Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Dewalt). This thread is read-only.
After being in the trades, mostly carpentry and rental properties, I finally decided on Tstak as my choice of toolbox system. I have grown into a mostly interior trim carpenter and love these boxes. I have used all the brands and I was using a combination of the Milwaukee organizers and the 26″ Jobsite box. At the same time I was using the Ridgid pro boxes for my bigger routers/planer etc. I was waiting for what ended up being Packout from Milwaukee, but the price is too high. And I thought the Ridgid system was too heavy…. I put a cap on my truck and now I no longer have the need for watertight boxes.
I’ve worked at companies who use Festool tools, and I like the Systainer but the price is too much for an empty box, for me. And the whole idea of modular tool boxes is that everything goes into one. Maybe one day I’ll put Festool tools and put in Tstask, lol. Another company I worked for was using the Tough System and I like it a lot also, but it’s also a little heavy. They were not using it to it’s fullest with carts/wall/van brackets etc. They were new to the modular tool box. If I go to a van I might switch to Tough System just for the wall/van brackets.
Over time I will add some photos of actual tools in the boxes and the setup. First round, was the Craftfsman set I got locally, still had to drive an hour to touch some Tstaks in hand. Checked that most tools will fit with accessories etc, combo certain tools together. Now the Craftsman “Mobile Storage” bottom box with wheels is bigger than the standard big Tstak and will fit Sawzalls and longer bigger items. The wheels and extending arm look like the weak point, wheels will pickup sand/mud/snow on the inside.
Second round, I ordered one of the Home Depot sets with nice upright trolley and drawer/big boxes. A much better designed wheel system than the “Mobile Storage”, as nice as the Festool Sys-Roll for the price. Plus it folds down. Also to note some boxes/combinations can only be purchased at certain places. HD has their boxes and Acme has some boxes not available at HD, vice versa. Most DeWalt suppliers(lumberyards) can order any of them I’ve found.
Tstak are amazing! I have roughly 30 of them.
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Notes for Tstak
At HD you can get Tstaks I-VI(1-6), the cart, the trolley and the foam.
At Acme/lumberyards you can all the above plus:
VII – box 6 with the handle/attic of box 1 (large box with large top handle)
VIII – size of box 6 but open top with large handle
Mobile storage box- also under Craftsman/stanley fatmax name, biggest box with two wheels and popup handle
Tstak Connect radio- built tough like the Tough system radio but interlocks with tstak
FWIW, Acme Is out of stock on the large container with the handle/organizer lid.
I got around it by ordering the small version with that lid and a large plain version. My eight-year-old pulled the pins for the hinges and swapped lids for me. Easy Peasy.
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you can also buy Stanley Fatmax branded tstaks at Menards
I’ve got one tstak. I like it a lot, it’s the drawer one. I have it set up for wiring, probably my most used Dewalt box, I have several tough system boxes which I love. Truthfully I have a ton of Systainers and five tough system boxes including the large cart one. I really like the ToughSystem boxes and just don’t need any more storage boxes which leads me to the fact that I’ve only one tstak. If I was not so heavily invested in the Festool tools system, which naturally I am, I would consider getting tstaks without hesitation.
I’m deep into ToughSystem, I only have 3 TStaks but plan on adding more. Lightweight and easy to organize the workspace with.
Love the tstak boxes. Really cheap and tons of options. I especially like the totes to store hand tools. The only thing I would change is on the two drawer units. I would like it to have a transparent lid on the drawers so you can put fasteners in there. I buy empty kreg screw boxes to solve the problems. They fit perfectly inside the drawer.
Oh and be aware that if you put a drawer unit at the bottom of your stack, it will drag a bit. Not too much but it can be annoying. It’s the the way the feet are designed that is the problem.
I would relly love a tstak charging station in the future.
My interior working cart.[External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied][External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied]
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^^^^^
Big reason I went with the TStaks right there.
– each kit holds fasteners for the gun, the gun, and it’s battery. No need for a charger.
– The kit bags are a joke for storage and transport. The tough system would be too big and heavy. With the tough system, most people fill it full of all their nail guns. I like to be able to Grab a box with a specific gun in it, not lug around a heavy box with all my nail guns.
I have tstaks for my 18 gauge Brad, 18 gauge stapler, and 15 gauge brad nailer. I wish the framer would fit in one.
My SDS just got its own T-Stak. It will hold the drill, bits, and tap cons.
No reason for a separate fastener box or battery box when everything you need for one day can be contained inside one box. Grab n go. Great system.
My wheeled tote holds my every day tools: Circular saw, oscillating tool, compact reception, drill, impact, bitbox, hammer and speed square. Any other nailgun kits needed get stacked on top.
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I got my third round of boxes. I really like this setup. I was doing a kitchen install and put my drill/driver box, interior screw box, Jigsaw drawer box, and my air nailer box all on the 4 caster base and move it around as cabs went in and trim went on. It rolled wherever I needed it and out of the way when I didn’t, but it never left the room. Normally I would have had most of those boxes in the other room and would’ve ran back and forth. It was a very tight kitchen.
well,
this is what I spotted today (Europe)
Looks interesting, but not sold on the mini boxes. I could use a tstak VIII at half the height, with the long handle.
Dewalt made some sockets and wrenches that came in a black/gold plastic boxes that were so close to the Tstak size, it’s a missed opportunity for Tstak. I might have bought those instead of my Wallyworld Bostich set.
These were from a European convention months ago. [External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied][External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied]
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I could really see this useful for a bigger company like an electric/cable company doing big projects.
I would rather have my accessories in the Tstak with the tool. As a subcontractor, I don’t think I would ever need to carry that many bits/drivers/small tools in my stack.
I have many tstak ,never had a problem with them…not waterproof…but work great…I have them in my truck…the tough system is for framing tools ,they get abused… outside regularly..
Framer joe wrote:
On 7/15/2018 at 11:49 PM, Framer joe said:I have many tstak ,never had a problem with them…not waterproof…but work great…I have them in my truck…the tough system is for framing tools ,they get abused… outside regularly..
That’s exactly why I kept a set of Ridgids, for framing and porch/deck work.
Figured this could use an update, the Craftsman Versastack(Tstak) now has a water seal around the boxes and many individual boxes and sets are available in store at lowe’s. Picked up a waterproof set of Versastack ll(reg), Vl(medium) and large roller.
And of course the new Dewalt flexvolt tool dust extractor is also Tstak/Versastack compatible. With a remote and meets OSHA. I have not seen it in person yet. I may have to find a way to customize it so a m18 fits…
Has anyone found a small vacuum that can fit into the Tstak 17″ deep box or the rolling box with extending handle?
No, I wish Dewalt made one.
The.Handyman wrote:
On 6/28/2018 at 4:22 PM, The.Handyman said:These were from a European convention months ago. [External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied][External image (uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com), not copied]
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Three things noticed:
1) A green DeWALT small Toughcase+
2) A yellow DeWALT small Toughcase+ in full yellow without clear lid
3) A yellow DeWALT Medium Toughcase+ in full yellow without clear lid
Any available?
TSTAK 2.0 is much better, better latches and dust proof at least. But if I go for light tool box I would go for Systainer-Tanos as you can have them in so many different colours and the latches as well in different colours. DeWALT does not give this option. Also Tanos cases are made with much better plastic.