Exploring More Durable Outdoor Storage Bins
Great Outdoor storage option
Functional and watertight
Plastic Bins are getting revisited here with more on Polypropylene Resin options. I am really fond of these Craftsman and Plano toolboxes. They are watertight (100%) and they resist UV, CO, and CO2 degradation. They come in a variety of sizes and all have great ergonomic carrying handles.
The question of waterproof takes on a whole new meaning when you need access to sensitive equipment in an outdoor setting, like what we have here at Mezzacello Urban Farm during our camps and workshops. During the Life Finds a Way summer camp this year, Team “Questionable Ethics” Placed a note to the fish in a Plano toolbox and lowered it to the bottom of the pond.
Utility And Durability
Polypropylene Resin Heavy Duty Stackable Toolboxes
Beyond the standard storage bin there are other storage options that are quite useful on an Urban Farm. I am really fond of these Craftsman Tradestack PPR tool boxes. They are sturdy, well-designed, and stackable. Their interior volume is not as big as the standard PPR bins with loose lids, but their hinged case and topside carrying handle more than make up for that.
In my Applied STEM Farming camps these Craftsman cases as well as the excellent line of variably sized Plano hinge-top toolboxes play a vital role. Anything stored in these cases is safe come rain, snow, or sun. Of course, it’s always a good idea to store them in a safe dry space, but during the active season, these are excellent storage choices.
Basic Plano Design Challenge Toolbox
Themed Storage Options
Because so much of my Farming STEM training content is theme-based to specific technologies and tools, I have come to rely heavily on the PPR Plano PPR Tool Box model. They are affordable, tough, waterproof, and variably sized to hold a wide variety of tools and experiments. They lock tight with strong latches, have a locking feature, and stack well with a convenient carrying handle.
The best part of using this form factor is that I can design STEM training around the storage bin. Simple design challenges can use a 16” box while more complex design challenges can go to the 24” and even the 36” models. All of these cases are similar in height and width, and they stack very well.
The really cool thing about the Plano form factor is that I can design teaching around their size and contents. On the inside of every Plano design challenge tool box is a QR code that my MenTerns can scan and pull up the lesson that goes with that design challenge from my website. I can add an extra layer of security in that the boxes are lockable and the 36” boxes REQUIRE an adult to open them.
Power Systems and PPR Cases
I have gone through multiple iterations of PPR cases at this point. Most are too thin, their margins not precise enough, or have too many moving parts. I have lost one AC/DC Battery inverter unit to a PPR case that LOOKED great, but performed miserably in the weather and rain. The Craftsman Tradestack is the gold standard at this point.
Case in point, that electronics box at the top of the page has been OUTSIDE since July. Filled with sensitive electronic equipment, but out of direct sunlight. Every piece of equipment stored within there is fully functional and safe. I really mean to give a shoutout to Craftsman for this well-engineered design!
These moldable, high-tolerance, and durable factors are the real power of PPR. Understanding basic waterflow design and technology is a solid skill as well. It has been a hard lesson to learn, but lucky for me I have MenTerns and clever kids in my summer camps and workshops that have put these cases to the test.
Full Disclosure: Team Questionable Ethics DID include a silicone seal on the lid to ensure their Fishacello Story stayed dry at the bottom of the pond while the koi proofread it.
