretty much has to live in a
case. That pointy thing with teeth would have to be removed
otherwise..and where would you keep IT?
My Porter Cable belt sander CANNOT live in its case, because the outside
of the case is so rounded that it won't stand up... OR lie down with the
sander in it. It's like one of those jumping bean toys.... and the
inside of the case, is so moulded to the shape of the sander, that if
you wind the cord wrong, the case won't close. Just awful.
To me... a case makes sense. If you reach for your laminate
trimmer...you might as well have all the trimmer bits and guides and
bases right there.
I actually made a few cases.. like for my Paslode 16ga finishing nailer.
I only ever purposely paid extra for a case once. The one that went
walkies when somebody lifted my Lamello biscuit joiner.
The replacement is in a plastic case. The TOP still comes in a wonderful
case, the C2 classic doesn't.

I sooooo want the Fein Multimaster with that gorgeous case with all them
outer-space-looking weird Roswellian shaped attachments.

I really enjoy looking at some of the cases that antique pistols came
in.

"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by tossing the cases?
I toss them, but after reading some of the responses, I'll put them up on
Ebay!

Dave



Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
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"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,

The case tends to be a lot more regular in shape than what it contains, and
holds the cord, proprietary wrenches, spare easily-lost parts and such
without the need for extra packaging and labels. Makes it easier to store,
even if it is more bulky.

I line the boxes up on shelves. The high-density stuff anchors my lathe to
the floor, the lower-density is stored in the largely empty places
underneath other tools. When I have to help the kids with something at
their house, it's soooo much easier to grab, open, inventory, and maybe add
to the package before closing for transport than it is to toss tools into
some larger common container.

Did I mention that the cases have better handles, by and large, than the
tools they contain, and help keep them in alignment by protecting their
parts?

Toller wrote:

I put them on ebay. I don't have any idea why anyone would pay $10 for
them, but they do.

Some folks take the tools out of the shop, think "van shelves". If you
bought the tool at a pawn shop or eBay, the case frequently isn't
included. I've gotten brand new cordless tools, minus batteries, CHEAP
at pawn shops. Since I've got plenty of batteries, I'm happy.

I keep my cases, but frequently used tools don't live in them. Some
tools, like my right angle drill, electric hand plane, Kreg jig, etc...
see most use on finish carpentry projects outside the shop. The cases
for frequently used shop tools (routers, cordless drills, biscuit
joiners, sanders) are handy to have for away games.

Anyone have a case for a Bosch 3 1/4" electric plane they don't want?

"bob" wrote in message
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand
tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this.

I've always been a little bit peeved at the cases that come with my power
tools. I fully realize they can protect a tool until it gets to its new
owner, but as far as I'm concerned, they're a waste of money. Considering
the elaborate construction of some of these cases (like the full metal case
that came with my Milwaukee hammer drill), I'd just as soon have had a
decently constructed cardboard case and put the saved money towards lowering
the purchase cost of the tool itself.

There might be a few contractors who approve of these cases for purposes of
transporting to job sites and such, but I think most tools are purchased by
home owners and the cases just become another piece of plastic or metal that
serves no further purpose after its glitter attracts the eye of the
purchaser.

I'd have to assume the mindset of the manufacturer's goes along the lines of
"If we make a really good sturdy case, the customer will assume that it also
contains a really good sturdy tool."

Any I a cynical person? Naaaah!

In article , "Pat" wrote:
I toss them.

That's silly. If you don't want them, sell them on eBay.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.

"Doug Miller" wrote in message
In article , "Pat"
wrote:
I toss them.

That's silly. If you don't want them, sell them on eBay.

Not necessarily. Sell them for $10 or $15. Figure on the time to put it in a
cardboard box, seal it, take it to the post office and that's aside from
time to place an ad on eBay, possibly answer questions posed by prospective
buyers. What do you figure, an hour or too spent on this? Might just as well
go into work for an hour or two of overtime and make many times the amount
of money you'd get from selling them on eBay.

ONLY benefit to selling them is that at that point, they're not winding up
yet in a landfill. Easier by far to just offer them up for free. Lot fewer
questions, they're easier to get rid of and no one is going to try to
negotiate with you. And at that point, they're not ending up in a landfill.

At least where I used to live in Annandale, VA, it would be easy to solve
this problem. Put it out on the curb on a day when there is not trash
collection. Any object that looks potentially useful, resellable, or
scavangable will disappear within a few hours. Doesn't work here, on the
end of a cul de sac where no traffic goes by.

Steve

"B a r r y" wrote in message
...
Toller wrote:

I put them on ebay. I don't have any idea why anyone would pay $10 for
them, but they do.

Some folks take the tools out of the shop, think "van shelves". If you
bought the tool at a pawn shop or eBay, the case frequently isn't
included. I've gotten brand new cordless tools, minus batteries, CHEAP at
pawn shops. Since I've got plenty of batteries, I'm happy.

I keep my cases, but frequently used tools don't live in them. Some
tools, like my right angle drill, electric hand plane, Kreg jig, etc...
see most use on finish carpentry projects outside the shop. The cases for
frequently used shop tools (routers, cordless drills, biscuit joiners,
sanders) are handy to have for away games.

Anyone have a case for a Bosch 3 1/4" electric plane they don't want?

I try to keep them and store all but the most frequently used tools in them
because they tend to help me keep all of the parts together better than I
can without them.

Some cases are designed very poorly and these drive me crazy. It is obvious
to me that the case design job was left for the new junior engineer in the
department and nobody checked his work. The latest and worst that I have is
a huge case that came with my DeWalt 618 router kit. It is very poorly
designed. Every time you pick it up by the handle everything in it seems to
fall to the bottom. The router came with 2 bases and a rebate that get's you
a D handle base, but the case only has space for the 2 original bases.
Another case that is driving me crazy is the one for Kreg's new K3 pro kit,
although this one isn't quite as bad as the router case. There's no place in
it to put the right angle clamp which every "pro" will have. Also, the bench
fixture needs to be screwed to a board in order to use it but as soon as you
do this it doesn't fit into the case any more. I'll likely be building my
own cases for both of these tools very soon. When companies design these
cases they should include space for all of the available options and they
should make the case fit the tools and parts well enough so everything
doesn't fall out of place when you carry it. If they don't, the case is
useless and a waste of money.

I'm down off my soap box now. Sorry for the rant, but I just had to let it
out.

--
Charley


"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand
tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by
tossing the cases?

In article ,
bob wrote:
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up by
tossing the cases?



My basement has full (well, maybe 6'4") headroom in only 1/2, the
other half is just a crawlspace about 4 ft high. Most of the time I
wish the basement was larger but when it comes to things like those
plastic cases that I don't use, but seem to "nice" to throw away, that
crawlspace sure does come in handy.


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

"Upscale" writes:

Not necessarily. Sell them for $10 or $15. Figure on the time to put it in a
cardboard box, seal it, take it to the post office and that's aside from
time to place an ad on eBay, possibly answer questions posed by prospective
buyers. What do you figure, an hour or too spent on this? Might just as well
go into work for an hour or two of overtime and make many times the amount
of money you'd get from selling them on eBay.

Not all of us get overtime. If I work extra hours, my paycheck still
reads the same. On the flip side, if I sneak out an hour or two early
occasionally, my paycheck also still reads the same.

I do a lot of manual labor stuff at home that many people pay for simply
because I am cheap and can't work more hours to bring in extra money.

Brian Elfert

This morning I mailed a list of finishing solvents to the local
freecycle.com site and lo and behold have received 4 queries asking
for address! Landfill be damned! We're moving and a LOT of other
items will follow this route. Not Route 66.

On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 08:07:58 -0500, "Upscale"
wrote:

ONLY benefit to selling them is that at that point, they're not winding up
yet in a landfill. Easier by far to just offer them up for free. Lot fewer
questions, they're easier to get rid of and no one is going to try to
negotiate with you. And at that point, they're not ending up in a landfill.

Upscale (in ) said:

| "Doug Miller" wrote in message
|| In article , "Pat"
| wrote:
||| I toss them.
||
|| That's silly. If you don't want them, sell them on eBay.
|
| Not necessarily. Sell them for $10 or $15. Figure on the time to
| put it in a cardboard box, seal it, take it to the post office and
| that's aside from time to place an ad on eBay, possibly answer
| questions posed by prospective buyers. What do you figure, an hour
| or too spent on this? Might just as well go into work for an hour
| or two of overtime and make many times the amount of money you'd
| get from selling them on eBay.
|
| ONLY benefit to selling them is that at that point, they're not
| winding up yet in a landfill. Easier by far to just offer them up
| for free. Lot fewer questions, they're easier to get rid of and no
| one is going to try to negotiate with you. And at that point,
| they're not ending up in a landfill.

I like the way you think! If anyone has an unwanted plastic case for
an old 4A (catalog number 6508) Milwaukee Sawzall, I'd like to give it
a good home.

Some poor confused soul here in Iowa sent the saw to the landfill but
kept the case. Go figure.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

Geez, my tools are always in their cases cuz they get transported around the
state daily The cases keep attachments, bits, sandpaper, blades,
wrenches, fasteners etc. together in one place. Heck, IMO, it prolongs the
life of the tool by keeping it clean, dry, and a little protection from the
shock of being bounced around in the back of a truck for hours a day. --dave


Lawrence Wasserman" wrote in message
...
In article ,
bob wrote:
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand
tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by
tossing the cases?



My basement has full (well, maybe 6'4") headroom in only 1/2, the
other half is just a crawlspace about 4 ft high. Most of the time I
wish the basement was larger but when it comes to things like those
plastic cases that I don't use, but seem to "nice" to throw away, that
crawlspace sure does come in handy.


--

Larry Wasserman Baltimore, Maryland

"Charley" wrote in message
m...
I try to keep them and store all but the most frequently used tools in them
because they tend to help me keep all of the parts together better than I
can without them.

Some cases are designed very poorly and these drive me crazy. It is
obvious
to me that the case design job was left for the new junior engineer in the
department and nobody checked his work. The latest and worst that I have
is

I'm with you. I have some cases that fit the tool so well there's only
enough room if you put the tool back in exactly as it arrived from the
store. That means the cord has to be twisted up exactly the right way, the
tool's adjustments have to all be put back to the smallest setting, and
forget about the manual fitting back in anywhere. If it meant that I could
save that couple of minutes trying to solve the puzzle every time I put it
back I'd gladly pay an extra ten dollars for a better case. These design
choices are lose-lose in my opinion.

- Owen -

On Wed, 7 Dec 2005 18:59:48 -0500, "Owen Lawrence"
wrote:


"Charley" wrote in message
om...
I try to keep them and store all but the most frequently used tools in them
because they tend to help me keep all of the parts together better than I
can without them.

Some cases are designed very poorly and these drive me crazy. It is
obvious
to me that the case design job was left for the new junior engineer in the
department and nobody checked his work. The latest and worst that I have
is

I'm with you. I have some cases that fit the tool so well there's only
enough room if you put the tool back in exactly as it arrived from the
store. That means the cord has to be twisted up exactly the right way, the
tool's adjustments have to all be put back to the smallest setting, and
forget about the manual fitting back in anywhere. If it meant that I could
save that couple of minutes trying to solve the puzzle every time I put it
back I'd gladly pay an extra ten dollars for a better case. These design
choices are lose-lose in my opinion.

- Owen -

I hope you guys realize that you are preaching to the choir. I love
that my router came with a case with spaces to store bits, but those
spaces either get hammered by the other side of the case so it won't
close, or have giant gaps so that the bits just fall out and roll
around. Yeah, that's why I buy those nice carbide tipped bits, so they
can roll around and beat each other up in the damn case!! The wrench
has to face to the right as well, if it's to the left, the case won't
close.

On the other hand, I can't imagine having my Dremel tool without a
case for all the tiny little bits that go with it. That adjustment
wrench would be lost permanently otherwise.

Mark

I recycle all of them, and store my hand power tools in a steel filing
cabinet.


--
Bob

Travel and Astronomy Photos
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bomo




"bob" wrote in message
.. .
I have, over the years, accumulated quite a collection of power hand
tools,
each arriving in its own molded, form fitting case. Problem is, where to
store all of this. I am building a shop, and elected to store these tools
in drawers or on shelves that are sized to fit the tool, and not the case,
as I have run out of room, especially for the gartgantuan cases like my
Milwaukee cordless circular saw (only comes in a case sized to carry the
complete set of 18V Milw tools). I am planning to toss the cases into the
recycling bin or donate them to someone that could use them.

Question: How do you store these tools and their cases? Am I messing up
by
tossing the cases?

On Thu, 8 Dec 2005 12:42:12 -0500, bob wrote:
I recycle all of them, and store my hand power tools in a steel filing
cabinet.

Yes. Steel file cabinets in the shop are _fantastic_ ways to keep
things sorted and out of the way/dust/clutter.

"bob" wrote

How do you store these tools and their cases?

I chunk the cases (no one wants them) and store drills, saws, routers,
sanders, paint guns and etc in a pair of older heavy duty steel 4 drawer
file cabinets that have had the racks/hangers removed from them. You would
be amazed at how much they will hold. RM~

Morris Dovey wrote:
Upscale (in ) said:

| "Doug Miller" wrote in message
|| In article , "Pat"
| wrote:
||| I toss them.
||
|| That's silly. If you don't want them, sell them on eBay.
|
| Not necessarily. Sell them for $10 or $15. Figure on the time to
| put it in a cardboard box, seal it, take it to the post office and
| that's aside from time to place an ad on eBay, possibly answer
| questions posed by prospective buyers. What do you figure, an hour
| or too spent on this? Might just as well go into work for an hour
| or two of overtime and make many times the amount of money you'd
| get from selling them on eBay.
|
| ONLY benefit to selling them is that at that point, they're not
| winding up yet in a landfill. Easier by far to just offer them up
| for free. Lot fewer questions, they're easier to get rid of and no
| one is going to try to negotiate with you. And at that point,
| they're not ending up in a landfill.

I like the way you think! If anyone has an unwanted plastic case for
an old 4A (catalog number 6508) Milwaukee Sawzall, I'd like to give it
a good home.

It won't be free, but you can probably find either a plastic or old
style metal case on ebay. I bought a metal one for the reasons the OP
stated, but I passed over several plastic ones. AFAIK, all of the
corded Sawzalls are the same size and fit in the same case.

Tom M.

(in
) said:

| It won't be free, but you can probably find either a plastic or old
| style metal case on ebay. I bought a metal one for the reasons the
| OP stated, but I passed over several plastic ones. AFAIK, all of the
| corded Sawzalls are the same size and fit in the same case.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

well I don't know about everyone else but some tools I have more than
one or one type
of for example I had to check 5 circular saws to find my melamine blade
and I keep the ones I don't use in there cases
My shop is in a unfinished garage so the walls are covered with peg
board to 12 in below the top plate I have shelfs above that all the way
around the garage which gives me plenty of room to store books router
craftier hand miter boxes and my tool cases since the isn't a ceiling
just open rafters but the cases are needed when you have to transport
them and you always know where there at with out having to move all the
others

Jim

A MAN WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS CAN SURE SCREW THINGS UP

Morris Dovey wrote:
(in
) said:

| It won't be free, but you can probably find either a plastic or old
| style metal case on ebay. I bought a metal one for the reasons the
| OP stated, but I passed over several plastic ones. AFAIK, all of the
| corded Sawzalls are the same size and fit in the same case.

Thanks! I'll check it out.

The outfit that sold me mine had a bunch of the metal cases. I could
probably dig up their info if you want. Let me know.

Tom M.

(in
) said:

| Morris Dovey wrote:
|| (in
|| ) said:
||
||| It won't be free, but you can probably find either a plastic or
||| old style metal case on ebay. I bought a metal one for the
||| reasons the OP stated, but I passed over several plastic ones.
||| AFAIK, all of the corded Sawzalls are the same size and fit in
||| the same case.
||
|| Thanks! I'll check it out.
||
| The outfit that sold me mine had a bunch of the metal cases. I could
| probably dig up their info if you want. Let me know.

Tom...

Yes - please do. Thanks!

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html