Thinking about selling my Craftsman tool box

[Killer95Stang]

This was the first tool box I ever owned... well their was a big machinist Kennedy box that my dad gave me when my parents split up. He recently bought another house, so I gave it back for the time being. With that said, I bought the lower box about 15 years ago and my wife bought me the matching upper box when we got married 13 years ago. Like everyone else here, I've run out of space for my hand tools and need another box. I would rather get one single unit, because I have a small two car garage. I think I've narrowed it down to a 56" US General lower blue with 44" upper or just a maybe even a 72" with 44 or 56 upper. My thoughts being I can put a small drill press on the side where the smaller upper leaves space.

I've been looking around on Craigslist and Offerup and haven't seen a set of the Ball Bearing Grip Latch boxes being sold, so I have no real clue how much they are worth.

What do you think a good starting point would be?

 

[engineer2]

Depends on where you live and how many other tool boxes are for sale. I had an old beat up Vulcan tool chest, maybe a couple of inches wider than yours. The top and bottom were different drawer handle styles. I listed it for $200 and a guy bought it a few days later.

 

[Meursault74]

I've been looking for used tool chest, mostly in the 26" wide area to keep next to my other. Seems in my local Craigslist they ask too much. I mean the Harbor Freight US General (which get good reviews) top and bottom together are $500 brand new no coupon. Guys are asking that or more for old Craftsman. I've seen the same boxes up for a while. I don't even bother inquiring when the price listed is so high.

Maybe you ask for $300 and take $250. But that's what I'd pay. The stickers would be a turn off for me and the time involved in taking them off as well. I'd ask for a lower price just for the acetone and elbow grease involved in taking those off.

You can always start high and lower little by little 'till you get some inquires.

 

[jacob_coulter]

It's probably a $200-$300 box if you're lucky.

I had a similar one I gave away, I think I paid maybe around $400 for it new.

 

[Mr_B]

These ain't badly made boxes, lift latch drawer handles are nice if move box around a lot (slides on these are stout), fairly thick/rigid construction and made in usa by waterloo for sears .
Big part of price will come down to how clean it is and if got decent drawer liners and keys and how quick you want it gone .
I'd probably start around 400+ assuming not in rush shift it and it proper tidy (take the stickers off and clean it) and see what happens .
Most seem go high 200 to low 300's but condition and luck is key factors .
Great home box, good starter box and lot of Craftsman fans and lot of people who don't want give chinese money if can help it ...

 

[laser3kw]

those can sell on Ebay for as mush as $900

 

[Professional Tool User]

I wouldn't pay more than $200-$300 for both of them. The quality for a craftsman box might be a bit better than average, but I wouldn't pay a premium. There are better quality Craftsman boxes out there like the double walled construction ones. If my budget were $400-$1000, I'd be looking at used Snap on KRA boxes that will fit my needs.

 

[rsanter]

That should get $200 no problem and perhaps a bit more depending on the area you are in.

If you are in CA anywhere near me I have a friend that would do $200

 

[sk farmer]

starting point? start here.......don't sell em.

first. they don't take up much room

second. they are decent quality storage that you already own.

third. you said they were your first tool box setup. you will never get them back if you sell them.

fourth. what are you going to get for them? 200? 300? what if you even get 500? how far does that get you to buy a storage cabinet, shelving or bins that would not be enclosed or on wheels.



i and many others regret selling our first real tool boxes. no, they may not be great quality but they aren't bad either. i am all for getting bigger better storage but those would be great small parts and supply storage. nuts, screws, nails, bolts, bearings, seals, wiper blades, you name it can all be stored nicely in a corner or basement.

just think about it...... especially since part of it was a gift from the mrs.

 

[Jtels85]

You might get $250 IMO. List it for $350 and see if anyone bites. $400-500 buys a brand new, 2 piece Craftsman 2000 Series set at Lowe’s.

You could always load it down with $100 worth of Harbor Freight mechanics tools and ask $4,000 for it like the other morons on Marketplace do.

 

[Renegade1LI]

What does a new comparably sized craftsman or us general go for new? Start at 30 percent less & see where it goes.

 

[redmondjp]

Move em into your office/den and use them to hold computer parts and electronic stuff. I've got a 2-car garage and kept my original Craftsman stack when I got the larger Husky box. Both are too full. And then I have a mechanic's cart for the daily-use stuff.

 

[CJ7VFR]

Can you find the center section/tool box that goes in between the upper and lower tool boxes somewhere?

I was in the same situation as you a few years ago. I needed more space for more tools that I had purchased. I bought my Craftsman red upper and lower tool boxes back in 1992 when I bought my old Jeep to work on and restore.

A few years ago I needed more space for some new tools I got, and I thought about selling my old red Craftsman set up and buying a new tool box. Then I saw how much the new tool boxes cost, and that they were not any better than the old Craftsman, so I searched for the center section.

I found it at one of the last remaining Sears stores on the east coast. It was actually on sale for $60.00. It has the two taller drawers, which I wanted, and it fit between the upper and lower existing boxes perfectly. And it was red!

I don't know if you can find these things anymore, in red or black, but unless you need an exponential amount of space, a center section tool box might do the trick.

Jim

 

[gsmornot]

I still have my first box but its not used much. I put things in it I dont need often. Its been replaced by a bigger box but I keep it still. I have thought about selling it a few times but wonder what I would do with the space that I can't already do. I'm not the type to keep things just because but in this one case, I did.

 

[will335i]

starting point? start here.......don't sell em.

first. they don't take up much room

second. they are decent quality storage that you already own.

third. you said they were your first tool box setup. you will never get them back if you sell them.

fourth. what are you going to get for them? 200? 300? what if you even get 500? how far does that get you to buy a storage cabinet, shelving or bins that would not be enclosed or on wheels.



i and many others regret selling our first real tool boxes. no, they may not be great quality but they aren't bad either. i am all for getting bigger better storage but those would be great small parts and supply storage. nuts, screws, nails, bolts, bearings, seals, wiper blades, you name it can all be stored nicely in a corner or basement.

just think about it...... especially since part of it was a gift from the mrs.

I agree. Unless you need the money to fund the new box then keep them.

I just upgraded from my small craftsman setup that came from my dad and its going in the basement to hold tools for inside the house until my one of my kids are ready for it.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Where you live has a lot to do with selling price, what else is available in the immediate area, etc.

Can't help you too much without that information.

 

[kelpaso1]

Whenever I see a box plastered with stickers I pass.

 

[mrvm]

i and many others regret selling our first real tool boxes. no, they may not be great quality but they aren't bad either. i am all for getting bigger better storage but those would be great small parts and supply storage. nuts, screws, nails, bolts, bearings, seals, wiper blades, you name it can all be stored nicely in a corner or basement.

just think about it...... especially since part of it was a gift from the mrs.

Agreed!......old smaller tool boxes in good working order become great "specialty" boxes. I have a separate set of CM tool boxes for plumbing, electrical and miscellaneous stuff. Now everything is organized until I buy too many more tools

 

[Killer95Stang]

So, I ended up selling the box combo on Offerup for $325.00.

I also sold a few other items that gave me enough money to buy the HF US General 56" rolling tool cabinet with a 44" box for the top. This fits perfectly in the space I have in my garage, plus it matches the blue striped theme perfectly. Thanks for the feedback. Stickers were on the box less than a couple years, so they came off easily with a heat gun.

As far as the money involved, it was more about space for me. I'm in a 1961 So Cal Special with a small 2 car. Every foot of space needs to be used wisely, so having multiple boxes taking up floor space was not an option. I'm ready to buy a bigger house, but the market here is insane, and I can hold out to capitalize when the bubble bursts.

 

[Killer95Stang]

I picked up the 44" top box today, since a local store had it in stock. The 56" lower box will arrive at my store on the 29th, I have a little time to sort and clean my current sets of tools. Also, the quality and finish of the box is excellent and probably better than I expected.

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

As others stated, don't get rid of the old box, use it for something else. You ALWAYS need more storage.

I've got the same box combo and I'm planning to upgrade to a much larger box later this year. I've already planned to make my old 26" combo my electrical specialty tools box. It will be where I store my primary wire, testers, connectors, soldering irons, etc.

 

[Killer95Stang]

Finally picked up the new box. This 56" box is pretty heavy at 390ish pounds. I thought I would have the option of having HF deliver it to the, house, but I was mistaken and had to take delivery at my local HF. All I had for the transport was my 2018 F150 Lariat 4x4 that has been leveled and has 33" A/T tires. It sits pretty high off the ground, so I was worried about unloading it at the house. Luckily, I had a curious neighbor that saw me staring at the huge box in the bed of my truck and offered to help unload. After scratching our heads for a couple minutes, he remembered about his lazy son and son in law that were in his backyard drinking beers by the pool. With four of us, we made easy work of the unload. Moral of the story, have a plan!!!

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the purchase so far.

 

[Ton ton]

Nice, glad it worked out.

 

[billt460]

...... I mean the Harbor Freight US General (which get good reviews) top and bottom together are $500 brand new no coupon. Guys are asking that or more for old Craftsman. I've seen the same boxes up for a while. I don't even bother inquiring when the price listed is so high.......

Remember the old saying that something is only worth what someone else is willing to give you for it. Personally, like many others, I can't say enough good about the U.S. General series of boxes from Harbor Freight. I now own a total of 5 of them, along with 3 Kennedy's. And for me there is no comparison. Especially when you factor in the price.

One thing worth mentioning, is with the deeper drawers, Kennedy and Craftsman only provide a single set of gliders. While the U.S. General units provide 2. Thereby cutting the load on the gliders in half. This really makes a big difference when you place a heavy load in the drawers. I sold my old Craftsman roller cabinet and chest many years ago, and never looked back.

I think the one thing Harbor Freight has proven with their entire line of U.S. General tool storage cabinets, is how overpriced many of these units are. They're simply not worth what they are asking. And I'll put Snap-On at the head of that list. They are INSANELY overpriced for what they offer. But much like Mercedes over Toyota, people enjoy paying for "prestige" over practicality.

 

[Gunfixr]

I still have my first "real" box, a set of craftsman bottom, center, and top boxes, bought for me in either late '86 or early '87 by my parents, when I got my first machinist job.
I need more space, but I do plan on keeping this set.

 

[racerboy]

Finally picked up the new box. This 56" box is pretty heavy at 390ish pounds. I thought I would have the option of having HF deliver it to the, house, but I was mistaken and had to take delivery at my local HF. All I had for the transport was my 2018 F150 Lariat 4x4 that has been leveled and has 33" A/T tires. It sits pretty high off the ground, so I was worried about unloading it at the house. Luckily, I had a curious neighbor that saw me staring at the huge box in the bed of my truck and offered to help unload. After scratching our heads for a couple minutes, he remembered about his lazy son and son in law that were in his backyard drinking beers by the pool. With four of us, we made easy work of the unload. Moral of the story, have a plan!!!

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the purchase so far.

Congrats on the new box! I’ve been thinking about picking up one of these US General boxes myself. I bought a 60” Snap-On box about 4 years ago and I paid some ridiculously stupid price (something like $4000). I don’t think I even considered a HF box at the time. You can bet I won’t make that mistake again. That same money could of bought the HF box and a lot of tools to put in it. [emoji15]


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