Tool boxes

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I am looking to get a nice box/chest for my garage.  I am looking at used due to the prices.  What do you guys use/recommend and why?
Reply:Unless you have neighbors to impress , the Harbor Freight boxes are hard to beat for the price.  My oldest are from 2005, and work as well as the day I got them. The money saved paid for many tools.  The main use is to organize and protect you tool investment.  Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk 2TxDoc's Photos Lincoln SP175 PlusLincoln Power Mig 256Lincoln 250 LX Spool Gun Lincoln Precision Tig 225 Hypertherm 600 KMG 2x72 Belt GrinderBaldor 812RE Grinder
Reply:"Nice" is the operative word. And that depends on what you consider to be nice. But I have to agree TxDoc.. Most all tool boxes will do the job sufficiently. Unless you are storing your lead weight collection. I have some older boxes that don't have ball-bearing slides and I don't notice the difference when using them. To me, it's more about drawer sizes and arrangement. To that end, I have one toolbox on wheels that has a work surface and, I think, eight drawers. I put my mostly used tools in this and move it to where I'm working.Last edited by herbet99; 01-21-2013 at 01:13 PM.
Reply:I am guessing these will be for your home shop?I own Snap On boxes but they are legacies from past career as aircraft mechanic and prior to the Asian invasion.Like TX Doc says the Horrible Fright boxes are big bang for the buck!  My buddy bought them for his new hangar just to consolidate all his stuff into a central location.  I went along for the ride the day he went to the city to buy them, thinking he would be better off buying a used Snap-On box.  We got to the store and after looking at the boxes they seemed like a pretty solid box for the buck and I would compare them to Waterloo.  Since his purchase (two + years ago) they have held up nicely and seem to handle the weight well.  The un-sprung suspension does not roll over rough floors quite as well as my Snap On does, but if your floor is flat and level it shouldn't present much problem.RogerOld, Tired, and GRUMPYSalesman will call, Batteries not included, Assembly is required, and FREE ADVICE IS WORTH EXACTLY WHAT YOU PAY FOR IT!Dial Arc 250HFThunderbolt 225 AC/DCAssorted A/O torches
Reply:I agree with TEXDOC on the harbor freight boxes. Best buy for the money. Here's what I have but this is the current model. There are coupons for these too.http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...category/1242/http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-to...est-68787.htmlhttp://www.harborfreight.com/hand-to...est-68785.html
Reply:I am a gang box kind of guy....Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:I like my craftsman boxes! Decent price for nice ball bearing boxes. My oldest is coming up to 20 years old now, the newer box is even 15 years old. Ball bearings are a must!
Reply:I got one of those Masterforce tool boxes from Menards. It's a big green one. Had it since 08' ant it still is as good as the day I got it. On the deeper drawers it has double slides. The drawers slide really nice. I got it on sale for like 200 dollars. I'll try to get a picture of it soon.-Pat
Reply:I'll go with amwelder89 on the Masterforce boxes at Menards, several guys at work have them and they have held up great and look good even though they are green... heres a picture I foundtackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Well first we have to find out what the OP wants to use it for.I use this for my mechanics tools.I bought this for my mobile welding jobs. The few, for now.This, like the first gang box, and the next, was too cheap to pass up. So I figured I could store my carpentry/plumbing crap in................Until I found this. So the last one is for sale."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:my 2 cents, the harbor freight 41" bottom for 350.00 ( in my local store ) is a great deal, or the craftsmans are not bad. all of mine are second hand from craigs list seen many nice snapon & macs on ther too, but have had mine for years & need not replace them. got husky, waterloo, snapon & mac in my collection Attached Images
Reply:I Have had several craftsman boxes.  I just keep out growing the damn things.  I have a buddy who recently bought a cornwell tool route and be made me a pretty fair deal on it.   And I have some room for growth. be prepared to spend some coin if you go the name brand route.Miller BobcatHarris cutting outfitMiller spectrum 625 plasmaVariety of shopmade tools
Reply:TozziWelding what a great idea!! Will fab my http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-to...est-68787.htmlinto my Knaack Model 89. Any suggestions or pitfalls?
Reply:It depends on what your going to do with it, you get what you pay for. Craftsman is a good box if your going to leave it in the shop.
Reply:i could see myself starting with one small toolbox on wheels. it wouldn't take long before my cellar walls would be lined with the things, floor to ceiling.i.u.o.e. # 15queens, ny and sunny fla
Reply:Originally Posted by Alan MurfeeIt depends on what your going to do with it, you get what you pay for. Craftsman is a good box if your going to leave it in the shop.
Reply:i have one of the big rollaway HF boxes they are way better than crapsmans .for what a Snap On box costs "your first born and a couple fingers" in my opinion are ridiculously overpriced  buy one of the HF boxes and what you save you could buy a whole lot of nice tools for the price difference ! i see guys trying to sell these mammoth Snap On boxes on craigslist for $2 to $5000 and i always say these guys got to be insane!  chris
Reply:Keep in mind that Snap-On, Matco, etc are "professional grade". Heavier gauge, better slides, bigger wheels, suspension on the larger cabinets. Look them up sometime and notice the weight of the things......... empty.  They're extremely spendy to start with, so used prices generally are also.For "home" use they're overkill (but look good).   However, when you wrench for a living, the drawers are in constant use all day and roller slides are important. I have two Kennedy "Mechanics" roller chests at home that are about 40 years old with plain slides. They get dirty and need an occasional clean/re-lube, but are still going strong.When I got into the automotive repair biz some 40+ years ago, I had Craftsman. They worked OK for what they were buuuttttt, they weren't very deep. So roller chest, mid-chest and top chest combined were extremely prone to tip overs when moving around. I hate when that happens.  They went away shortly thereafter.Wheels. Very important overlooked engineering aspect. Larger diameter is better and not any wider than need be on the swivel caster (look at good running gear on welders). Most roller chests and especially gang boxes have little tiny wheels. They require more effort to get rolling and keep rolling, especially on rough surfaces. The bottom thickness/reinforcement is also important. I wound up adding a plate to the bottom of the Kennedy's to keep the camber out.Gang boxes are noted for being handled roughly on job sites. Hit with forks, dumped off trucks, etc. Yea, carless handling but real world. A couple of tweaks to the casters and camber and toe-in changes making them even more difficult to push. I know from having to push junk from one end of a plant to the other over the last 23 years.Lot of Blah, Blah, Blah........ but you asked.Just my 2c worth of experience.
Reply:Absolutely, Snap-on, Matco and the rest are for professional use. I was a mechanic long ago and that's why I have a big Snap-on. Now that I'm out of business and not working with my tools everyday, I will buy the big HF roll cab. I need more space, but I kinda want to line a wall of my future shop with them to use for a nuts & bolts and parts cabinet. I will put a workbench top on two or three of them."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Build your own  Made 7 of these and gave 6 of them to my buddies. Which i haven't seen since. And yes that is a 36" ratchet in the center divider...Bob Attached ImagesBob WrightSalem, Ohio  Birthplace of the Silver & Deming Drillhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/southbend10k/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sawking/1999 Miller MM185 w/ Miller 185 Spoolmate spoolgun
Reply:Very nice aametalmaster. Can you post a bunch of detailed pics, please? I found that Knaack box by luck. But, those don't come around too often. I would like to make some."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Tool Boxes; I was told when I was in high school, 55 years ago, to "buy the biggest tool box you can afford, you will fill it up as time goes by"  I started with a hand me down Kennedy Kit, used it for years then gave it away after being given a Waterloo.  Replaced the worn out Waterloo with 2 Craftsman boxes from the Sears close-out and returned merchandise store. After 13 years working field service and plant  maintenance, got laid off and forced, at 67, to retire.  Replaced the battered annd dented Craftsman boxes with a US General (Harbor Freight) chest and roll-a-round.  They look nice in my workshop, and are the envy of all who see them.  I like tham too.Craftsman buys their boxes from somebody else, I have always suspected Waterloo. Tool Boxes no more make the mechanic, than clothes make the man.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Pics of my box as promised. Forgot to mention it came with greaseable and locking casters.Sorry it was kind of buried. Been doing some moving.-Pat
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manVery nice aametalmaster. Can you post a bunch of detailed pics, please? I would like to make some.
Reply:I love my snapon box... The customer service is great! the old casters on mine where shot I called them up and they sent new ones free no questions asked and even sent bigger ones because i roll it all around our plant. Its also nice to get the struts and drawer locks warrantied occationally.... That being said... our company got a harbor freight US General box to store all the mill/lathe tooling in and its a great box for the money. Even has double ball bearing sliders on the bottom drawers! So that is what im going to get for my garage... hard to justify the money on a snap on if its for home as I wont use it every day. Attached ImagesBandaid, did you say the Snap-on lid, gas struts, are under warranty? I have two needing replacement. Unfortunately, I don't have a dealer anymore, and we used to have a local branch, but not anymore."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:I bought my chest from Tractor Supply, it a large chest and runs in the 3-400 range and is of pretty good quality, It is no snap on by any means, they are very expensive but they are superior to any of the big box store boxes. For the base I find the Kennedy 6 drawer roller units used on craigslist, pretty good box.  If you want to go just a few more bucks without approaching sick expensive , check out the Proto tool, ( Stanley Industrial) Very nice boxes in the 4-500 range. Great quality."Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum"Lincoln Idealarc 250 AC/DCMillermatic 251   Syncrowave 300   30A spoolgunLincoln MP210Hypertherm 45(2) LN 25(2) Lincoln Weldanpower 225 CV(4) SA200   1 short hood    SA250    SAM 400
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manBandaid, did you say the Snap-on lid, gas struts, are under warranty? I have two needing replacement. Unfortunately, I don't have a dealer anymore, and we used to have a local branch, but not anymore.
Reply:Originally Posted by BandaidUnfortunately our snap-on dealer around here is an a$$-hat and I refuse to deal with him after he denied doing a warranty on one of my ratchets, so i called up customer service off their website to have things warrantied. I don't have an account with a dealer because i rather pay cash than pay the rest of my life. Through calling customer service i have warrantied box parts, a couple ratchets, air ratchet parts, pry bars and bought a wrench i lost. So they will do anything for you a dealer would.
Reply:I have two boxes, and they're both relatively small.  The first is about seven years old now, a $200 craftsman at the time.  Looks pretty much like this one - http://www.sears.com/craftsman-26inc...&blockType=G11Its worked well, and I've had no issues with it.  The other box is a Cornwell, got it on sale for about $500.  Looks just like this, but its yellow - http://www.cornwelltools.com/webcat/...roduct_id=5875I'd say the quality of the Cornwell is a lot better than the Craftsman, but they're both fine.  Is it worth almost four times the price?  Hell no.-AaronJet 17.5" Drill Press1942 South Bend 16x84 Lathe1980s Miller 320A / BP --- 2013 Power Mig 2562012 Jet 7x12 Horizontal BandsawVictor O/A Setup
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manWhen I called them, they just wanted to refer me to a dealer. I wanted to find my closest branch. I have a bunch of stuff to be repaired. Do you have to cover shipping both ways?