Tool Box Suggestions

[Das Hatt]

I really like my US general box from Harbor freight. This is right after I got it before I put my tools in it. I'm a truck driver and I was asking the guys in our repair shop what they use and they all had snap on's except one guy didn't believe in spending so much for a box and recommended US general.

This is two pieces

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[movietvet]

Yea, unless you have money to burn and do not make your living in the boxes, a used high end box is good at the right price and even a new ICON or General is fine. I did not want the stacked boxes because I wanted a work surface and the stainless top on mine is pretty much indestructible.

 

[95burban]

In the old days when tool truck boxes where the best you could get I would agree. Now with box stores coming out with professional grade boxes i probably wouldn’t spend the money again on a snap on. Would an icon or us general last 50+ years like a snap on, maybe not. I’m not going to remember who the hell I am in 50 years

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

When my son graduated from Wyotec in 2003, we bought him a Snap On "Starter" set. The graduates got a 50% off discount from them. I said, no sense in wasting your money on a tool box, just buy the tools and I'll get a box for him. The tools were ~$7K (with 50% off) and I bought this Craftsman Professional cabinet, figuring down the road, when he fills it up, he can get the matching top box.

What I liked most about this cabinet is it has 6 big wheels (3 swivel and 3 straight) so, even when full of tools, it was easy to roll around.

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Well when the time came to upgrade, the Craftsman top box was discontinued. He went and bought a big Snappy box and gave me this one back. Fast forward to last year he out grew that setup so, here we go again! He wound up with this setup - he won't even tell me how much he payed for it. He has 3 bays he normally works so, he keeps the green cart full most of the time.

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Hopefully, he won't need to "up-size" any more for a while. IMO, all a flat top cabinet does is collect junk.

 

[Hipster]

I wouldn't do it again either, but in a shop, the security of your stuff is also a priority, double bank with 2 side lockers, body tools, I could pack a stud guns, 4&10 ton porto powers, pole jacks, pulling sticks inside, only thing outside was jack, creeper seat , and some jack stands. never know who wandering on the weekends, office /shop clean up crews, New car prep guys. etc.

 

[someotherguy]

He wound up with this setup - he won't even tell me how much he payed for it. He has 3 bays he normally works so, he keeps the green cart full most of the time.

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That large box alone without the side cabinet looks like about a $7K unit and I'm probably thinking in 20-year-ago prices.

My current setup.. the blue box w/stainless worktop is the nice one, it's new enough it has the lock-and-roll drawers. I found them a little irritating at first but it quickly became natural to operate them. That was the $5.5K ($500 for the optional worktop) box in 2003 pricing that I got for $1K off CL.

The red roll box is a little beat up but it still works great and was super cheap, IIRC I paid $500 for it, craigslist deal. The matching top box was picked up by my little brother as a trade-in off the truck for $300; I actually had it first and lucked out on the matching roll box later.

You can kinda see the cart to the left, cut off in the pic. It's small but it was cheap (less than $150 IIRC) and nearby so I grabbed it just to have it. It currently just gets crap stacked on it but the shelf in the bottom holds my oil jug and filter stock.

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And y'all have seen my glorious work table, which is an old steel/formica office table from more than half a century ago. When I used to work for the gas company in Atlanta, they were doing some remodeling work on their 1940's building and threw out a LOT of furniture/fixtures. I wish I'd hung onto the steel desk I also grabbed, but it was a monster to keep moving around. Better view of the little cart behind it, plus an ancient steel utility cart that holds most of my chemical supply and a few misc other things that could do better on a shelving unit, should be my next project. I need to create some more storage space in here.

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Speaking of shelving, always being a fan of re-purposing stuff and finding deals on old junk.. these wooden shelves are what's left of a whole bunch more that I bought from an engine rebuilder's shop that was closing down. (Another "wish I'd kept the ridiculously long steel workbenches" but gave them to my little brother's shop type deal.) They're really durable and used to hold rebuilt cylinder heads. Got 'em for practically nothing, still have 8 of them, holding misc. parts, supplies, tools.

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Richard

 

[RacerM95]

Heres your new toolbox !!

 

[fancyTBI]

This Menards Masterforce box looks identical to the US General version and is about $400 cheaper. It’s got the drawer configuration that I want, but some of the bottom drawers are probably a bit too tall for my needs. Not quite sure. I do like it at first glance.

 

[someotherguy]

This Menards Masterforce box looks identical to the US General version and is about $400 cheaper. It’s got the drawer configuration that I want, but some of the bottom drawers are probably a bit too tall for my needs. Not quite sure. I do like it at first glance.

Those middle and bottom drawers are great for air and electric power tools.

It looks vaguely similar to the layout of my blue box. Top drawer has a bunch of test stuff in it.. then the skinny drawers underneath have wrenches (laid flat), ratchets and sockets (on rails laid sideways.)

Richard

 

[fancyTBI]

ratchets and sockets (on rails laid sideways.)

Blasphemy. But it does look similar. I’ve got some power tools and will likely be buying more in the near future. For power tools I prefer to have them on a shelf or rack. I’ve got a ton of blow-form cases that I could fill those drawers with.

As of now it’s between the Husky and the Masterforce. I scanned FB today for tool boxes and there is zilch out there in my area.