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Big cheap tool boxes.

If it's too good to be true...


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It's not unreasonable to find a quality snap on/Mac/Cornwell/matco tool box for 1000-1500 bucks. They are out there but you need to be quick with a pile of cash ready to go on your dresser.
 
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here's mine, the top Craftsman I bought back in 84 I think when you could put stuff on lay-a-way at Sears. I was newly married and paid it off over a few months. the bottom I happened to be walking through Sears in 06 and it was on clearance. I think the older box is made better.
the Homak boxes I bought at Sams on clearance around 99.
the Harbor Freight I bought on the recommendation of a buddy who uses his professionally. I just recently put it together, looks and feels pretty nice for the price point.
I figure the 2 bigger set ups to be stationary and to use the little one to roll around as I work on stuff. I am not a professional by any means, just a hobbyist
 
That's a no from me, dawg. That's too small, to ugly, too many, and too tall.
 
back when I bought them 26" was the norm for tool box sizes. I have looked at newer ones but I got these so I will use them.
you are right about the Homak set up, I am a short guy, 5'7", and I have to get a stool to look in the top of it.

I realize you are looking for different than what I have, this is just one of them days I felt like joining in the conversation instead of lurking in the background. :D
 
-stew- said:
Of all the boxes I looked at, I think this was prolly the prettiest. We couldn't come close on price, and it would have involved a 500 mile round trip. As much as I wanted it the math just didn't work out.

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That is really nice looking, but shit, I’d always be cleaning it. Haha
 
I'd put that clear 3M automotive paint protector film on all the drawers
 
Good choice. That was a good buy.

I have a 54" (I think) us general that sits in my garage. Great box for a guy who doesn't use it all day everyday. All of my tools are in my shop truck for the most part. When I moved into a shop as a dual role service manager it took the top and bottom, two blue point roll carts, two file cabinets and a work bench to hold all my tools.
A true fully equipped diesel mechanic will wear out any of the lower priced hobby boxes in a year.
Extreme Boxes, Snap On, Matco, Mac are my boxes of choice if they ever take my CDL away from me. And in that order of value in my mind. Although the Snap on and Matco can change positions on any given day.
The montezuma brand makes a good portable road box for throwing in the pickup, but that's it. The roll around wont hold up in an equipment shop.
I see guys buy medium duty boxes all the time. In two years they are to the point that you can't take them across the shop because they have loosened up so much. My Us General was only purchased to park on a wall. Like I said, if they take my CDL away and I can't be a field tech anymore. I'll probably buy an extreme
 
This has been my set up for a long time, close to 15 years on the bottom box, about ten on the top and center. Craftsman grip latch with ball bearing slides. Has held up well, and is still in great working order. But It's never been used as a roll around. It's moved from one spot in the shop to another a few times, but never on the regular. I doubt it would hold up to that. If'n when I ever end up in a shop where that is the SOP I will get a high end cart to work out of. I'd prefer to wheel this new one around as little as possible.

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A high end cart will be the ticket. Working on equipment like I do, the shop floors are never in great shape. Holes and cracks everywhere. When I was in a truck shop at the beginning of my career, I had a Matco 48" and a cheap cart. Between the shop truck, roller box, and the cart. It worked pretty good. But the shop was rubber mounts only and track machines were field jobs.
 
I'm liking that orange. It looks good and you'll love the hutch pretty quick.
 
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