I went a bit overboard with my Christmas shopping this year, but it's OK since I spent the most on myself :D There were some really great combo deals on Kobalt 24V cordless tools this season, and one was particularly good (which is over), but seemed to fly under the radar. Needless to say, my old cordless tools (Black and Decker 18V), which have served me pretty well (aside from a sawzall that burned up recently), are gonna have to step aside to make room for a new starting lineup. The Kobalt tools themselves seem pretty well regarded, and they check off quite a few boxes, being brushless, 24v, and having a good batter warranty (on paper at least), and most of all, the price's were great. In addition to the sawzall, I picked up several 2.0 and 4.0A battery kits, which included a "free" tool. I ended up with a oscillating multi-tool, jigsaw, trim router and a couple drills. Now however, I need a place to put them all. I really like this set of wall mounts for the Kobalt tools, however I need to mount them to a pegboard. I started working on a pegboard adapter for that set, and then decided to see if I could mount the battery holder on top of the toolholder, so I just ran a test print of that (which will need some work). If it all works out I will post some pics and a link to the models here. I may also post the pegboard adapter separately, since it should be compatible with the remix source design too. I didn't want to start a new project this year, but it is what it is, and really, it will be a remix so it's not really a "new" project lol.
Update 1/2/2025: I printed a few of the remixed designs, but found that I wanted to make changes to the parts of the design which interface with the battery and tools, so I am abandoning the remix and starting over from scratch. A couple things I want to focus on with the design are a snug fitting tool holder, a latching battery holder, and vents for the battery (I don't want to block them). Printability is also something I'm working on, which will be a bit tricky, since the holders will need to be printed in two orientations depending on the tool it's designed for.
So far, I've printed a few iterations of the parts of the holders which connect to the tool and battery to test them with my Kobalt stuff, and they are getting close. There may also be a spring detent version of the holder for tools, however that is just an option I'm considering.
Since I decided to work on this from scratch, the tool+battery holders will be my own design (fully), but I already made a pegboard adapter for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders, and that model will get posted as a remix, however right now there is only one size (and 3 sizes of adapters is required).
So far, I've printed a few iterations of the parts of the holders which connect to the tool and battery to test them with my Kobalt stuff, and they are getting close. There may also be a spring detent version of the holder for tools, however that is just an option I'm considering.
Since I decided to work on this from scratch, the tool+battery holders will be my own design (fully), but I already made a pegboard adapter for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders, and that model will get posted as a remix, however right now there is only one size (and 3 sizes of adapters is required).
Update 1/3/2025: After a couple test prints and iterations to the design, the prototype holders are fitting nicely. I used the stock 2.0Ah battery as a basis to design both the battery holder and the tool holders, and added some extra clearance (but not too much), since I don't want them being loose. There is an angled section near the front of the battery, which took a few tries to get right, but I made some simple printed template pieces to check that angle, which turns out to be 9°. It's a small detail, but it was buggin' me when I looked at the prototype holders and saw that the angle (5°) was not correct, but it is now.
It felt like the tool holder needed some form of lightly engaged mechanical hold on the tools, but I did not want to have a release button for the tool, so I thought a simple spring loaded detent would work OK. That element is now fully designed out, and should work, though I need to find my Harbor Freight tool collection to verify that (it will use a 7/32" x 1.5" compression spring from the Harbor Freight Spring Assortment Kit). Some additions to the now (should be) final design are a pair of battery vent holes in the sides of the mount, a 2 color label insert (so I know what tool goes where), and a cover for the sprint detent stuff. The base of the tool mount is an even 60x100mm, however I may need at least one larger size (maybe 60x120+mm) for some of the tools.
The designs for the pegboard adapters for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders are done (in a small. medium and large size to match the bases of the CarbonForged's holders). However I'm having second thoughts on them, since I'm not sure how robust they will be due to the weight of the tools. I'm gonna wait till I can test similar pegboard adapters for my Kobalt Tool mounts, and see how I feel about them before I post those.
It felt like the tool holder needed some form of lightly engaged mechanical hold on the tools, but I did not want to have a release button for the tool, so I thought a simple spring loaded detent would work OK. That element is now fully designed out, and should work, though I need to find my Harbor Freight tool collection to verify that (it will use a 7/32" x 1.5" compression spring from the Harbor Freight Spring Assortment Kit). Some additions to the now (should be) final design are a pair of battery vent holes in the sides of the mount, a 2 color label insert (so I know what tool goes where), and a cover for the sprint detent stuff. The base of the tool mount is an even 60x100mm, however I may need at least one larger size (maybe 60x120+mm) for some of the tools.
The designs for the pegboard adapters for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders are done (in a small. medium and large size to match the bases of the CarbonForged's holders). However I'm having second thoughts on them, since I'm not sure how robust they will be due to the weight of the tools. I'm gonna wait till I can test similar pegboard adapters for my Kobalt Tool mounts, and see how I feel about them before I post those.
Update 1/6/2025: I think I have the peg mount design completed for my new Kobalt tool and battery mounts (which were inspired by but not a remix of CarbonForged's design), so now I just need to test them. If the peg mounts work well, then I will apply the same changes to complete the peg board adapters for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders as well. The new design will utilize some steel peg board mounting clips, which should resolve any of my worries about the peg mounts being too weak.
Something else I noticed is that Lowes has the deal of the day today for a 2.0Ah and 4.0Ah battery, charger, case and a free tool for $80. This is the best deal on that combo yet (lowest I saw it for was $90 during the holidays). These kits are a great way to get started with the Kobalt lineup, since they have a good selection of free tools to pick from with that combo. If you get the deal, and cannot seem to be able to pick a tool for the free gift (other than the jigsaw), click on the "Choose your gifts" (on the right side under the price) and then click the minus sign "-" next to the jigsaw (to zero that choice out). Then you should be able to pick a tool from any of the dozen or so tool choices they have with the combo.
Something else I noticed is that Lowes has the deal of the day today for a 2.0Ah and 4.0Ah battery, charger, case and a free tool for $80. This is the best deal on that combo yet (lowest I saw it for was $90 during the holidays). These kits are a great way to get started with the Kobalt lineup, since they have a good selection of free tools to pick from with that combo. If you get the deal, and cannot seem to be able to pick a tool for the free gift (other than the jigsaw), click on the "Choose your gifts" (on the right side under the price) and then click the minus sign "-" next to the jigsaw (to zero that choice out). Then you should be able to pick a tool from any of the dozen or so tool choices they have with the combo.
Update 1/9/2025: I've been going through my tools and designing holders for them (untested currently), but when I got to the sawzall I hit a problem. The best way to mount the sawzall would be to have it hang from the holder, but the current design is set up to only have a spring detent, and not a latching mechanism similar to the way the batteries mount to the tool. I could mount the sawzall upside down, so the sawzall "drops" into the holder, but that would put a lot of torque on the holder and the pegboard mounts. I decided to back up a bit, and redesigned part of the mounts to allow for a button release mechanism, which I'd use for some of the tools that require a latching holder. Some tools will need a latch due to their mounting orientation, or just to have a bit more security with a heavy tool. I like the spring detent for most other tools though, since they can just be popped in or out of the holders, without trying to manipulate buttons to release the tool.
This design is not yet fully tested however. The peg mount works pretty much as well as I could hope for, and are very solid, but I'm waiting on some 6x40mm springs from AliExpress to test the holders. I may just break down and buy another assortment from Harbor Freight, just to test it, since I seem to have lost the springs from the assortment I thought I had around here.
So far this design has been fun, but I have many hours of work into it already, so I'm hopeful when I get the parts, everything will work (or can be made to work). "Works in CAD" has burned me before lol, but the proof will always be in the prints.
I'm still planning to make a peg adapter for for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders, which inspired this whole project (my original plan was just to make the peg adapters, but as you can read above, it didn't quite work out that way :-) Those however will be done after I can test my designs, which will use a similar peg board adapter, using the full weight of the tools on them. I have little doubt though, that the new design with the steel clips will be up to the task.
Edit- I just noticed the peg clips in the third pic below are upside down. It's just a matter of rotating the base 180° though, so not a bit deal, but I thought I'd mention it.
This design is not yet fully tested however. The peg mount works pretty much as well as I could hope for, and are very solid, but I'm waiting on some 6x40mm springs from AliExpress to test the holders. I may just break down and buy another assortment from Harbor Freight, just to test it, since I seem to have lost the springs from the assortment I thought I had around here.
So far this design has been fun, but I have many hours of work into it already, so I'm hopeful when I get the parts, everything will work (or can be made to work). "Works in CAD" has burned me before lol, but the proof will always be in the prints.
I'm still planning to make a peg adapter for for CarbonForged's Kobalt 24v tool holders, which inspired this whole project (my original plan was just to make the peg adapters, but as you can read above, it didn't quite work out that way :-) Those however will be done after I can test my designs, which will use a similar peg board adapter, using the full weight of the tools on them. I have little doubt though, that the new design with the steel clips will be up to the task.
Edit- I just noticed the peg clips in the third pic below are upside down. It's just a matter of rotating the base 180° though, so not a bit deal, but I thought I'd mention it.
Update 1/10/2025: Not much to add about the mounts, I'm still working through them for my collection of tools, but I did see a smoking deal today on a kit with a hammer drill, 1/4" impact, LED light, a 2.0 and 4.0Ah battery, charger, case and 2 free tools for $150. The 4.0Ah battery in the kit is the upgraded "Ultimate Output" battery as well. This is a great kit for the money, but they seem to be selling out of them (I had to go 10 miles away to find one in stock). The deal (which is half off), ends at midnight I believe.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-XTR-3-Tool-24-Volt-Max-Brushless-Power-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-Hard-Case-Charger-Included-and-2-Batteries-Included/1002274128
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-XTR-3-Tool-24-Volt-Max-Brushless-Power-Tool-Combo-Kit-with-Hard-Case-Charger-Included-and-2-Batteries-Included/1002274128
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