I need you .02 on a box

guys im in the market for a new tool box, my shop provides up with some really nice stainless steal top boxes so i never really needed a box, but im leaving to a new shop that is closer to my house and need to buy a box. in your opinion what do you guys recommend Snap-on, mac, matco?? im mostly concerned about the quality not the price, thanks guys

 

If price is no object
Go for the best you can afford

 

I have a Craftsman box in my garage at home... I don't have to make a living with it, but I also have the Matco Rat Fink Edition service cart(the yellow one). It doesn't really matter which one you buy, they are all made in the same factory (Craftsman, Kobalt, Waterloo, etc). Just get one with the roller ball slides on the drawers and it should last forever...

 

If you don't care about price, go for it. Many guys are very happy with Snap-On or Matco boxes. Talk to the dealers and see what you like and who will cut you the best deal.

Personally, I think it is kind of dumb to spend thousands and thousands of dollars for drawers. I have seen so many mechanics become a slave to the weekly cash payment to the tool guy.

But if you like these expensive tool boxes, there are some nice ones out there. Try not to select a color scheme that you will tire of.

IIRC Snap-On was doing same-color boxes and drawer fronts, but Matco lets you mix and match.

I have also seen guys who use a Snbap-On center section and Matco sides.

 

thats what i plan to do, i just wanna make a wise investment. i turn wrenches for a living and already have my snap-on side kart, which im very happy with, but a tool box get used a bit more, sence your constantly opening and closing the draws and its hold a lot more weight in tools, i am kinda steering toward a snap on 722krl series tool box. im just wondering if a mac tool box will hold up the same as my snapon cart

 

I'm cheap - I'd find an old school Kennedy set. I have top and bottum Kennedy that my wife bought at a garage sale, been using them for about 12 years with no issues..

 

I had a Snap on for 15 years. Aside from rust under the powdercoat ( it was that turquoise color) and a couple broken sliders, it served me very well.
I traded it last year for a larger Mac box. Overall, there isn't too much better about one than the other in my opinion.
One thing i liked about the Mac was if the box at any time has a structural defect, OR the powdercoat flakes or rust's, they replace the box..
I did not believe that at first, but it's in writing.

My boss has always had Snap on. The current one he has was an 11,000 box. Its 7 years old and the lower portion of it has started to rust like my old one did, except his is the red painted version. The rust is caused by the winter time here and the salt from the cars as it melts and splashes..We use no corrosive chemicals on the floors..
I also have a Mac box, and smaller Craftsman box at home.

IF money is no object, as was mentioned, get the best you can afford that will fit the area. I'd go with either Snap on or Mac..Yes, i'd still buy Snap on. Like i said, mine did give me many years of use.

Just for the hell of it, see what they cover over the long haul though.. It sounds stupid, but these thing's are more of an investment than just a box..it's nice to know what's covered and what isn't.

Just my 2 cents.
Tony

 

yeah those ratfink boxes are nice if price is not a problem and the snap on boxes are really good too, my dad has a pretty big snap on box and they say you can put 500 pounds of tools in a drawer opened and fully extended out and it would still be fine

 

http://www.montezumamfg.com/photo_top.php?image=72_inch/BK7215TC.jpg

I have Snap On, but the next will be a montezuma. Very well built and priced right.

 

Hi :

Say for what its worth.. If you want the most indestructible tool box of all time. One that will last you forever, not break your bank and you can load an unbelievable amount of crap in it and the drawers will still be as smooth as glass?????????

Well???

Do ya??

Then buy a Vidmar cabinet.. Or a Lista.

You can buy a Vidmar in reasonable shape for 3 to 500 dollars, sometimes less with patience..

This Summer I just bought another one for 300 dollars at a garage sale. It is the taller one with if I remember about 16 drawers..

I have a waist high one from an auction several years ago that I put a Maple top on and put casters on it. The thing is the nuts..

So start Craiglisting..

good luck
Luke

 

We have Kennedy's here at work. They get beat around a good bit and I've not seen a one have a problem. (On wheels and moved all over)

 

Get a cheap box with ball slides, 11gauge metal and dont overload the drawers. Save your money for the important things. I have had a cheap box and a big name, both hold tools well.

 

I bought a KRL722 about five years ago when I turned 30 as a present to myself. I figured I'd been wrenching professionally for 10 years at that time and was ready to step up to a "big boy" box. I think it was in the $6000 range at the time...not cheap- but it's been a good box for the most part. Like one of the other guys above, I also experienced the powdercoat peeling along the bottom edge of mine from exposure to floor soap and car droppings in the shop- but it's not too bad.

I was just telling one of the newbies in the shop that if I had it do over again I might have done it differently starting out. I don't know what your situation/ experience level is but it seems like people are always in a hurry to get a really nice big impressive box- even at the expense of having nice tools to put in it. To me the tools are more important than the box they sit in when not being used. If I was starting out I'd get a decent Craftsman box (for 1/5 the cost of a Snap-On) and use the rest of my money for good tools.

Another thing I'd consider is looking into finding a used box. If I hadn't gotten such a good deal on my trade-in I'd have been searching Craigslist. Seems like there are almost always nearly new boxes in this size/ quality range for about half what they sell for new off of the tool truck.

Jay

 

man, lately I've had to turn down 2 complete boxes, one mac, one snap on. Both full of tools and priced just under the empty box's brand new cost.

There's a ton of shops folding and a lot of guys looking to offload a fully stocked box. If I was in your shoes, I'd consider looking for a stocked box and then ebay it's contents to get the actual box price down to earth.

good luck

 

i think they're all really close quality wise (big 3), just get it with roller bearing drawers. i have a kennedy, a older snap-on with craftsman top at home, a matco quad bay with hutch top at work and my suggestion is to buy used and pay cash (private party). it's almost impossible NOT to find a box for sale on craigslist well below new cost. i'm a cheap bastard and buy used tools when i can (and we get a tool allowance to use, just need a receipt). save the $$$$ for more tools later or parts . i bought my matco box in '02 that was made in 2000. a 2 year old box (super clean), top hutch, cart and a cover for $3,000 and it all retailed for $10,000 when it was new.

 

I've got a big Snap On top and bottom. We never have rust issues in my area, so I can't speak to that, but I'd damn sure buy Snap On again. Money well spent. I've never regretted it a bit.

 

i am a snap on advocate, if your using tools tools to make a living snap on is the way to go

 

http://garage-toys.com/toolchest.html

I'm liking the stainless 48" + the 18" side cabinet

 

As mentioned, there are always guys selling out for a lot cheaper than the trucks.
The big names here are SO, Mac, Matco, Kennedy and Craftsman. There are others in Europe that are high end too.
I liked to be able to buy tools as needed to make money instead of making a payment each week towards the box.
Another thing to consider is when you are still an apprentice or journeyman, you will be moving to different shops. This means being able to load and unload the box and being able to fit into the different shops. Both mean the biggest one isn't always the answer. A big box and a lot of certifications don't mean the best guy in the shop.

 

Check in your area for any companies selling industrial salvage. With all of the factories closing there is a lot of that kind of stuff on the market. You might find some nice things that way. I know where I work there are several factolry owned tool boxes.

 

$6000 for a box and the powder coat is coming off with rusty metal underneath? Why is that acceptable?

Here's a slightly different present you could have gotten yourself for your 30th birthday: Spend $1000 on a stainless steel box that will never rust and put the other $5000 into a good mutual fund.

When you are 60 you will still have the box plus some $100,000 to spend on women, cars or beer, or you could waste it.

 

Here's my take from 40+ years of wrenching. For the home guys a Craftsman, Kobalt, or those stainless ones at the swap meet are fine. BUT for a Pro Wrench a high quality tool box helps you make money. How you say? If the drawers open and close smoothly and quickly all the time, everyday you are saving time, and believe me it adds up. When you are fighting a drawer on a cheapy box because you overloaded it, you will be frustrated which will affect your work. You'll also be hating life when you have to wait for new parts cause a drawer bent or a slide failed. I know from what I speak - I went through that shit. Also if you do have a problem your tool man will take care of it much quicker than ordering parts from Sears or Lowe's.
As for recommendations - Snap On, MAC, Matco are all very good. Kennedy's are generally Machinist boxes and aren't designed with large drawers or to hold much weight. I have one for calipers etc. I currently have a 8 year old Snap On Top and Bottom that are about 5 foot wide and a total of 6 foot high (can't remember the number) it's a Harley commemorative box that I got from a guy that bought it as a collector and realized a $6,000 tool box at home was silly so I got a real good deal on it. My other box for rarely used tools has a 30+ year old Snap On roll away nd a Craftsman middle and top box. It's a good thing I rarely go in the Craftsman because they don't work as well but that old Snap On stills glides nicely.

 

!7 years wrenching for a livin'. I owned everything from Kmart cheapos to Snap-On mega boxes. Most bang for the box, go buy the Professional series craftsman. Heavy roller slides, self loker drawers, lifetime warranty, fair price. Not that Snap On, Mac, and Matco aren't great boxes, they just plain cost too much money.
My OFFICIAL .02
Ed

 

I have been using the big Harbor Freight stack for about 8 years, and honestly, for the money, you can't beat it! I have around a grand invested in a box, top, bottom and side cabinet, that would cost 6 or 7 times that with the "Label" on it. Roller drawer slides, heavy wall steel, same coating as a Kennedy box - money as scarce as it is, you can't go wrong.

 

I've got Craftsman, but I've had some problems with the spring steel clips that hold the roller slides together breaking. These are older boxes, and when I went to Sears, they said the clips were no longer available.

 

I have Craftsman, Waterloo and Snap On boxes.
Snap On is by far the best of these. Two of my friends have Mac boxes. Similar quality to Snap On. My Snap On dealer here gets repo's and trade in's quite often. They are usually in very good shape, some like new, and lots less than full price.
A good quality box like a Mac or Snap On may seem like a lot of money, and it is, but I've always felt it was well worth it and never regretted it.
Like others have said, you will end up overloading drawers and it's nice to open them up and close them as easily as an empty drawer.



DC

 

I've bought two from craig's list used and one new from home depot. The things I've learned is that the snap on's are worth the extra $.

 

I work in the Navy as a sheet metal tech on aircraft, we use Vidmar boxes. They are almost indestructable... (we beat the living shit out of these things every day) I scored one that was getting discarded, its a 5 drawer with a steel workbench, that bastard is heavy but I will never need to replace it thats for sure. Check them out, if you make your living with tools, as you say you do, then go for something you can be sure to pas to your grandkids grandkids. I'm all for Vidmar cabinets, I'll see if I can find you a link or something...

 

Here you go...

http://www.stanleyvidmar.com/products/cabinets

 

I like Snap On tools. What I would do is find a Snap on dealer and look at some trade ins or repos.