Tradie tool storage is full of acronyms and brand-specific jargon. Here's what every term actually means when you're shopping for PACKOUT accessories and 3D-printed tool inserts in Australia.
Milwaukee Tool's modular storage system — interlocking boxes, organisers and drawer units designed to clip together and carry as a stack. Released 2017, now the dominant tradie storage platform in Australia. PACKOUT™ is a registered Milwaukee trademark.
Milwaukee's two main cordless battery platforms. M12 runs at 12 volts (lighter, more compact — good for electricians, plumbers). M18 runs at 18 volts (more power — favoured by carpenters, builders).
A shaped 3D-printed tray that drops into a Packout box, drawer or organiser to hold tools in specific tool-shaped cutouts. Stops tools sliding around in transit.
Milwaukee makes two PACKOUT bin organisers: the low-profile (shallow bins, good for small parts) and the deep bin (taller compartments, good for hardware, fasteners, cable).
A 3D-printed adapter that lets batteries (usually third-party or different brand) click into a Milwaukee PACKOUT panel as if they were native. Not official Milwaukee hardware.
Milwaukee's smallest PACKOUT bin organiser. Clear lid, 10 removable bins. The most-modified box in the range.
Polyethylene terephthalate glycol. The industrial-grade 3D printing filament PrintForge uses for all tradie products. Tough, UV-stable, heat-resistant to ~80°C. Much more durable than PLA, easier to print than ABS.
Polylactic acid. A starch-based 3D printing filament. Good for decorative prints, bad for tool accessories — brittle under impact, warps in hot cars, degrades in UV.
Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. Strong and heat-resistant but hard to print consistently (warps) and releases fumes.
The universal 3D printing file format. A mesh of triangles that describes the surface of a 3D object.
A more detailed 3D CAD file format (.stp or .step). Better than STL for precision fitment because it preserves the actual geometry, not just a mesh.
Audio players for kids that play story and music cards. Not a tool, but our 3D-printed Yoto accessories are one of our most popular non-tradie product lines.
Ryobi's competing modular storage system. Similar concept to Packout but for Ryobi tools.
A 3D-printed tray that fits inside a Packout drawer, dividing it into tool-shaped slots.
Our promise: if an insert doesn't fit the PACKOUT box or tool as described on the product page, we replace or refund it.
Now you know the jargon.
Head back to the PACKOUT Setup Guide, or browse Milwaukee PACKOUT accessories.