Pet peeve, gigantic plastic tool storage boxes

[Don Bullock]

Well, I'm sure that I'm in the minority on this one, but I actually store my tools in them. Perhaps when I am able to move to a dedicated shop rather than my garage, I will have better ways to store the tools.

[Rob Will]

I have the same problem with those huge tool storage boxes. I usually just throw them away but I should be taking this stuff to the recycle bin (it is on my way to town). While it is not always practical, recycling does save valuable resources. The me-now lobby seems to think that the Earth is an unlimited resource, that is until the next landfill is in THIER neighborhood.

I'm going to try to do a better job of recycling this heavy plastic tool packaging. It is the right thing to do. Thanks for the reminder.

Rob

Some interesting reading:
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deput.../benefits3.htm
http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/0108.html
http://www.re-sources.org/pdf/Does_r...ve_energy2.pdf

[Jake Helmboldt]

I won't go into the details but it is debatable that you're really saving the environment or saving $$ by doing this. It has to do with the amount of energy it takes to recycle, (from picking it up to the new finished product) and how much that energy costs and how much the production of that energy pollutes. At best, recycling isn't as, "Warm and fuzzy" as the environmental lobby would have you believe. It would prevent them from ending up in the landfill though. But is America really running out of landfill space?

It is still less resource-intensive to recycle than creating new, and yes, we are running out of landfill space. Here in VA we are one of the top-3 garbage importing states, due to other states not wanting or not having a place to put THEIR trash. Trash which could be vastly reduced if we didn't just thrown everything away w/out a second thought. But we in VA can't charge out-of-state trash higher tipping fees because of interstate commerce regulations. So we in VA are effectively subsidsing the trash production and disposal of other states.

Regardless of space, landfills leach toxins. Plastics don't biodegrade, they simply break down (very slowly) into their constituent materials and remain in-situ (if we are lucky). If we are not, and often we aren't, they end up leaching into groundwater.

[Bruce Page]

I throw mine in the attic. I have no idea why I save them.

[Leigh Betsch]

I was hoping to see some good ideas about what to do with these monstrosities and maybe Dale Lesak's idea to cut out the guts and use the shell is the best option. I also thought that if a lot of people thought they were just junk we could get them offered as an option by the manufactures. But several good points were made, around the box probably being better than Styrofoam and boxes for shipping. So I guess I'm going to be stuck with them. So I think I'll cut one up tomorrow and see if I can find a use for a gutless case. Maybe I can use them for packing Christmas presents for my brother-in-laws.

[Rob Will]

Christmas presents for my brother-in-laws.

Great idea Leigh, give em the empty boxes!

[Mark Patoka]

Since I have the storage space, mine are all in the attic for that just-in-case moment also. I've been through too many military moves where having the original packaging made things easier and I can't just throw them out. If I didn't have the space, I would probably be forced to get rid of them because I rarely use them.

[Philip Giangarra]

Since I don't have drawers in my shop, I store all my hand tools in their original plastic cases on shelves (usually vertically, since most of the tools are 3-5 inches thick). I actually look for nice plastic cases when I am buying these tools.

Phil Giangarra

[Kyle Kraft]

Send your trash to Michigan, we can use it to take up the empty space left after we send all of our underutilized water to Alabama, New Mexico, et al.

After all, Canada is running out of landfill space and they need to send their garbage to Michigan also.

[harry strasil]

Give them away as Xmas presents or birthday presents, remove the inside part as suggested, put in a cheap flashlight, a set of batteries in the original container, a cheap set of jumper cables, a pair of pliers, a small rolled up length of wire, a hank of cheap rope, a small first aid kit, a cheap pocket knife and some disposable shop rags. Makes a nice emergency kit for a vehicle. Or just use them for packaging for presents.

[frank shic]

you can always ebay them.

[David Weaver]

Well, I'm sure that I'm in the minority on this one, but I actually store my tools in them. Perhaps when I am able to move to a dedicated shop rather than my garage, I will have better ways to store the tools.

You're not the only one. I do it, too. Whoever built my house built in three huge enclosed built-ins in the garage. The cases easily fit on the shelves, and I leave the tools in them - they're lined up like books and I pull one off the shelf when I need it.

The only thing I have had trouble with so far is that the bosch router case won't shut if you put one of pat warner's sub-bases on the fixed base, so that goes on one of the top shelves in the built in - still no big deal.

I also prefer metal cases, but I have such a surplus of shelf space that it doesn't matter.

[Matt Meiser]

If they would standardize on the sizes they might be convenient (like Festool) but when I did store my tools in them they took up a lot more space than storing them in cabinets now. I do keep a few tools in them--things like the reciprocating saw and the hammer drill which are used out of the shop more frequently than in the shop. The rest are stored on a high-up shelf and rarely seen again. I did pull one out of storage the other day since I just sold the circular saw that goes in it.

The other "problem" I had with cases is that the horizontal surfaces in the shop tended to get cluttered with them when working. I'd open a case, take out the tool, leave the case, get another out and so on.

I'd venture a guess that more get used than not used since pros who take tools on the road and very casual users who keep their tools on a shelf in the garage or basement probably outnumber those of us with dedicated hobby shops by a large margin.

[Gary Keedwell]

I'd venture a guess that more get used than not used since pros who take tools on the road and very casual users who keep their tools on a shelf in the garage or basement probably outnumber those of us with dedicated hobby shops by a large margin.

[/QUOTE]
Exactly...real woodworkers are in the minority. I keep mine for the occasional times I take mine on the road and for the resale factor. But to be honest, I rarely sell my tools, even if I haven't used them in years. I don't know why I get so attatched to them.

Gary

[Todd Jensen]

I burn them. Its still too cold up here in the summer for my liking.