Milwaukee has just announced their new MTB2600 26″ Work Box – a tool box – that they say can survive 1000 drops when loaded with 50 lbs of tools.
Milwaukee says that current storage boxes do not have the durability that their users expect on the jobsite, and so they sought out to create something a lot tougher and sturdier that can absorb years of tough use and abuse.
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The new tool box, which is made from a proprietary high impact resistant polymer, has reinforced corners, recessed latches, and buttressed hinges that deflect debris and impact hazards to resist damage. It is also weather sealed, as you can tell from the red recessed strip that lines the lid, to protect tools from the elements and debris.
Not only is this one tough tool box on the outside, but it’s nicely configured on the inside as well. Milwaukee designed their new “storage solution” with corner pockets that can securely hold hand tools in upright positions. The corner pockets can also be used to help immobilize cordless drills and drivers that might otherwise bash around during transport.
There are also mounting points in the lid that allow users to hang or secure tools or supplies with ordinary screws. If you go back to the first image, you’ll see a Milwaukee M18 and M12 multi-voltage charger fixed to the inner lid of the tool box in such a manner.
You also get a convenient half-width removable tool tray that can be used to organize smaller items.
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A large comfortable-looking overmolded handle means that users can adjust their grip according to how weight is distributed within the tool box.
There are also pass-through side handles on both sides of the tool box that make it easier to retrieve or carry the tool box from different angles.
A groove molded into the lid helps to secure small diameter pipes and other such materials for cutting, and the handle serves double-duty as a hold-down clamp.
The tool box is lockable, via padlock holes at the front of the case.
Model: 48-22-8020, MTB2600
Price: $39.97
Made in USA
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
This 26″ Jobsite Work Box is said to be the first in a growing line of storage solutions from Milwaukee. Who else is excited to see what comes next?!
First Thoughts
While I had been hoping Milwaukee would come out with a line of modular tool boxes to compete with Bosch and Dewalt – and they still might – I am impressed with some of the features they designed into this tool box.
I like that the lid is recessed, which means fewer frustrations when overloading the tool box, but I also love the idea that the lid has mounting points. This means that you can attach whatever you want to the inside of the tool box without compromising its structural integrity or weather resistance. Fasten some plywood to the lid and you could create even more mounting options.
I also like the corner spots for hand tools, which should make it harder for smaller tools and accessories to swim around and get lost among larger hand tools or power tools.
One thing I find curious is that Milwaukee engineers did not take advantage of all of the available space at each end of the tool box. They maybe could have worked in some kind of removable organizer or holder, possibly a closeable compartment large enough for a smartphone, while still leaving enough room around the side handles. Maybe cost was a consideration here.
It looks like these boxes were designed to be used individually, but they might stack nicely together.
Overall, the design looks sound, and I cannot wait to get my hands on one or two.
mike
That looks like a nice way to carry around multiple tools around.
mikeh
Mike – did you already buy a bag for your sawzall? This is a very nice solution…and that’s coming from a dewalt guy
Robert
I wish they would go back to making hard cases for all tools if someone wants them. I’m a Dewalt guy , but have the Milwaukee pack out boxes and tape measure as I think there the best on the market .
mike
Yeah I sure did. I found a Porter Cable soft sided bag.
Depending on price I may want to try this out because of the spots to carry other tools around as well. Not to mention the other nice features.
Sure would beat the bucketboss I was thinking of getting sometime.
Caleb
How big is the Porter Cable Bag? I have a Dewalt sawzall that needs a home and it was 1/2″ too tall to fit in the box I thought I found and prefer to not have one that includes a ton of extra wasted space.
mike
The porter cable bag is pretty decent size. 16″ long 12″ high and approx 12″ wide.
Can easily fit the sawzall and other tools like a drill and such with charger and battery.
You can find it here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HPJBYZE/
Caleb
I really really want this box!
John S
Well, it is something… but where is the modular box system that Milwaukee needs to make to get caught up to the rest of the crew?!? 🙂
Stuart
A while ago their President said that Milwaukee isn’t in the “us too” business. I don’t know what’s coming down the pipeline, but I know this isn’t the only storage product that’s coming out. Maybe they’re coming out with modular tool boxes or storage cases, maybe not. I’ll let you know when I find out more.
Chris Fyfe
I like the concept . The waterproofing gasget is very cool . If the drop resistance claim is true , it’s plenty tuff . I like the ability to mount stuff to the lid . That arrangement with the charger looks cool . I like that the top parts tray is only half length .
If you use labled zipper bags , there are lots of nooks and crannies , for small easily lost tools and parts .
The price seems reasonable , when you factor in design and durability .
I look forward to seeing one .
Chris
fred
Looks enough different to say its innovative. It would make a good selling point if they’d bundle it in with M18 and/or M12 combination kits.
Dan
This is a tool box i like the look of, very useful for cordless tools or something bigger like a SDS, 4″ grinder and accessories.
If they do go modular a modified version of this as a top box with a drawer box or two below for smaller hand tools would be very good.
Josh
That looks fantastic. If that had been out when I started buying l-Boxxes, I might not have started buying l-boxxes. Holding drills and other small tools is most of why I bought into a modular system, and the price on that is fantastic.
Jerry
I like it. I do farm maintanence and I like the idea that I could carry a recip saw, drill, impact driver and accessories in one box, along with a few hand tools and not have them banging around on each other. While maybe not as slick for storage as other systems, it looks possibly better suited for jobsite use than most.
LORDDiESEL
It’s pretty cool, but i’m a soft bag fan.
Tomonthebeach
I love my Milwaukee tools. However, I carry mine around in canvas bags because the fancy plastic cases take up too much room in my tool cabinets. That is because toolboxes, even full ones, contain something tool bags do not — air. Air takes up a lot of space in toolboxes full or empty, whereas bags just settle over the tools allowing one to squish more tools into cabinets, car trunks, and cargo bays.
Kenneth Ruud
What they did with the charger is brilliant! 🙂
Hope they does something like that if they come out with modular tool boxes like the rest.
They should make one modular box that is a vacuum, and one that is for multi charging too aswell 🙂
Anyway, it looks like its gonna be something in the middle of Dewalt toughbuildt and Borsch/sortimo systainers 🙂
John S
It is sorta located between the dewalt and bosch…. apart from the fact it is simply a toolbox and is not at all part of a modular system at all. Which is a bummer :\
miss franciene
It’s a winner. I have a few milwaukee tools and they are very good. Great for the tradesman. Normal homeowner may not want this. Very cool however
JeremyJ
I love the corner tool pockets and the connections for the battery charger. I bought one of those 28″ dewalt/bostitch waterproof boxes (very similar in design). I even cut slots in the lid ribbing to tie up my hand saw and 2 foot level in the lid with hook/loop tape. They sure do get heavy when filled. I was kinda hoping for a 22-24 inch toolbox that will fit through doorways/hallways more easily. Something easily tied to a hand truck.I am still looking for a box for my tool only Fuel Circ and it’s awkward dimensions.
What are the dimensions of the inside of the box?
Are they coming out with more options?
I understand there are no stackable latches, but how about little feet/notches so they can stack without falling over?
Garrick
About the best general toolbox I ever seen. I especially like the ability to customise the lid. It makes for usable and visible storage. We all have different needs and/or preferences as to what we carry, and being able to easily modify a box is highly useful.
They could maybe have added some screw holes to the bottom section as well.
Optional foam for the bottom could come in handy.
Different colours of boxes helps identification. L-Boxxes come in multiple colours in Europe. See:
http://www.maintenanceandco.com/p/6269/la-mobilite-parfaite-la-l-boxx
I would also like a slightly smaller box available.
72anthony
This looks really cool.
It would be nice if you could stand on it, using it as a small step stool if you are in a bind.
I am clearing some property for a future house. I have been using a 5 gallon bucket, post office tote box, and zippered tool bag to haul various tools and everything has been a bit of a compromise.
I saw the 23 & 28″ Stanley Fat Max versions at Lowes. The latches protrude from the case…just waiting to tear up your shin or dry wall. The side handles only allow you to grip from underneath so it would be awkward to pull it out of a pickup truck bed or backseat. The Milwaukee is definitely a more refined version.
Stuart
I have seen workers stand on their tool boxes, but it’s not usually recommended.
With a 4x safety factor, a tool box would have to be able to support 1000 lbs for a manufacturer to be able to advertise it as being able to support a person weighing up to 250 lbs.
Most tool boxes that might support the weight of an average person often have warnings that they shouldn’t be used at step stools. Not only to avoid liability, but because the plastic could give out unexpectedly.
Dan
Those are usually the same workers who always have beat up toolboxes and then complain that they don’t last long. When they should have bought one of those rolling hop ups you can get.
jesse
I have my doubts about the utility of lockable tool boxes. As the saying goes, locks keep honest people out, but if somebody wants the contents badly enough, they can just walk off with the whole box.
Phil
Sweet! I hope the interior height of this box is at least 9.5″ in order to be a nice home for my Milwaukee grease guns and their accessories. This will be perfect if that’s the, um, case.
Chris
It should handle your grease gun without a problem. The internal height capacity of the box is ~10.5 inches.
Phil
Perfect! Thanks!
Dennis
Well if they release snap together modular I’m gonna be pissed. I bought into LBoxx because Milwaukee didn’t have a comparable product to house their tools.
Other than that the design is good, but I’d prefer it to not be screaming bright red. “Hey everybody, expensive tools right over here in this box!”. I would prefer just plain ol’ black like the lid. And if it’s absolutely necessary the accents can be in Milwaukee red.
matt
Looks Ok..
The dewalt tough box’s are such a home run for my use. This just does not really seem to compare from the pictures. Plastic latch’s really? I call BS on surviving the drops with plastic latch’s.. It does have some cool features and the price point seems decent..
John
Would the circular saw fit in it as well?
Stuart
Possibly, but probably not. I should be able to check for this next month when the tool box becomes available.
Chris
John,
A circ saw will fit great. It’s designed to fit a sawzall, two pistol tools and a circ saw with two more corner pockets to spare.
Chris
-Milwaukee
Jon
I am SO SICK of tool boxes that don’t have built-in organizers for small items. I don’t want to carry a big tool box and a separate organizer for a few small items, or have to dig around in the big tool box for those small items that settle to the bottom, or take up a bunch of space in the box for a separate organizer. Just give me a couple of secure (won’t pop open during use or transport) bins for insert bits, spare bit holder, the few drill bits I use regularly, jig saw blades, etc. Virtually every industry has a need for this kind of thing, yet so few tool boxes include it. The goofy floating trays inside are a joke for that purpose.
Stanley had a FatMax box that was fantastic. The large, black bin variety with two wheels and an extendable handle. Small parts organizer that snaps into place. Holds two 24″ levels inside the lid. The top of the lid has a groove to hold materials while you cut on it. The lid is hinged so you don’t have to find somewhere to put it while in use. It was absolutely strong enough to work on top of it all day, every day. My brother-in-law has two and won’t part with either. The ones they sell now lack almost all of these features. Just a big bin with a floating tray that spills its contents as soon as you use the handle to roll it around. And the lid is completely removable so it takes longer to attach it, after you retrieve it from wherever you had to store it during use.
L-Boxxes are a fantastic innovation, but don’t replace the basic, hold-your-most-frequently-used-tools-in-a-durable-box-which-allows-fast-access-to-everything type toolbox.
Matt
Get a veto pro pac..
They make a box seem kinda silly if its just about hand tools
JHS
Those are cool. Never heard of them until now. Thanks.
JHS
I would be curious to know the model number of that Stanley toolbox. I bet you if you can locate it you can find one of them. I bought an extra tray for this scenario my toolbox has two and it works out pretty well. It doesn’t have to lock in compartments like you like but it’s helpful nonetheless.
joe
I don’t know why toolboxes compartments are not more mainstream. I have done this to my tool boxes, meaning, made compartments inside. Just makes life much easier. I would also like “lid legs” on any tools box and I would buy…meaning you can open the lid and instead of lid hitting the floor, using the legs, it can be paralleled to the floor.
tyler
I got mine today from a milwaukee rep I ran into in home depot. They are stackable the have steps all across the top in two rows that match up with the bottom of the box. They dont lats or anything but they do stack nicely and sturdy. I love the tool box. Fits all my tools nicely and feels very solid
tyler
Joe and way to build those legs that you have found?? Sounds like an awesome idea
michael mcgrath
Just bought this last night from Home Depot and cannot complain! The corner pockets fit my M18 and M12 hammer drills perfectly and keep them right where I need them, the third pocket holds my M12 hackzall, and fourth pocket is holding my boxed drill bits. Will try mounting my charger as seen in their stock photo but doubting the usability of that. The lid is hinged and when fully opened it lays at an angle behind the box. A better design would be to either lay flat against the back wall of the box or parallel to the floor with supports/legs as suggested above. One word of advice, check your latches before buying, I was lucky that my local store had about 7 boxes on the shelf, a few of the latches didn’t engage. I’m also curious as to how the waterproof seal is going to hold up to the south Florida heat…it seems pretty soft. But all in all a great box, around 40 bucks, very tough and well designed.
Dave L.
It looks like those vertical ribs could take dividers made out of masonite or thin plywood. Small divider boxes could be attached to them as well. Just a thought.
David
All this bad boy needs is a telescopic handle. Why didn’t Milwaukee come out with a telescopic handle yet?
Dewalt,has ridgid,has husky, has and makita too. Milwaukee is my fave but they need to get on the ball with this.
JHS
I store a lot of handles and some more stuff in my toolbox. I just bought an extra tray for this and now my box has two in the top. It works great it gives me the extra storage space that I need.
Steve Boracca
Too bad it’s not a packout platform.
Stuart
This one came out years before Packout.