When remodeling and doing home repairs, you never know what you’re getting into or what you will need at the jobsite or at a client’s house. And even when you have what you need, you might not be able to find it; I’ve searched my work van for fasteners or other supplies in vain, knowing that they were in there somewhere but being unable to locate them. It’s frustrating to purchase a replacement only to find the item later when looking for something else. And it costs time: A trip to the local hardware or big-box store or lumberyard may take only 15 minutes, but those minutes quickly turn into an hour away from your project, not to mention the loss of momentum.
The organizer box has a clear lid and removable cups.
TStak. To solve this problem, I’ve recently been storing my fasteners, accessories, and tools in several DeWalt TStak storage boxes. The boxes are modular, so they can be stacked in different combinations, and they have latches, so they can be locked together. They can also be locked to a rolling mobile storage unit, a deep toolbox that has 7-inch wheels for going up stairs or over rough terrain and a retractable handle (also available in the TStak system is a cart and a luggage carrier–style trolley).
Some DeWalt tools, such as my DeWalt track saw, come with a TStak storage box; the boxes are available in different sizes to fit both small and large tools. For example, I keep my track saw in one TStak box and store an assortment of drill/drivers and batteries in another. The boxes come with plastic dividers, making it easy to customize them. DeWalt also sells foam inserts separately, and you can find after-market solutions from other companies. In addition, I’ve used packaging foam, 1/4-inch plywood, and shop scraps to customize my boxes.
ToughSystem 2.0. I also acquired DeWalt’s ToughSystem 2.0 DS100 organizer, which the company says is stronger and 20% bigger than the similar TStak box (and more expensive). The organizer has 12 removable cups—eight small cups and four larger ones—that lock into place with a water-sealing lid that gives the box an IP65 rating. It can be secured with a padlock and has new auto-connecting side latches that interlock with other ToughSystem toolboxes and with a workshop racking system. DeWalt also offers rack systems for standard-height trailers and vans and for Sprinter-style tall vans. The boxes have a rear center mount that allows them to be attached to the appliance cart–style DS Carrier.
ToughSystem 2.0 boxes are slightly larger and made with more robust materials but are based on the same concept. Both storage systems can be customized with foam inserts.
ToughSystem 2.0 boxes are backward compatible with original ToughSystem boxes and range in size from 7 inches deep to almost a whopping 39 inches deep for the DS450 rolling toolbox. Along with various sizes and configurations of toolboxes, you can add a 27-quart cooler for drinks and lunch and a Bluetooth radio and charger to the system.
Though DeWalt does not have an adapter to connect the TStak and ToughSystem boxes together, I have found after-market connectors. dewalt.com
Photos by the author.