Just can't see buying a SnapOn type toolbox...

[06wt]

well while we are talkin bout lsx's, krl's, vettes and cman boxs ill share my input. I have a krl and love it, didnt pay truck price. I have and lq4/l92head/ls3intake in my truck and it beats up on stock vettes. and i also have cman boxes and they hold tools as well. Do cman boxes perform like my krl. no but they do hold tools none the less.

 

[Bull]

Continue the debate without being rude to each other.

Otherwise, there will be no debate.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Oh just spoil our fun then, Bull!

 

[Bull]

"Bull" is another word for "grinch."

 

[daveblank]

How do you guys justify spending thousands on a toolbox? I mean if I was a pro wrench I could maybe see it, but even used people still want $2500+ for them. For that money I could fill my entire garage with used Cman stuff!

I'm shopping for a roll-around type tool chest/cart and was looking at a Mac one locally on CL where the guy is asking $800. Found nearly the exact same thing for $50, but it's a Cman brand and not as pretty.

I really want a nice big SnapOn type box, but until I can get one for $500 no thanks.

2001 Z06 Targa
Panoz GTRA - NASA TTS
2004 GMC Canyon

I've included your signature in the quote because it needs to be there. I'll answer your question with a question. How can you justify buying a Corvette when a Kia will get you from point A to point B also?

A bigger bog will fill needs differently. Just loike your Vette.

 

[caper]

Lets see,I bought a Snap on KR series top and bottom box 20 yrs ago for use every day as a professional tech.Lasted me 20 yrs with no issues.Felt I needed something a little bigger so I bought a 41" combo from Home Depot,Husky brand.Lasted just over one year professional use before the drawer front welds broke.Lifetime warranty that was completely useless because no parts were available.Rewelded the drawers myself and sold it the next week.Bought a Snap on KRA series box from another professional tech that had used it for 5yrs and I've been using it for a year now with no issues.You can buy a craftsman or other cheap box that will have the capacity in the whole box that a Snap on or Matco etc will have in one drawer.I can still get parts for my 20 yr old KR box but I couldn't get a drawer for a 1 yr old Husky box.Says alot about what manufacturers stand behind their product.Oh,and I just plain don't like Corvettes.Not for any particular reason,they've just never appealed to me.

 

[Merkava_4]

Wait a minute ... let's back up ... you mean to tell me this question is beings asked by a guy who drives a yellow Corvette? Y'all gotta be kiddin' me.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

"Bull" is another word for "grinch."

Boo!

I sit around 3 guys who hate christmas at work. I enjoy wearing my santa hat there.

 

[06wt]

every body keeps bringing up the vette, what about the panoz, that is much better for most of the above stated analogies. and cobra4b im not rippin on ya, but i also see the reason guys are askin you y would have no problem with buying thoose cars but not a truck brand box. i figured with cars like that you would already have a truck brand box

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I don't know anything about Panoz..

 

[caper]

Panoz...is that something you eat?

 

[06wt]

its strictly a race car that has just barley met us gov standards to be streetable

i think the gtra are kind of kit cars, using ford powerplants but im not sure, im mainly a gm performance guy

 

[Moose-LandTran]

I bet he wouldn't pay $152 for an FK835 either.

 

[caper]

its strictly a race car that has just barley met us gov standards to be streetable

i think the gtra are kind of kit cars, using ford powerplants but im not sure, im mainly a gm performance guy

Ok..I had it confused with a panzerotti..

 

[krusty the clown]

geez........was this a baited argument?

i'll just say this...........

i can't justify putting $60k worth of snap on tools in a harbor frieght box. nor can i justify a lot of things that many of you own. but that doesn't give you or anyone the right to complin about what i own. some folks like chocolate, some folks like vanilla.

 

[caper]

geez........was this a baited argument?

Well when someone says that a $50 Craftsman box is just as good as a Mac that's as good as chum in the water...

 

[vettebrett]

I must jump in and defend my fellow corvette forum buddy, we have the cars because they are fast and we have gold chains to match them

Now I am in the same boat as Cobra, I have just redo my garage with all new shelves and thought I need a big tool box like HF has for $400, after I cleaned out all the **** in 3 boxes, I still have extra room but I want that HF box because it will do just fine for me for many years and I don't have to spend alot of money that I can put towards my fats car.

 

[Hiball]

I must jump in and defend my fellow corvette forum buddy, we have the cars because they are fast and we have gold chains to match them

Now I am in the same boat as Cobra, I have just redo my garage with all new shelves and thought I need a big tool box like HF has for $400, after I cleaned out all the **** in 3 boxes, I still have extra room but I want that HF box because it will do just fine for me for many years and I don't have to spend alot of money that I can put towards my fats car.

How fat is your car?

 

[Moose-LandTran]

It's PHAT.

 

[krusty the clown]

It's PHAT.

phat or fat.......i don't care. i's rather have $15k toolbox but then again it isn't just a decoration in my showplace/garage/shrine to my self.

 

[Bull]

Damn. Some of you guys are going to have testicle marks on your knuckles from all the low blows you are landing.

 

[t. jones]

I bought a brand new snapon rollcab in 84 because I serviced his truck and he lived down the road from my business and he was a nice guy. I just bought a new Waterloo top box at the home store for $88 and it says made in USA on the cardboard.
Thanx Trevor

 

[petty4243]

KRL is Snap On code for $10,000!

better match would be... KRL = Z06

 

[bry@n]

Like many have said, I can't understand why a guy owning a vette and panoz would even pose this question.

Owning that car and 15k in tools in a HF box is like driving a $100K Mercedes and living in the projects. Granted I've seen this happen but it's not funny.

 

[Bull]

For me, it will be easy. I drive a Firebird, drink Miller High Life and PBR, wear sleeveless shirts all summer, and have old oddball brand tools. A SO box would be a waste on me...HF or, better yet, some vintage, dinged up old US-made box will suit me perfectly!

Like many have said, I can't understand why a guy owning a vette and panoz would even pose this question.

Owning that car and 15k in tools in a HF box is like driving a $100K Mercedes and living in the projects. Granted I've seen this happen but it's not funny.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

To the OP...you won't find a KRL box for $500...but if you do some wheeling and dealing, you can still make out pretty well on one if you do your homework and get creative in a deal. Helps if you have something to barter.

 

[bry@n]

Bull,
There is nothing wrong with a HF box. My thought process is if you can afford 15K in tools, likelyness is you can spring for a $5k box or $3k on CL.

For me, it will be easy. I drive a Firebird, drink Miller High Life and PBR, wear sleeveless shirts all summer, and have old oddball brand tools. A SO box would be a waste on me...HF or, better yet, some vintage, dinged up old US-made box will suit me perfectly!

Each of us has something we spend cash on for quality. For some people it's tools, other electronics, tv's & cell phones, some are cars or trucks...To each his own.

Personally, I agree with somebody that posted he didn't vare for vettes. They do nothing for me. I can appreciate the looks, speed etc...but I would never spend the cash on one. I'd rather have a Mustang. That's just me.

 

[ProGun3400]

Where these boxes really show there true colors is after 5 years of 40+ hour work weeks where you have literally opened and closed your "loaded" tool box drawers 1000's of times.

Amen to that.

Or surviving a move. Had a 52" Homak top and bottom with side locker that I moved twice.

 

[speed bump]

Its the little things and sometimes the big things that make the difference i'll use my HF 41" box as an example.

Slides
The HF box has ball bearing slides but even empty they don't even slide as well as my Craftsman chest does with as much as I can stuff in a drawer. Also I have a pretty well loaded drawer and if I opened it more often that drawer would probably be toast. Also the slides are much more permanently attached than on a good box so its possible your out a box if they go.

Detents
The HF box has cheap cheap cheap plastic detents which mean in the summer they don't hold very well, this last week I had to pretend I was Hercules because they didn't want to move at all. A higher end box will get you a latching system which is a much more effective method especially if you are in your box all the time.

Finish
That SO box has a nice powder coat finish that will wear really well. My Craftsman box has a reasonable paint job on it and my HF box has some weird scary texture on it.

Casters
My HF box according to my friend has okay casters but their is no way in the world I would try to push it around everyday on them. The same with standard Cman casters. Good casters are not cheap by the way you can easily spend $500 on a set of casters for a larger tool box.

Financing, warranty, and service
In a shop environment you need it now and the details of getting it are less important. A quick call to the SO guy your tool box shows up, you make weekly payments when you buy tools (some shops even do payroll deductions around here), and depending on the dealer a lot of them have warranty parts for commonly sold boxes 1 day away. Of course this doesn't mean anything to someone who pays cash, doesn't work in a shop, and doesn't use the hell of their toolbox.

Tool boxes also cost a heck of a lot of money since every drawer has at least 8 bends in it and several stamping and spot welding operations. I believe Elroy works in a place that does HVAC gear and he could probably tell you more about the pile work that would go into making every single drawer not to mention the rest of the box.

In the end its up to you on what you want but their are certain reasons to buy a better tool box and certain reasons that its hard to justify if you only open your tool box once a month. Personally I buy tools that do the job at a level that I am happy with and most people do that as well (although there are some that are just compensating with their tool collections and boxes).

 

[Steve from Socal]

The original posters statement comes up often on forums is various forms, I can't see buying XYZ product. It is most often a way to rationalize an inexpensive product to a premium brand. While the items may both do the same or similar things; they do have considerable differences, you can buy a Timex or a Rolex and they both tell time. For a casual user who wants to buy new and is price sensitive perhaps the inexpensive product is the right choice. If you are not concerned with quality, durability or performance (in this case) drawer loading and weight capacity, then a low cost box will last you a few years. Many of the items that are expensive and derided as being over the top are built to perform to high standards for years with little to no fuss. This may be lost in somebody who is a novice or amateur user. If you don't see the value in an item then likely you would not understand its merits.

The average weekend warrior goes to some big department store or other retail outlet to buy consumer goods. These are fine for general light to moderate use in a home environment; for someone that uses similar commercial grade products these would not last.
Even thought the two products may seem very similar they are worlds apart in things like raw materials and hardware that go unnoticed by the neophyte.

For our Corvette owner; would you go to Pep boys and put a set of Manny, Moe and Jack's "Cornell" tires on your car? They do "everything" the fancy tires do and cost a fraction of money a good set of premium tire do.

Steve

 

[sgrammel]

OP said:

How do you guys justify spending thousands on a toolbox? I mean if I was a pro wrench I could maybe see it, but even used people still want $2500+ for them. For that money I could fill my entire garage with used Cman stuff!

Key words 'if I was a pro wrench' IMHO Snap-on is for pro wrenches. If you need it to make your living, its worth it ...right?

If you want something to store your tools at home in and don't use your tools to pay your bills, I can't see why anybody would buy a SO box.

For me, I am the 'need someplace to store my tools at home' guy. I bought the HF top and bottom boxes for less that $600. For me..it kicks ***. But I don't make my living on my tools!

Do you know that there are speaker cables that sells for over $100 per foot? Why pay that much when you can get speaker wire for way less than $1 per foot?

Why would some rich golfer dude, with a hot wife fool around?

Why would some guy waging two wars get a peace award?

Mysteries of the world!

 

[mkdive]

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

As a "weekend warrior" who has boxes on both ends of this debate, the HF boxes were bought because of "need". I have the 41" top and bottom combo (with the short side locker) because I needed a place to store my "home" tools (claw hammers, plumbing tools, home electrical supplies, etc.) and some place to organize bullets, dies, scales, gun cleaning supplies and the like.

I used to wrench for a living 30 years ago and still remain a "serious" tinker on my family cars. After doing that for a living, I appreciate a fine hand tool and if you look in my box, you will find a lot of my old SK, Mac, Matco and SO tools as well as a bunch of new Snap-on and SK tools. My pride and joy in trying to figure these new fangled machines is a Solus Pro. Because of my past and the tools I have, I wanted a nice box. My main box is now a KRL1023 with a side locker, hutch and top storage. Do I "need" that box? No, I just wanted it. That is all of the justification that I need for the purchase (not to mention the great deal that I got on it).

I drive practical (to me) cars that get great gas mileage but happen to have a passion for nice firearms. The car or truck just gets me to the field but having a nice Beretta or Krieghoff to shoot with is my idea of heaven. Will one of my 870 or Mossberg pumps work just as well? Yes.... but that K-80 looks great, will last several lifetimes and fits me perfectly...... Just like my KRL setup.

In the end, we each have a priority to what we like and are willing to pay for. For some it's a nice car, others, a nice garage, plane, toolbox, gun, boat or even a "trophy" wife. I have one buddy that lives in a trailer but shoots with a custom SO-9 Beretta that cost him 3 times what he paid for his house.

That man has STYLE....Dumb with his money maybe, but he has style.......

 

[Vinko]

Where these boxes really show there true colors is after 5 years of 40+ hour work weeks where you have literally opened and closed your "loaded" tool box drawers 1000's of times.

Not a mechanic, but I assumed that the above was true. I've certainly noticed it in other "tools". I use it in a shop environment -- you could call it light industrial, I suppose. It's a Classic 78 and I paid $2000 off the truck. At the time, they were occasionally a little less ($1800 on CL) sometimes a lot more. The SO guy gave me no interest and pay it off on my own schedule, which I did over 6 months. He just wanted it off the truck because he had other ones to sell. For a long time, we went with just smaller tool boxes and large locked "crates" to keep tools. That was too time consuming for jobs.

I keep machinist tools, and other stuff I need. Extra impact wrenches, sockets, everything else. It organizes stuff that I need, it's saved me a hell of a lot of time. And it's kept stuff from walking off. I needed something robust, and since we know the SO guy well (30 years), it worked for me. I want to buy once, and buy quality. It's not a KRL, but it works for me.
Were I to buy used today, I'd get an even better deal. I can't believe how low some boxes are getting in price.

Now, I wish that I had a box four times as big. I didn't believe you guys when some of you said that I'd need to "upgrade" one of these days

 

[dustin19]

Well then you're ignorant beyond debate on the merrits of the car... the only thing I remotely agree with is the interior materials used (not design/ergonomics) and that was vastly improved with the C6 platform.

A few facts about the platform -

1. Body work is SMC (sheet molding compound) other than the urethane bumpers. The car isn't "plastic" like a Saturn.

2. The LSX V8 is the most efficient V8 on the planet when you look at horsepower per volume... i.e. the overall size of the package. Overhead camshafts necessitate a mssive cylinder head and makes for a much bigger engine. Ever wonder why the LSX is swapped into everything? Because it fits and makes more power than any comprable engine.

3. Car doesn't have "leaf springs in the rear" as you put it, it has composite transverse monoleafs front and rear and they're nothing at all like the leaf spring on a pickup truck other than they share the word leaf. They actually lower the center of gravity of the car. The only advantage of a coil-over suspension is the ability to swap spring rates more easily at varying race tracks. Last I checked your average car guy, even HPDE guy doesn't change spring rates for varying track conditions.

But I see you adhere he common misunderstandings in the automotive world that DOHC > OHV and coil-springs > monoleafs

Oh... and the C5 Z06 ran a sub 8 minute time at the Nurburgring back in 2004 and the ZR1 is in 2nd place for a production car record... 2nd to the Viper ACR which also uses a, gasp, archaic pushrod engine

cars newer then 1980 arent cars there toys with plastic i mean (urethane,styrofoam,composite) body parts instead of all steel body and nice shiny crome bumbers

 

[crewchief888]

Lets see,I bought a Snap on KR series top and bottom box 20 yrs ago for use every day as a professional tech.Lasted me 20 yrs with no issues.Felt I needed something a little bigger so I bought a 41" combo from Home Depot,Husky brand.Lasted just over one year professional use before the drawer front welds broke.Lifetime warranty that was completely useless because no parts were available.Rewelded the drawers myself and sold it the next week.Bought a Snap on KRA series box from another professional tech that had used it for 5yrs and I've been using it for a year now with no issues.You can buy a craftsman or other cheap box that will have the capacity in the whole box that a Snap on or Matco etc will have in one drawer.I can still get parts for my 20 yr old KR box but I couldn't get a drawer for a 1 yr old Husky box.Says alot about what manufacturers stand behind their product.Oh,and I just plain don't like Corvettes.Not for any particular reason,they've just never appealed to me.

ive been a "professional" tech for 25 years or so, i started out with a craftsman roller cab and a machinist box out of HS. evenin in light duty work in a amchine shop the roller cab fell apart in a year or so. i switched over to kennedy boxes, top box broke after 5 or 6 years. i ran the gamut of smaller mac, matco and snapon boxes until about 1987 when i bought my kr550/555.
combo i still have them and after nearly 25 years they still shine, and have only replaced 1 set of drawer slides.
i have many boxes now, my tools are scattered in my sevice truck, my shop, my garage and in my work shop. i have craftsman, lyons, montgomery wards powercraft, and remline boxes. they all serve their purpose of tool storage, my truck boxes get the most abuse, and have had the frames and drawers welding back together several times. no i wont buy another truck box, my days of buying boxes are long gone.
the only set of boxes i bought that i didnt need was the set of snap-on /harley davidson boxes that ive always kept at home.
for professional use, i wouldnt buy anything but a snap-on, for home or non professional use i grab the best deal for the price. the powercraft, remline and one snapon roller cab that i use at my shop were literally throw aways.
powercrafts were free, remlines wer free, but damaged from a loader boom creeping down on the top overnight, and the snapon roller cab fell out of the back of a pickup and was pulled from a scrap dumpster minus it's casters.
i guess if all my tools had to be in one place i may think differently.....

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

I have been working out of the same snap on kr660r for 22 years -2500 bucks well spent

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

the corvette is the best performance deal out there

 

[crewchief888]

same here with my kr550/55 combo. i paid $2250 for mine when i bought them, that was a BUNCH of money when you're only making $7 an hr. i got laid off 2 months after i bought them, my ex didnt know about them till she saw them sitting in the back of my truck. her dad was a bodyman and she grew up around mechanics and painters, she knew those weren't the same boxes she had seen before. i had a lot of explainin' to do.

 

[Moose-LandTran]

My KRA is the bottom range of Snap-on boxes, i bet it's 20+ years old and it still works great. Even the friction slides work great. It fell out of the van we were loading it into (while fully loaded) when i left one of my previous jobs and that only dented and scratched it. I doubt many cheaper boxes would be able to handle what it can.