This is a topic that has some divisions- Do you prefer metal or plastic? Whose cases are good, whose are bad? Whats up with the short cords on tools?
I just picked up a new/used metal case to replace the plastic case that came with my Milwaukee RT angle drill.
I was able to adapt a metal Impact gun case to fit my Milwaukee 1/2 inch drill (O299-20, New style drill, no case offered by Milwaukee)
The plastic case that came with my cordless black and decker sawzall is way too big.
The case on the 3/8 blackened pecker drill is too small and has terrible latches…
The case on my Craftsman industrial sawzall and 3/8 drill are good size and quality plastic. I replaced the cord on the sawzall with a length of extension cord.
Rotozip case is a strong plastic with nice metal latches but has no storage space for accessories!Nice cord length here…
No case available from Makita for my hypoid saw…Good cord
Makita drill case-Good size for drill, impact driver and flashlight plus acccessories, but cheap materials and latches!
My campbell hausfeld nailer resides in a modified old typewriter case…
Milwaukee sawzall-Great Metal case with plenty of storage! Love the twist lock cord!
Craftsman Impact gun-Homemade case-Replaced short cord with a longer all weather type.
Makita Drywall gun No case-Do any drywall guns have cases? This one sits in a toolbox with the other drywall tools. A drywall gun should have a longer cord so I replaced the pathetic cord with a nice 16 footer.
How important are cases and cord length to you in your buying decisions?
Replies
My beef is the ones that are center hinged ( like the MAK14. drill/flash lite) that y ahave take a sharpie and draw in BIG letters OPEN OTHER SIDE UP or ya dump the works everytime.
Or the brainiac that designed the short cases that eventually break the strain relief on the cord , my PC tiger saw reciprocating saw comes to mind. As well as the old metal case for the Bosch barrel grip saw, Oh and my DW RT Angle 1/2 drill.
Cords, ? My daily chores, roofing/gutters employs 99.9% cordless. So that is not so much of an issue. We almost never even use air.
For all my other work, I'd venture to say most of the cases, stay in the shop or have been converted to storage for "Other Stuff", or tossed. I have tool boxes with all the "fiddly bits and attachments/bits /blades and such.
The cases just don't pack well in my van, being all asorted sizes that the tools can be. I stuff stuff into a soft-sider and haul it up on the scaffold with a rope or hang the bag off the rails on the boom lift. There is no room for an empty case to be in the way all day, or a cord as a trip hazard.
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I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
The case is not a factor when buying the tool. If it's a bad case, I curse it every time I open it. I think metal is generally better because it's not custom fittesd to the tool, and thus has room for extra blades etc. I like having cases because it's easier to store the tools neatly without cords flopping around.
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
If a case is plastic I throw it away and get a steel toolbox. The big toolbox has room for bits, blades, fasteners, extension cords and miscellaneous tools. All my stuff is in heavy steel boxes. I can lock 'em too!
Who would want to carry a finish nailer and not have an assortment of nails too?
Who would want to carry a drill and not have an assortment of bits?
All that blow-shaped plastic case garbage has no extra room and junk hinges.
The older Hilti and Milwaukee steel cases are/were great.
now if only we could get the tool makers to view this thread!
A lot of my co-workers laugh at my old-fashioned ways. I DO NOT USE cordless anything other than flashlights. I will stretch an extension cord and have lots of power for a long time. If it is too far from power I use hand tools - brace and bits, and Disston handsaws are still in my arsenal.Of course I will use nailers, but they have air lines.I use a pushtype Yankee drill for simple one to four hole jobs. I am old and set in my ways, just a dinosaur I guess.The tool makers only listen to the cash registers, batteries mean freaquent sales. I just do side jobs now so speed doesn't matter too much to me.
You speaka my language. Plasic is crapola inless it's well hinged and has room for the extras.
doesn't make too much difference to me. Half my cases are piled up around the power pole next to the shop in case anybody wants one.
They are good to have when there are a lot os specialty accessories to go with the tool.
My biggest gripe is that once you open it, and undo the wire tie on the cord, it is almost impossible to ever wrap the cord tight enopugh again to fit it back in a factory case and get it closed.
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I think the plastic cases that come with most tools these days are a waste of money and resources. I throw them out.
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It's kind of a delicate balance.
For instance, I have a PC jigsaw around. Now it doesn't take much extra space to be able to store a motherload of spare jigsaw blades, so the small case isn't a problem in that department. But trying to fit the cord in this case and get it closed is like trying to dunk a cat into a glass of water. I'm about four hands short of being able to comfortably complete that job.
And then I bought an 18V Bosch drill. The case was the size of a first generation VCR. But it was blow molded, of course. So I had all these weird shaped spaced that could never really effectively use to store anything useful unless I just wanted to randomly dump a bunch of bits and driver tips and let them roll around in there. And yet the case was too big fit in ANY of the boxes of my utility body truck.
My favorites, I believe are steel kit boxes. My couple month old Makita 15amp recip came with a great old school steel box. Plenty of room to put the saw away with a 6" blade on it. A nice big space to easily fold the cord into. And another big space to hold as many recip blades as I could ever want..... in their plastic containers. And somehow, they managed to keep the whole magilla in a reasonably sized footprint.
All that being said, I would never make the decision to purchase a tool or not purchase a tool based on the case. Some tools don't really even need a case IMO, but I guess that depends on your system of transporting them. If I get stuck with a truly non functional case paired up with a good tool that could really use a decent residence where it can be close by with it's accessories, then I'll just buy on of the nice heavy canvas tool bags for it.
Really don't care what size cords my tools come with. I can't remember the last time I ran a power tool without an extension cord anyway. I will say that I prefer my circular saw cords to be between 9' and 12'. I want to be able to rip a piece of plywood without have the plug get hung up, and I still wanted to be able to wrap the cord up around the saw at the end of the day without it looking like a charicature of a ball of yarn.
Cases I've tossed recently: Milwaukee circular saw, PC RO sander, Bosch jigsaw, Dewalt recip saw. The common denominator was all of these tools were corded, and like Piffin said, if it has a cord, it's a major pain at the end of the day getting it back into it's molded case. For these tools (except for the Milwaukee), I picked up suitably sized Plano tool boxes (plastic but pretty rugged), threw out the tool tray, and store the tool and accessories in there. The Milwaukee saw just rumbles around in the nooks and crannies of the truck since there aren't any accessories.
I've found that the case for my Dewalt 18V drill is pretty good, although getting the charger in and out is like getting a snake into a sack (again, the cord thing). Same with the Paslode nail guns.
The only original case that I actually like is the Milwaukee 1/2 drill. Big, red steel box, flat on top so it stacks well, plus the cord on that tool has the quick disconnect so it coils up easy.
Cases and cords are pretty far down the list of attributes when I look for a new tool, almost inconsequential actually. As long as Plano keeps making rugged tool boxes in about 75 different sizes and shapes, I'm all set. Cords are sacrificial, I'll likely cut it in two, or belt sand it down to bare copper within a year. For replacements, I usually buy a suitably sized, good quality, 25' extension cord and chop off the female end. Cheaper than buying wire off the roll, and you get a decent molded plug.
I don't prefere metal r plastic. I LOVE the bags! Easy to carry, store extra stuffamajiggies in and doesnt end up looking like crapola. My PC came with one as did my rotozip. And cords? My PC has that really long nice rubber cord with the end that lights up when its on.
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Bosch jigsaw - Great - Metal case with acres of room for cord, blades & accessories. Good latches.
Super Sawzall - Great - metal case with plenty of room for blades and cord. Good latches.
PC brad nailer - Okay - plastic case with room for some nail clips. Decent plastic latches and the case has held up well for 5 years.
Senco finish nailer - Junk - blow-mold plastic case. Latches broke off within 2 months.
"Bosch jigsaw - Great - Metal case with acres of room for cord, blades & accessories. Good latches.Super Sawzall - Great - metal case with plenty of room for blades and cord. Good latches."You must have bought those a while ago. Milwaukee SS comes in plastic case now - sturdy like the drill cases, and with good metal latches and a compartment for about 20 extra blades, but you have to disconnect the twist-loc cord to keep from bending it too tightly.My Bosch jigsaw came in a plastic case when I bought it last year. Well laid out with good spaces for extra blades, but plastic latches are not as sturdy as Milwaukee metal ones.BruceT
It depends on the tool whether I keep the case or not. If it has a lot of specialized parts I will keep the case, ie. jigsaw, but mostly I get rid of them. I use tool boxes alot for tools and their attachments. ie. toolbox for sds and plain hammerdrill and bits. Or a tool box for rt. angle grinders and their wheels and brushes.
Circular saws were my main gripe, trying to control the cord, until this week I was at the box store and I saw some ratcheting little gripper things, they come in different sizes and look like half of a pair of handcuffs. I now coil the cord in a smallish coil about 8" in diameter place the cord at the handle and attach the gripper thing around the handle and cord together, then I ratchet it down till the cord wont work loose, but not tight enough to really pinch the cord.
Webby
Thanks for the tip about "...ratcheting little gripper things..."I've heard of those, but never knew the proper name for them before now.BruceT
Thanks for the tip about "...ratcheting little gripper things..."
I hate to nitpick, but the proper nomenclature is:
"ratcheting little gripper thingies"
Those handcuff deals are a good idea they are just too fragile. I have broken half a dozen. The big ones work great for cords and hoses but they break too easily and wear out.
I have known about them for a while, I would'nt use them for heavy hoses or really long cords, hopefully they will work. If not I might try some velcro strips.
What I use for hoses and cords is sash cord. The pieces need to be long enough to tie on with a constrictor, wrap twice around the bundle, and tie off with a slipped reef knot. I put them about 6 - 18" from the source end (male for power cords and air hoses, female for water hoses). That keeps them out of the way at the business end, and for power cords, they can sometimes be tied off to prevent kick-outs.
-- J.S.
I've tried those "cord cuff" things too and they broke way too easily. Good idea but a cheaply made product.
I use these things on all our cords and hoses and hang them up in the trailer. They'd work well for your power tool cords too. Click on this McFeely's link to see them.
http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/BT-7030/x-15
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Hey, thanks for the link. Nice lookin' trailer.
Webby
I use an open pickup truck and often get caught in the weather. I have a bunch of plastic Tuff boxes by Contico. These are tough and waterproof. I haven't seen a box that comes with a tool that doesn't leak. Nothing I like better than coiling up the cord in a tight little ball so it fits in. Forget about carrying anything else in the box. I also love cords that are just long enough for the plug to get hung up on a plank or ladder when you reach eye height. Eventually, I replace them with 12 footers. I have a Contico clone and it leaks. I found out how bad when I broke out my sawzall and it had been laying in 3" of water. It's the yellow one and leaked around the handle.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
With the sole exception of my Makita 'saws-it-all,' ALL of my tools are in cases different from the ones that the factor provided.
There are a few reasons for this. One is the need to store accessories with the tools. Another is the desire for my cases to store neatly in the truck. Finally, some of them came without cases- just a cardboard box!.
My storage method of choice is surplus ammo boxes. Ammo boxes come in a variety of sizes, are quite sturdy, and don't scream "steal me" like a shiny red box will! Most of them also nest perfectly in the bins of a utility body truck.
Here is a short run-down of the main boxes I use (starting with the smallest):
--- "30 caliber": This little box is suitable for a Dremel, Roto-Zip, or Sioux Drill.
---"50 Caliber": The most common box, it works well for most corded drills, angle grinders, staplers, pop rivet tools, heat guns, and the like.
---"SAW Box": Same as the '50 caliber' in length and height, it is a bit wider. Good for bending shoes, threading dies, and the like.
---"Tall 50": Same length and width as the '50 caliber' box, it is a bit taller. Good for saber saws.
---"40MM": This is a large box, best carried with two hands! Just right for a Hole-Hawg, SDS Roto-hammer, or jobsite BBQ.
---"Mortar Round": Like the '50 cal" in length and width, this box is at least four times as tall. I use it for a pipe threader 'pony' and its' dies.
I throw away all the cases except for tools that are rarely used. Everything goes in bags or buckets or wooden totes.
Hey all you guys that throw away the these cases why not give them to a thrift shop or Habitat Store. Take a deduction and help. Or "don't throw away, ebay". I have gutted several and recycled them to hold things not originally intended. Boxes of brad, staples, assortment of other stick nails for small/punch work.
The case on the 3/8 blackened pecker drill...
Guffaw outloud after that one!
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How important are cases?
Probably more important than I bother to consider. I typically look for the best tool for the money....while a garbage case can irritate the heck outta ya, and a good case can make the tool that much more enjoyable to use....I've never chosen one tool over another because of the case.
Unlike most (all?) of the responses, I've read thus far, I prefer the plastic cases. I've had too many metal cases rack on me. Once they do, there's no straightening them out and there's no way to keep em closed.
Case that came with my Dewalt cordless drill is decent....holds the drill, charger, spare battery, loose spade bits and a small case of assorted drill bits. Wouldn't want to have to lug it around holding much more.
Cords on the other hand play no part. I'm going to have to run an extension cord 99% of the time anyhow....so it doesn't matter if the cord is two feet or twenty feet.
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when I replaced the cord on my 4" bosch belt sander I replaced it with a 25 foot extension cord. no more hanging up the plug and I can walk around the room or the project
the whole thing fits nicely in my metal milwaukee circular saw case, the CS didnt need it anyway
The one drawback to metal cases is rust.
Rust in the case. Rust on the tools, particularly hand tools.
BTW, my Milwakee drywall screw gun has a metal case, with a nice tray in top for bits.
As you can see, I don't use them enough.