New Tool Box

[strizzy]

Well me and my dad do a lot of work out of our garage. Almost 40 years ago he worked in a auto shop for about 9 years and had bought all his snap-on and mac tools. But his snap-on box is getting a little small, which is kind of funny sense when he bought it he had the big bad box. We have been checking out the local snap-on truck and never see anything good box wise that is used. We cant justify buying a new snap-on box, so we have started to look at other brands. Although its kinda hard to go from say snap-on to a sears box but their prices are a lot nicer. After doing a little research we found out that a company called Waterloo Industries makes the boxes for sears. So we have looked around and found that their Magnum series is the same as the Sears Professional series. They are also a great deal. Now here comes my question (finally, gawd), after doing a little more internet time (we always like to research, research, etc. everything), we found some boxes made my International Tool Boxes; anyone have any experience with theses? looking at the "toolbox" picture thread, wythors box reminds me of these. Wonder how many different brands could be stamped on this line of boxes.

Some boxes we were looking at:

http://www.waterlooindustries.com/productdetail.asp?UnitNumberID=MG4610BK

http://www.bobstools.net/Store/40CR85477BL.html
(we have been looking on ebay and u can get these Internationals CHEAP (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2 F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=international+tool+box&category0=), which might be a bad thing...)

We would like a 42"-46" wide bottom and top box with 2 bays or just not all full width drawers.

Thanks for any help!

[l_bilyk]

Well me and my dad do a lot of work out of our garage. Almost 40 years ago he worked in a auto shop for about 9 years and had bought all his snap-on and mac tools. But his snap-on box is getting a little small, which is kind of funny sense when he bought it he had the big bad box. We have been checking out the local snap-on truck and never see anything good box wise that is used. We cant justify buying a new snap-on box, so we have started to look at other brands. Although its kinda hard to go from say snap-on to a sears box (not that theres anything wrong with them, we have a couple top boxes) but their prices are a lot nicer. After doing a little research we found out that a company called Waterloo Industries makes the boxes for sears. So we have looked around and found that their Magnum series is the same as the Sears Professional series. They are also a great deal. Now here comes my question (finally, gawd), after doing a little more internet time (we always like to research, research, etc. everything), we found some boxes made my International Tool Boxes; anyone have any experience with theses? looking at the "toolbox" picture thread, wythors box reminds me of these. Wonder how many different brands could be stamped on this line of boxes.

Some boxes we were looking at:

http://www.waterlooindustries.com/productdetail.asp?UnitNumberID=MG4610BK

http://www.bobstools.net/Store/40CR85477BL.html
(we have been looking on ebay and u can get these Internationals CHEAP (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2 F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=international+tool+box&category0=), which might be a bad thing...)

We would like a 42"-46" wide bottom and top box with 2 bays or just not all full width drawers.

Thanks for any help!

Well that particular waterloo box you posted is better than the international box you posted... it's deeper and has some stronger hardware

Neither one is bad though... wateroo is made in USA, international is made in canada... us here sears boxes are actually made by international

[Lu47Dan]

Don't About those you listed have Kennedy boxes myself .

[wythors]

That second one is my box. Same price I paid as well. The full width drawers are nice and tall for socket racks and the slides, hinges and other hardware are all top knotch. I'd recommend it to anyone.

[...dave]

i wonder if those really cheap International boxes are them just re-branding some other Chinese-made unit... The Tool Warehouse http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/ITB-CRN421011BL.html sells them at a similar price, if you'd rather deal with somebody reputable instead of rolling the dice on flEabag, and they specify that the boxes are imported... i hate buying China stuff, especially sight-unseen, but holy cow that's cheap. Which, as you said, is a bit of a warning sign... :willy_nil i donno. Since the bottom line for a 42" roller base cabinet with 12 or 13 drawers seems to be $600, that sure does get one's attention!

...dave

[wythors]

My toolbox is "Fabrique au Canada".

[Rrumbler]

If you are going to be working out of the box a lot, and/or moving it around, be sure the frame is going to hold up, and not start going out of plumb when you have it loaded, and tug on the handle to move it. I used to carry almost all of my small tools in a couple of rollaway cabinets and top boxes, but after about a year or so of loading them onto the truck and tying them down, then unloading them at the next jobsite, then moving them around on the site, they started to "sag", lean, twist, and the drawers started to stick, or be hard to open or close. They didn't have any identifying labels on them, so I don't know what brand they were; the company provided them. We finally talked them out of some Knaack and Jobox chests, and put all of our hand tools into individually boxed sets, or groups, and our power tools into cases; then we each carried our own individual toolbox with a basic set of hand tools, as well.

One other thing I would be particular about is the drawer slides; I'd only go for ball bearing slides, and full extension ones, as well. My present personal shop box is a Craftsman, with regular slides - drawers only open about four fifths of their length, and the few that are heavily loaded are sometimes difficult to open and close.

[l_bilyk]

i wonder if those really cheap International boxes are them just re-branding some other Chinese-made unit... The Tool Warehouse http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/ITB-CRN421011BL.html sells them at a similar price, if you'd rather deal with somebody reputable instead of rolling the dice on flEabag, and they specify that the boxes are imported... i hate buying China stuff, especially sight-unseen, but holy cow that's cheap. Which, as you said, is a bit of a warning sign... :willy_nil i donno. Since the bottom line for a 42" roller base cabinet with 12 or 13 drawers seems to be $600, that sure does get one's attention!

...dave

No, those are made in quebec

[drivinhard]

The waterloo magnum is the exact same box as Sears Craftmans Pro (they make them for Sears) but for much less $$. You can even order the Craftsman Professional emblems from Waterloo. Lifetime Warranty, I've had mine several years and use the heck out of it.

[katit]

Check Ranger boxes (sold by BendPack). I have one and really like it. They should be no worse then Waterloo.

[RenegadeEngr]

heh, I actually shop at Bob's Tools in Des Moines. Great place, definitely one of my favorites...

[strizzy]

Blast from the past! I gots a new box!

...Actually I think this was my first post...

[Merkava_4]

Pictures maybe?

[strizzy]

Not what I was looking for when I posted this thread, but it holds the tools:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=139020&postcount=216

[Merkava_4]

Oh ok. . . that'll work. :thumbup: