wife said she would buy me a new rolling tool chest lowes has the 41"stainless 20 drawer kobalt combo for 860.00 sears has their 40" 22 draw red/black at 1039.00 and the same in the viper but it is pink for 960.00 OH! what do i want any input to me the viper is better built.
I have been checking out the toolboxes for my son. I wouldn't give a dollar for the boxes at Sears. I have all Sears boxes but one and the quality of the new ones doesn't even come close. I looked at Sams, Lowes, Menards, Sears and Harbor Freight. At the moment if I was looking I would get the 44" roller cabinet and chest from HF. Item #68784 and #68787. Currently on sale for $690 per set. Just my .02
You can buy American made Kennedy from MSCdirect.com
Top quality, last forever.
New would be nice but I found this older craftsman in the background of the photo at a garage sale for $50. Was a very good buy and a very well made tool box. Could be bigger but the price was right!
Those prices are gasp-inducing. If you're not in a big hurry, start haunting farm auctions and estate sales. Good tool boxes sell regularly, and often for a fraction of the new price.
One thing for sure! You do NOT want a new wife!!!
Michael;
You are correct. The old saying "Two can live as cheaply as one but for only half the time". I've been divorced for 9 1/2 yrs. and even though I like the ladies, never again.
Sears has some tool boxes on sale for half price tomorrow. Friday.
yup mikhael i have a great one i was single 26 years found each other married 7 years and have not even had a cross word,but she did say no more drag cars,but we do go to the nhra finals,as i have a freind that runs in fuel funny car 'johnny gray" but when i found our T she said buy it make it nice and lets go riding,I am very blessed!!happy bird day
That is a really nice gesture, but a toolbox will also represent something that takes your attention from her, and she may not even realize it. Better to put the money on something that attaches to the car that you both can appreciate whenever you go somewhere.
Someday front brakes will be available. They are the best thing you can do to a T you drive.
There's a Stewart klaxon on Tbay right now, which she might enjoy.
rdr
Check with your snap-on dealer, lots of times he will have used boxes that are better than any new ones by other makers. Mine is an 84 model and drawers still open and close as well as always. I don't represent snap on in any way other than buying tools from them for the last 45 years. You get what you pay for when it comes to tools and tool boxes, KB
Craig's list and pawn shops are also another place to look. (They couldn't give me a new set of pink ones!)
hey ricks surf city,,,like I said i got a really wonderful wife she don't mind at all when I am in my shop either woodworking or just fartin'round she at least knows where i am i built our new home completely but that is what i do for a living
I have some of the older Craftsman boxes and I like them much better than the newer discount store boxes they replaced. I got them from abandoned storage units.
If you have certain tools or tool sets in cases that you want in your new tool box measure the drawer height before you buy.
Ball bearing slides are the most important feature to look for. The cheaper slides wear out, and get hard to push when you get the weight of all the tools in.
I have 40" Craftsman roll away with top box that's never big enough, but I have no complaints about the quality. The bottom is about 12 years old, and the top chest is about 4 or 5 years old.
Check out the local pawn shops. Some come with tools, even.
I like my Craftsman boxes. I have the roller cabinet, a center box and a top box. All have the roller bearings. I overloaded the bottom drawer with my pullers and other heavy stuff but otherwise they've held up well. Can't say as much for the old lady. 33 years and I was lucky to get the hell out of there with my tools. If I need a woman I go rent one for awhile. Once they get their money they leave and I don't have to put up with their BS. I guess they're ok for breeding. And mine gave me a couple of great kids. But once they foal get rid of them.
Hmmmmmm......hope none of your family ever accidently stumbles across this forum!
I doubt it'll be a problem. And if anything else it definitely shows I've got no respect left for the opposite sex. When it starts to be hundreds of thousands of dollars gone I kind of become just a might cynical. But I did keep my tools.
"But once they foal get rid of them."
No Craftsman lifetime warranty??? Frozen pizza MY way for dinner tonight! troop
My wife has garage savvy..
She wants to replace all the kitchen cabinets with big tool boxes.
Does that mean I'll end up with the kitchen cabinets in the garage??
No, that means you better learn how to butter your toast with lithium grease and a putty knife. Each your beans off a clutch plate. And watch out you don't mix your RTV up with your KY.
Hey Troop, you're not the only one eating alone tonight. Your little chunky buddy is too. The only thing is though that guy can cook.
I have worked out of a couple of the CostCo stainless steel boxes. That is the way I would go. A couple of years ago they were only $500.
I like the roller drawers and the stainless steel look. They are laid out nicely and the drawers are not too shallow.
If the box is too big it is hard to roll to the area where you are working at the moment.
I have found it is better to load a small tool box with what you expect to use on the particular job you are about to do from a kitchen cabinet type large chest or a table or shelves against a wall.
I hate pulling all those drawers in and out to find things.
A 2 X 2' box for all the sockets in four socket organizers works well. One organizer for 1/2" drive standard sockets, one for metric and the same for the 3/8 drive sockets.
That will leave room for the 1/4" drive stuff too.
A 1'X2' box will hold all the extensions, ratchets, impacts, etc. and you can take one look and see everything.
Same for the end wrenches. I have my inch wrenches in the left side of a 2X2 box in an organizer with the metric wrenches on the right side.
That has worked so well for me the last two years.
I keep all my electrical wiring stuff in a separate carry-around box with a soldering torch and a few screwdrivers & wiring tools & fittings.
A 2 X 4 table will hold everything and the carry boxes can go under on the floor. No more pulling drawers for me. I work full time out of those boxes mostly from the rear of my van. but since there are only two big boxes and a couple smaller ones I can lift them out to a table or a swap meet wagon if I need to. And I no longer have those drawers with all papers & junk in them!
Mike, what did you use to paint your engine?
Thanks,
Stephen
I'm with you on that, Aaron. Unless you're working on a Ford, a couple of wrenches do 95% of the work. Even on a Ford it takes no more than a couple of handfuls.
I also buy or mark wrenches and sockets to look different at a glance. I know the bent black box end is 1/2, and can spot it at ten feet, rather than have to pick it up to be sure of the size.
Years ago I converted an old office copier to a rollaround, but it got mired under things like a bandsaw.
rdr
Back on topic, Its going to be a rare case for me I would buy a new tool box. There are many very nice used ones out there that are 25-50% off what they cost new. And whatever you do, get roller bearings in the drawer. Also, think about what you have, what you might buy in the future for tools and if it will be in a permanent spot or be rolled around--that will make a difference on the size, weight it will hold and wheels used and locks.
I have only bought two new boxes in my lifetime, my first one (26" wide red and black Craftsman upper and lower), and my latest one (Mac Tools Tech series upper and lower with side locker 52" wide). The only reason I bought the latest one new was it was a killer deal (like near 1/2 price) and I had been looking to expand my old large bottom chest (46" wide Craftsman pro series bottom) to consolidate the smaller red and black 26" various craftsman I had collected over the years. I now have more room than I need currently, but still have some room for more--although not much, LOL. But I work on much more than Model T's and build engines and do some fab work on the side for extra cash.
My point is, sit down and think of usage and expansion for now and in the future. Unless you have your heart set on a brand new one, seriously look at used ones to get more for your money. Our local craigslist always has tons of boxes for sale on it.
Cheap price is no substitute for quality. I would buy a used quality box before I would consider buying a new el cheapo. Ball bearings are a must. Buy one bigger than you think you need; you will probably discover you have more tools than you think. I have Mac at work and Craftsman at home. I have never looked at any of my tools or boxes and thought I paid too much or the box was too big; it is usually the opposite.
A "wild idea" just crossed my mind. A "rollaround" box is definitely a real plus, however, Harbor Freight sells some pretty strong 4-caster movers dollys very cheap that might make a tool box into a "rollaround" if you find a good buy on a used box with no wheels under it. Just a thought,.....harold
I'd like to bump this back up to the top. Looking to take advantage of some of the after Christmas sales. I'm basically looking for some feedback from someone who may have bought a new tool chest within the last year or two.
Snap-on and Kennedy are nice, but not realistic. Also not interested in playing games on Craigslist.
Snap-on. Don't make me laugh. I've furnished houses for less than some of their new boxes. My 50 year old Craftsman still works and looks great. I'd try for a used one of that older vintage if it needed replacement. Like a tree falling on it or something.
Slightly OT and I don't know if it's still true but I knew a number of guys that worked for car dealerships and you'd better have a heck of a nice tool box and it better be packed with the latest & best stuff and they'd want to see it before hiring you. They'd have laughed me off the lot with the stuff that got me through 30+ years working for N.Y.C.
Is there anything NEW out there worth buying?
I bought a 3 piece Craftsman tool box at a swap meet last year. Pretty nice and cheap.
Dan you've got to go and look to satisfy yourself. Sears is running a 50% off sale on tool items now. Their boxes might be worth it at half the list price.
ended up with this unit for 699.00 had a bad scratch on back of top box,gonna give my old 26" craftsman 2 top boxes to son in law,keep the rolling bottom for use in my shop full extention ball bearing and HEAVY.
opp's 41" and yea i need to finish sheetrocking shop and garage,
Nice looking box set.
What most don't know is that Sears offers 3 levels of set construction and their top end is still as good as what is referred to above as the 'good old days'. The other thing that most don't know is that if you take the draw pulls off of the lesser Sears sets you DO wind up with a Craftsman 'clone', usually of the lower 2 levels of Craftsman, as ALL of the tool boxes that 'look like' are made by but one company using the same basic parts.
For the next guy, Charlie B. advice is the sanest...go look...go touch because the world is buyer guppy beware.
Sort of like washers/dryers/dishwashers of today...80% are made in the same factory out of common parts and the only thing that changes are the electronic control panels and the makers 'mark'
Yeah, that's me George....Plenty of good advice.. Especially when I'm not directly involved!
Looks to me like you came out pretty darn good on that purchase. Congratulations Ronnie, Merry Christmas and enjoy.
The Trouble with Tools:
You gotta' work to get your money's worth..
Ronnie, I have nearly the same box, except my top chest has one deep full-width drawer on the bottom, which is nice for having enough space for all my socket organizers in one drawer.
Luckily my new garage has some cabinet space because I was starting to run out of room in the toolbox.
The nice thing about snap-on is that you do not have to worry about warranty, if it breaks, just toss it in the dumpster, Of course, if you can afford to waste you money on it in the first place, you can afford to throw your tools away. I have several rolling toolboxes that I bought surplus when clinton sold off the military in the 90s, there might be such an opportunity to do that again in the near future.
Best
Gus
It was the end of the Cold War, Gus. . Sr. Bush made the bigger cutbacks. The Military Industrial Security Complex needs another dose of reality.
I am pretty sure I can dig out a Military Vehicles magazine that places the sell off during Clinton's era, that is when you could buy a Humvee for a fraction of the original cost, 6 years later, the troops were using substandard equipment in Iraq. Clinton also sold off the US food reserves at the same time, true, it was after the Cold War, but it amazes me how any one with the name Bush gets blamed for everything the Dems do, heck they did enough stupid stuff that you do not have to make things up.
Sr. Bush prudently reduced the number of Divisions. Surplus equipment would have followed. The military is always equipped, mentally and physically, for fighting the last war.
Ralph,
The So. Califunny guys may want to start listening and checking out Port Hueneme with the new year for surplus auctions. Hueneme only has 3 Active Seabee Battalions to start with, but there will be only 6 out of the present 9 Actives that survive the upcoming restructure.
Since Vietnam, the Seabees have always activated Reserve Battalions to fill manning requirements to the point that currently 50% of the deployed Seabee Forces are Reserves.
I don't know about the rest of the military. The proposed cut-backs for the Seabees of the Navy have already been 'bracketed' and the total Seabee Force combined active and reserve is proposed to be reduced by 45%, both active and reserve will be even LOWER than Sr. did and pretty much a fraction of what it has been since the creation of the Seabees 60 odd years ago!
They have already informed the Seabee Reserve 'lifer's' that getting an advancement billet will be slim to none over the next decade and suggested they seek cross rating transfers to the Fleet or Airdales where there 'may' be better opportunity.
May be all smoke and mirrors, who knows, but the pre-announcemnt has been released.