Tool box for Christmas

[JWink]

I have been looking at tool boxes for about a year and a half. I currently have a smaller snap on top chest and a well built bottom box. The name plate is gone and I have not tryed to I.D. it but it's pretty sturdy. For a while I had my eye on the US General boxes at harbor freight and figured I could start there and ad on as I needed.

I always planned on getting a nicer box at some point in time.

Currently I am an automotive student and can get some pretty good deals on matco boxes and that kind of has me stuck. I dont know if i should go with the harbor freight box for starters and then later on down the line, when i no longer get the student discout, get a higher quality box or just get the better quality box now.

I really do not want to go into debt but then again later on I would be paying almost double what I would pay now for the same box.


To throw another wrench in my plan my parents have been hinting about maybe getting me a tool box for christmas. Of course they already told me they can not afford a truck brand box, which I already knew and would never expect. They probabaly would go for the harbor freight bottom box.

I thought at least with the harbor freight box, while it's not as deep as I would like, I could still have a top, bottom and a side cabinet for well under what I would pay for a truck brand box.

I just do not know what to do . . . . . :headscrat

Thoughts, opinions, and any advice is apriciated.

[PistolWhip]

My first peace of advice to you is, don't put yourself in debt before you even get on the job. You will appreciate a SO, Mac or Matco much more when you can afford it (or at least afford the payments) and actually need it.
When you get to the point in your career when you've reached somewhat of a financial and job security and can afford to spoil yourself on a top quality box, that's a different story, but not before then and certainly not when your still in school.

At the same time, you don't want to waste any money on a box that you won't be happy with simply because its cheap. I personally am not at all impressed with the US General box's that I've seen at my local HF. The big 72"er that I saw on here looked great in pics, but the one's I see in the store (never saw the big one in person) look like crap and the drawers don't feel much better than crap.
If at all possible, ask your parents to give you what they can (or what they planned to spend) toward a box and you cover the rest. Then go get yourself a "GOOD VALUE."
My first recommendation is Ranger Products (http://www.bendpak.com/ranger-products/tool-storage/). Look at the link in my sig and you'll see the one I have. It's an outstanding box and won't break the budget. My brother has a huge Snap On roller set that cost him just under $10k and I'd say that my Ranger that would cost $1500 for the whole set, while certainly not as good on every level, is absolutely a super value with great quality for dollar compared to his SO.
Ranger has a few different sizes available and the prices are very reasonable.

Other than that, I'd recommend keeping an eye on your local Sears/Craftsman closeout section. You can some great deals on Craftsman boxes if you hawk the closeouts on a regular basis. My RollerBearing C-Man boxes are nice, not as nice as my Ranger and certainly not as nice a SO, Mac or Matco, but they get the job done and will last a life time.

[TruckTech915]

I agree with PistolWhip. Do not go in debt right away, unless you have the money to blow (which most don't.) Wait until you are in the field for awhile and know that you plan on wrenching for awhile. That is the most common mistake I see is guys buy nice fancy boxes then 3 months later they get repo'd.

My suggestion is to buy what you can afford. Something that will hold your tools and allow the drawers to still open, not break under load. A good source is Craigslist. You can find some killer deals if you are patient. Thats were I bought my SO KRL and saved a ton of cash.

Also as PistolWhip stated, Craftsman, they are good boxes. Not top of the line but they will work for the time being. Just try to get one with bearing slides. If you keep a eye out you can sometimes find some huge markdowns also.

[matt H]

ya if you dont want to go into debt then i would stray away from truck brand boxes. i myself am also an auto student with that nice discount. i chose the not so smart route and decided to get a loan through matco for most of my tools and box. i could have gone all craftsman for about 1/3 of the price i spent, but i felt that it would be worth the investment to get some good basic tools that will last me. it sucks to have another loan to pay off right now, but i have a decent job already and found this to be a good way to build credit. i did pick up a matco 4225R, but i only did because my dealer gave me 65% off retail(i haggled a deal with him). if he didnt offer me that, then i would have definitely gone craftsman.

if youre going to get a loan from a truck brand then i have 2 words for you....SELF CONTROL. the temptations to add a little of this and a little of that to the list is high, but those are a want and not a need at the moment.

happy shopping!