Repurposing a Tool Case

by kalefranklin in Workshop > Organizing

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Repurposing a Tool Case

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What do you do with an old tool case? Most times these are thrown away when the tools go bad, but there are some other useful things that could be done with them if you have the imagination to think of something.

I found a use for this old tool case.  It is now a case in my truck that holds ratchet straps, bungee straps, rope, and gloves. 

The first photo shows you the case I started with, it is approximately 20” wide, 13” deep, and 5” tall. In the second photo you can see that it used to house a drill, light, charger, and 2 batteries in the molded case.

The third photo shows you where the insides are now outside.  The way a lot of these tool cases are made the outside is made separate from the molded inside. Then the 2 parts are glued or welded together.  So to separate them I cut into the molded part close to the edge. I did not cut it all the way to the edge the first time.  I cut out the majority of the molded part out, and then I trimmed all the edges.  I left a little all around the edges just for strength.
In the fourth photo you can see that I have put in several ratchet straps, rope, bungee straps, and gloves. There is still plenty of room for in the future when I have more straps to put in the case.

Another idea I have is to turn one of these cases into a small battery station.  Put solar cells on the lid, small charge controller, small battery or 2, and a small inverter.  That would be enough to charge some cell phones or a laptop for a long time. 
What else can you think of using a case like this for?