Snap on KRSC32A:
My original idea was to build a toolbox the kids could use or friends could come over to work on their cars. I just wanted a basic set of automotive tools separate from my main box. Some of my kids expressed an interest to take automotive classes at the local county college (which we’d do together). None of that has happened, but could still. The auto tech classes are no joke. They are 4 hours long Monday to Thursday evenings for like 12 weeks each. Its a committment.
The garage that will house these tools is not really complete. It's part of the barn I'm converting into a house and really (ideally) needs a new floor. Despite my poor garage conditions or possibly because of that, I’ve found this box to be super helpful. I’ve enjoyed working out of it. I like that it is so mobile.
This is a smaller, old school cart, which is what I love about it. These carts were originally intended to be mobile. I think if you can’t pick up one side to step over an air hose, it’s not really a cart, it’s a tool chest. I think many techs starting out have desired carts as starter chests. So there is a market for increasingly larger service carts. This box is a little bit smaller than the HF 5 drawer, but I like the drawers in this better.
Top is unconventionally arranged. Just a catch all of odd and ends, hand cleaner, greases and oils, pry bars, old craftsman torque wrenches etc. Usually these tops are where all the daily tools are crammed. The drawers on many pros' carts turn into the catch all "junk drawers". I did this only because I wanted the socket drawers to use these size marked holders to help the kids.
Top drawer is sockets. All Snap On but nothing really fancy. I have a small set of swivel sockets which I think are essential for automotive. The std set of torx sockets is not the CAD plated or yellow chrome heavy duty ones which I recommend. As these wear, I'll probably upgrade but so far so good. A couple sets of Allen bit sockets includes a few SAE sizes. The sockets in the red MTS are Craftsman SAE sizes, and really only used for things like lawnmowers. I don't have much use for SAE on my vehicles.
Screwdrivers and pliers drawer. I try to keep the tools in this box green to keep them separate from my main box.
Bottom drawer holds black oxide FD+ wrenches plus a few “high performance” wrenches. The SO impact gun is a beast. It’s almost too big. My antique Craftsman impact sockets are getting a little long in the tooth. Please enjoy the many skipped sizes!
What makes this box nice are its size. It's just scaled correctly. SO pry bars fit well and the drawers are all sufficiently deep to hold pretty much anything you'd want. (They are all the same depth). The drawer slides and catches are good quality USA made. Casters are good quality, but not fancy.
I bought this box from a kid in an auto program in Lancaster PA for $350, which is probably what he paid for it. It was brand new in the box. (He wanted a larger model, like all young techs do). I wish these boxes were available for around that price, because they are really nice little boxes.
