5 Of The Coolest Milwaukee Packout Mods Worth Checking Out

Power tools are usually designed with two things in mind: Ergonomics and their specific utility. Manufacturers very rarely prioritize how easy their products are to store or transport when it comes to the basic shape of a tool. That's one of the reasons why the Milwaukee Packout system is so popular. Its modular design makes it easy for home DIY enthusiasts and working professionals alike to store and transport their tools, while keeping them organized and protecting them from damage.

The Packout system is designed specifically for Milwaukee brand products, and so those who stick to the brand will find that there is a storage solution for just about everything that the manufacturer makes. There are even an array of official add-ons that can add a whole host of other ways to keep your workspace tidy.

That said, Milwaukee hasn't necessarily thought of everything. There is a whole community of Packout users who have found useful and creative ways to modify the system to do jobs that Milwaukee probably didn't intend. Some of them are simple things, like foam cut-outs for storing specialized equipment or gluing parts bins in to make a bin crate. But there are also some really cool ones out there that are definitely worth checking out.

It's a pretty safe bet that most people who invest in the Milwaukee packing station will also probably have a fair number of Milwaukee's cordless power tools in their collection. One thing that all of these tools have in common is that they all run on batteries, and all of those batteries need to be charged. It can be difficult to keep track of all those batteries, though, and even harder to keep all of them fully charged.

The YouTuber Iron Pixel Designs came up with an interesting solution to this. He took one of the Milwaukee Packout storage containers and modified it to be a charging station for his entire kit. He did this by mounting a piece of plywood inside the lid of the container that he could attach the chargers to, and then drilling a hole in the back so that he could run a power strip inside the container that he could plug them both into. He even added a pair of gas struts to the lid so that it would open automatically when unlatched and stay open even with the added weight of the batteries. He then placed dividers into the container for easy battery storage and for managing the excess cables.

A project like this is a great way for providing convenient battery access to a work crew on a job site.

You might not always have access to a power outlet, though. There may be times when you'll need to generate a bit of your own electricity by harnessing the power of the sun. Solar power has become a lot more viable in recent years, and there are even a few ways that you can integrate it into your Packout system.

YouTuber I.B.Lancer has a video series where he gives step-by-step instructions on how to build a 3KW 200Ah solar generator inside a Milwaukee Packout storage case using supplies that he bought on Amazon. This includes an all-in-one 24V 5000W inverter and charger, a 24V to 12V converter, two 12V 100Ah lithium batteries, a 12V fuse block, and a dozen other, smaller components for connection, regulation, interface, and controls.

This is a fairly involved project that will cost quite a bit to complete. That said, anyone who decides to build it will have a mobile solar generator that also tucks nicely into the Milwaukee Packout system. This is a great solution for campers, off-grid living, or job sites without easy access to electricity. You could even pair this with the charging station and have a never ending supply of batteries for your power tools even when you're miles away from the nearest power outlet.

Those who want to bring some extra power with them, but don't necessarily want to build an entire generator, might also be interested in the mod created by the YouTuber KeeganBuilds. He made one of the Packout containers into a portable, multi-cell system, that uses three M18 5Ah batteries and converts them into a single power station you can take camping or anywhere else that you might need a bit of off-grid power.

He did this by installing three battery bays into one of the low-profile Packout cases. He wired these bays to a DC-to-DC step down converter, which lowers the current from 18V to 12V. Then wired this to a power switch and then an output. Keegan lists all of the parts that he used in the description of his video and even provides links for battery bays for other popular tool brands, so even those who haven't invested in the Milwaukee M18 battery system can make this battery case using the Packout system. He also made a point of only selecting waterproof components, so you won't have to worry about the power station shorting out if it gets rained on.

There are a lot of mods that alter the interior of the Milwaukee Packout system, but there are also a few interesting and creative uses for the outside of the boxes as well. YouTuber Jake Weihe designs and sells 3D printed mods for tool organization systems. When looking at the Milwaukee Packout, he noticed that the aluminum rails at the corner of the storage containers are criminally under utilized. He designed several modular pieces that can be attached to these structural rails in order to add storage utility to the outside of the Milwaukee storage containers.

Weihe has designed a lot of interesting adaptors, but there are a couple that really stand out for their simplicity. One of the coolest items in his catalog is the magnetic rail adaptor. This is a simple magnetic piece that attaches to the aluminum rail and allows you to snap any lightweight metal tools or storage containers to the outside of the case.

Another of Weihe's more recent designs was made in partnership Nohlster. Weihe designed a series of clip locks that are designed to work in conjunction with Nohlster's aftermarket tool clips, allowing larger power tools such as drills and torque wrenches to be clipped to the outside of the Milwaukee Packout containers. He also designed several storage boxes to work with the clips so that they can snap onto the railings as well.

Most mods out there are designed to build extra functionality into the Milwaukee Packout containers, but there are a few interesting ones that use the containers themselves as building blocks for larger projects. The YouTuber Brian Way made a mobile miter saw workbench out of Packout containers, Packout dollys, and plywood. 

He made three shelves out of plywood that are cut to fit into the Packout's preexisting connectors and then stacked two of the modular units that come with sliding drawers on either side. Then had one shelf connecting the dollies at the bottom, one between the drawer units and one on top of them. He then added smaller standalone shelves on top of each unit that are designed to be level with the miter saw when it's placed in the middle. These are also just tall enough that a couple of the thinner Packout compartment organizers fit between them and the top of the bench. This makes for a mobile workstation with tons of storage and plenty of workspace.

One of the coolest things about this mod, is that the entire thing breaks down. The boards, the saw, and the Packout containers are all still easy to unstack and fit into the back of a truck when it's time to leave a job site.