Behind the Build: Designing the M12 FUEL™ Orbital Detail Sander Insert
Welcome back to Inside the Lab, where we take you behind the scenes of how our Code Breaker Labs design team turns Milwaukee tools into PACKOUT™-ready systems.
This time we’re looking at the M12 FUEL™ Orbital Detail Sander insert we built for the Milwaukee PACKOUT™ Compact Organiser. The goal was simple: create an insert that handles every sanding preference, protects the tool, and survives years of real tradie abuse.
Design Goals: Built for Heavy Use, Not Just Storage
The Orbital Detail Sander is one of those tools that’s constantly in and out of the box. Different pads, tight spaces, quick touch-ups — it never stops. So our insert needed to:
- Store the tool securely with a natural, one-hand pickup
- Hold heaps of sanding pads without them getting crushed or lost
- Manage dust so the organiser doesn’t fill up with grit
- Work with different M12 battery setups
Like all of our Milwaukee PACKOUT™ inserts, this design started from real-world workflow, not just CAD on a screen.
Grate System
Keeping your insert clean for longer
Sanding means dust — and when that dust lands inside your organiser, it cakes onto everything. To fight that, we built a grate system directly under the sander head.
As you drop the tool in, any remaining dust and debris has somewhere to go. It falls through the grate instead of building up around the pads and the tool body. When it’s time to clean up, you can lift the insert section out of the PACKOUT™ Compact Organiser, tip the dust out, and you’re ready to go again.
Design and Layout
Packing a punch in a compact footprint
The insert’s layout is all about balancing tool protection with storage capacity. The sander sits in a thick, contoured pocket that cradles the tool body while still giving you room to grab it quickly.
A sculpted scoop around the grip area lets you hook your fingers in — even with gloves on — and lift the tool out in one smooth motion. No more fighting the organiser walls or pinching at awkward angles.
Every curve and cut-out has a job: either protect the tool during transport or guide your hand during pickup. The result is a layout that feels like it came from the factory, not an afterthought.
Battery Compatibility
Space for your preference
Different tradies run different battery setups, so the insert had to be flexible. The design supports:
- The sander stored with the battery on or off
- Space around the base for a high output or 2.0Ah pack to stay attached
- An additional 2.0Ah battery stored in the front-left pocket
The idea is simple: keep your power close to the tool, not buried in another box. That means less downtime and a tighter PACKOUT™ stack.
Sanding Pad Slots
Space for days
Sanding pads are where the Orbital Detail Sander really gets personal — everyone has their favourite grits and pad types. So instead of trying to guess the “right” combo, we built a flexible slotting system that suits nearly any pad you can throw at it.
The slots are sized to work with:
- Thicker foam-backed pads
- Thin breathable mesh pads
- Mixed stacks of different grits
We’ve also included cut-outs that keep pads stable whether the slot is fully loaded or you’re only running a single pad. Everything stands upright, easy to see, and most importantly — easy to grab mid-job.
Detail Protection Around the Sander Head
The top of the sander sits close to the PACKOUT™ lid, so we added reinforced walls around the head to cushion it during transport. This keeps the tool from rocking, protects the pad face, and stops the head from slamming into the organiser whenever the stack gets dragged around site.
All Together in the PACKOUT™
With the insert loaded up, you’ve got:
- The M12 FUEL™ Orbital Detail Sander seated securely
- Rows of organised sanding pads ready to go
- A spare M12 battery within easy reach
- Dust managed by the integrated grate system
It’s everything you need for detail sanding, packed into one organiser that clips straight into your existing PACKOUT™ stack.
Final Thoughts from the Design Team
This insert was built for tradies who actually live with the Orbital Detail Sander on site — not just for a tidy photo on a shelf. Every slot, wall and curve was shaped around workflow: where your hand goes, where dust ends up, how many pads you carry, and how often you swap batteries.
If you’re already running other Code Breaker Labs inserts in your PACKOUT™ tower, this one slots in perfectly, giving your M12 sanding setup a permanent, organised home.
Less rummaging, more sanding — that’s the whole point.