tool box quality - Page 2

Yeah, of course -- horses for courses. We are not on the same wavelength, today, I think, which is unusual. I wasn't suggesting a Gerstner for heavy stuff; Milpool was considering making an oak chest for his precision measuring tools and test gear in addition to the heavy chest for the ratchets and whatnot. That's what I mean as well; tool and diemakers and patternmakers and such have Gerstners for their precision instruments -- the mikes and calipers, dial indicators, etc. I have my ratchets in my Gerstner at work, but that is because I am not on the shop floor, don't use them everyday, and can afford to baby the chest -- not something I would recommend for anyone. ~ H

Not for you necessarily, but if you're looking for something on the cheaper end, I've been pretty impressed with the price/quality ration of the Kobalt tool boxes @ Lowes. Frankly, they're better than Craftsman at the same or lower price point.

Look at a lista or vidmar box, they are probably the closest to what you'd want in a metal box.


Yes, a Gerstner would be quite nice for the kinds of things you mention.
Though I don't think its much safer then a metal chest. You can get foam and cut it out
so everything fits in a nice little slot.

+1. Just about every hardware lab I have ever worked in had a Kennedy tool box in it.

I'm not that fond of Kennedy but Lista is great.

I simply cannot justify the cost of a snap-on tool box, although most of my tools are snap-on and I can feel the difference in quality, I don't notice a substantial lack of quality with my master craft box. I hold my tools in my hands and use them, the box just sits there aside from my occasionally taking a couple tools out or putting a couple back in. It may not stand the test of time, but that's something only time will tell. If I need to replace it eventually I'll likely replace it with a wooden one I make myself, thanks for the idea op.

Used to have snap-on back when i was a tech (actually the few years when i was going to community college) those boxes are not worth nearly as much as they cost. home depot sells these "husky" boxes for about $600 i've had that for almost 7 years now and it still looks new. Tool boxes are bad if you're not working on stuff everyday and if you're like me every draw is filled with sockets, impact sockets and screw drivers. and everything has that dumbass red and black handle snap-on has so i don't know whats what in hiuge piles

I have been having troubles finding a good portable tool bag/ carrying box. I have tried bags, smaller boxes and stuff but they all seem to break or rip. I have resorted to putting a bunch of tools in the tool belt and then carrying a smaller bag with all the other odds and ends. Seems to work better than carrying a tool box/case.

Bumping this thread back to life.
I have a similar problem. I don't have a ton of tools by serious standards, but I have far more than any of my friends and I don't have any good way to store them. A bunch of general tools, plus special tools for bicycles and my motorcycle, and some couple small woodworking tools. Right now most of it lives in a tool bag which means lots of digging for crap. Sockets are in the case they came in, and everything else (hacksaw, saw, power drill, etc) just lives in a closet).

I live in a 1BR apartment so I don't have a shop or a workbench--I've got a bench vice bolted to a block of wood that I can clamp down in the kitchen, Bicycle work is done on a work stand, and I have to go out onto the street to work on the motorcycle.

Any suggestions? A small tool chest might be nice. A plastic toolbox might be an improvement over the tool bag if it had some good organization...but otherwise maybe not. Some mobility might be important, the bag is nice because I can just lug everything outside to my motorcycle, but usually I know in advance which tools I will actually need.