Power tool packaging is a weight problem before it is a size problem. A cordless drill with two batteries and a charger is heavy for its volume, it has hard corners, and it usually travels stacked. So the sizing job runs in a different order from a retail carton: work out the pack, work out the weight, then work out the board.
Measure the pack, not the tool
If the drill ships in a blow moulded case, measure the closed case and stop. If it ships loose in a die cut insert, measure the tool with the battery seated, then measure every accessory separately: charger, second battery, bit set, side handle, manual. Lay them out in the arrangement the line will use and measure the resulting footprint, because an arrangement that nests the charger beside the tool is usually an inch shorter than one that stacks it on top.
Board grade follows load and stack height
Single wall corrugated covers most hand tools. Double wall, which adds a second flute and a third liner, is common once the packed weight climbs or the boxes are stacked several layers high in a warehouse rack. Rather than choosing a grade off a chart, send two numbers with your quote request: the gross weight of one packed box, and the maximum number of boxes that will ever be stacked on top of each other. Board grade is a response to those two numbers. Flute profiles and what each one does are explained on our flute guide.
Fitting the carton to a pallet
The standard North American pallet is 48 x 40 in. A carton footprint that divides that deck evenly costs you nothing in freight; one that does not leaves dead deck space you still pay to ship. These footprints divide the deck exactly.
| Carton footprint | Cartons per pallet layer |
|---|---|
| 24 x 20 in | 4 |
| 24 x 10 in | 8 |
| 16 x 20 in | 6 |
| 12 x 20 in | 8 |
| 16 x 10 in | 12 |
| 12 x 10 in | 16 |
Those are external footprints. Work back from them to your internal dimension by subtracting roughly twice the board caliper on each axis, then check that the tool still fits. If it does not, take the next size up rather than overhanging the pallet, because an overhanging carton loses a large share of its stacking strength at the unsupported edge.
Inserts and corner protection
Hard tools damage the box from the inside. A die cut corrugated insert or a foam cradle keeps the chuck and the battery foot away from the panels and stops the tool from migrating in transit. For a heavy unit, a fitted foam or moulded pulp cradle is usually the difference between a box that survives a drop on its corner and one that does not. See boxes with foams and the custom tool boxes overview for options.
Ordering and turnaround
Minimum order is 100 boxes, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof are included, so a carton cut to your tool and to a pallet friendly footprint tools no differently from a near-standard size. We produce in West Chicago in the US and in Guangzhou in China. Turnaround is quoted per product across three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days in production plus 2 to 5 days for delivery.
Send the packed weight, the stack height and the tool or case dimensions, and we will propose a board grade and a pallet friendly footprint together. Request a quote to start.
