Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

[Donald B.]

I've decided to finally get a "real" tool box. Thinking of a 5 - 7 drawer on wheels with a 3 - 5 drawer on top.

I'm looking for suggestions regarding Makes / Models to consider. Also, makes/models to avoid.

Thanks

[Dick W.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

Suggestions from this crew will be as many as there are posters. Stay will a quality box, Snapon, Matco, Mac, Craftsman. The tool boxes at Lowe's Hardware look good. Buy as large a box as you can find. A tool box is like a garage...the law of available space applies. That is if you have 5 drawers you will soon have 6 drawers of tools.

You can speed less than a $1,000 and have a good box, or you can spend over $2,500 and have the Cadillac. Sorta like buying a car. Many choices.

I have an old S-K box that is approaching 50 years old and it is still serviceable. Have a set of Snap On boxes that are over 25 years old. Both serve the same purpose.

[Joel A.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

Get the biggest one you can afford!!!

[Gary Bishop]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

Reads as if Dick has been into the "mash" with out me. If not sooner, see you in Charlotte.

[Gary C.]

Snap On or Matco only way to go ....

Don, as Dick points out; "buy a good one". Have had a Snap On 1001 bottom unit for 15 years. It was used when I bought up and has held up well. Bought the matching top about 10 years ago. Check e-bay and your local newspaper want ads. Often during the holidays tool boxes can be a good buy. Good luck, Gary....

[Dick W.]

Re: Snap On or Matco only way to go ....

The reason I brought up available space is that I have over 60,000 sq. in. of storage space in my tool box and have out grown it. When the old S-K was my new (to me) tool box, I thought that I would need just a couple more drawers. Well, after trading 5 sets of boxes and adding hang on's on both ends, I just need a couple more drawers. You never, never have too much tool box space. You just may buy it shortly before you need it.

[Bryan L.]

Re: Snap On or Matco only way to go ....

I agree with Gary. I bought a very nice 2 year old Snap-On bottom box (full of tools) on ebabe a couple of years ago for $900. I had to drive 150 miles to pick it up but no biggie.

BL

[Tracy C.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

Don't buy one without seeing/touching/trying all the drawers for proper operation. If you can, load the drawers up with weight equivalant to the tools you are going to store and then check to see how smoothly they open and close.

good luck,
tc

[Mike M.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

agree with dickie in that you can never have enough tools/toolboxes. i have 3 pairs of snapon boxes. have bought every one of them from the snapon dealer after the original owners had their babies repossessed. seems like the local snapon dealer averages about one pair of repossessed boxes every other month . make sure ya get the later boxes with roller bearings in the drawers. only bitch i have with the snapon critters is the paint could be a tad tougher. i clean my boxes about once a year and harsh detergents(the Green stuff) tends to melt the red snapon cabnet paint.mike

[Dennis C.]

I've had 1 good tool box since I was 16 and have

...never "cleaned" it. Mikie, does clean'in yo too box hep ya fix stuff...???

[Joel A.]

Re: I've had 1 good tool box since I was 16 and ha

Go with a powder coat finish...the paint won't wipe off when you "clean" it. The Matco boxes are better built, IMO, but the Crap-On boxes will hold more goodies, at the same basic outside measurements. The Matco box I have now(see above) is actually larger on the outside than the similar sized Crap-On that it replaced, but...it is smaller on the inside, a downside to the superior double-walled construction of the Matco.

[Mike M.]

Re: I've had 1 good tool box since I was 16 and ha

i clean them once a year, about a week before the annual labor day Down on the Farm MAC NCRS event. and by the way, we expect yer sorry ass here in cumberland over labor day 2007 for the 25th anniv of the founding of MAC. see driveline for details. this may be the last Down on the Farm event unless we can persuade my sweetsie to allow more. mikie

[Peter L.]

Re: I've had 1 good tool box since I was 16 and ha

I've had my old Craftsman box forever, OK since I was 18 (I'm not as old as Mikey) but I'm thinking of buying one of those new BIG ones. They are so BIG I think I can park my 67 in it and live in if I have too. I'll have to park the Chevelle outside. Pete

[John M.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

I finally had to scrap my old Craftsman box that I had owned since I was 17 year old. It was built in a time when ball bearing drawers were not the norm, and it finally just got too hard to operate the drawers. I bought a new ball bearing drawer unit with a matching top chest. I hated to part with that Craftsman box as it had my employee stickers from all the Aircraft plants that I ever worked at, but It was worn out!

Regards, John McGraw

[Mike B.]

Re: Off Subject - Tool Box Suggestions

I never thought that I would recommend a Chinese tool box but a friend just bought a top and bottom set "Atlas 21" through Greg Smith Equipment for $650. The quality and heft just blew me away. It took three of us to carry the lower box out of the truck. It has smooth ball bearing draw slides, self-locking drawers and even comes pre-loaded with liners. It is way better and much bigger than the Craftsman box I bought a few years ago for about the same money. He and I bought parking lifts from Greg Smith and he ordered the tool box as part of the deal. Here is the link if interested: http://www.gregsmithequipment.com/To...inets-s/38.htm