Tajima, a Japanese company that is perhaps best known in the USA for their tape measures, has its own modular tool storage system.
Tajima’s tool box and storage system is unique in a lot of ways, and seems to be focused on worker safety and convenience.
While it’s not available here (yet?), the Tajima storage system looks to be clever and interesting.
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To start off, I really like the look of the 4-wheel cart, which can hold two towers of tool boxes and crates. This lets workers move more gear in fewer trips.
There’s also a 2-wheel rolling tool box option.
The 2-wheel rolling tool box is different from what we’ve seen in the past.
For example, there are latches at the bottom, suggesting it can also be hauled to the jobsite on the platform cart.
If you look at the wheels, they’re positioned outside the tool box, to the sides, which increases the storage volume of the tool box.
Tajima also has a drawer tool box.
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There’s a top drawer, and also a bottom drawer that can be stacked multiple times. This allows users to create a multi-drawered tool box as tall as they need.
There are different drawer options as well. One is empty, and there’s another with dividers for holding removable parts boxes.
Tajima has 3 sizes of parts boxes.
Each has its own lid, and that’s not all.
You can take a bin out of the drawer, and attach it to the side of the tool box.
Each tool box has multiple accessory docking slots, some more than others, depending on their size.
Here’s a closer look.
That’s pretty neat, right? This doesn’t seem to affect the ability to unlatch and move the tool boxes around.
And you can also attach it to your tool belt.
Don’t have a Tajima tool belt or tool docks? You can attach it to your belt.
The hinged lids open from the user’s belt/body side, which seems convenient.
The removable tool trays can be secured to the outside of the tool boxes, which also seems handy.
The tool boxes all look to have slots on the inside, allowing users to organize them with pouches and tool holders as needed.
Here’s a closer look.
There are many modular tool box systems on the market today, but few brands have given much attention to internal storage or organizational solutions.
You can add or remove pouches as needed.
If you look closely, there’s a tape measure and also a level secured to the lid of the tool box.
The tool holders and pouches can also be moved to the outside of the tool boxes.
There’s a large mouth tool tote with rails lining the inside and outer perimeters.
But wait. The tool holders and pouches can also clip right into a Tajima tool belt – or presumably any tool belt that’s equipped with their individual tool holders.
That seems pretty neat.
This allows users to grab what they need, and store what they don’t.
Tajima makes a wide range of tool holders and pouches, all of which look to work with the same tool holders.
So this means you can use Tajima pouches for internal tool box storage and organization, on the outside of the tool boxes for quick access, or on your tool belt to take with you.
The only thing that could make this even better is if Tajima came out with wall-mounted tool hangers.
Looking closer, Tajima’s system appears to be built a la carte. I don’t see why their mountable plates couldn’t be attached to other vertical surfaces, such as walls, carts, or other tool boxes.
The rolling cart folds flat for storage and transport.
Tajima also has a hanger which can be hooked onto clothes hanger-like poles.
This lets users transport their safety gear from their van or truck right to the tool carts.
There’s also a hook for helmet straps and similar safety gear.
Here’s another look at the hanger being used with a Tajima harness and fully loaded cart.
The tool boxes and totes all have automatic latches, which Tajima showing off in their demo videos how easily they connect together from different angles.
Lastly, they show that you can step on their tool boxes for quick use as a stepstool, something most tool box brands strictly frown upon.
While Tajima focuses on their system’s storage and organization for hand tools and safety gear, they also show it holding cordless power tools.
This looks AMAZING.
None of the tool boxes are available in the USA, at least not that I can find. Amazon has a limited selection of Tajima tool holders and related products.
Here’s everything they offer right now, not including their existing selection of tool belts, holders, and pouches.
- Tool Box | TB-TBOX
- Tool Basket with Handle | TB-TBSKH
- Tool Basket | TB-TBSK
- 2-Drawer Tool Box Set | TB-HBOX2
- Tool Bag | TB-TBAG
- Folding Trolley | CT-DHTOR
- Rolling Tool Box | TB-TBOXC
- Upper Drawer Box | TB-HBOXU
- Lower Drawer Box | TB-HBOXL
- Empty Tray | TB-HBOXFT
- Parts Case Tray | TB-HBOXPT
- Parts Case with 9 Bins | TB-PCS9
- Tool Box Inner Tray | TB-TBPXIT
- Small Parts Bin | TB-PCS
- Medium Parts Bin | TB-PCM
- Large Parts Bin | TB-PCL
- 6-Row Metal Plate | TB-HP6M
- 6-Row Plate | TB-HP6P
- 1-Row Metal Plate | TB-HP1M
- 1-Row Plate | TB-HP1P
- Double J-Hook Trolley Plate | TB-JFW
- Name Plate | TB-NP
- Rotating Harness Hanger | TB-RHANGER
- Replacement Connection Lock | TB-LP
- Replacement Feet | TB-TBOXCLT
- Replacement Trolley Handle Lock Parts | CT-LP
Here are two videos from Tajima showcasing their new storage system:
TdotW
Wow, sure looks well though out. These mobile tool storage box system manufacturers sure are flooding the market with so many options it’s crazy. We went from a couple choices to almost a couple dozen different brands now. There’s so many choices now, it’s going to make competitive prices a priority to get the buyers to choose one over another…which will be good for us, when it starts happening at least.
MM
This system looks very well though out. I especially like how you can take the modular bins and other storage units from the inside and hang them on the outside of the box or on a belt.
And speaking of Tajima, they make the best caulk guns I’ve ever used. I really like the “Convoy RS Dual Thrust” models, they have a thumb-operated switch that changes between a standard mode and an extra-high-leverage one that generates higher force but less displacement on the plunger when you squeeze the handle. That latter setting is great for thicker materials that are hard to dispense or when you want more control. Another big plus is that they are slightly longer than most caulk guns so it is a easier to remove empty cartridges and insert fresh ones.
Harrison
I have that caulking gun as well, it’s fantastic. And their chalk line.
I really should try more of their equipment, they really put the effort in to the tools they make.
MM
Like you said I think they really pay attention to detail to the little things. Their chalk lines have super thin strings so they leave a more precise line than many others. Their plumb bob is very well thought out too–it has a built-in reel for the string as well as a spike for attaching to wood surfaces and a magnet for metal ones, they make very good snap blade knives with aluminum handles, etc.
Harrison
Looks fantastic.
Nate
Toughbuilt gets a little bit of the way there with a few of these ideas; some of their widemouth tool bags have the cliptech points to attach the belt pouches, for instance. But nothing as thorough as what Tajima’s got going on here.
The only thing I don’t love is it looks like the volumetric efficiency is really poor. You put a few types of screws into compartments and you’ve taken up a whole drawer that occupies as much space as a Stanley tray holding 4x as much stuff in 6x as many compartments. The densest layout is 9 compartments per tray? Oof.
That said, I’m no stranger to making my own accessories to customize a most-of-the-way-there system, so if that’s my only gripe, it’s certainly solvable. And with all the other benefits of the system, it might be worth it.
Saulac
When will Pelican joint the race?
Which brand will lead move to the “lifestyle” segment: overland, camping, hunting, fishing…
Next up: table top equipment such as compressors, mitter saws, table saws, router tables… built around a case, like most portable generators, and can latch into these boxes.
Michael F
As far as compressors and things being built into the boxes, the closest I’ve seen for that is the Systainer ecosystem. There are air compressors stuffed into Systainers and of course Festool has dust extractors in the format. I’ve even seen custom jobs where people have used upside down circular saws to create small table saws out of a Systainer and an MDF work top.
Saulac
I just get in Toughbuilt Stacktech and this gives me ideas. Their crate is sturdy and integrated more than other brands’. I will experiment with cutting out the side walls and install my own equipment. Ideally though, the frame should be able to open up and be part of the tool.
Michael F
Sometimes the products that come to market in the US vs Japan/Europe really highlight some interesting cultural differences. I’ve noticed that storage systems released in the US seem to emphasize ruggedness and water resistance over things like meticulous organization needs or little details. Maybe this is warranted, because I’ve seen quite a few comments from Packout users and the like suggesting they like the system because they can throw the boxes in the back of their truck at the end of the day or drop them down the stairs.
I’ve mentioned before that the Systainer ecosystem seems to be designed around the assumption you’re going to transport them in a van to a relatively clean and well controlled jobsite whereas Packout/ToughSystem/StackTech seem to be designed around the assumption you’re going to transport them in the back of a truck to an outdoor jobsite. It’s very interesting to see a Japanese company’s take on the modular storage market.
Wayne R.
I agree with your observation of open-bed truck dominance here in the USA. Chucking bales of hay in the back makes sense to me, but certainly not tool boxes. Not regularly, anyway.
There are a lot of counter-intuitive concepts in this country that have become the status quo.
Saulac
Good observation. Note the differences in the cultural, and construction/DIY culture in particular. In the US, a lot of the lighter jobs are handle by the owners, that leaves the pros with the dirty parts. It is changing is the US thought.
Dave
Yes, look at the Festool Systainers for example in the European market. The boxes are made out of thin, brittle plastic which makes it lighter but more susceptible to cracking. Other cultures take care of their tools better than US pros.
smoothness
I live in the “Europe: 1.5” version of the US aka: New England. A majority of our cities were built organically, and at a European scale. Think small, twisted streets and tight, seemingly nonsensical buildings.
You have *no* idea how many times my friends and I have lusted over some new small-scale truck, station wagon, or hatchback…only to find out it is Asia/EU/Oceania only. The same goes for tool transportation. We all love the scale of Systainer and TStak, because our diy workshops are usually the size of a closet in the midwest.
Packout and their competitors may look nice on a construction site…but they’d take up all the space in an average-sized garage.
I would do mildly questionable things to get a trade agreement so that all the “old” areas in the US could purchase all the products and vehicles deemed “not bulky/tough enough” for the American market.
Frank D
Compared to the USA; in Europe, there is a plethora of hatchbacks, station wagons, plus even better compact and mid size vans, both in passenger and cargo. We barely have any of those in the US. I wanted a station wagon, but the choice is just some expensive German wagons, and a minivan ( think Renault Espace, Toyota Previa, … ) had better value with a much bigger volume. As a serious DIY-er, I personally had a Chrysler and Dodge passenger before; and now have a Metris aka MB Vito Extended Cargo. Biggest van one can buy that fits in a single garage. People often tell me I should have a pickup truck or ask why I don’t have a pickup truck? … I would not mind a pickup truck, but they’re not practical and less fuel efficient. I have a much larger amount of space, with lower loading floor, a nice enclosed weather tight and protected volume. I can mount stuff to the wall, leave my van in any weather … all tools, or purchased materials stay dry. I haul pretty much anything that I want and still get 24+25 mpg. Going to the store, or on long distance trips, I have less to worry about theft … compared to having an open pickup truck bed … where something may disappear out of the truck bed in a short minute ( going into a gas station, stopping at a big box store, … )
MM
I am friends with a lot of gearheads, and according to them anyway legal matters are why we don’t have those vehicles in the US. Many of them don’t meet US highway crash standards, like the ever popular Japanese “kei” trucks and vans, or their engines don’t meet US emissions laws, like the Diesel hilux that everybody lusts after.
US tax laws are also partly to blame for the preference of trucks, and larger ones at that. There is a “gas guzzler tax” that applies to many large passenger cars…but it doesn’t apply to trucks, so that shifts the market for big luxury vehicles.
Peter
Good thoughts mate.
Shawn Yuan
Omg. I’m so jelly and a bit sad. It’s everything I want in a modular tool system and solutions to problems I just considered annoyances. There’s absolutely no way I could bring back a set from Asia though and I see little hope in Tajima bringing these over.
James
Part of this makes me want to dissolve my business and start over just so I can use a different storage solution lol. This does look legit and not just another copycat.
Bonnie
Looks like you can get everything except the wheeled carts on Amazon.jp shipped to the US. Shipping adds up pretty fast of course (its almost as much as each box itself) but for fast international import shipping that’s surprisingly not terrible. Shipping included it looks like that two-drawer unit above comes out to about $225, which is honestly less than I was expecting. This is before any relevant taxes+duty though so YMMV.
Shawn Yuan
Hmmm… I’m just a garage hobbyist so no filing it away as office supplies.
Maybe on my next trip, I’ll just find the cheapest luggage at a thrift store and swap my stuff over to my new Tajima modular tool box set. Baggage handlers though… Whether or not these boxes can withstand being dropped out of a 777, I’d like them to still look new when I bring them home. I’ll just act like I didn’t read this article.
Wayne R.
Imagine Americans treating safety equipment as something other than an afterthought. Tajima is impressive on that front.
A previous employer of mine mandated annual safety videos that said such & such “was required to be presented & tested every day” yet ignored it completely in reality. We didn’t waste a lot of respect there.
BigTimeTommy
American companies don’t care about employee safety because the company can get a sweet dead peasant payout and hire a new guy at a lower rate. No idea how it works overseas.
NoDak Farming
It’s interestingly different on heavy industrial job sites here in the US. Like constructing multi story office buildings, or doing remodel work inside a refinery. Safety records even play a large part in the bidding process for which company gets the job. Mandatory safety meeting and mandatory stretches every morning. One job I was on had mandatory stretches twice a day. The tiniest mistake or accident was treated like a learning exercise and shared at morning meetings. There’s always paperwork or forms to fill out, to help guarantee that everyone understands the dangers that they might encounter. The messaging was always to do it right, without trying to find a shortcut. I’m no longer working in those kinds of environments. But I learned some things that I continue to implement on my personal job sites and projects.
In regards to some other commenters seeing heavy duty Packout style boxes in the back of pickups, I’m definitely noticing that too. Farmers and contractors used to outfit their trucks with welded aluminum boxes, that bolted to the top rails of the truck bed. I’m seeing less of those. And more pickups with a collection of Packout boxes instead. Superior weather tightness might be part of it. And not wanting to drill holes in an expensive vehicle is probably playing a role too.
Robert
Japan has a long tradition of beautiful boxes. Here, it look like it’s been put through the Kaizen principle of continuous improvement to emphasis function over form. Tajima’s slew of well thought out features probably had a lot of user input.
Nathan
I was going to ask if there was a connection between this and the toughbult items?
Meanwhile I like the idea of the parts bin snapping onto the tool belt or ?
Steve
The Tajima tools I have seen and used before have been excellent tools – above and beyond the DeWalt/Milwaukee and other major brands. No reason to think that these will be any different, but I’m sure they will be at a premium. Probably well worth it…
Joe
This is definitely looks amazing! All they need is to add an attachable work surface and it seems like they have everything I could really want. I have been trying to DIY hack solutions to many of the problems they address with their well thought out system!
eddiesky
I WANT! How though? And specs? Acme Tools needs to partner for these…wink wink
Stuart
Specs are difficult due to translation barrier. The only notable spec I saw was a 50kg load rating for the larger box.
Kyle
I really like the provision of attachment points *inside* of the larger boxes. That’s something more brands should try to incorporate in their systems.
ToolGuyDan
The way the wheels protrude on that 2-wheeled dolly shows a lot of room “beneath” them, so to speak. It doesn’t look like it maintains full internal volume as a result. But it also almost looks like the wheels might be able to collapse inwards, which would help compactness when storing a dolly side-by-side with other stacks.
Ken W
I might need to plan a trip to Japan soon!
Frank D
100% respect for the Japanese with that system. I have always called our US toolboxes ” dumb boxes “. Going back to my first Ridgid Stack and Packout Stack. There is next to zero internal organization. Just chuck it in a rugged box that you have to unstack. And the boxes are not conducive to upgrading on the inside, with odd shapes and surfaces … making wooden tool things for inside them takes a lot of time and takes up a lot of space.
I like what I see, black color, square. No priority of needing that awkward big bottom wheeled box like with US systems. The bins in drawers are neat, if you have to remove them and need something weather tight. For loads of parts I would prefer removable open cups, myself. Or simple interlocked dividers.
If only Toughbuilt had come to market way earlier, before I got invested in packout … which I have a love hate relationship with. I have a heavily modded set of basic boxes and many narrow organizers; but I am still trying to optimize the insides of the boxes and drawers. I miss my old Raaco boxes ( folding flat top handles and split open in the middle lid ) , that I had fitted with extra trays inside. Nothing interlocking, nothing fancy, but stacked trays with popup handles inside an enclosure make a lot of sense. I guess one could probably fab up something and 3d print it, but it would take a lot of time to design and print, and probably would not be as durable as the typical injection molded plastics that have more flex and impact resistance.
ITCD
Another benefit of the wheel placement: improved stability. Especially when you’re stacking up a miniature tower of possibly expensive and definitely heavy tools, having a little more stability can be a real winner on rougher jobsites where it isn’t all nice smooth level concrete underneath you.
Rob Ziemba
If you go to Amazon.co.jp, you can search for Tajima box products, and it will show you items which will ship to the US. Prices are all in Yen, which currently is 154 yen to the dollar. You do need to create an Amazon Japan account tho, and I couldn’t see what shipping prices looked like.
Stuart
The shipping rates are very high, but even if justifiable, I would NOT recommend ordering something like this internationally.
Amazon Japan takes further steps to protect order contents, but they are not packaged for international shipping.
I don’t have much faith that these will be delivered unscathed.