Self-production
As an alternative to the branded Systainer, you can construct its analogue of your own production. This will require the following materials and parts:
- plywood sheets in the right amount (depending on the size of the product);
- fasteners (corners, ties, plates);
- wooden blocks with various dimensions;
- groove blocks - systems that allow you to store items in a fixed form;
- self-tapping screws / screws and other threaded fasteners.
List of tools:
- electric or manual jigsaw;
- drill and screwdriver (screwdriver);
- Bulgarian (impeller);
- drills, nozzle bits and other accessories;
- measuring tool (tape measure or ruler);
- workbench or other work place that has a flat surface.
Manufacturing process
Before starting the assembly of the product, detailed drawings must be prepared containing instructions for the dimensions of certain parts of the structure.
The algorithm of actions is as follows.
- Parts procurement. Cut out elements from plywood that will be used as walls and partitions (if any). All side walls must match in pairs in terms of dimensional characteristics. Any deviation in this area can lead to a violation of the geometric shape of the product and loss of its strength.
- Cut out parts from the slats that will correspond to the lengths of the corners of the future box. They will be placed inside each inner corner of the block. This will allow for a more reliable bond between the walls.
- Connect the prepared parts to each other as shown in photo 2. Workpieces from laths are screwed along the perimeter of the inner corners. In order to avoid cracking of wooden elements due to screwing in self-tapping screws, it is advisable to drill mounting holes with a smaller diameter. So that the screw heads do not protrude above the surface of the body, a secret recess is drilled with a diameter equal to the diameter of the screw head.
- The resulting block is fastened with metal corners, ties or plates. The presence of these fasteners and their location on the body will be determined by the specific design features of the homemade Systainer.
- Prepare and attach the plywood bottom. Strengthening the strength of this part of the product should be given some time. At the time of loading the container with storage items, the load factor on the points of contact between the bottom and walls of the product will increase.
- Equip the lid. This part is similar to the bottom, but has some structural differences. The lid is equipped with hinges, the presence of which can provide for special seating spaces that affect the appearance and geometric shape of the element. In the central part of the lid there is a handle for opening the box and carrying it. Its attachment points, like the hinge attachment points, must have a high level of strength, since they take on a larger percentage of the weight load.
- Lock device. It is necessary to equip the box with a locking device that will hold the lid in the closed position during transport and can withstand the permissible loads. A latch and similar devices can be used as a lock.
Advantages and disadvantages
Homemade Systainer has a low cost compared to the store equivalent. It can be designed in such a way that it best suits the requirements of a particular user.The shape and structure of the box can be adapted for use in certain conditions. These are the advantages of a homemade product.
It is very difficult to make fastenings with your own hands that allow you to connect the boxes of boxes to each other and other parts of the structure that require the use of a high-precision tool.
Regardless of the production method, Systainers are the best way to store tools and other items that need to be organized. They allow you to sort items by size, functional purpose, to ensure their compact arrangement in the allotted space, as well as the best preservation.
An overview of instrument Systainers in the video below.
Accessories
To facilitate the organization of the workspace, the company offers aids to its Systainers. Among them:
- sets of protective inserts and overlays;
- mobile workbench MW 1000 with pull-out shelf and drawer holder;
- SYS-Roll 100 trolley;
- roller board RB-SYS;
- steel rack YS-Port 1000/2 on casters for storage and transportation of five boxes of different dimensions;
- pull-out shelf SYS-AZ for installation in modular systems;
- SYS 4 TL-Sort / 3 plastic mini-rack with 12 drawers for storing fasteners and other small parts, which can be installed in a Systainer system.
See below for an overview of the Festool Systainer.
Peculiarities
Such products are divided into 4 types:
- as large as possible;
- medium;
- mini-boxes;
- micro-systainers (promotional and gift modifications).
Each type of Systainer is adapted to be used together with other similar drawers. Their dimensional parameters have values that allow you to organically combine blocks in the desired combination.
Each drawer is equipped with a set of special clips. They serve as locks for the box itself and fasteners that allow you to connect it to others. In the framework of joint use, one unit can be installed on top of others or in a side abutment position. Compatibility of devices of different sizes and brands in one bundle is allowed, if the location and characteristics of the fixing points allow it.
The latest models are equipped with special twist locks that replace clip connections. This technical solution makes the block connection procedure simpler and increases the service life of the fasteners. The new type of locks give access to the elements of the Systainer system, located in the middle or lower position. Access is achieved by turning the lock to a specific position, which attaches the lid of the lower box to the bottom of the higher box. In this case, the lid of the desired box is detached from its own block. This technology makes it possible to simultaneously operate all Systainers in a connected position.
For efficient separate transport, the units are equipped with a handle located at the top of the housing. The handle is a structural element reinforced with stiffening ribs and installed in such a way that at the time of movement the box is in the most level position. Some models have side recesses, which are grooves for holding the drawer with two hands.
To facilitate the movement of several connected Systainers, blocks with wheels are provided. They are installed in the lower part of the structure. Movement is carried out by holding the prefabricated storage system by the handle of the upper element. The final form is a two-wheeled cart containing several boxes.
Blocks are made mainly of durable plastic, reinforced with ribs of various configurations. Depending on the manufacturer and the specific model line, the boxes can be made in one color or another.
Brand info
The rights to the Festool brand belong to the Festo company, which was founded in Germany in 1925 under the name Fezer & Stoll. In the first years of its existence, the company mainly produced equipment for wood processing.Then the company began to develop and market innovative products for the time, among which were the world's first mobile chain saws (1927) and circular saws (1930).
In 1933, the name of the German company was changed to its modern name. Since 1975, the company has changed its priorities and, instead of manufacturing machine tools and hand tools, switched mainly to the production of power tools. In 2015, the company celebrated its 90th anniversary. It is noteworthy that the granddaughter of one of the founders works in the management of the company, which is why Festo still rightly considers itself a family business.
The main office of the company is located in the German city of Wendlingen. In the same place, as well as in the neighboring Naidlingen, Illertissen and the Czech town of Ceska Lipa, most of the company's factories are located. Subsidiaries are open in 25 countries of the world, including Russia; there are branches in 68 more countries. Festo employs more than 16 thousand people, and the annual turnover of the German company exceeds 2 billion euros.