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tool box quality

Milpool

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I've overflowed my existing tool storage. By a lot. I've been shopping for another tool chest and I'm really shocked at how bad everything I've tried has been. I checked all the usual suspects at the big box stores, even tried a Snap On. Many of them seemed to be pretty much the same with only superficial details differentiating them. Are they all getting sourced from the same factory these days? Is that why they were all crooked and not square and level?

I'm tempted to just buy one of the cheaper ones (craftsman probably) for the heavy, impossible to damage tools. Then, I could build a nice oak chest that would sit on top the bench for all of my delicate tools like electronic test equipment, precision measurement equipment, etc. Only problem is that building such a chest would take me approximately forever.

Thoughts?
 

Decahedron

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I got my ball bearing drawered Craftsman for quite a deal by checking slickdeals.net all the time.

Ive had no issues with it at all. feels decent quality. i have worked with snap-on/matco/i think cornwell? Id save the bazillion dollars, and get a ball bearing drawered craftsman, replace it if it breaks, still pay a ton less than the "superior" brands.
 

Nataku

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HgaleK

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Originally Posted by Milpool
I've overflowed my existing tool storage. By a lot. I've been shopping for another tool chest and I'm really shocked at how bad everything I've tried has been. I checked all the usual suspects at the big box stores, even tried a Snap On. Many of them seemed to be pretty much the same with only superficial details differentiating them. Are they all getting sourced from the same factory these days? Is that why they were all crooked and not square and level?

I'm tempted to just buy one of the cheaper ones (craftsman probably) for the heavy, impossible to damage tools. Then, I could build a nice oak chest that would sit on top the bench for all of my delicate tools like electronic test equipment, precision measurement equipment, etc. Only problem is that building such a chest would take me approximately forever.

Thoughts?


Craftsman make pretty freaking excellent tool boxes for the money. Even their molded plastic is well done.
 

alexanduh

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mate you should just make your own.
 

Milpool

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Originally Posted by Nataku
Kennedy is really nice. That's what I use at work. Mine is going on 28 years old now and is still holding up well. The new ones the company buys look just like mine and the quality hasn't changed much in almost 30 years.

This one is almost identical to mine.


http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDsQ8wIwAg#

http://www.kennedymfg.com/Kennedy/Products/


I've been looking for Kennedy boxes, trying to find one locally to look at and mess with. I just haven't found one and I'm leery of buying sight unseen.
 

Milpool

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Originally Posted by HgaleK
Craftsman make pretty freaking excellent tool boxes for the money. Even their molded plastic is well done.

That has been my experience with older Craftsman boxes, but when I went to find a new one, they had lots of problems.
 

sugarbutch

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Lista. Superior to Snap-On, Mac, etc. for much less money. Each drawer holds 400 lbs, glides smoothly. I've had mine for ten years (five of those as a professional mechanic), and I guarantee it will be around for my boys to inherit when I die.

http://www.listaintl.com/files/mobile.aspx
 

HgaleK

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Originally Posted by Milpool
That has been my experience with older Craftsman boxes, but when I went to find a new one, they had lots of problems.

Really? That's disappointing to hear. I have my dad's old one, and it's well made, built to tight tolerances, and a ******* tank.
 

MrGoodBytes

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Originally Posted by HgaleK
Craftsman make pretty freaking excellent tool boxes for the money. Even their molded plastic is well done.

toolbox and molded plastic do not belong together.

OP, I was in the same conundrum you are... I bought a couple vintage tool boxes off of craigslist for a fraction of the price, and the metal they use to use is a good 4 times thicker.
 

bmac11c

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Originally Posted by MrGoodBytes
toolbox and molded plastic do not belong together.

OP, I was in the same conundrum you are... I bought a couple vintage tool boxes off of craigslist for a fraction of the price, and the metal they use to use is a good 4 times thicker.


That's when American Steel was in full swing and we didn't purchase **** from China!
smile.gif


Bmac
 

Huntsman

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Milpool, most of the machinists/tool and diemakers I know use Kennedy boxes. Equipto makes, probably, the best cabinets out there but they cost a mint. I saw a MAC box that looked decent, once. For your precision tools, I'd highly, highly, highly recommend a Gerstner and Sons chest -- they've been making wooden chests for tool-and-diemakers for a century or so. My father has a walnut chest that I loved since I was a child, and one of my first goals when I got a job was to get one of my own, and I have a cherrywood Gerstner on my desk at work now: http://www.gerstnerusa.com/CARTgallery1.htm They also have a less-expensive internationally sourced line: http://www.gerstner-international.com/products.htm They're all truly beautiful -- mine gets compliments all the time. ~ H
 

ms244

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Originally Posted by sugarbutch
Lista. Superior to Snap-On, Mac, etc. for much less money. Each drawer holds 400 lbs, glides smoothly. I've had mine for ten years (five of those as a professional mechanic), and I guarantee it will be around for my boys to inherit when I die.

http://www.listaintl.com/files/mobile.aspx



This is what I would get. Vidmar is a similar competitor. They can build a box for you custom if you'd like. If you see what Formula 1 teams, aircraft companies etc have, they have stuff like that put in.


Originally Posted by Huntsman
Milpool, most of the machinists/tool and diemakers I know use Kennedy boxes. Equipto makes, probably, the best cabinets out there but they cost a mint. I saw a MAC box that looked decent, once.

For your precision tools, I'd highly, highly, highly recommend a Gerstner and Sons chest -- they've been making wooden chests for tool-and-diemakers for a century or so. My father has a walnut chest that I loved since I was a child, and one of my first goals when I got a job was to get one of my own, and I have a cherrywood Gerstner on my desk at work now:

http://www.gerstnerusa.com/CARTgallery1.htm

They also have a less-expensive internationally sourced line:

http://www.gerstner-international.com/products.htm

They're all truly beautiful -- mine gets compliments all the time.

~ H


The Gerstners I think are somewhat fragile? I have a leatherette covered one and I wouldn't dream of putting it in a real working shop. Its just too nice.

I have a 1976 Vintage Matco Box I got at auction. Its not roller bearing but much nicer then anything I've seen new for normal prices.

Proto and Kennedy make some (non-machinist) boxes in the $1500 range, I think they're pretty nice.
 

Huntsman

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Originally Posted by ms244
The Gerstners I think are somewhat fragile? I have a leatherette covered one and I wouldn't dream of putting it in a real working shop. Its just too nice.
Fragile? Well, it's oiled wood, so it will scratch as easy as fine furniture, but I think they are sturdily built as opposed to fragile. By and large, they are too nice for heavy use, but I know at least two machinists with them -- one is a master patternmaker who has his Gerstner in his office, the other was a gunsmith-trained tool-and-die guy who had his on his bench in the shop. He is a very meticulous man. But anyway, Milpool asked about an oak chest, so I assumed....
Originally Posted by Milpool
Then, I could build a nice oak chest that would sit on top the bench for all of my delicate tools like electronic test equipment, precision measurement equipment, etc. Only problem is that building such a chest would take me approximately forever.
~H
 

ms244

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Well, if you start putting ratchets, 1 1/2 wrenches, etc in the Gerstner I don't think it will handle it.

I guess it depends on the kind of shop environment you work in.

I'd still want a Snap On Epiq with all the drawers Foamed out.
 

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