Does anyone know of a source to get power tool cases, specifically for porter cable tools,
I have a d handle router, recip saw and their large, grinder type 5″ ROS. None of which came with cases when I bought them. I called the local rep and they want anywhere from 25-35 a case, would like to not spend that much. Am I being to cheap?
I tried toolcrib and ebay, for the last week or so with no luck.
Thanks Neil
View ImageGo Jayhawks
Edited 4/1/2003 1:46:24 AM ET by CAG
Replies
I have a tool catalog from Eagle America that has cases made for router bits, but they still want 29, and 39 dollars each. Maybe you are being cheap, but I don't see a problem with that. How about making some out of 1/4 inchply ? Next time consider buying the tools that come with, or figure the case price extra when comparison shopping. I sure like the ones that I have that came with. Makes them last better when bouncing into the truck. Good luck!!!
Dan
Yeah, I know, I know, buy them with the case. The router didnt come with a case when I bought it, and there wasnt any at the store that did, same with the sander, with the recip saw I was just an idiot. I always buy with a case now, but these are some of my older tools.
Thought about making my own, for the recip and the sander, but the router case they sell is molded to fit the router.
Oh well time to loosen up the check book, I've been spending like water on tools lately, whats another 60-90 bucks right :( View ImageGo Jayhawks
My local sleazy used tool place has tons of every conceivable make and model of box. about five bucks each. plastic and metal.
you might justt go the home depot/lowes/rubbermaid toolbox route too. i think those orange ones are about nine or ten bucks and they are decent quality..
i have a rubbermaid i got at a lumberyard. great latches and nice hinges, about $12. i've even sttod on it a couple of times.
-kit
No luck on the Metal router cases. All of the old ones are gone or pitched by the PC repair center. (I shoulda gone dumpster diving)
All that was there was a plastic (black) case for the battery operated router. That and a lot of other dinky ones.
The bargains are hard to come by in that place. I always have to laugh at the old tools he has in there. Yea, yea, some are good, but he has one old delta scroll saw in there that i gave to good will cause it was such a POS. Spring head with a 2 foot throat and a gear box that held liquid oil in order to run. I spent more labor and $ on that thing than any other refurb I ever worked on and it never was satisfactory. I used it for a bit, then I used my dad's skil brand. What a difference! The skil cut 5 times faster, the blades switch in a fraction of the time and I don't have to keep wiping oil off of my hands. Some tools are meant for the landfill or to be used as flower stands. That was one.Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?
I have seem some around. Usually at places like surplus stores and freight salvage places.
Just have to keep you eyes open.
Try the Porter cable service center in your area. They have the orphans in the display room here in MKE. Can't remember the $ but if it is orig eqpt cases that could be a good spot.
I tried them, thats where I got the prices orginaly. Figure I just got to pony up for at least the router case.View ImageGo Jayhawks
try http://www.toolsupermarket.com
they're a legit used tool store.......I drop in and buy about every other month.
They have a room filled with cases....I'd email them what you're looking for and see if they have it upstairs.
I know the ship all over. Decent prices on most stuff too...if they have it...I'd guess they'd be much cheaper.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
Jeff
Thanks for the link, I'll look into it.
NeilView ImageGo Jayhawks
Good link. Do they have alot there so you can just drop in and shop? I go to Butler a couple times a year for the fishing, I might have to go tool shopping too next time.Greg
Tons of stuff. Big old 3 story corner building..stuffed to the gills. Soem deals good..some bad. I always take the latest Tool Crib with me to price check against new.
Last time there..just missed a deal on a DeWalt 12" CMS. I paid around $300 or so for mine...they had one in brand new shape marked at $125..with a sold ticket on it!
Other stuff..they ask more than U will pay new.
One guy rebuilds most of the stuff.....he knows just about every tool in the place. They'll ley ya test anything before you buy. Think they have some sorta return policy....never returned anything....but have taken stuff back months later to trade in on something different.
One table I like is the $5 table....loaded with ugly by working circular saws and such. Always said..if I ever hire help...gonna stock up on tools from that table.
Fun old place to kill an hour or so. Usually have a nice selection of old shop tools too. Missed a fantastic deal on an old DeWalt Radial....from the 50's...solid cast iron arm.....priced at $750.....ran better than new.....almost bought it at $350.....was trying for $300 and really didn't even have that to spend...and I woulda had to drive back up with the van....so I passed.
Still kicking myself on that....but I'll run into another sooner or later.
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
Another idea that I've seen guys use is to go to the Goodwill store and pick up used hard case luggage ie. Samsonite. For a lot of tools, the best size is ladies' vanity cases.
Ken Hill
I've got two vanity cases. I got them at... ding ding ding... Goodwill !!
For... 90 cents apiece. They wanted 4 dollars apiece. I offered them what I had in my pocket for both. (A dollar eighty, of course. LOL) They accepted it.
I use them for mechanics tools.
Somewhere along the line I broke the latch on one of them, and have yet to rig up something to hold it closed.
They are not as long as the standard mechanics tool boxes, but I have found that to be a good thing. Less weight to carry. Less tools also means less digging for the right tool. Any tool big enough not to fit them is big enough to carry separate, and not be likely to be lost.
Quittin' Time
Sounds like just the kind of place I would enjoy spending some money in. Thanks for the info Jeff. If I'm ever in Pittsburgh I'll buy you a cold one.Greg
I'm always in the Burgh and I'll accept!
JeffBuck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
I have an original sawzall metal case. Probably about 30 to 40 years old.
I'd be willing to let it go for say, 40 dollars and postage. It has paint overspray on it, and a couple of very small, (surface only), rust spots. But it is not dented, bent, torn, etc... in any way whatever.
The only way that it would be in any better shape, is if it had never been used.
Hey, maybe Kieth C. will even flame it for someone...
: )
It's too valuable as a case for my own saw, for me to let it go cheaper than that. Matter of fact, it would feel like a sacrifice, to let it go even at that price. This is probably why they are so expensive on the market.
Quittin' Time
I'll stop in today to see what they have. I remember only the metal cases being on clearance. Don't think there is a 691 et al case in metal. seems to me it is plastic only from the ads of the last couple of years.Jack of all trades and master of none - you got a problem with that?
Check the auction ads in your local newspaper. When a rental house goes belly up, the auction will often have some lots that are just a number of empty cases. It doesn't have to be a tool rental company, it can be most anything. For instance, a belt sander would fit nicely in any of the Arriflex model II camera cases. I stock up on empty cases when I find them for cheap.
-- J.S.
you brought up a major pet peeve of mine, why do they sell expensive portable power tools with no case?
case in point bought a hitachi 12v 3 hp router, great machine but came ina cardboard box!! cant even get a case for it so had to make one from some baltic birch ply (first job for the new router!!)
come on tool manufaturers i know the market is tight but i think most of us pros would gladly pay twenty or thirty bucks for a decent protective case
by the way a cheap way to make a fitted case is to spray some foam sealent in your new box and place the tool(wrapped in a plastic bag) in the foam till it cures
Why do you buy expensive tools with no case?
If you didn't buy it, they would start adding cases.
Jon Blakemore
When you need a tool, you NEED the tool.
Without the tool, you can't do the job. Don't do the job, you don't have the income.
To forgo the tool in that circumstance, just because you want the mfgr to learn a lesson and start putting the tools in a case, would be an excelent example of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Quittin' Time
true but i buy what i need and have to put up with it.
and bitch about it at trade shows
then go home and make one
Tools without cases seems to be a long standing tradition. The tools I have from my grandfather are in boxes he made himself.
For tools like that router, it may be that a lot of them get sold into shop and factory situations where they stay in the same building for their useful life, and get stored on a shelf in a cabinet. A nice case should be an optional accessory for that reason.
-- J.S.
I made a toolbox about 10"x3' that holds all my nailers in neat custom partitions. That is two framing nailers two finish nailers and a brad nailer and there is room for a couple drills too. The top is open and there is a 3/4" black pipe handle. It nests in my pickup along side my other toolboxes. The cases I threw away would have taken up fifty times the space and I would waste time opening them and returning the tool every time I used them. Most professional tools are rugged enough that a case is not necessary. I do keep a few cases but not many. If I kept every case then my pickup would be overflowing and not half as organized.
Cag.....read most of the posts but not all....not sure if anyone suggested http://www.duluthtrading.com
Check out the gatemouth bags....perfect for the sawzall, although Im sure you`ll find one quite right for the router. I`ve purchased their "gunner" gatemouths for my pnuematic guns and love em. Don`t recall prices, but in many instances better than the cases actually designed for the tools.
And from now on.....buy the tools with the cases, fer cryin` out loud!
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
"DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"
Here in the Denver area there is a store called Tool King. I believe they have a web site of the same name. They have tons of Bosch, DeWalt, Porter-Cable, etc bulk cases. What I have done for tools that didn't come with cases is find a plastic toolcase that will fit the tool and then heat the interior with my heat gun. When the plastic is maleable (not on fire!) I press the tool of choice into the warm plastic and it will form to the contours of the tool. It doesn't matter what case you get just as long as your chosen tool fits in it.
I made a killer multi-tool case for everything hammer or percussion related I own. Now it is all in own case, which was a former home for a Bosch 18v kit.
Frank..
Would you have any kind of link, address or telephone # for tool king.
Thanks
http://www.toolking.com/index.asp Happy hunting. I have bought from them with no regrets, they also put some of their stuff on e-bay with no reserve. I like Tool Crib ( Amazon) and have had no problems, they also have reviews of products. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/228292/104-6976480-5079908
I like the Tool Crib too... What a toy store!!!
Thanks for the links. Will have a look see.
Anybody here want any old Makita cases they are yours for the asking, as is (dirty from sitting in the barn) no postage even. 1 metal (no ding, some rust) 9.6 V drill case, a plastic 9.6 case, and a 12v plastic case with 2 battery slots. Just e-mail me.
Mode of operation here cases are just in the way, tools kept in surplus metal file cabinets or larger boxes. Was going to sell these cases for 50 cents at garage sale anyway. Also an old Craftsman metal case for sawzall type tool free for asking.
<G> I may want to charge postage for anyone of the more liberal persausion <G>
You have mail, nice offer on your part!
I have a few tools in surplus ammo boxes.
I used a spray contact adhesive on the inside then lined them with high-density foam. Very easy to customize for a nice fit.
Available from Army/Navy surplus or from Northern tools:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTESearch?storeId=6970&catalogId=4006970&langId=-1&PHOTOS=on&KEYWORDS=ammo+box&kw_fmt=ammo+box
Maybe I missed it, but I can't believe more folks haven't mentioned ebay. I saw the Tool King reference, but I find tool boxes on ebay all the time. They're often used, but you can also find new ones from times to time. Also, check a few local pawn shops when you drive by. It's hit or miss, but I tend to just keep a mental list of what I need now or expect to need later and buy it when I see it at a good price. I can never have enough quality tool boxes. Also, Sears often puts their cloth tool bags on sale as loss leaders when they have they're big sales. Guess they are successful at getting me in the door, but I rarely leave having bought anything else but them.
Homak also makes a couple nice power tool boxes. They're usually around $28, but they are well made and have padded interiors. One size is great for drills, jig saws etc, and the other is good for circular saws, routers, belt sanders, etc.. I sometime covert plastic/metal tool boxes for this purpose by cutting up a cheap camping ground mat and gluing the foam to the top/bottom of the box.
Thanks, I tried e-bay and didnt find any, then I found two in one night, bid on won before I saw the other.
Bought one buy it now for 10 bucks, and won the auction after that for 14, the max bid I put in before I saw the other.
Now I have 2 sawzall cases and one saw, gues I got to get another saw to put in that case hunh?View ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year and daaa. Blues View Image
Sounds rational to me. I know the Milwaukee sawzaw cases are on there all the time. Just always need to check that the shipping costs aren't higher than the value of the item your buying.
they weren't to bad, paid 10 bucks shipping so 20 and 25 a case, still cheaper then buying newView ImageGo Jayhawks..............Next Year and daaa. Blues View Image
Picked up a new plastic case for the 352 belt sander .........was over $30. Next time around gonna check out some of these links. Talked to a PC factory rep who said the company that made their metal cases is in bankruptcy.
Edited 4/24/2003 8:44:02 AM ET by jc
The good thing about Toolking is that all of their power-tool boxes are brand new. They have stacks of DeWalt, Craftsman, Bosch, Milwaukee, Skil, etc. I bought a DeWalt framing nailer to try out (since my Hitachi was stolen) and wanted a case. I bought a DeWalt plastic case for $10 that was originally manufactured for a 18v drill/saw combo. I heated up the interior with my heat gun, then when the plastic interior was maleable I pressed the new nailer into the plastic until it cooled. Now I have a kickin' case for the nailer that is perfectly fitted, no movement of the tool in the case. I also bought a huge Bosch case for $8 at Toolking and did the same for all of my hammer drills/accessories. Of course Toolking is very handy for me since I live in Denver...