Craftsman has launched two new parts organizers to their VersaStack modular tool box system.
Craftsman says the new 20-compartment organizer (CMST17828) is also compatible with their TradeStack tool box system, when used with the TradeStack-to-VersaStack adapter that is included with the TradeStack rolling tool box.
The Craftsman VersaStack 20-compartment organizer features a soft handle, plastic latches, clear lid, and a grid of removable dividers for customization.
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Craftsman has also launched a new VersaStack-compatible 8-compartment organizer, CMST17827.
The new 8-compartment organizer is VersaStack-compatible when attached to the 20-compartment organizer. It can connect to TradeStack system tool boxes when connected via the TradeStack adapter and VersaStack 20-compartment adapter via the 20-compartment organizer.
It can also be attached to large and medium Craftsman organizers and tool sets.
From the product images, the 8- and 20-compartment organizers look to be around the same size as Craftsman’s medium and large ToughCase accessory organizers, respectively.
As you might be aware, Craftsman VersaStack products are compatible with Dewalt Tstak products, and the same is true about Craftsman and Dewalt ToughCase accessory storage cases.
It seems strange for the 8-compartment organizer to be given VersaStack branding, seeing as how it is not natively compatible with VersaStack products aside from the also-new 20-compartment organizer.
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The new organizers will launch alongside the existing Craftsman VersaStack 10-compartment organizer, CMST17817, which was upgraded a few years ago.
According to Lowe’s product listings, the new 8- and 20-compartment organizers have IP54-rated dust and water resistance, but this isn’t mention on Craftsman’s pages.
Price: $15 for the 8-compartment case, $22 for the 20-compartment case
Thank you to Alex and Franck for the tip!
Discussion
Both organizers look quite compact and also economically-designed.
But, the 8-compartment organizer seems to be more of a ToughCase product, than VersaStack, since it seems it can only connect to VersaStack tool boxes via the 20-compartment organizer or hard-to-find large ToughCase products, sold separately.
Here is what Craftsman says about the 8-drawer organizer’s VersaStack-compatibility:
compatible with VERSASTACK system storage via the VERSASTACK 20-Compartment Organizer (CMST17828) or large & medium CRAFTSMAN organizers and tool sets
This is fairly clear when shopping online, and hopefully the in-store product tag mentions the same clearly enough.
Craftsman says this about the 8-compartment organizer’s TradeStack compatibility:
This organizer is also fully compatible with TRADESTACK System Storage, when connected to the the TRADESTACK System Adaptor via the VERSASTACK 20-Compartment Organizer (CMST17828) or large & medium CRAFTSMAN organizers and tool sets.
That’s a lot of requirements for a “fully compatible” accessory.
The 20-compartment is also “fully compatible” with the TradeStack system, when used with the TradeStack to VersaStack adapter, which is only available with the rolling tool box.
The 8-compartment organizer looks to be a deeper version of Dewalt’s medium ToughCase organizer, and with thicker dividers.
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The 20-compartment organizer is approximately the same size as Craftsman and Dewalt large ToughCase organizers, which are most commonly available as part of accessory set bundles, especially during holiday shopping seasons.
Compared to the large ToughCase, the new 20-compartment VersaStack organizer has a soft handle on the outside of the case, rather than an inset handle, maximizing its storage potential.
I have many Stanley and Dewalt storage products, most of which are now available under Craftsman branding, and it can be difficult to determine which connectible products are compatible with each other.
In my opinion, it helps when every product has a family name, such as ToughCase, VersaStack, or TradeStack, but only when there’s native compatibility.
I find myself utterly distracted, in knowing that tool users are going to buy the 8-compartment organizer and then bring it back to the store after finding it doesn’t fit any of their existing VersaStack tool storage products.
But if we forget all that, the new organizers seem decent.
I prefer organizers that have removable bins over those with adjustable dividers, at least in organizers of this size.
The standard VersaStack 10-compartment organizer is regularly priced at $26, and the new 20-compartment organizer is $22.
I really wish that Craftsman went with a low-profile organizer with removable bins, but I suppose removable dividers are better than their not offering a VersaStack-compatible shallow parts organizer at all.
Jared
“I prefer organizers that have removable bins over those with adjustable dividers” – me too. I don’t bother with the divider style anymore.
I’m interested in more low-profile organizers with bins too. I really like the look of the Packout 10-compartment – but they’re about $55 each in Canada. At those prices, I would just buy two of the (now discontinued) jobsite organizers, waste space and save $5.
Maybe Milwaukee wanted people like me to stop doing that math.
Peter
Looks flimsy and cheap. Dividers suck and are so 1970s. Bins are where its at.
Benjamen
After the disappointment that was the large ToughCase+, this looks like a more interesting bridge between the Versastack/TSTACK organizers and the TouchCase accessory cases. Too bad the interior space isn’t more regular though.
Nathan
so questions – since I don’t have any of the systems but I keep looking to pounce.
if you have bins in your item do you ever take them out? do you take the bins out often enough that you would miss having that option?
and. if you have a bin system do you find you sometimes wish you had larger bins or that you could change bin sizes on a whim.
My thought here is that the 8 pack and in that range the bins don’t make quite a much sense as the box in total is also fairly compact. And I look at the items with bins so far either the Hart piece or the Dewalt has my attention (nearby availability and overall cost) but I don’t do work professionally and I’m not that hard on my stuffs.
from a DIY standpoint the dividers fix a number of issues and are cheaper overall. But for a larger divided item I see the benefit of bins. I do that know with my wall mount bin box that currently holds my screws, etc etc. but that doesn’t transport well and doesn’t seal. so I keep saying I’m going to replace it with something else.
otherwise I like the options – but I doubt I’d buy either.
Noah
I do take the bins out, especially when I’m grabbing small fasteners or tacks that easily get lost in a tool pouch. I have a few divider cases and inevitably the small items cross over and under the dividers and it becomes a mess.
Benjamen
Bins are an incredible improvement over dividers.
1) Dividers can lift out when you are removing parts and then the adjacent parts mix.
2) Trying to get the last few parts (especially small parts) out from a divided space is hard. With a bin you just take it out and dump it.
3) If you are having trouble getting parts out without spilling the parts into adjacent bins, you can just remove the bin. If you have dividers you have to keep struggling.
4) Reorganizing is super easy, you just move the bin around the organizer or into a similar organizer
5) If you need parts, you can just grab the bin rather then the entire organizer.
Additionally if I need a few different types or hardware that aren’t in the same organizer, I can just swap the bins into one organizer rather than carrying 2 or more organizers with me.
Well worth the extra money to get organizers with bins rather than dividers
Stuart
I take bins out to my work. Other times, I rearrange within organizer cases and between cases.
So, let’s say I have 1/2” and 3/4” fittings in one bin, and hose clamps and accessories in another.
Sometimes I know I’ll only need 1/2” fittings and related accessories, and will swap bins quickly to avoid having to carry multiple organizer cases to where the work is to be done.
With dividers, you can’t really do that without scooping everything out to move around.
There are sometimes benefits in going with dividers, but they’re usually about lowering costs.
Noah
It’s too bad they went with dividers, especially since the larger organizer has bins. I prefer smaller shallower bins like the slim Milwaukee packout.
Nathan
thanks all that helps cement my choices down. I wasn’t really thinking the individual bins would help much. but I do take the bin/drawers out of my current wall box now. so I might as well plan this way.
Jared
I take my bins out too. How often depends on the items I’m organizing – e.g. one of my organizers is full of various lengths of wood screws. I usually just grab the bin with the length I need and put it back when I’m done.
Another organizer is full of 12v electrical connectors. The wiring I’m doing isn’t usually a whole bunch of one thing – instead I usually grab the whole kit so I have all the connector types I need for the project.
Franck B.
I’m in the other camp… I rarely take the bins out, because I usually buy smaller organizers (I previously used a lot of Akro-Mills and Plano models for electronics parts). I had a lot of Milwaukee (now discontinued) organizers but moved away from them back to smaller ones. I can more easily stack/lock smaller organizers together to bring what I need, rather than pull bins out.
One of the nice things about the older Craftsman/Tstak organizer is that under the bins… there were more fixed storage spaces. The “slimline” Craftsman Versastack organizer (which is the Tstak 2.0 IP54 version sold outside of the USA) does not have this bonus storage.
I find the extra space and weight that the bins add is always detrimental, and since I don’t take the bins out, I don’t get the benefit. When I need to take items separately to work, they get thrown in a Toughsystem tray or a mortar mixing tray to be dragged into a crawlspace.
It all depends what you’re organizing, I guess!
p.s. I hot glue all my dividers together. I think most people who don’t like them have a problem with movement that allows comingling of formerly separated items. Hot glue holds it all together and allows deconstruction if necessary.
MT
Glad to see Craftsman continues to support VersaStack because, as DIYer and definitely non-pro user, those components hit the right balance of features and toughness per price for me. That said, I agree it would have been nice to see these organizers go the bin route instead of using dividers.
Matthew
I really like the large Dewalt tough case but the problem with it is there’s so many ridges in the lid that 3-D printing bins for it are next to impossible for a secure closure. Maybe with these Versastack organizers somebody will be able to 3-D print bins for it for better organization
Munklepunk
I wonder if the small organizer is made to be compatible with the tough case box that comes with a lot of tool sets. As much as I like the tstak system they need to clean up their line.
Franck B.
There exist Craftsman and Dewalt mechanics sets in the Toughcase+ compatible medium box (which is also called Versastack by Craftsman). Dewalt’s “Toughcase” was an earlier branding that is used for a lot of different smaller cases that aren’t necessarily part of a system, but I think all of the newer stackable items are “Toughcase+”.
Craftsman also have mechanics’ sets in the “large” case that’s in some images in this article. Those are the “go-between” for the Versastack/Tstak latches and the Toughcase+ closing/stacking latches.
Aaron+SD
@Stewart – you mentioned you liked bin organizer best. Is this in portable cases only or also standing Akro-Mills type? If Acari-Mills, which ones? I searched organizer reviews and only saw one for cases. Thanks!
Stuart
Both, but for very different things.
I own very different Akro-Mils storage products, and can’t complain about any of them.
Chris
Two things.
First as for the bins vs dividers. For small fasteners (m6-m10 and even some m12) most bins offer too must wasted space. But, If there were shallow bins I would prefer that for most of the reasons mentions about getting the last items out.
I have a number of the DeWalt 10 and 20 pro small parts organizers. Which are good for my needs. I now wonder if these are cross compatible in any way.
Matthew
Did these sell out already or just out of stock since the listings popped up?
Stuart
Coming soon.
Craftsman launched the organizers on their website and via Lowe’s listings, but haven’t mentioned when users will be able to buy them.
Matthew
Thank you! Signed up to be notified. I’m banking on people creating files for removable bins to be 3D printed.
The large tough case is impossible to make bins for.
Benjamen
3D printed bins are still going to be difficult with these new boxes. The divider receivers on the side and the weird corners are going to make it hard to fit rectangular boxes. I’m thinking the divider receivers are going to have to be shaved off and then you’ll either have special bins on the side, or just lose that space.
Upon further inspection the larger box looks to have permanent dividers along the sides too. These are probably there for structural reasons. Cutting them out might make the box much less rigid.
Franck B.
Only two extra dividers on the sides. The add in dividers are black for short (6x), red for long (9x), and red for extra long (2x). But because the spaces are not square each size only fits in one orientation.
If the tops do not have rails (or a flat surface) to seal against bins, then it seems pointless to use bins. Unless you have bins with an add on top, like SBD supplies for some organizers. Or add a flush surface to the top of the case, like Keter does for some suitcases converted to organizers.
Jamie Lee Davis
The better half has my V20 tools ( many ), so my versastak is now used for my very extensive Skil pwrcore 12 collection. My super large stash of screws is in the existing versastak organizer boxes. All of my M12 tools are in Packout storage. Having two systems is tiring. I love, however, that Chervon is keeping Skil in the tool realm, and not trying to compete with Milwaukee, Craftsman, Ryobi..etc. So, I will continue to buy versastak…. for my Skil power tools. I am glad to see the expansion, but, agree that the execution with the dividers is lame.
Franck B.
If anyone is in the UK, Screwfix have the Tstak 2.0 boxes for $27 and the Tstak 1.0 organizer (with the trick under-bin storage) for the same price (actually £20). Only through the weekend.
Not great sales if you’re used to older USA prices ($17.50 for original Tstak II) but if you need them now it’s pretty good, since a $25 Tstak II is hard to come by and a Versastack equivalent is $33. Maybe Tstak 2.0 is finally coming to the US?
Ruston
If you know anyone with a 3d printer you can make your own bins for these.
Dusty
It surprises me slightly that they didn’t release the 20-compartment as a Tradestack directly-compatible product. You could mount the adapter to the top of it to adapt to Versastack in that case.
I was hoping that SBD would really hit the ground running with the Tradestack system, but we’ve only seen two bags released since its debut.
Stuart
As the organizers seem to be exclusively available at Lowe’s, the retail might have a say in things. VersaStack has been around for longer and is sold at a lower price point, and so VersaStack accessories will likely sell better at first.
There’s still the potential for TradeStack-specific organizers as that line and its adoption grow.
Mike
Wish they concentrate on hand tool organizers for main boxes. Can’t find a wrench or socket organizer to fit the boxes
Franck B.
Do you mean for Tradestack or Versastack/Tstak? And the medium or roller boxes, or the “normal” height boxes (like Tstak II)?
For the bigger boxes I just made stuff from 1/4 plastic, you can fit things to wedge against the various things in the box.
For the small boxes you can get the pick and pluck foam from Dewalt. I use higher density foam and cut it with a zip tool. I’ve also made a top sheet from thinner ABS cut with a router/zip tool with foam underneath. I generally prefer custom because my tool load out is more specialized, for instance I use a 1/4″ socket set that goes up to 15mm. I need the 15mm, but I don’t want to carry a 3/8″ set, or even an oddball socket with adapter. For sockets I just cut a long wedge shaped slot that holds the sockets on a twist-release rail.
aaron+s
Looks like the lids don’t fit flush to the top of the deviders. Lid contours has been a frustration in trying to use toughcase+ for parts organizers, looks like it’s still unresolved
Franck B.
And in further brand confusion/obfuscation… Stanley’s FatMax Tstak is now “ProStack”, at least in Oz. I’m pretty sure my older Stanley Tstaks were branded as Tstak. Not sure what’s going on with the photo, but it seems someone isn’t aware there’s a rolling box to use with the deep boxes instead of putting them on a generic looking dolly (handtruck to US). New ads in magazines for tradies show a full line of new original Tstak items including the rolling base, but nothing really new.
https://www.stanley.eu/uploads/aus/banners/large-new/pro-stack-aus.jpg
Munklepunk
We call them dollys as well. I prefer hand truck because w can lots of things dollys that roll around, it’s a bit to universal.
Franck B.
Yeah I prefer dolly for the flat things with wheels, like a Milwaukee furniture dolly!
Franck B.
Actually that is the Tstak trolley. Mine didn’t have the yellow label on the strap so I thought it was different! Just updated.
Perry
I just wish they would make the tstak single drawer available as versastack So i could buy it in-store. But I also don’t buy VS from lowes anymore since they raised all the prices. I can get them from my locally owned ace hardware, or doitbest supplied hardware store for the same price and co tribute better to the local economy
Franck B.
Also at Ace you can use Ace Rewards and my local Ace chain sends out a fat single item coupon every month in the junk mail Valupak. I can collect them from neighbors. 😀
Also if you must have a single-drawer… you can always buy a Dewalt Tstak IV and change out the drawer handle, Tstak latches and decal from the Versastack. A Stanley might be a better start if you find one cheap, since it already has black Tstak latches (but without the metal hinge pin) and the black drawer handle would probably look better on the dual drawer than a yellow handle.
Benjamen
I couldn’t believe it when I saw that the VersaStack stuff is sometimes more expensive that the TSTAK equivalent.
Franck B.
They probably need to jack the price up for the consumers to pay for all the stuff they give away to couponers in exchange for a “review” with a picture of the item, still in package, before it goes on CL/fleabay. They probably even use the same picture in the review and the ad/listing.
Doresoom
This looks nearly identical to the DeWalt small parts organizer except for the side latch position.
I picked up one of those last year to go with the bigger DeWalt organizers that go on sale for $10 each year.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-20-Compartment-Pro-Small-Parts-Organizer-DWST14830/301869332
Ct451
I’m just curious on the thought process behind the selection of the parts for the first picture. I tend to separate parts I have to take with me for specific jobs into different organizers. Although there are worse:
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81Gfhbg8-bL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
ACP the 3rd
…Bins are in, not dividers…small stuff gets mixed up /w dividers too easily.
Matt
These types of systems that have dividers but are meant to be rugged are a middle ground that I no longer mess around with.
On one end, I have some of the Milwaukee jobsite organizers with removable bins (RIP) and am open to other systems with removable bins.
On the other end, I use various styles of Plano tackle drawers for small parts and put them inside larger bins or bags if I need to protect them for a trip.
Everything else in the middle just seems like a waste of money, space, and weight.
Franck B.
The TradeStack 15 compartment organizer CMST21417 is in at my local Lowes. It looks to have 12 of the normal SBD bins. I bought a couple for pickup but won’t be able to get them until next week since I just left for a trade show, because you can never have enough storage. Will post my first impressions then, unless Stuart does a review first!
Brendan
Craftsman site has a “buy now” which shows Lowe’s as the only store that will be selling this but it has not been released yet. When will they be releasing this?
Stuart
Neither Lowe’s nor Craftsman have provided this info yet.
Matthew
These still aren’t available. I find it funny that they announce these ahead of time but then all of a sudden they have new tradestack pieces that showed up in lowes without any form of announcement.
Jason Dickerson
I noticed that both of these are available to purchase on Amazon.com. However, they have a ship date of 1 to 2 months.
Stuart
Thanks! I swapped links since you can actually order them from Amazon right now. I also see that Lowe’s raised their prices, to $20 and $25.
Matthew
Same price on Amazon now. You can order and get them faster through lowes now for the same price as Amazon with after Christmas delivery.