Inexpensive tool boxes?

[letitsnow]

I am looking at buying a base with casters (to store small air and cordless tools) and an upper to store wrenches and sockets etc.. This will be kept in my heated garage, and only used for my stuff, not a pro mechanic. I am looking at the kind of stuff that you can buy at home depot, harbor freight etc..

Have any of you had good or bad luck with this stuff? Any other input?

 

[evilunclegrimace]

I do not have any experience with the boxes that you mentioned, but , you could check out the thread over on the Garage Journal forum. The guys over there talk about the pros and cons of ALL brands of tool boxes.( I am not affiliated with the mentioned forum other than I am a member there).

 

[Jglew82]

The US General boxes at HF are pretty good, and reasonably priced. I have one of their 5 drawer carts and I've beat the hell out of it in my garage for over 2 years and it's held up really well. Material thickness is nearly identical to my MAC boxes. For home garage, I don't think you could go wrong there.

 

[BNielsen]

I've got a small Craftsman roll cab, I like it but I feel like it's pretty pricey for the quality. Not near as stout as my dad's old Craftsman box he bought in the late 90s.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Just make sure it has ball bearing drawers.

 

[McBroom]

I love my HFT (us general) tool boxes. Depending on how much tools and future plans on buying tools... there's so many choices.
I've got 5. 2- 5 drawer cabinet carts. 2- 4 drawer cabinet carts
And my big box is a 56" top n bottom box. Oh yeah I've also got a red 1 drawer cart.
I guess I should mention that my wife is a manager at our local hft store.
Their quality has improved so much in the last 10 years that now the tools offered are woth it.

Blue Mule

 

[Motorgod0]

I think this all depends on your price point?

 

[BNielsen]

Something I might add, you can get a damn decent brand name box (Snap-On/MAC/Homak) for fairly cheap depending on what your local FB classified is like; I missed out on a mint MAC Special Edition 16 drawer (bottom roller and top chest) for like $350 bucks.

 

[letitsnow]

Thanks guys. I am leaning towards the us general stuff.

 

[98chevy2500SS]

I've been told to not get the US General stuff. Like @BNielsen said, look on CL or FB Marketplace for a decent used Mac or Snap-On. You get what you pay for.

A guy from my college got a Husky box from Home Depot and it is actually a decent box.