Tool Boxes

[RCW]

I need more boxes, rolling type.

I look at auctions, but since I'm a cheapskate, they always go for more than I'm willing to pay.

I bought a $170 Harbor Freight tool "cart" last year, and kinda like it for the money.

Now looking at their bigger boxes - 44 or 56". They run $390 and $700, respectively. Thinkin' 44 with a 18" sidecar box for $190.

Anybody use them?

They work Ok?

I know they're not MAC, Snap-On, Kobalt or Craftsman, but some of those are a lot more $$$ than I think they're worth, and made in the same part of Asia as the HF stuff.

 

[Daren Todd]

My coworker has one and it seemed pretty decent. Give it a few weeks and check out home Depot and Lowes when they have there black Friday sale. I have there 46" lower box from home depot with tractor supply's upper box the same width and have had great luck with them. Home Depot had some pretty sweet deals last year.

What ever tool box you decide to get, make sure and get one with roller bearing slides for the drawers. The cheaper style will bind up if you load em down


The snap on man keeps trying to con me into getting one of his tool boxes. But....... that's way more money then I want to spend at 5k I spent $300 for my lower box and $280 for my upper box

 

[RCW]

Daren - thanks - they are BB slides. Those are great prices for the boxes you bought!

I'm not a fan of HF Chinese crap, but their tool boxes seem to be one of their better products.

I was at auto shop liquidation auction last weekend where they sold many NICE boxes, but a Snap-On 6 drawer top chest went for $400 w/ some tools in it - outta my league.

I did buy a coffee and a hot dog - $4.50.

 

[Tooljunkie]

I had a tall lower cabinet,30" maybe with a small top chest,got a 60" lower for my birthday, it wont hold all the stuff in my much smaller cabinet.
If i was to revisit this toolbox thing-60" two full length drawers and 10 or 12 smaller drawers.

So now i have two roller cabinets pretty much full.
Could divide and i know for sure its pretty much double everything.
Also added a 6 foot long 4 foot high 2 foot deep storage cabinet,all my boxed tools go in it. To my suprise, its full too.

But my name says it all. My toolbox is 24'x32' with a 10x10 overhead door.

I really like the upper cabinet with the clamshell type lid. I think it would be good for the cordless tools and chargers.

I missed out on a bench 10 feet long with 20 identical drawers. That would have been perfect.
I dont roll my boxes-nowhere to roll them to.


Ball bearing slides, nothing else.

 

[sheepfarmer]

I'd appreciate any and all ideas for bench and storage shelves, boxes, tool containers. Starting to move into my new pole barn addition and some how a cardboard box on the floor won't do it. Cheap would be good. Don't want it to turn into the jumbled mess as in the shed next to it. Was looking at Lowe's and even the flimsy stuff is kind of expensive. Was going to check out Surplus and Salvage at the U, sometimes you can repurpose counters if they are close to the right size.

 

[RCW]

If i was to revisit this toolbox thing-60" two full length drawers and 10 or 12 smaller drawers.

But my name says it all. My toolbox is 24'x32' with a 10x10 overhead door.

Thanks for the advice on the full-length drawers.

I'm sure I don't have the tools you do - I spend more time looking for the ones I do have!!!

Especially small things - tire valve tools, utility knives, reciprocating saw blades are notorious at my place.

The number of times I've bought stuff, then found the 5 I already had!!

Spent 20 minutes looking for my cordless reciprocating saw couple weeks ago - - -ARRGHHH! (I did find it - right where I left it)

 

[Tooljunkie]

Thanks for the advice on the full-length drawers.

I'm sure I don't have the tools you do - I spend more time looking for the ones I do have!!!

Especially small things - tire valve tools, utility knives, reciprocating saw blades are notorious at my place.

The number of times I've bought stuff, then found the 5 I already had!!

Spent 20 minutes looking for my cordless reciprocating saw couple weeks ago - - -ARRGHHH! (I did find it - right where I left it)

My recip was by the barn in the grass getting rained on. At least it was in the case. I have 3 utility knives, know where 2 are.

Tools are a lifetime accumulation,my philosphy is if i need to borrow a tool more than three times i buy it.

Snap on dealer keeps wanting to stop by as he knows in self employed. I wont give him my address.
Mainly i will spend lots.
Old driver's name was Bill, aka-hundred dollar Bill. Thats how much he cost me almost every visit.

 

[RCW]

Snap on dealer keeps wanting to stop by as he knows in self employed. I wont give him my address.

HA!! Funny!

 

[ShaunRH]

Home Depot gets a very large Husky setup around Xmas time for about $500-ish bucks. It's the largest decent system I've seen for that money and that includes Harbor Freight.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Home Depot gets a very large Husky setup around Xmas time for about $500-ish bucks. It's the largest decent system I've seen for that money and that includes Harbor Freight.

Yes, costco and peavey mart all have good deals close to (politically correct) holiday season.

I saw a nice cabinet a while back, about 6 feet high and just as wide. Was all drawers. Guy wanted 1700 for it. Would have fit everyting i had.

 

[Daren Todd]

Home Depot gets a very large Husky setup around Xmas time for about $500-ish bucks. It's the largest decent system I've seen for that money and that includes Harbor Freight.

I forgot to take a pick of the one I got. Got back late to the shop and was in a hurry to get out of there. I've had there bottom box for 5 years now with some very heavy use without any issues

 

[RCW]

Thanks so much for the tips, guys!!

We don't have Costco 'round here, and Home Depot is a ways away.

Looked at Lowes website earlier - we have one near us. Seems like most of the better boxes were only available online.

I don't buy stuff over the internet much. I like to put my hands on it, then put it in the truck, after paying cash. (I did buy 20-9" tarp straps online for my tire chains this week)

We live in a rural area. I'm Okay with that.

You can take the boy outta the farm, but you can't take the farm outta the boy!!

 

[forceten]

I have the full setup from us general (harbor freight). Wouldn't normally have went with HF for such a thing, but way too may other techs and mechanics on the other boards (not sure if i can mention them here) all had the 44 and 56 boxes and ALL almost 100% across the board said it was a very good purchase for the money.

I almost went with the 56 setup but was just a bit shy for room. Plus I wanted the side boxes and top, and if I remember right the 56 didnt have the top at the time (but does now).

I'm a HVAC tech by trade so I have a lot of tools, and have an oil company and we work on our own trucks. So the boxes are jammed pack and full. Never have a problem rolling or opening. Even with tons of weight in them.

I have the 44 lower and upper, one side 7 drawer unit and one 18" end cabinet. I was able to buy extra shelves from HF so I have 4 shelves inside plus the two lower drawers.

If you have any questions or want any pictures feel free to ask

 

[Tooljunkie]

RCW, im in rural manitoba so i know what its like to have a lack of places to shop. Parts and tools in particular. Hard to look for deals when only one place to shop. Their motto is "if we dont got it, you dont need it" of if you dont like the price, go home and make your own.

Ya, local parts supplier has its drawbacks. To think i worked there 9 years.
Was a lot different then. Previous owner didnt like it when a customer walked out empty handed.

 

[RCW]

RCW, im in rural manitoba so i know what its like to have a lack of places to shop.

Frank, 19 times out of 20 I'm Okay with that.

"My" local hardware store is better than Lowes, "my" local auto tire/brake/service/chainsaw place is better than Monroe. (Hell, I helped the owner hang the sign on his new location, after he sold his former shop to a chain drug store, and kinda have run of the place).

But like you say, there are times choices are better!!

 

[RCW]

With the advice from you guys, I did get the HF 44" bottom box, with 18" side box.

I'm trying to keep the top of the box open as a work surface.

At 288 lbs with pallet, I used the Kubota to lift it off the truck, then drove truck away. Was REAL careful setting it down.

Pallet forks would of been handy today.

They also had a side shelf for my little cart for $25. Works good!

 

[Tooljunkie]

Awesome!
Now go find a72" piece of sheet metal and put a 45 degree break in it,makes a nice peak roof for the toolbox. Keeps stuff from piling on top. It will just slide off to the side.

Nice box, lots of drawers to remember where that tool was. Or forget i mean.

 

[RCW]

Awesome!
Now go find a72" piece of sheet metal and put a 45 degree break in it.

Was wondering the point of that - 'til I got to the end.

True - and I bet it works - I will keep that in mind!

 

[Tooljunkie]

I dont understand why benches arent already sloped. I grab my cordless drill case and have to search for somewhere to set it down so i can open it. Ok is not that bad, but close. It used to be like that. With a decent tool box its easier to put everything away,making everything easy to find.

 

[forceten]

The top box is so nice though if you need more room for tools! And the side tall cabinet with extra shelves holds 70% of my power hand tools!

But I also already have three work benches for table top space, if I didn't I could see where using the toolbox top could come in handy

and pallet forks was almost the best purchase so far on my BX