tool chests

grumpyvette

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
now in most cases we would all like to call the SNAPON, MATCO, SEARS,COSTCO,ETC.guys, and just have them deliver one of thier DELUX MEGA tool chests, but sanity and thin wallets tend to prevail.
toolbox1.jpg

snapontoolchest.jpg

obviously you don,t NEED the best tool box or the largest to work on cars but if you can afford a decent chest its a good asset

yes you will need a decent place to keep your tools and as you get more into the hobby the amount and usually the quality of the tools tends to expand and get far more extensive, but that doesn,t mean you need to spend the next years mortgage payments on a tool chest unless you've got a great deal of disposable income!
the cheap tool boxes just can,t hold the weight and after time they tend to have major problems, but you don,t need to spend the cost of a small car either, look around and be realistic, money spent on a tool box is money you can,t spend on TOOLS and its the TOOLS that do the work and make you the money or at least make the job easier, so strike a balance, buy a decent tool cabinet or two, and get a wide selection of tools and don,t forget the larger tools that won,t fit in a tool box like WELDERS,HYDRAULIC PRESSES,LIFTS,FLOOR JACKS, PLAZMA CUTTERS,ETC.
most guys start out with a cheap sears or harbor freight tool box, but quickly out grow it or find its just not a really usable option, keep in mind that roller drawers and a good strong construction are almost mandatory simply because its really easy to have several hundred or THOUSAND POUNDS of tools after several years or decades (depends on your income level mostly)of working on cars, and a cheap box won,t stand up under the weight and wear & tear of daily use! but you don,t need to go for the best tool chests and go into serious debt either, if you shop carefully and look in the local papers and craigs list, bargain shopper and classifieds theres usually some older mechanic retiring or widow unloading tools at a good price, a buddy recently purchased easily $20K worth of snap-on tool boxes and tools for $5900 from a mechanics widow after he was retired and passed on.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/s_10153_1260 ... 20Cabinets

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/search_10153 ... t&x=20&y=7

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... lang=en-US

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... 5*&topnav=

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

http://www.matcotools.com/

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/objects/ ... torage.pdf

http://www.toolboxesdirect.com/tool-che ... ts&match=p

https://www.kobalttools.com/

I purchased a craftsman pro tool box set , very similar to this (YEARS AGO THE PRICE WAS FAR LOWER)

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... ol+cabinet

and after several years bought a second matching set at a clearance sale, cost was about $4k total for both boxes , but that was over 25 years ago, while they serve their purpose and work well, they were NOT an excellent deal and if I had it to do over I would have purchased two far larger stainless tool cabinets with roller drawers (you can just see them in this picture)

garge21.jpg


http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10...Cabinet+Combos&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=L2

ID BUY THIS IF I WAS JUST STARTING

I purchased two similar matching 36" tool chest combos from sears
over 25 years ago and paid more than they ask now for larger ones and they have held up well,Id buy two of these larger combos if I had to do it over
 
always read several of the customer reviews, and check for sales and discounts and package deals, before purchasing a tool box.........check on craigs list and the bargain trader for used boxes as at times you get great deals with tools from estate sales etc.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-52...ool-Cabinet-Set-Black-HOTC5218B1QES/204825971
at $598 this is a good value
67a14_1000.jpg


http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1260 ... ?adCell=W8


H0029000.jpg


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.as ... d=11282972

http://www.toolboxesdirect.com/tool-che ... ubid=53473

TRINITY's heavy-duty professional-grade stainless steel rolling tool chest is built to provide all your shop and garage needs. Its high-end design and functionality not only make this tool chest a great value, but its large size ensures room for all large and small tools. In addition to this, the four wheel design provides heavy-duty tool storage that is still versatile enough to allow for easy mobility.
293496.jpg

*
41” wide tool chest
*
2,200 lbs. weight capacity
*
Split top chest for smaller parts and full length bottom drawers for large tools
*
3 – split top 2.5” deep drawers
*
2 – split top 5.5” deep drawers
*
1 – split top 8.75” deep drawer
*
1 – 2.5” deep drawer
*
3 – 5.5” deep drawers
*
1 – 8.75” deep drawer
*
Large 4” x 2” casters (each rated at 550 lbs)
*
4 swivel casters (2 regular swivel casters & 2 swivel casters w/brakes)
*
Heavy-duty ball bearing slides (each pair rated at 100 lbs)
*
Extra long extension slides to provide fully extended drawers
*
Heavy-duty drawer handle design (easy to open even w/gloves)
*
Extra heavy-duty and extended length side handles
*
2 heavy-duty hydraulic lifts for top lid for easy one-touch opening
*
Center locks for top and bottom chest
*
Total Dimensions: 43” W (handles add 4.5" to overall width) x 18.1” Deep x 56” H (casters add 4" to overall height)
*
Product Weight: 286 lbs.
*
Packaged Weight: 360 lbs.

[Model THLRT241135 / 293496]


lowes has them also

http://www.lowes.com/pd_258180-55738-LW ... dentifier=

http://www.lowes.com/pd_258147-55738-LW ... dentifier=
 
Last edited by a moderator:
one source many guys over look is buying a set of used tools and tool chests
yes you NEED to know EXACTLY what your looking at and be able to judge condition and accurately calculate the true value
keep looking on craigs list and the bargain trader and specifically ask about tools at yard sales, you may be surprised occasionally at the deals that are occasionally to be had, yes easily 70% of the (DEALS) are junk, cheap crappy tools , and tool chests but there are bargains to be had, on, name brand, MAC, and CRAFTSMAN, and SNAP-ON TOOL CHESTS
because every so often,some guys widow or ex-wife unloads a ton of tools and tool boxes for a decent price, now IM not suggesting they will be dirt cheap, but a bargain, price, I had a friend recently pay $5000, to acquire two fully loaded with tools ,large snap on boxes, from a recently widowed gal and both party's felt they got a good deal
remember tools are expensive and darn few guys want to cough up $3-$4,$5-$10K for a fully loaded set of mechanics tools that were purchased over many years mostly in $30-$80 purchases, that may easily have totaled three to four times that cost over the 30-40 years they took to accumulate
he did a quick estimate and found if the same tool chests and tools were purchased at current prices he would pay at LEAST $25K
look, good tools last more than a few years, it only makes sense to buy used if the price is right, its not like quality mechanics tools are a tuna sandwich that's going to go bad in a few days at most
 
when I first started working on cars back in the late 1960s I had purchased a basic craftsman tool set, similar to this set
crf1.jpg

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... ockType=L6

then after a few months I had some cash and invested in an expanded set, like the set below and I stopped by pawn shops looking for deals on used tools frequently,
crf2.jpg


http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... ckType=L12

http://www.craftsman.com/52-amp-quot-wi ... ockType=L5

http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/rod-bolt-mics-stretch-gauges.989/#post-51199

it very quickly became obvious that I even thou I thought i had an extensive set of tools that there was an almost constant situation where I was running around purchasing other tools that were required to do particular jobs I kept becoming involved in, and soon I needed several tool boxes in my cars trunk, which both became a P.I.T.A. to search thru and weighed a good deal more than I wanted to be transporting around constantly, when I was not using them ,and they also took up a good deal of room in my trunk.
I was by that time LUSTING after one of the what I thought at the time to be a huge tool box, I eventually got it for x-mass as the wife knew I was always talking about needing one. similar to the one below, it looked huge in the store, but I soon found it held less than my several smaller tool boxes combined


crf3.jpg

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... ockType=L1

After awhile I gave my son this tool chest as a starter kit with a few dozen duplicate tools to get him started, I decided to save up and get a really nice tool box, like the one below, but as most of the older guys will know, I eventually needed to buy two matched tool chests as I needed the room, especially once I started labeling drawers as to contents and not randomly pitching tools in random drawers you can barely see them in this picture
garage22.jpg

you can just see the tool boxes between the lift upright posts
searst.png


I purchased a sears professional grade tool chest combo thats similar to the picture posted above but in black, thats about 6 ft tall and about 30" wide , I no longer see listed, when I started out 30 plus years back after I found that I had several cheap tool boxes stuffed with tools, I soon found I needed a second similar box, I spent way too much on the two combined tool chests , but they have held up fairly well, I consistently see better quality , USED SNAP-ON and MAC tool chests on sale in CRAIGS LIST or BARGAIN trader , for prices that while high are similar to what I paid for the new sears tool chests and those boxes occasionally come with some limited tools as they are at estate sales ,or on sale when guys get divorced or loose jobs or move out of the area, yeah! never at the time you have the cash , but yes they are out there if your patient and shop carefully
crf4.jpg

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_ ... ockType=L7

http://www.craftsman.com/52-amp-quot-wi ... ockType=L5

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/148-0505-engine-building-tools/


well I took the time to reorganize the tools yesterday and it looks like Ill be purchasing a third matching tool box some time as soon as finances allow simply because my tool addiction has filled the current boxes and then some...now I'm sure not complaining and in fact I'm rather proud of the tool collection and I rarely need to rush out and buy a tool to do a job now, but it does show that your average beginning mechanic will eventually need more tools than are easily portable in a cars trunk and that theres dozens of tools to large to fit in any tool chest. all I can say is that buy the best quality you can afford and take care of your tools because stuff you buy now will still be in use 40 plus years later if you take care of the tools and stay in the hobby, not to mention the WELDERS, hydraulic press, engine crane, engine stands,compressors, air tools, lifts, ETC.


so what are you using for tool storage?
what suggestions have you go for he new guys just starting out?
and how many tool boxes have you used
RELATED THREADS
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4069

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=3283&p=8681&hilit=label+drawers#p8681

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=24

viewtopic.php?f=59&t=3178&p=11972&hilit=creeper#p11972

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=26&hilit=creeper

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4231&p=11177&hilit=welder#p11177

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=3724&p=9662&hilit=welder#p9662

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=1594&p=8879&hilit=welder#p8879

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=970&p=2373&hilit=drill+press#p2373
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Mactb.jpg

one of the guys recently found this $4000 plus mac tool box on sale at CRAIGS LIST due to a recent divorce for $800

http://www.mactools.com/shoponline/prod ... -blue.aspx

you can NEVER have too many good quality tools,
thats like saying there can be too much cash in your bank account,
or theres too much floor space in your garage
or too many pretty young gals on the beach in bikinis....its just ABSURD!
 
http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/

http://www.mactools.com/productdetails/ ... boxes.aspx

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/catalog.asp?tool=storage

look in the bargain trader, and craigs list and local classified tool chests that list for $10K new
regularly sell for $2k used
tool chests that have tools can be a great bargain
have you looked around on CRAIGS list and the CLASSIFIED ADDS for deals on shelving , extra lighting ,large fans and used tool boxes and other things that might be useful, if your looking to set up your shop?
Its usually worth checking the CRAIGS list and the news paper CLASSIFIED ADDS for deals,and looking for machine shops that are moving or closing, or upgrading equipment, that might sell older stuff, on the off chance youll see something , you need at a bargain price, a neighbor purchased a used tool box and lots of craftsman and snap-on tools easily worth $800-$1000 for $350 recently at an estate/moving sale
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top