I stopped by a crafts store the other day, and 3 techs were working on a customer service register. Nearby, they had a Milwaukee Packout tool box stack, along with a tote and slim organizer. On top of the Milwaukee Packout tool box stack was a vacuum and spool of wire in a crate.
Might these techs have purchased a Milwaukee Packout cordless vac instead of placing a small corded vac inside of a plastic tote box?
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I love seeing tool storage products “in the field,” and it was interesting to see this Milwaukee stack being used by retail service techs. The vacuum sitting on top of the Packout stack also brought a recurring question to mind.
Users have asked us on many occasions – when will Milwaukee come out with a cordless Packout vacuum?
In my opinion, a Packout vacuum might be a little cumbersome. If it’s the size of a large Packout tool box, it might be too bulky and heavy to move around easily. Where do the accessories go, such as the hose, extension wands, and nozzles? That could be why we have not seen any hint of a Milwaukee cordless Packout vacuum yet.
It seems to me that a Milwaukee M18 Packout vacuum, corded or cordless, might be wrought with compromises. I suppose that the new dolly could be used in case caster wheels are desired for greater mobility. Or, if the design isn’t compromised, it’ll likely be large, premium-featured, and premium-priced, which might hinder sales.
Festool’s CT SYS dust extractor vac is a good product, but it is also a little compromised. With a filter bag, it has a 3.5 liter collection capacity, or around 0.92 gallons. There’s a lot of space in the Systainter-compatible package dedicated to hose and power cord storage.
For Milwaukee to make a cordless vac in a Packout form factor, they would also have to set aside space for a battery compartment that can fit battery sizes up to M18 12.0Ah.
It’s certainly possible. Milwaukee has a new M18 Packout jobsite radio coming soon. Maybe some of the lessons there can help with how they design a Packout vacuum. Since Milwaukee is driving towards a “cordless jobsite,” the vacuum would definitely be cordless, or perhaps cordless with an extension cord port for corded operation.
Dewalt has a FlexVolt cordless vacuum. Some users have bemoaned about its Tstak and not ToughSystem compatibility, but I’d think that the reasons for this are similar. Stepping up to a large tool box form factor complicates the possibility for such a cordless vac to be compact, portable, and convenient to work with.
Smaller cordless vac sizes tend to me more convenient. And if you need more power or holding capacity, that’s when larger self-contained vacuums are desirable.
I would predict that Milwaukee IS working on a cordless vacuum, and it might even be Packout-compatible (perhaps with accessories), but there’s a much higher chance that it’s a floor model or base unit. Perhaps there are two battery compartments for single or dual battery operation for longer runtime.
I’d visualize this hypothetical vacuum as being a little larger than Milwaukee’s Packout rolling tool box, perhaps with the rear wheels moved outwards a little and with swivel casters in front. If it’s hard to make a good Packout-compatible vac that fits a smaller volume, they might as well increase its size to make it more usable. Right?
They can design and market a Packout-compatible cordless vacuum. Maybe there are different reasons we haven’t seen one. Perhaps Milwaukee simply wanted to let their Packout system grow in popularity before investing the time and effort resources into marketing a vacuum.
A Packout cordless vacuum might be marketed towards two different types of users – current Packout tool box system owners, and potential new users. A lot of the new Packout products and accessories coming out seem to be aimed at existing users. Something like a cordless Packout vacuum, on the other hand, might be introduced at a time when new user sales slow down, if that hasn’t happened already.
Milwaukee has been expanding their Packout tool storage product family, but they have not yet come out with a Packout-compatible vacuum. Would you want to see a small cordless Packout vac? A larger bottom-unit vac? Something different?
What features would you want to see in a Milwaukee Packout cordless vacuum?
Tim says
Yes.
Make it battery and corded like the makitas, give it two batteries and two motors. Give it variable suction and crush everyone else.
Brian A says
As awesome as that sounds highly doubt it.
If the packout vac is the bottom roller piece perhaps they will make something impressive. If its about the size of the middle piece it will likely be close to the current wet/dry.
Whatever it is, it should allow things to connect on top. With how the system works it stinks you cant connect 2 crates. They did the radio right that pieces can connect on top/
Travis says
You can connect 2 crates and other Packout on top of the crates. It does have some wobble but they connect.
Brian A says
By connect you mean something can sit on top? Thats not connected/locked in.
PHILIP JOHN says
I think it should be just like the pack out dolly base tool box. Except the lid has the motor attached… and it would stack other boxes with the pack out sys.
I can’t stand wet dry vacs on casters. The handles break and are too short. In a pac out design it would have strong wheels and handle that can take way more punishment. I think both dewalt and Milwaukee should do this with the base dolly units.
Julian says
Seems like a pretty silly question. If you utilize the Milwaukee Packout system – who wouldn’t want a pack out compatible vac?
Stuart says
How much are you willing to pay for such a vacuum? Will it fit in with a user’s current stack? Not every Packout user will want a Packout vac.
Alfred Rodrigues says
100 to 149 without the batteries would be legit!
Stuart says
Frankly, I don’t think that’s realistic. Such a vac would be priced at maybe double that range, at a minimum.
Eric says
Their current box vac is $120. Even just using that same unit and making it packout capable, will increase the cost, especially if it’s made to be on the bottom of that stack. Have to add the wheels, handles, and make it a lot stronger. And looking at the packout radio says they want the packout products to be on the premium end of things. So they would use a vac closer to the $300 backpack unit. And it would probably be even more expensive.
PHILIP JOHN says
There are so many variables here. But it would be the base and yes other boxes clip on top… just like it currently does. There are many hd vacuums that cost way more than 300.
Plus silica regulations are more stringent than ever. It only make sense to continue the pacout sys shape and design.
Jared says
I imagine it would have to be a big vacuum to be worth it.
I have the smallest Dewalt 20v cordless where the hose is held by the handle. It’s small enough I could probably just put it into a Toughsystem or Packout toolbox if I wanted to carry it around. That has the advantage of not needing to find a separate place to store the hose. It’s really nice for vacuuming out the car or other tasks where mobility is key. Be hard to replicate that in a Packout form factor. Plus it was cheap.
If I was paying a premium and making one with the Packout dimensions, it might as well be large, powerful and a true corded-replacement.
Dust says
I wouldn’t buy it unless it could be plugged in.
JayT says
I wonder if they could just take the current M18 toolbox vac and put Packout tabs and lock on the bottom. It would be about the same size as one of the soft sided totes, while being portable and capable.
John says
I would purchase your suggestion.
Nick says
I was gonna say exactly this. They already have a vac that’s about the size of half a PACKout. Just rework it to fit.
Chris Fyfe says
In a word yes !
krashtd says
I can easily imagine a Packout vac using the medium box factor, which would make it slightly larger than their self-contained M18 2-gallon wet/dry vac, model 0880-20. There would be room for a few more accessories and/or a longer hose. Easily a form factor that could be hybrid. And flip-down casters to make it a pull-along style, provided that the hose and attachments have suitable locking mechanisms. One could potentially create something similar using the Packout mounting plate and dolly, but it would show great innovation for Milwaukee to build this outright.
It would also be a great addition to RIDGID’s already expansive line of vacuums but lacking line of interlocking storage.
I would buy both 😬
krashtd says
Hey TTI, need a someone for power tool imagineering? 😁😁
MattF says
Maybe have a vac and integrated pack out “caddy” that stores some tools. The vac could lift out of the caddy. The tool storage would fill the leftover space in the packout format. That would allow shrinking of the vac size to something more like the current one.
Altan says
I don’t care about Milwaukee, I want a DeWALT Flexvolt 120V Toughsystem compatible one, Corded/Cordless… Hose, accessories and AC adapter to be collected inside, I would pay $1000 for that if it is going to be made well and solid. They should make Toughsystem wheeled platform also for it, it should come with different hose adapters and I should be able to connect all tools to that, not to have headache to look for them separately. A heavy duty hose like Festool ones is a necessity.
Altan says
It can be made similar to DS450 and other Toughsystem boxes can be attached on top of it. But still I would like to have it as 2 separate DS300 tool boxes, one for the Vac and one specially designed for the hose and other accessories. Attachable wheeled platform is a better idea, at the end it should be stackable to their van/workshop racking system.
60V/120V Flexvolt backpack version also would be good.
Frank D says
To me, it makes sense to have an integrated unit for small tasks.
However, I not want it to look like the radio or something else, that is only packout because it has locking the connectors on top and bottom.
It is sad to see MW going all over the place already straying from the original three piece look, with the one box, then the radio … come on! They picked the original design, they should stick with it. The radio looks like a knockoff … and given how small radio electronics, speakers and what not can be, there was zero reason it could not be matching an original small tool box red unit, red radio face etc, speakers behind the corner bars, …
Craig H. says
Yes!
I wouldn’t mind if it was corded. I love Bosch L-Boxx, so I’d like it in that form factor please. I’d also like an air compressor (cordless or corded—I’d prefer corded). The tools and hoses could go in a separate L-Boxx so that the vacuum or compressor would be on the bottom of the stack and the tools and hoses could be placed near the top of the stack for easier access.
All cord and hose attachments, switches, knobs and gauges would be accessible while the L-Boxx was on the bottom of the stack on a dolly or the hand truck.
Where do I send my money?
Ryan says
Cut the bottom off a packout 15” tool bag and attach it to the m18 vac. It’s the same size. Or make your own compatible packout cleats Out of hardwood and attach them to the bottom of the vac with stainless screws (or use kaizen k’nex)
Ryan says
When they do make it, if they don’t call it the “Vac-out” they’ll be missing a huge opportunity
Ryan says
call it the “Vac-out”
Bonson says
Interesting topic. Yes I would buy one and it would be my entry into the Packout system. Moreso than the radio or a power station.
But I for one would not want it to be a large base wheeled unit. A portable vac should be portable and I wouldn’t want to wheel it around. Otherwise I’d wheel around a shop vac and give up the stackable feature. A portable vac should be grab and go, easily maneuverable to the work area.
I’d want a mid-size unit. Like of the mid ridgid pro toolbox in size and form. Stackable, a little more powerful than the existing wet/dry vac, with automatic filter cleaning will make it a must buy at $300-350.
John says
Agree with this concept.
MichaelHammer says
Festool does this well with their line of vacs. The systainers stack right on top and the vac acts as you mobile base.
PETE says
Mmmmm I LOVE the idea… But it’s all in the execution of the ability to be modular in the already modular system. That combined with the difficulty of providing enough suction to make it all around useful- a vacuum isn’t useful it you can’t use a flat floor attachment to remove the dust+mess. If it’s only meant to hook up to a tool for dust extraction than you might as well end up getting the tool mounted vacuum instead.
I had my heart set on the m18 vac until I looked at the ryobi 6-gal vac that had more power.
Daniel says
Yes!! They could make a bigger unit with all the fancy hepa-whatever (even corded is fine)… and then offer one almost identical to the current m18 vac that only takes up one side of the packout stack. Definitely needs to be able to stack more packout items on top; obviously don’t want too many packout items that can only be on top. Most of the time for me, I unstack everything when I get on site, so it’s more about making everything easily transportable at beginning and end of day.
JoeM says
I think the question shouldn’t be asked at all. We shouldn’t need to ask these questions of DeWALT OR Milwaukee. With the raving zealotry of both consumer bases, the answer is always “GIVE US MORE!!!” and will remain that way until the Sun goes Nova.
The reality is… Teams Red and Yellow made the stupid mistake of making tool box systems that you can build yourself, for exactly what you need them to store. Instead of a single container system, with tool inserts to hold things, they created STACKS. Just… Towers of all sizes, on wheels. Consciously, we all love this, because we can put everything away, and bring it where ever we are working. SUBCONSCIOUSLY, we’re looking at these towers and getting angry at them, not because they’re broken, but because they’re totally in the way when not actively in use. Therefore, we are constantly wanting something for that tower to DO for us.
Do we NEED Radios, Vacuums, Air Compressors, Chargers, and Power Banks to be built into the towers? Not really… We can always put them in the tower of boxes, and take them out like any other tool.
That’s where we have the problem, and that’s where Team Yellow and Team Red will agree, without any form of hatred of eachother. The Towers of Rolling Storage NEED to do more than just store things, if they’re going to truly maximise their use to those who buy them. Nobody wants to have to put a box in the towers that just creates more clutter on the job site. If we can get away with the Tower ITSELF being a Tool, or SET of Tools, then it becomes exponentially more useful, the more it can contribute to the work.
So, we shouldn’t HAVE to ask for these things. Milwaukee and DeWALT dug their own graves when it came to these tower systems and rolling carts. If they weren’t expecting to have these towers contribute to the work, then they didn’t design it for anyone that actually DOES anything with their tools. They designed empty storage that does nothing but take up space. Every tool user has that particular pet peeve. If it’s not useful to me, I don’t want to see it. Yet here are these huge boxes, bright Red, Yellow, or Black to draw the eyes to them all day. Not because there’s always something you need there, but because they’re big, visible, objects in the room, with distracting colours. We WANT to be rolling that cart around more for the job, because it justifies buying it all. Whether it’s when we pay our taxes, or when we tell our friends and family… We have to say more than “It lets me carry my tools to the site every day.” Otherwise, the response from all parties is always “You spent HOW MUCH on a Tool Box?”
Personally? If I can’t have one made by the company, I’m GOING to void some warranties to make my own out of the boxes they DO make. It just makes more sense for them to lay in the bed they made for themselves, and take these systems to their logical conclusions. Mobile TOOL Systems, not JUST Mobile STORAGE Systems.
Corey Moore says
Your beef with the default definition and function of “box” perplexes me. Though, I do agree with the sentiment of rolling towers. Nobody realistically needs a tower of tools with them at any given point in the day. That being, this is another reason I shamelessly plug the tough system cart lol Open crate on the top arms filled up with my needed crap, bucket on the dolly plate for scrap/debris, hang wires or rope or more tools on the middle arms. The rest of my stuff stays efficiently organized in and efficient, out of the way footprint, like my gang box, and I roll around a site with a super functional little setup of whatever I presently need. With the complete satisfaction that I’m getting my money’s worth out of my chosen STORAGE system. Get compliments on the dolly all the time. In all honesty, the tough system just worked out well for me with the whole gang box and dolly options. Started with just the black boxes when I was a tech in a half ton, and just needed my crap organized and compartmentalized for quick access to groups of stuff. Bought the dolly for a single job that had me carrying a couple hundred pounds of rigging, chemical, and tools to the 14th floor of a power plant for a few months. Now I’m in more construction environments so I bought the gang box for site security and it’s all just been good fortune that I still use it productively.
JoeM says
To be fair, I have no problem with boxes. I have no problem with the Tough System, TSTAK, OR Packout systems. I have more of a problem with DeWALT and Milwaukee NOT making system-compatible tools for the systems as a whole. The FlexVOLT Air Compressor, the Powerbank, the TSTAK Mini Vac… These are all pretty sad when it comes to the storage systems.
And, yeah… I completely agree with the cart system being key to these suckers. I’m all for the Tough System Cart, the TSTAK Rolling Cart, AND whatever the Packout system equivalent is. These are Mobile Storage Systems, and if you want to maximise their Mobility, they all have a base Cart to start you with.
But, let’s face it. Even if we have to use TWO carts instead of one… We want the built in tools to make the Cart ITSELF a central point to what we’re doing. Corded/Cordless Vac (if only as an OSHA Dust Collector at the very least), Charger systems, Power Bank systems, Sound Systems, Air Compressor Systems… We can’t lie here… From the second Red and Yellow brought out the cases, and showed how they fit on the CARTS? We were all on the same page. Vac, Radio, Speakers, Air, Power, All Locks Into Place, All of it Released ASAP, GIVE GIVE GIVE!!!
DeWALT and Milwaukee did this to themselves, and shouldn’t resist when we obviously want to make our Mobile Storage into something more. Whatever they are bound to make, we want it. You know it, I know it, most of ToolGuyd here knows it.
You, PERSONALLY, Corey, can attest to how versatile the system you have is. Is it really such a stretch to get to the point here? Given the chance to make one of these big towers into one big central hub of utilities FOR the tools, didn’t the modular design of the systems just naturally put these ideas in our heads? DeWALT and Milwaukee are both in this situation now. They should know their customers, and how rabid we can be for them, to quite a level by now. To think these would ever remain JUST storage systems is short sighted, even in the most conservative estimates of these companies’ user bases.
Plus… as I’ve said before… If they don’t make a set themselves, I’m likely to void a warranty or two, and just build my own out of what they’re agreeing to release. Why? Because if I needed “Just a Box” I could spend $20 on something that could work fine for the same task. The second I buy into one of these SYSTEMS, I’m investing serious money into something that has to earn its keep among the tools, and not make us look like we were trumped by a snake oil salesman into buying them. We all know the three systems are MUCH higher quality than most. But how much VALUE to they add, if they’re just towers of boxes alone? (On wheels, yes. But towers of boxes nonetheless.)
Corey Moore says
I guess I can see your thought process and how truly valuable an actual hub of capability within the system/form factor would be-but I’m either seeing what you’re wanting as halfway accomplished or just not feasible. The radios are already a thing, Milwaukee has patents for an inverter power supply, presumably in packout form, and Dewalt already has the 4 bank parallel rapid charger and power supply inverter that latch to the tough system but require a power cord to them to function as chargers (particularly like the idea of slapping either on top of the open tote full of batteries), I’ll give you the vacuum, that one seems inevitable, but I’ve never seen a square tanked compressor so that would require a massive amount of wasted space to create a compatible form factor around it. I’m with you, it would be absolutely amazing to have actual beneficial function baked into creating your stack, but I guess I just don’t imagine it as that big of an insult that it’s not currently reality. And while I’ll take you at your word that you’d permit two stacks as necessary for achieving those functions, I personally would find transporting two stacks of anything with me to be counterproductive and incredibly frustrating. Especially packout, having to unstack two towers for whatever you need (worst case scenario, not trying to snipe).
Tim E. says
Festool has a Rolaire compressor on their box format, and I believe metabo does as well now…
Corey Moore says
@Tim E.- No kidding? Then I stand corrected, that’s amazing.
Stuart says
https://toolguyd.com/cadex-air-compressor-in-a-systainer-tool-box/
https://toolguyd.com/rolair-airstak-air-compressor-in-systainer-tool-box/
John says
Same size as current M-18. Dry & wet vac. packout cleats on bottom. Batteries 4ah,6ah, 9ah, 12 ah fit.
Aaron says
I would like them to make a tough system compatible M18 vac and tstak compatible m12 vac. I tend to be an outlier though.
Ecotek says
I’ve been wanting Ridgid to come out with a vac for their modular tool boxes. I thought it was my own great idea! Glad to see everyone else is on the same page. But Im still not holding my breath.
Eastbaygrease says
It blows my mind that the Rigid 1022 isn’t compatible with their packout system. It’s basically the same as the bottom roller unit.
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/10-gallon-pro-pack-plus-wet-dry-vac
Doug says
Great photo of the wet dry vac in the tote, Stuart. I’m sure your Milwaukee contacts have taken notice.
Stephen Dean says
The packout system needs drawer units, like t stak. Unstacking and unclipping boxes to get at your stuff is counter productive to the system concept. Why clip it together if you’ve got unclip it every time you need access? The packout system with this problem and the combined box/trolley as the base is a massive fail. T stak however (in the UK) is a sales success. That aside they have to get an m class vac to market if they’re serious about cordless jobsite. And a plunge saw!
Jeremiah McKenna says
They need to fix the problem with the plastic breaking where the wheel axle is attached. Then they can add more weight and tools or equipment to the more sturdy base/foundation. Otherwise it won’t matter what they add if you can’t get your tools to the site.
Peter Karousis says
I am currently working on a packout compatible foot that i can 3d print and attach to the bottom of tools and other boxes
Brendan says
Take my money now
Steve M. says
To heck with the vacuum, make a cordless
air compressor!!! The Pac-Out footprint is plenty for a compressor
David Wark says
Yes and a sequential charging station that fits!
Ben says
I just built a Milwaukee m18 packout out of necessity. I mainly work in commercial buildings/grocery stores and I like to make one trip to bring in all my tools I need. I literally drop my vac off the top of the packouts once a week til now. I know I could bungee it but I’m way to anal for that.