An alternative Festool systainer tool organizer

Frank Pellow

Member
Messages
2,332
Location
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
Recently there has been a thread (http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=6030.0) on the Festool Owner's Group Forum about the tool organizer systainer 4 insert.

A lot of ideas have been presented and one of them by Pererm encouraged me to attempt to build a "better" tool organizer.

Mine combines the design of the one that Peterm built with the design of the original from Festool.

The insert is made out of leftover pieces of Baltic Birch -6mm and 10mm.

First here is a pictures showing the origninal tool organizer in use (as it was two days ago):

Tool Organizer 1 -Festool's filled with Frank's stuff -small.JPG

And here are the contents spread out on my workbench:

Tool Organizer 2 -Festool's -Contents -small.JPG

This is the insert sold by Festool:

Tool Organizer 0 -Festool's insert -small.JPG

Except for the small wooden box at the bottom right, it's all one piece.

My objective was to create a set of inserts that could hold more tools and stuff than Festool's and to have those tools and stuff better organized and more accessible.

I decided that it would be better to have trays that could be removed separately, rather than as a set (as Peterm did). Also, I like the holes in Festool's insert, so I decided to have some -not as many, but some.

Here is the bottom tray:

Tool Organizer 3 -Frank's -Bottom Tray -small.JPG

And, here is the middle tray:

Tool Organizer 4 -Frank's -Middle Tray -small.JPG

The middle tray handle fits over the bottom (which protrudes through a slot in the bottom of the middle tray). At the same time, it is short enough that it does not interfere with the top tray. The divider is removable.

Here is the top tray:

Tool Organizer 5 -Frank's -Top Tray -small.JPG

And, here are all three trays (plus some stuff that I stuffed down the small gaps at the sides) sitting on my workbench.

Tool Organizer 6 -Frank's -Contents -small.JPG

As you can see, I managed to get everything that was originally in the systainer plus a lot more back into the systainer. And, everything is easy to get at.My objective was to create a set of inserts that could hold more tools and stuff than Festool's and to have those tools and stuff better organized and more accessible.
 
Frank,
you've done it again! My shop Might, someday, faintly, in a roundabout way, resemble just a portion of your organizational skills. I fear it is a lost cause however, as I know how 'organized' I tend to be. I AM going to tackle the clutter this weekend however, and I'm working on a plan for my storage cabinet's internal shelving unit (metal cabinet, getting plywood shelving)
 
Qwas on the TalkFestool forum suggested that one might want to make some alternate trays and fill them with task specific items. He mentioned Electrical and Plumbing.

I followed up on his idea this morning and made a two additional middle trays. Right now, I have filled one with Plumbing stuff and the other with Dowelmax stuff. Here is picture of all three middle trays:

Tool Organizer 7 -Frank's -Middle Trays for Dowelmax, Plumbing, and Woodwork -small.JPG

I will also make at least two additional bottom trays (once I purchase some more little plastic boxes). But, I will keep the top tray the same for all (unless, of course, I devote a second systainer 4 to holding my stuff).
 
Last edited:
No, I only need the systainer when I am taking the tray somewhere to do some work. Otherwise all the trays live on shelves in the shop.
Frank, am I reading this correctly? You're blatantly passing up the opportunity to get another Systainer? You feeling OK, buddy? :p :rofl:
 
Top