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A quest for the blue kobalt box...

diesel research

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Joined
Sep 12, 2010
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5,440
Location
gulf coast, TEXAS
Background:

I had never planned on looking for such box, but it's odd size was quite intriguing. In reality I had a line on the same color box, but a kra4813 that my buddy had bought for $1000 brand new and outgrew. He lives 1500 miles away so I had considered the HF 56" but can't stand to spend that much at that place.

I saw a fellow texan post up the marked down clearance price, so off I went to lowes. There are well over 20 stores in the town I live in alone.

I picked the closest one. They didn't have a spot for them and I rolled out immediately.

On to store number 2. The man in the tool isle recalled having them before but was sure they were discontinued and insisted the whole lowes network was out.

On to store number 3. Once again man in charge of tool section simply stated "nope don't carry them". They did have 1 top box marked at $276 clearance though. He goes on to tell me to call kobalt myself. I ask for number and he suggests I read the box. I call, they tell me they are warranty, not retail and I need to have store check. The guy refused. Frustrated, I had customer service do the same check I asked for twice already. She was more than willing and located all of them in this town. A whopping 13 left, located in 2 stores.

4th store, needless to say had what I was looking for, and away I went with a lighter wallet. Only problem was it was $315 and they couldn't price match with other "out of district" lowes stores.

Almost bought the top just for the stupid cd player. Truth of the matter is, I only have a tape deck in my tiny cherokee and have 2 blown speakers. Being that I needed to buy those anyways, it ALMOST made sense to buy that top box for a net price of only about $120. Couldn't do it though.

Of course I had to stop by the plier section and look at those 2pk cobras, but also did not purchase.

Guess the moral is, if you were considering a little extra storage for misc bulk (or needed car audio parts), better hurry up.
 
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bchee

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Aug 20, 2007
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6,148
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Texas
You should have gone equipped with the 10% mover's coupon.
Or call the 2 stores that had it and ask the price.

And we need pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
OP
D

diesel research

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Joined
Sep 12, 2010
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5,440
Location
gulf coast, TEXAS
A higher power was trying to tell you 3 times not to buy that box, lol

Probably right. Think the color and drawer width drew me in. Not sure on quality, probably requires some modification. Too much misc **** that doesn't get used often, but too big for standard drawers.

Maybe the 4813 will still come, I don't know. Used prices are too high around here though. This aint no small village with 6 repair shops, so there is no shortage of stupid buyers with lots of money in their pocket. Also since there wasn't ever really a recession here, they are priced accordingly.

As for movers coupon, didn't have one, and was told it was 3 days by email.

As for pics, won't happen now. Unloading it myself is a bit tricky, then to have to reload it monday and unload it again.
 

jjjrmx5

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Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
3,431
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Stopped by my local Lowes this morning for some basic basement and workshop supplies and it seems at the $276 price that these Koblat blue boxes are flying off the shelf.

My local Lowes had 8 bottom boxes left, but the floor mgr. said that many others in the region were down to only a few boxes or are out.

Also said that as far as he knew , that blue box was going to be discontinued and replaced with either a different design or supplied by a different mfgr. to different specs'.

Just the FYI word on teh street. :) :thumbup:
 

jjjrmx5

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Dec 30, 2010
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Location
Cincinnati, OH
I think they are just going to be using black 26" and stainless 40" boxes, since 35" is kind of a non-standard size.

Yep. I have a co-worker that just bought one two weeks ago (at $375 LOL) for use out on the production floor and I gave him a hand adjusting a few things after assembly. Mgmt. requested that boxes be smaller than 40" and this fit the bill. I did not like the weird corners on it, but they are adequate boxes and the blue is a nice change of color.

I have a 27" stainless Kobalt bottom box that I bought some time ago HEAVILY discounted that I couldn't pass it up for basement use and it's a champ. Bearing slides. Double walled construction. Easy to keep clean.

Not commercial quality but for light to medium duty , it'll do just fine.
Just like the handtools, Lowes/Kobalt loves to change a good thing just when they find the sweet spot. LOL :lol:
 
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OP
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diesel research

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Joined
Sep 12, 2010
Messages
5,440
Location
gulf coast, TEXAS

It's still in the box.

I don't even know if the slides are riveted or snapped in, so don't know if I can swap them out with accu-rides.

All the floor models were sold.

Just need a few spaces to lock up extra long extensions, hammers, power tools, hoses/cords and prybars.

I suspect the drawer bottoms may benefit from laying down a thin sheet of mdf to distribute weight in a few of the deeper drawers.
 

jjjrmx5

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Dec 30, 2010
Messages
3,431
Location
Cincinnati, OH
It's still in the box.

I don't even know if the slides are riveted or snapped in, so don't know if I can swap them out with accu-rides.

All the floor models were sold.

Just need a few spaces to lock up extra long extensions, hammers, power tools, hoses/cords and prybars.

I suspect the drawer bottoms may benefit from laying down a thin sheet of mdf to distribute weight in a few of the deeper drawers.

Slides should be riveted in.
Drawers should come all the out by pulling up on one/pushing down on the other wig/wag black plastic slide levers .

I keep 3 Snap-On 1/2" impacts, 3 3/8" air ratches and a ton of other stuff in my bottom Kobalt 27" box dwr. and no slide issues. YMMV of course but they handle a lot.

Let us know.
 

joshhouse

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Apr 28, 2011
Messages
47
I bought both the top and bottom chests for $450 here in South Texas about a month ago. Guess I didnt do too bad, haha. I'm just a 22 yr-old that likes to wrench on the weekends and hates to pay mechanics to do something I can do, so the boxes work for me. Would rather have an extra drawer than a radio, but for $450 I'll take it and bite my lip. :bounce:
 

BajaBound

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Mar 20, 2011
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977
Location
Nor Cal
Buy the 56" USGeneral box, I have and I absolutely love it! I would buy another if I had a place for it!
 

shanker

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Jun 27, 2005
Messages
1,259
Location
Portland, TX
I bought both the top and bottom chests for $450 here in South Texas about a month ago. Guess I didnt do too bad, haha. I'm just a 22 yr-old that likes to wrench on the weekends and hates to pay mechanics to do something I can do, so the boxes work for me. Would rather have an extra drawer than a radio, but for $450 I'll take it and bite my lip. :bounce:

what part of South Texas... Portland here
 
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