Our friends (and affiliate partner) over at Tool Nut tipped me off about a couple of Milwaukee hand tool and Packout tool storage promos they’re currently running.
Buy any 3 (or more) Milwaukee hand tools, and you get free shipping. The free shipping threshold is usually $99.
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Spend $100-$199 on Milwaukee hand tools, and get a free Packout organizer.
Spend $200 or more on Milwaukee hand tools, and you get a free Packout tote bag.
The deal applies to Packout tool storage products too. Buy a Packout rolling tool box? You get a free organizer. Non-Packout “Ultimate Jobsite Backpack“? You get a free organizer.
Shop Now(Qualifying Tools via ToolNut)
Read Also: Everything You Want to Know About Packout
There are a couple of new Packout products on the way, such as a shallow organizer (yes!; I’ve pushed for a shallow Milwaukee organizer a couple of times now), and new dolly and docking options. I LOVE this system. It’s a little pricey, but you get a lot for your money.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some hand tool and Packout storage product shopping to do.
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Deal ends 6/30/2018.
Pete
If only i NEEDed more tools……
RCWARD
I never pay for shipping so that’s not a deal
Joe
Way overpriced for what you get..it’s all hype. For half the price Dewalt tough system is much better, has new 2 and 3 drawer units, racks for vans or garage. Milwaukee had years to see Dewalts set up….misleading videos the whole nine yards…..the boxes are larger on the exterior, not sturdier then Dewalts……..even the deals are not great….
KeithInKC
I own both and I can tell you that the packouts are way sturdier. When my kid takes his xbox to a friends house, I put it in the small top packout box . I would never trust the dewalt in the same way.
The Milwaukee ones are definitely way more expensive, so I use both (I actually like the ridgid ones better than dewalt too). I put all my expensive tools in the packouts and I put hand tools in the dewalt for the most part.
For a typical homeowner, I wouldn’t suggest packouts. They are too expensive for what is typically needed.
Stuart
They’re apples and oranges.
Both systems have distinct benefits.
Brian
Most of Joe’s post is untrue except the price.
Robert
The Milwaukees are much stronger with more features, but I agree they are inefficient in use of space due to the strength/features.
The extra expense is worth it just for the lack of stink. The DeWalt and Ridgid offgas terribly, even months later. You show up at a client and they wonder why your equipment is so malodorous, you may as well just have farted in his/her face.
ktash
I really like their organizers and they are competitively priced. I use them for fasteners, which are heavy when filled. I started with Harbor Freight, then went to Stanley organizers for fasteners. These aren’t really that much more $ for what you get. If dropped, both the HF and Stanley organizers (filled with heavy fasteners) are not going to hold together/hold up as well as the Milwaukee. Much sturdier and better clasps (both front and sides) and beefier construction. Good sized containers.
fred
We pretty much used Stanley parts boxes on the trucks. Many of our trucks were upfitted (by Dejana) – and they had racking/compartments that I believe were designed to fit the Stanley boxes. Overall these boxes could only take so much use/abuse before they were trash. In the shops – we had what was in place when we bought them – one shop Vidmar and one shop Lista – with some Rotabins and quite a number of Durham metal small parts boxes. The metal boxes – may have been sturdier than plastic – but subject to rust, denting – plus no view of the contents when closed. As I recall their handles and latches were rather paltry too. Nothing’s perfect.
I see that HD sells metal small parts boxes from Klein.
https://www.homedepot.com/s/klein%2520small%2520parts%2520boxs?NCNI-5
They seem quite pricey compared to Durham.
TonyT
I wonder how Pelican cases would stand up; I did a quick search, and their tool chests (such as the 0450WD) make Milwaukee look cheap.
I’ve noticed Pelican flashlights have some fans here, and I’ve had good experiences with their normal cases. I bought a nice Pelican case for my Fluke oscilloscope (yup, Fluke makes scopes, although compared to using a Tek, for some reason it feels a bit like a DMM), and at work we use the smaller boxes for storing master gauges which cost about a grand to get certified (and need re-cert if they’re dropped).
Stuart
I own a Pelican 0450, but don’t use it as much as I would have hoped for. One day I’ll equip it with a dedicated tool set in foam liners, but I’m not there yet.
It’s heavy – really heavy, but great for hand tools. It can be reconfigured with deeper drawers.
Pelican cases are awesome, and more space-efficient compared to Packout.
There’s a Packout with foam coming soon. (https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/hottest-new-milwaukee-tools-from-nps18/%3C/a%3E%29%3C/p%3E
Pelican has many more customization options. There is some competition potential to Packout, but they’re really more aimed at construction-related tool and parts storage and protection.
Pelican’s mobile tool box, 1460Tool, https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/pelican-1460tool-mobile-tool-chest/%3C/a%3E , is a little more delicate than something that might be open and in use at a construction site. But for a tech, it might more versatile than say a Packout tote.
SiSiX
I use Pelican cases for my camera equipment. They are built like a small tank. The 1520 case I got back in 2007, that is the main one I use to carry my camera body and three lenses in, is their medium sized case, and I can comfortably stand on it (at #225) to be a little higher for a shot, raise up someone for a portrait, or set someone on. I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable doing that with either the Dewalt or the Milwaukee cases. And I don’t empty my case when I do that!
Personally, having looked at all three (Pelican, Dewalt, Milwaukee), the Pelican’s are clearly the most expensive, have the most options, are the best built and sturdiest, and have the widest use and history. I wasn’t overly thrilled with the latches on the Dewalts, and the cases seemed the flimsiest of the three. They are also the cheapest. The Milwaukees seemed right in the middle of the pack (ha ha), with some interesting features, and the rolling bottom case looked and felt sturdy enough that I would feel comfortable using it to cart around a couple thousand in studio lights on location, rather than using a wheeled Pelican case. (The Pelican wheeled cases are really meant for airports, not grass.) I wouldn’t feel as comfortable putting my lights in the wheeled Dewalt case, especially if I knew there was any kind of wet/rain involved.
But for a jobsite, where I KNOW the case is going to get beat up, I can’t tell you the Milwaukees are worth the extra for the little extra they provide, especially knowing you’re probably going to have to replace them. I guess someone would need to test the three different kinds of cases, using a foam insert and some standard tools/weights and see how they all faired.
Frank D
The whole ridgid wheeled three box stack is on sale for $99 … high time milwaukee gets with the program and drops prices. Plus still not a single packout item in multiple HD stores … while Lowes already has several Craftsman displays, ads, products, ….
glenn
Milwaukee’s Packout looks great and all but it is stupendously overpriced in Australia. Check these prices for a laugh. I sincerely hope no one is idiot enough to pay these prices when you can buy a Tough System or Tstak radio for the same price as the base unit.
https://sydneytools.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?brand=492&q=packout
glenn
I should have added that the pricing comments are in no way meant to be derogatory to the company I linked too. In fact, they tend to be leaders in lower pricing here.
D
Totally agree Glenn. I don’t know who’d be buying them here.
Bunnings now have the ridgid boxes (AEG branding). It’s only $199 AUD for the 3 box set.
D
For anyone not following the link, the packout set is $689 AUD. That’s $490 more expensive than the ridgid set!!!
Stuart
Could it be that they’re special ordered and the price of shipping is baked into the price?
D
I’m not sure.
The company selling packout are a Milwaukee authorised retail partner.
glenn
That is the standard pricing here. Total ripoff on Milwaukee Australia’s part. The pricing structure here is why I bought into Makita and sold off most of my Milwaukee tools.
glenn
D, I saw the AEG set. Its fairly priced and should be a good seller.
D
Yeah I was impressed when I saw them in store the other day. Great quality for the price.
I have a heap of their Tactix modular storage boxes (also structural foam). They’re quite good and very similar to the AEG/Ridgid but only slightly cheaper. If I had of known we’d see the AEG set I would have held off on getting more of the Tactix (I now have 8 boxes).
D
Well, actually more like tough boxes in style than the AEG
glenn
I had thought about the Tactix setup but just never got around to closely checking them out.
I am very tempted to get the AEG setup just for extra garage storage but I do like that the Tactix boxes are available with drawers. Do the drawers feel solid?
Cameron
I must have a closer look at the AEG kit. I use the Tactix storage boxes, they are a little more on the expensive end at Bunnings, but they stack well, are strong and look great.
I like Milwaukee Red but the pricing is pretty dear, I would much prefer to spend that on more tools.
D
Glenn, the Tactix drawers aren’t too bad. Not as smooth running as tstak or tough box drawers though. They’re harder to pull open. I’ve put a fair bit of weight inside one, loading it with 30 or so spanners, and it was a bit sticky to open but it held the weight ok.
I have 3 of the Tactix drawer boxes. They have nice removable dividers in each drawer with 9 sections that are perfect size for 18V batteries. I use one for a battery and charger tool box. The chargers go in the top lid section, with batteries in the drawers, easily accessible.
ToolOfTheTrade
I’ve yet to find a purpose for these modular junk boxes and don’t see much of a benefit to having them. Just about all power tools come with a case or bag of some kind and they are very transportable when they are in their own case. What good does it do to throw all that shit into one big box if that box is half filled with shit you don’t need? All of a sudden that 9lb circ saw you needed becomes 48lbs because you decided to put it in a modular box along with your mini sledge, screwdrivers, flatbars, rotary hammer, recip saw, blades, grinder, jigsaw, and whatever other shit that isn’t needed for the task at hand. Pretty damn stupid if you ask me. What’s the point in hauling tools you don’t need just because they can all fit into one big box? Modular, right? A good strong duffel bag would serve the same purpose for significantly less money. It would be a real PITA hauling that up and down the stairs. If I don’t need something then why the hell would I want to bring it with me? And why would I put something that I need into a box of shit I don’t need for the sake of it being all in one box? Isn’t that the selling point of this overpriced bullshit stackable modular system? To put all of your tools into big boxes and stack them all so you’re organized and you can haul them all together at once? Talk about a heavy and inconvenient pain in the ass.
Jim Felt
Yes. Most craftspeople I see only bring exactly what they expect to use. And leave the rest in their rigs. Or shop.
Too easy to waste time, energy and misplace extra stuff while looking for the right tools.
But I’m speaking about specialists as we simply do comparatively easy stuff ourselves.
Glenn
Sort of agree. I do split system aircon installs and I use a keter rolling toolbox. I pretty much have what I would reasonably expect to use in it on a job by job basis. The rest is kept in the work vehicle. Easily accessed anytime. Where these types of systems may be handy is when you do a job in an apartment block. Nothing worse than trapsing up and down stairs because you need a drill bit you dont have etc This set up may not suit suit you, bit it will work for others.
Stuart
You don’t seem to understand the point of modular storage.
Consider a 3-piece setup, with a roller tool box, a small tool box, and an organizer.
The organizer can be equipped with tool and supplies for fixture installations. The small tool box can have a cordless drill, impact, and bit sets, for things like cabinetry installs. The roller tool box can have saws, a worklight, and clamps.
Take what you need, or take it all.
Packout, and the same is true about other modular systems, isn’t about lumping all your stuff together. It’s about compartmentalizing your needs, and pairing them with tool storage appropriately sized for those tools.
KeithInKC
Personally, I load all that stuff up, put it into a trailer where I strap them into place and them drive out to a remodel job. Since I’m remodeling most of it myself, I have a wide variety of needs. I do tend to put all my Sheetrock equipment in one set, painting equipment in another set, framing tools and so on. That way I can just grab the ones I need for that day.
For all the miscellaneous stuff, I do use a bunch of tool bags, but it’s way easier to keep things sorted when everything has a “home”.
Tim E.
That’s exactly what I do too! I put general tools in the bottom that I always need, then have individual boxes filled for plumbing, electrical, drywall and trim, painting and finishing, outdoor, and then organizers or small boxes of consumables also separated as needed, so I just grab what I need for a job, throw it on the bottom, and I’m set. Not like I’m taking the entire stack worth all the time.
Chris
Who would even spend 100 bucks on Milwaukee hand tools? Way better choices for the money unless your obsessed with red
Adam
Try one of their crescent wrenches, and tell me where to find a better one. Yes, some of their hand tools are just their version, but in red, but others are a vast improvement upon others. I haven’t found a better pair of wire strippers for my needs, or the manual T50 / brad nail stapler they have.
I love my Wera screwdrivers, so I won’t be buying Milwaukee’s anytime soon, though I do have 3 in VDE. A decent wrench is a decent wrench to me, and my GearWrench have done fine. The Milwaukee wrenches do seem to be one of their more overpriced items, and doubt I’ll have a set of those.
fred
FYI – there was a discussion about adjustable wrenches over on the ToolGuyd Community Forum:
https://discuss.toolguyd.com/t/irega-channellock-vs-milwaukee-adjustable-wrenches/1048
chris
Wire strippers, Klein, Southwire, Channelock IMO all make superior wire strippers… All my crescent wrenches are from channelock or crescent. Made in the USA and just higher quality. Milwaukee is trying to get into a market that is FULL of high end well known companies making these products for decades and with prices that IMO don’t even make sense
fred
We liked the Channellock Wide-Azz adjustable wrenches (6SWCB, 6WCB, 8SWCB and 8WCB) – but they are made in Spain by Irega – not USA-made
Alick
Tried their wire cutters. Thought the longish handles would give extra leverage. Junk !
They were far harder to use than any of my other knipex, lobster or nws cutters all with shorter handles. I assume they had a less effective grind to the cutting edges. So disappointed that I gave them away …
Frankly I don’t think much of their stuff, other people make better, but their one success so far is the original fastback knife. I haven’t been tempted to ‘trade up’ to anything else since I found that. Super comfortable for my hands.
The yeti
Love this blog. Rented an excavator this weekend. Had a ton of fun tearing down an old garage.
I would like to see more reviews of bigger stuff. Who cares about a 100 dollar drill. Lets see truck and equipment reviews.
Also. Pumps. Generators. Pressure washers . Lawn tractors. Bobcats. Etc.
Tool guyd has the audience to support thesr reviews. Btw. Love the new knife reviews guy. Need to see more knife reviews. Everyone buys knives
Stuart
Bigger stuff is a lot harder to review.
First, if it’s something we need to request, because it’s not something we need and wouldn’t buy, bigger equipment comes with expectations for commensurate coverage.
What to do with big stuff once review and other editorial coverage is completed?
I have a hard enough time trying to find places to donate or give away tool samples to. Generators, pressure washers, lawn mowers, and things like that? They’re big, bulky, and hard to get rid of.
My own review queue is almost impossibly long. I’m still tripping over equipment waiting to be donated. I have a few arrangements to make for this month, after which I hope to be done with big and bulky things for a while.
fred
I guess that ToolGuyd would not want to buy or lease a warehouse and/or construction yard (just kidding) – but I guess that’s what it might take. Pressure washers, generators and lawnmowers do get some attention from reviewers like Consumers Union – but heavy construction equipment garners little attention. Even trade journal coverage is more often in the form of placed pieces with little editorial content or objective testing. To be fair – it just too hard to do a side by side comparison testing of similar class backhoes (as an example) – with all their options and try to put such testing into the context of different uses.
ToolOfTheTrade
The yeti is right and I couldn’t agree with the yeti more. I’d rather read about a bench grinder belt sander combo than a one day sale on Amazon. I enjoy the site, but there’s a ton of other tools besides woodworking and the basic construction/contractor/diy tools. Everything the yeti mentioned plus machine shop tools reviews (lathes, bench grinders, mc bandsaws, etc), metal working tools reviews, pneumatic tools reviews besides a damn nail gun (needle scaler, jitterbugs, d.a sanders, air chisel and hammers, etc), welders and welding tools reviews, the list goes on and on of cool tools that seldom or never get mentioned. I’m sure everyone will want to read about and support for future posts.
fred
Sounds like a good idea for ToolGuyd expnasion – but might not be in Stuart’s wheelhouse and hard for him and his team to get up to speed.
I was invested in 4 businesses where tools ranged in size from tweezers to a Daewoo excavator. The heavy machinery we had in the yard of the GC/Remodeling business was a real mix and match of things – a bit of it acquired ahead of my investment in that business. When I was involved in the buying – it was sometimes a bit of a crap shoot – with a paucity of objective information available – and a need to sort through manufacture’s data/advertising hype and talk to local dealers. Why we owned an ASV skid steer – but sometimes rented extra Bobcat or CAT ones , I often thought was just based on a roll of the dice.
The stationary machinery in our cabinet shop was a combination of Delta, Felder, Hammer, Laguna, Oliver, Powermatic , Safety-Speed-Cut, ShopFox and others.
Our pipe/metal fabrication shop had equipment from companies like Armstrong-Blum, Baileigh, Do-All, Oster and Vernon/Lincoln-Electric.
While Stuart’s DIY and individual contractor audiences might be interested in this class of equipment – I hope that Stuart knows the demographics of his readership and concentrates both on what they use/buy and what he can provide insights on in an intelligent manner. A few forays away from Amazon/HD sale items – and the world of Dewalt and Milwaukee – into the realm of more specialized or heavier-duty tools would be interesting – and comments might provide some insights about his audience’s interest.
Stuart
ToolGuyd’s audience is very, very varied. Many review requests line up with my own interests and experiences, and sometimes there are requests I cannot accommodate.
A Bobcat, for example. Even if a loaner or review sample were available, someone looking to buy their first or next utility machine might not benefit very much from a review. What questions might they have that I’ll know how to answer? What questions would I answer that they might not know to ask?
Size, complexity, cost-related value, are all things that make certain reviews out of the question at the moment.
A few years ago, someone offered me a welder to review. It came along with a lengthy coverage agreement document they wanted me to sign. But that wasn’t the problem. The problem then was that I didn’t have a 220V outlet, and neither did any of the off-site places I was able to utilize at the time.
At the moment, my priority is to reclaim floor space and to optimize my tool storage solutions. My tools are spread in several directions, making it hard for me to find anything when needed, and even when everything is at the ready, there aren’t enough clear spaces to work. I’m working on things, but it’s an incredibly slow process – a process I thought I’d be done with back in February or March. But I’m slowly getting there.
Maybe it’s time I looked into renting a small industrial space for a workshop, but I’m not too keen on the costs involved with that. A much smaller studio space would be out of the question, because power tool use might not be fitting. Then there’s the consideration of how does such a space pay for itself? Maybe in a few years.
TonyT
Yes, it’s good to cynical about trade mags with their constant hype of the latest fad and vendor-written articles. But for many markets there aren’t good alternatives.
Even assuming one can get review samples and is knowledgeable enough, there’s the issue of time, which is extremely valuable – it takes time to learn a complex systems, time to figure out how to realistically test the equipment, and time to test things like durability, all for a small market with many different needs and priorities.
I’ll give some examples for a market I know better, industrial automation. The trade mags’ circulation is in 10,000’s or less. Something like a PLC (programmable logic controller) is complex, and to really understand it, you need to spend substantial time with it (they’re programmable and have many add-on options). Then the users have different criteria; for example, we use Panasonic PLC’s because the connector types, compact size, and reasonable cost fit our needs, and we don’t let the customer program them so we don’t have to worry about using something their techs understand (a big reason why many OEMs use Allen Bradley).
We also prioritize lead time over cost, since we need to reliably build machines to order – saving $1000 isn’t worth it if it holds up the delivery of a $100,000 machine.
BTW, really appreciate this blog – I’ve learned a lot from the authors and the posters.
Stuart
A bench grinder belt sander combo? Good idea. One that I would actually recommend without reservations? Good luck.
I’ve been in the market for benchtop tools for a while. It’s a neglected market where the only options seem to be a choice between cloned import models with compromised designs and bottom-dollar price points, and industrial models at high premiums.
When someone asks about 10″ or 12″ drill presses, there’s nothing I’d enthusiastically recommend. My Craftsman is decent, but so-so.
Lathes – I have a woodworking sample, hope to get some coverage on that out soon (finally).
Bench grinders – generally, even cheaper ones have good user reviews. There haven’t been innovations in years. I had 1 grinder question, and that was 7 years ago, so it hasn’t been on my to-do list for a while. https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/bench-grinder-craftsman-ryobi-porter-cable-recommendation/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Metal-cutting bandsaws – I’ve been on the fence about what to buy for my own needs. Horizontal band saw, or 14″ saw. I keep missing sales for a 14″ Fein saw, but that’s likely the way I’ll be going. Vertical band saw? No space for one. Even if I did, a woodworking band saw would see more use.
Metalworking tool reviews – this is an area I have some experience in, but for the types of tools you’re interested in, I’d want a bit more exposure before I could write confidently enough.
One-off reviews are okay. But I like to dive in deep and gain enough authority and confidence before doing certain reviews. Otherwise, there’s not as much value. I can’t say, for example “this is the first [tool type] I’ve used, here’s my review after a 5 minute project.”
Pneumatic tools reviews besides nail guns (needle scaler, jitterbugs, d.a sanders, air chisel and hammers, etc) – I don’t use automotive air tools often, and so there’s not much review potential there right now. I’m still casually shopping for a quiet vertical shop compressor.
Welders and welding tools reviews – eventually, when the need for welding projects comes up.
fred
The big innovation (IMO) in grinding came when CNC aspheric and multi-axis grinders started appearing. But a 5 or 6 axis grinder would not fit on your bench – unless you had a really big bench.
Re: Metal cutting bandsaws – while I have a big home shop – there is no room (or 3 phase wiring) for the type of big Marvel plate saw we had in the metal shop. I make do with a portable bandsaw and a stand. I have a Milwaukee stand that tries to emulate the look of a Doall. If I were to buy today – I’d be looking at a Swag stand. A Laguna woodworking bandsaw gets much more use in my shop.
Pneumatic sanders – were a mainstay in our cabinet shop – but at home my corded electrics (still use old Rockwell-Porter-Cable – and Bosch) do it for me. I did buy a cordless Makita XOB01Z and use it a bit – mostly at the kid’s places.
ToolOfTheTrade
I was just giving some examples of other tools that I’m sure others would like to read about. I wasn’t referring to myself and I was just making general suggestions of other things to discuss besides a one day sale on Amazon or some retail related promo sale at the big box store which seem to be a regular topic of discussion and to be honest it’s not educational and it’s pretty boring. Here’s another example of something that I’m sure others would rather read about than retail related promos:hammers. You could write a different blog every day for a month on hammers and mallets and their applications. Educate your readers on stuff besides retail reviews and the typical trendy brands and BS. I think the recent heat gun post was the first time I’ve seen it discussed on this site which was cool, but the fact that it only mentioned one brand made it very biased and didn’t offer much more than a Milwaukee promo. Could’ve talked about other brands of heat guns and their comparisons, but that didn’t happen did it? Nope.