Roll cart as a tool box?

[jdelrizzle]

Hey guyz I'm looking to purchase this roll cart, it will be my "tool box" at work, i currently have a craftsman 26" three section tool box, this roll cart would be replacing it:

http://store.snapon.com/KRSC46-Seri...rt-Large-6-Drawers-Extreme-Green-P747223.aspx

What do you guyz think? Good idea? Bad idea? Should I save up for a real tool box?

I am strictly a shop mechanic, I am a construction equipment/heavy equipment mechanic.

 

[tadwolfe]

Go for it...if you out grow it you can always sell a Snap on

 

[oldldh]

If you're looking in that price range...

And you don't mind "furrin" stuff...

www.strictlytoolboxes.com

Or....

Dare I mention Harbor Freight???

The HF boxes will do what you need them to do, until you decide what kind of/what price range roller cabinet you want/need...

The ExtremePro is a "built-like-a-tank" cabinet available from StrictlyToolboxes...30" deep, too---and over 800 lbs...The roller cabinet (bottom unit) is $ 2,795.00...

I have a HF 56" Roller Cabinet, and I love it...and it's on sale through mid-January for $ 699.99!!!

The SnapOn you listed is undoubtedly a nice unit, but it's over twice the price of the HF 56"...

Remember that you're running a "Small Business" and the secret to a successful business, is keeping you income high, and your costs low...

Don't start out with a large debt load...

I realize that you will get what you want, I just thought you should look at possible alternatives...

Good luck...

 

[BFHtime]

I thought about doing the same thing. I decided on getting a KRL1056 instead to use as a cart. I still like the KRSC46 though. There is also another car you may want to consider. It is a little narrower but it is deeper giving more area and volume in the box, with the same number of drawers. The drawer configuration is different though.
http://store.snapon.com/KRSC246-Ser...teel-Lid-6-drawers-Extreme-Green-P745963.aspx

I think it is a good place to start with a cart. It gives you some time fill what you have and give you something to work with. Then when you outgrow it, you can look for something else. You could buy something used, to save money too. I bought a used Waterloo cart and put my 4 drawer Craftsman rally box on top of that. It has been ok. It is terrible to move around because the castors **** so bad, bud it gave me more space for now and only cost me $50. It about what it is worth tool. The drawer slides on it are not that bad and it is getting loaded up a bit. This combination made it much easier for me to put tools in and out of my box. Before I had to pick up two or three things to pull a tool out. That thing was so packed, the 4 drawer box, It was well over a 100LBs, maybe 150-200. Every time I picked it up I thought the handle might break. I would strap a seat belt around it because I expected the latches to break too. They never did though. I will have that little box back up again in the not too distant future. When I do I think I will weigh it just to see how much it weighs.

The roll carts have lots of add-that allow you customize your cart. There seem to be more options on the carts than on the roll cabinets. The add-ons are also less expensive for the carts than the roll cabs.

Good luck.

 

[1950mercury]

Id buy the hf red cart and put your most used tools in it and keep the less used tools in the craftsman

 

[BFHtime]

The retail price at Snap-On is not the purchasing price. Wait for a deal. Snap-on regularly has deals. My Snap-on guy offered me a KRL1056 for 2K last year. I wish I could have bought it, but the timing was not right for me. I wish I could have gotten that deal. He also offered me a KRSC46 for 1100 and he had a sticker for 1300 on the truck. The 46 retails for about 1700 and the KRL1056 retails for about 4800.

You can buy used also. Let your Snap-On guy know that you are on a budget and are looking for a good deal on a cart. If you decide on a specific one, let him know. If he is good, he will let you know as soon as gets one. There is always craigslist and ebay. On ebay there is a place in Delaware that has an ebay store that turns over tool boxes. They have good feed back. I may get a box from them. Not all Snap-On franchisees are good, make sure you have a good one before you purchase a box from your guy.

 

[MattPersman]

Snap on carts can easily hold most of the normal tools most flat rate techs use daily, has the best warranty and is easy to trade up later or sell if you need to. Talk to your driver and pick your color, it is not a bad decision. Don't waste your time or money on those junk small HF carts.

 

[BK13]

The retail price at Snap-On is not the purchasing price. Wait for a deal. Snap-on regularly has deals. My Snap-on guy offered me a KRL1056 for 2K last year. I wish I could have bought it, but the timing was not right for me. I wish I could have gotten that deal. He also offered me a KRSC46 for 1100 and he had a sticker for 1300 on the truck. The 46 retails for about 1700 and the KRL1056 retails for about 4800.

Dang, those are fantastic deals! I'm not sure I could have walked away from a '1056 for $2k....

 

[jdelrizzle]

I thought about doing the same thing. I decided on getting a KRL1056 instead to use as a cart. I still like the KRSC46 though. There is also another car you may want to consider. It is a little narrower but it is deeper giving more area and volume in the box, with the same number of drawers. The drawer configuration is different though.
http://store.snapon.com/KRSC246-Ser...teel-Lid-6-drawers-Extreme-Green-P745963.aspx

I think it is a good place to start with a cart. It gives you some time fill what you have and give you something to work with. Then when you outgrow it, you can look for something else. You could buy something used, to save money too. I bought a used Waterloo cart and put my 4 drawer Craftsman rally box on top of that. It has been ok. It is terrible to move around because the castors **** so bad, bud it gave me more space for now and only cost me $50. It about what it is worth tool. The drawer slides on it are not that bad and it is getting loaded up a bit. This combination made it much easier for me to put tools in and out of my box. Before I had to pick up two or three things to pull a tool out. That thing was so packed, the 4 drawer box, It was well over a 100LBs, maybe 150-200. Every time I picked it up I thought the handle might break. I would strap a seat belt around it because I expected the latches to break too. They never did though. I will have that little box back up again in the not too distant future. When I do I think I will weigh it just to see how much it weighs.

The roll carts have lots of add-that allow you customize your cart. There seem to be more options on the carts than on the roll cabinets. The add-ons are also less expensive for the carts than the roll cabs.

Good luck.

For that price I could buy this:

http://store.snapon.com/KRA4813-Series-Roll-Cabs-Roll-Cab-13-Drawers-Red-P651226.aspx

Which is what I really want, I will be buying cash money, $1700 is all I'm willing to spend since I'm not exploring the possibilities of financing. But the stainless steel top does catch my eye.

Thanks!

 

[DodgeMech]

Snap on carts can easily hold most of the normal tools most flat rate techs use daily, has the best warranty and is easy to trade up later or sell if you need to. Talk to your driver and pick your color, it is not a bad decision. Don't waste your time or money on those junk small HF carts.

The hf carts ain't "junk"...the black one may be a lil ******, but the red one is great...small but will hold up to daily use

 

[DekeT]

Snap on carts can easily hold most of the normal tools most flat rate techs use daily, has the best warranty and is easy to trade up later or sell if you need to. Talk to your driver and pick your color, it is not a bad decision. Don't waste your time or money on those junk small HF carts.

Talk about drinking the cool-aid. Hook, line, and sinker for the company store.

 

[Larey]

If you are going to pay that look into a way to get a student account for the SEP program it is half price at right under $800.

 

[MRunabout]

If you're against the HF 44", 56" or red tool cart, I'd suggest looking on Craigslist for used SO/Matco/etc boxes. Some of the guys here score killer deals on 56"+ boxes.

 

[Jwych]

Ask your snapon driver what he has for used inventory. Mine has quite a few trade ins that he sells.

 

[chicane]

Talk about drinking the cool-aid. Hook, line, and sinker for the company store.

This ^.

 

[countryroad82]

I have one. Used to use it as a box, it held everything that was in my 26" Craftsman 3 tier stack which amazed me. Now it's on cart duty and serves it's purpose well.

 

[rice rocket]

Talk about drinking the cool-aid. Hook, line, and sinker for the company store.

Don't be ignorant. You know fully well that those two carts aren't comparable in the slightest. The KRSC46 probably holds as much as a HF44.

edit: holds more actually if you go by volume:

http://www.harborfreight.com/44-in-13-Drawer-Glossy-Red-Industrial-Roller-Cabinet-68784.html
http://store.snapon.com/KRSC46-Seri...rt-Large-6-Drawers-Extreme-Green-P747223.aspx

 

[MattPersman]

Exactly those HF carts are small amateur carts with no warranty
You DID see he wanted something as a tool box right? If all the tools you use in your job fit in a small HF cart then so be it but you must not be doing anything hard.

It's fine if you want just a cheap Chinese cart to throw some junk in and not care but it's hardly a toolbox replacement in both size and quality.

 

[FMC1959]

I think the SO boxes are awesome, have some friends that earn their living as mechanics, and swear by them. They open the drawers, stand in them and jump up and down and tell me, "can a XXXX box do that?". Probably not, but I can't justify the prices. There are plenty of alternatives in a wide price range that work for me just fine.

 

[BFHtime]

You may want to finance to build credit. One thing Snap-On does is finance which is where some of the price comes from if your Snap-On guy is letting you finance it on a truck account.

KRA and KRL are not the same. Make sure you get the box you want.

If you open a Snap-On credit account and then pay the balance off before 90 days. Snap-On lets you keep the rebate for signing up with Snap -On credit. I just did this for a friend a few months ago, and this saved home 1100-1300 when was said and done. Plus my guy gave him some free stuff and the Euro package for free. The Euro is almost a grand if I recall correctly.

Anyway if you finance and pay it off in 90 days. You can save some money there.

check craigslist, and ask guys in shop that may be looking to upgrade. You might get a good deal on a box that someone is looking to get rid of. Your Snap -On guy could ask other drivers as well. Make sure you deal with a good Snap -On guy. If the service is not excellent, look elsewhere. The warranty is only as good as the people that will honor it.

Good luck and shop around.

 

[zkling]

If you like the flip top feature it would be good. That is a pretty large "cart". Me personally I'd rather have a flat top work surface or a top box, not a fan of flip top compartment. To each their own.

 

[86k10]

If I was doing it all over in todays market I would consider one of these. They have smaller combos if you don't want a 41".

http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/extreme-tools-41-portable-workstation-combo-set.html

 

[warmpancakes]

For that price I could buy this:

http://store.snapon.com/KRA4813-Series-Roll-Cabs-Roll-Cab-13-Drawers-Red-P651226.aspx

Which is what I really want, I will be buying cash money, $1700 is all I'm willing to spend since I'm not exploring the possibilities of financing. But the stainless steel top does catch my eye.

Thanks!

any snap on guy worth a **** will make that deal, Just have him write a EC to get the rebate, 90 days same as cash and pay it off 2 weeks later, he basically nets 2k on the box but you pay 17ish out of pocket

 

[chicane]

Exactly those HF carts are small amateur carts with no warranty
You DID see he wanted something as a tool box right? If all the tools you use in your job fit in a small HF cart then so be it but you must not be doing anything hard.

It's fine if you want just a cheap Chinese cart to throw some junk in and not care but it's hardly a toolbox replacement in both size and quality.

Bullsh!t. I'd put that HF 72 up against that overpriced ****-On box any day of the week. You would fit all of your stuff and then some and you got a nice work space on top to boot.

 

[kool_BOY8323]

i hope this thread doesn't become a HF vs Snap On ******* contest.

If you have the money and want for Snap On, go ahead and spend it and get what you want.

If you don't have a lot of money and have a need for something, get the HF 5 drawer cart.

Sure it has only a limited warranty. Sure it doesn't say 'snap on' on the side. It's a tool cart. It holds and moves tools. If it meets your needs who cares? In my eyes, if you spent less than 300 bucks on something, and find a need to modify it, you're more comfortable doing so than if you spent 3 grand on it. I had my HF 5 drawer for less than 2 hours before i started cutting, modding, adding, subtracting, and making it my own. Guess what, I got 2 years on the job with it before i changed careers and it still makes a damn fine homeowners tool box.

I'm not saying avoid snap on, i do but that's my preference. like i said before, if you have the money and the want, go for it. but i'll say this, having less than 1000 into all the boxes i needed to do my job, loaded down for less than another 5000, then watching dudes roll in empty 5k boxes and ask me for tools felt pretty damn good.

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...4-lb-capacity-glossy-red-tool-cart-61427.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...-end-cabinet-for-roller-tool-chest-69399.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-s...er-glossy-red-roller-cabinet-combo-67831.html

 

[rtole]

I have a krsc 46. I use it as a cart.......I love it. Is it the most space per dollar? No. I guess the op kinda left it open for discussion.....so yeah this will be a hf vs snap on thread. I think the hf boxes are a good deal of space for a good price. That said comparing a hf box to any snap on box shows pure ignorance. If you have handled both......the snap on wins in quality, no question. I think the best deals to be had are with strickly toolboxes. They are better quality than hf......but not to much higher. It all depends if you want maximum space for your dollar, or max quality. The snap on cart holds alot, and is good quality, but you can get more space for that price no problem. I am also not saying the hf boxes wont do the job........but there is a reason many guys want snap on, and why they are always in the best toolbox discussions. They are the standard for high quality toolboxes, its not like the us general boxes have taken the top spot when someone wants the "best" toolbox.

 

[MattPersman]

Bullsh!t. I'd put that HF 72 up against that overpriced ****-On box any day of the week. You would fit all of your stuff and then some and you got a nice work space on top to boot.

A 72" HF cart wow that must be new. What are we comparing? We are talking carts, the topic is cart as tool box not largest possible HF china box compared to XYZ of any brand

You are way off topic if you like HF then buy it.

To the end there is no comparison between the red or black HF cart compared to the KRSC carts from snap on. CARTS is the topic not some random 72" HF box.

 

[jdelrizzle]

Thanks for all the replies!

I do have a snap on credit account, about a year ago I decided I needed quality tools before I needed a solid tool box. I bought about $3500 worth of tools on snap on credit. I had tools but there was many tools I didn't have that I needed and wanted. A year later my Snap on credit account is paid in full! I have a solid tool set (that I really enjoy using on a daily bases), my craftsman tool box is full! It's done its job, I'm ready to move on, I have tools there is no need to barrow tools, but at the same time I don't want to spend over $2000 on a tool box at least not yet. I plan on doing this (mechanic/technician) the rest of my working life. I want a quality box/cart that is capable of holding all my tools, from my pry bars to my impacts. I really hate the fact that I can't store my pry bar set in my current box.

 

[rtole]

If it were me in your position, I would buy a 56 top and bottom from stricktly toolboxes I like the tool vault combo with the side locker for 1900. For 1700 they have just the top and bottom. Nice quality for the price. I have the combo when it was just called the strictly toolboxes, but its a montezuma. It has held up to 5 years of pro use and the only thing wrong is the dings I have put there. Their service is top notch as well. Those guys really care that your satisfied.

 

[jdelrizzle]

Ok how about this:

http://store.snapon.com/KRSC43-Seri...ss-Steel-Split-Top-Extreme-Green-P769901.aspx

Vs

This:

http://store.snapon.com/KRSC46-Seri...rt-Large-6-Drawers-Extreme-Green-P747223.aspx

No disrespect, but HF is not an option.

 

[jdelrizzle]

If it were me in your position, I would buy a 56 top and bottom from stricktly toolboxes I like the tool vault combo with the side locker for 1900. For 1700 they have just the top and bottom. Nice quality for the price. I have the combo when it was just called the strictly toolboxes, but its a montezuma. It has held up to 5 years of pro use and the only thing wrong is the dings I have put there. Their service is top notch as well. Those guys really care that your satisfied.

I'll consider it, thank you!

 

[warmpancakes]

Ok how about this:

http://store.snapon.com/KRSC43-Seri...ss-Steel-Split-Top-Extreme-Green-P769901.aspx

Vs

This:

http://store.snapon.com/KRSC46-Seri...rt-Large-6-Drawers-Extreme-Green-P747223.aspx

No disrespect, but HF is not an option.

Sliding top one doesn't have a spot for prybars like the bottom cart

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Dare I mention Harbor Freight???

What's that?!

 

[oldldh]

What's that?!

At least I asked permission...


What is it???


That's the place us poor, retired amateurs have to buy stuff...


If I had the money, skills, and need, I'd buy SnapOn, too...but I don't have any of the three...ergo----HF-R-Me...


The HF 56" roller cabinet, and the 5 drawer tool cart would fill the OP's needs, and save him some cash...


I knew I was starting a SnapOn vs HF battle, but I thought, "Somebody's got to---Why not me???"


I wish the OP all the luck in the world, and at the end of the day, it's his money...I hope he gets what he needs...

 

[rlebroke51]

I have the cornwell version of that box. at first I loved it but now it is starting to tick me off. the flip top is a pain id rather have a flat top to work on and such. I am currently looking for a new box around the 56" my suggestion is do the same.

 

[skylinegtr20]

I have a Macsimizer 12 drawer and Macsimizer cart but found the Mac cart a bit bulky to wheel around the tight shop I work in. So I loaded it with speciality tools I only use occasionally and I purchased a Matco Jamestown service cart from my local dealer. It worked out to about $1150 Canadian.

I keep day to day use stuff in there which has worked awesome! Its the same size as the snappy one the OP listed, quality is good, and its the perfect size for what I need. Only downside is the flip top, you cant use it as a work space.

I will post some pictures tomorrow

 

[jdelrizzle]

I have a Macsimizer 12 drawer and Macsimizer cart but found the Mac cart a bit bulky to wheel around the tight shop I work in. So I loaded it with speciality tools I only use occasionally and I purchased a Matco Jamestown service cart from my local dealer. It worked out to about $1150 Canadian.

I keep day to day use stuff in there which has worked awesome! Its the same size as the snappy one the OP listed, quality is good, and its the perfect size for what I need. Only downside is the flip top, you cant use it as a work space.

I will post some pictures tomorrow

Work space? I plan on not moving it around the shop as much, it'll be stationary , for the most part.

 

[skylinegtr20]

If your using it just to keep tools organized and NOT use a space to bust **** apart then the Matco or Snappy cart will be perfect... if your using it as a table top to rip parts of the car apart then you need a tool box.

Basically what I am trying to say lol

Benefit of starting with a cart such as these is you can always upgrade and buy a nice box later. Then you will always have the service cart for doing brake jobs, suspension work and moving around the shop once you need to get mobile and still have special tools, and random tools in the box that only get used occasionally.

 

[Jwych]

Like others have said just because that's the list price doesn't mean that's what you will pay! I will once again tell you to ask your driver about his used inventory. You can pick up a nice snapon box slightly used for considerably less because people trade in, boxes get repossessed, etc. spend your hard earned dollars wisely

 

[zkling]

At least I asked permission...


What is it???


That's the place us poor, retired amateurs have to buy stuff...


If I had the money, skills, and need, I'd buy SnapOn, too...but I don't have any of the three...ergo----HF-R-Me...


The HF 56" roller cabinet, and the 5 drawer tool cart would fill the OP's needs, and save him some cash...


I knew I was starting a SnapOn vs HF battle, but I thought, "Somebody's got to---Why not me???"


I wish the OP all the luck in the world, and at the end of the day, it's his money...I hope he gets what he needs...

Ironically, I typically purchase USA pro grade tools at a fraction of HF prices even with coupons. Heck I'm so poor that I had to purchase my HF44" used.