Affordable tool boxes...

[jonjon1]

So I was in harbor freight yesterday and as I always do I walk up and down each aisle like I was in a grocery store, I no longer end up with a ton of items because I have done it a bunch of times, now I just say "this is a good deal for rags" or "ill try this for $3", etc. And there was someone buying one of the HF tool boxes, it was like 54 or 56" top and bottom and I did the math in my head after tax it was like $1300+...

Are they that good they are worth that, its not like years ago when you could not find a nice box for $1000 to $1500, now you can get A LOT of box for that kind of money and not just used. My brother bought a Montezuma {I love this brand, I have an la400 and I think its one of the best tool storage solutions I ever seen}.
http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/montezuma-professional-portable-tool-box-large-30-x-19.html

heres mine, I have about 80 wrenches in it {long, std, and stubby of metric and sae}, OVER 200 sockets 1/4-3/4" drive, deep and shallow, metric and sae, 20 ratchets, extensions, plus I have the 2 hidden compartments full of the special stuff I hardly ever use, when I took it home I emptied 5 of my roll cabs drawers in it!!!! And as far as well built, mine is 10 years old, piston is still strong like the day I bought it, paint is perfect, and the handle and lock have never given me any trouble.

Being in the home mechanical service industry I have been in a lot of peoples garages, and I have seen SO many craftsman, Husky, and Kobalt boxes with drawers hanging open, crooked, bent, rigged to stay closed, etc. That makes me think "how much can a home owner torture a box vs a pro, you go in pro garages and never see that stuff, I know my father has a Mac box {if I took a pic most of you guys would say you seen them a million times, it was a popular box, red, 3 levels, kind of narrow, maybe 30" wide, he bought it when he started with BFI for $150 30+ years ago and the box still holds tools, it opens, locks, drawers aren't smooth by todays standards but they are falling apart and still slide, granted it is has now been demoted to drill bit, nut and bolt storage, but it still works, and some of them drawers have 100lbs of bolts in them {my father tig welded little dividers inside the drawers..}.

I think if I was in the market for an affordable box I would be looking at this guy http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/56-tool-vault-21-drawer-tool-cabinet-top-chest.html?source=ad

My son wants this pit box SO bad, he has been saving for a new box and that and seeing the harbor freight box being loaded up made me start thinking about why anyone would buy a Home depot or HF box when for just a bit more you can get one a lot better.
My son is in love with this box in blue, we seen one at a motorcycle shop in TN, it is well built and actually pretty impressive..
http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/ex...2-side-compartments-pit-box-tool-cabinet.html

he originally wanted this one http://pitboxes.com/42-chest-pitbox-with-top-pitbox/ but now is all about the extreme model since we seen it in person...

I am not in a hurry for him to buy a big box, hes 16 and I don't have any room in the garage for it, lol....

 

[Ridwaan Gallow]

That is one nice box you have sir..

 

[seagullplayer]

I have always been a shade tree DIY guy. Until I finally got a garage up a year ago I was literally a "shade tree" mechanic!

Until my garage most of my tools road around in my truck box. Most where in tool bags, because they conform better to limited space. I still have a MIL bag in the truck box, for just that.

I now have a couple of modest boxes in the garage. I work on my pick-ups, motorcycles, ATV, washing machines and anything else that happens by.

My dad had an old two door cabinet in the barn with most of his tools in it.

I have limited space and don't have room for a large roll around. The boxes you listed are VERY nice! But I would not call them affordable. Affordable is a relative term, use full is also in the hand of the owner.

Man, that big roll around is pretty cool! Your son has nice taste.

 

[Ponchoguy]

Good old used Sears Craftsman boxes have always done it for me (these are made by Waterloo) and they are easily found on Craigslist, quite affordably. I even got three new ones for $165 (two top boxes and one middle).

 

[stikman56]

Well, I'm happy with my US General boxes for the price I paid. As far as finding one local and taking one home the same day, I couldn't find anything as good for the price when I bought mine. Sure, there's better out there, but for the price, they're hard to beat. No issues with mine,and the 44" is loaded and always been used for my roll cart. The Husky 52" combo that's at HD now, might be the best deal going from what I hear. Don't know how sturdy it is, haven't seen it in person.

 

[02camaro86]

i am in line with your thinking that pit box looks good for a.... PIT as it was designed for, looks cramped for long term garage use. the one you think he should get looks very nice, wish i had something similar. but i dont think he would be upset with any of the HF boxes. they are all very good value for the money except for the black one. i have the flip top service cart and its very nice for less that $200.

husky boxes are flimsy, and the DeWalt i have is very well built but the layout doesn't really suit my preferences.

 

[jonjon1]

That is one nice box you have sir..

Thank you...

 

[jonjon1]

i am in line with your thinking that pit box looks good for a.... PIT as it was designed for, looks cramped for long term garage use. the one you think he should get looks very nice, wish i had something similar. but i dont think he would be upset with any of the HF boxes. they are all very good value for the money except for the black one. i have the flip top service cart and its very nice for less that $200.

husky boxes are flimsy, and the DeWalt i have is very well built but the layout doesn't really suit my preferences.

I figure he is 16 so he should buy something that he can beat up for the next 40 years or so, even if he buys a bigger better box someday, having your first box is a nice feeling, even if its just holding extra screw drivers and wrenches...

 

[IFMJohn]

That 56" box will work a lot better for a mechanic than the 70" pit box.

The drawer configuration of the 70" box is atrocious, imho. Half of my tools wouldnt fit in those drawers.

Also, I dont think anyone here bought their HF box for the full list price. Pretty sure they all use coupons or something.

 

[Jere]

Did you factor in the 20- 25% off coupon the guy probably had? You have to assume at least the 20 because hf has it posted on the website all year round

 

[morgantm]

Did you factor in the 20- 25% off coupon the guy probably had? You have to assume at least the 20 because hf has it posted on the website all year round

The 20% coupons are not eligiable to be used for toolboxes.

 

[Askme42]

If he was paying over $1000 it was either a 72" he had some other stuff also or he didn't use the super coupon.

 

[jakemac]

The HF box is a good one to start with. At 16, there is no guarantee that he will be making a living with his tools. Start him off with a decent inexpensive box like the HF 44". Then, if he does choose mechanics as a career, he can then save up for a better box. It should hold up for that purpose.

It's the tools that will make him money, not the box.

Right now, he just needs storage, not bragging rights. Let him earn his bragging rights himself, don't hand them to him. It will mean more to him that way and teach him how to appreciate the things that he has.

 

[Sal Bandini]

If he was paying over $1000 it was either a 72" he had some other stuff also or he didn't use the super coupon.

OP stated top and bottom so yes, that would add up to about $1300 after tax.

 

[jonjon1]

The HF box is a good one to start with. At 16, there is no guarantee that he will be making a living with his tools. Start him off with a decent inexpensive box like the HF 44". Then, if he does choose mechanics as a career, he can then save up for a better box. It should hold up for that purpose.

It's the tools that will make him money, not the box.

Right now, he just needs storage, not bragging rights. Let him earn his bragging rights himself, don't hand them to him. It will mean more to him that way and teach him how to appreciate the things that he has.

He doesnt want to be a mechanic, but he like me {I think} will be taking care of his own vehicles, building projects, etc. He just did rings and piston in his KTM with no help from me {not that its too hard}, he also just bought a 91 jeep wrangler {not here yet}, and he has big plans, lol, so he is most likely going to have tools his entire life...

 

[jonjon1]

OP stated top and bottom so yes, that would add up to about $1300 after tax.

yes, and I don't thin coupons can be used on boxes...

 

[countryroad82]

I always felt the HF boxes were a lot of box for the money. My boss has a montezuma mounted in the bed of his farm truck and it has held up well for him. I have a HF 4 drawer cart that served me well but has since been retired and I'm probably going to give it to a buddy of mine. I started off with a 26" Popular Mechanics box after my BIL ran over my carry box. Then I graduated to a 3 tier Craftsman 26" stack and thought I would never run out of room..... That didn't happen. Now I work out of 2 SO boxes. Those were a treat to myself, I wouldn't have a problem going to something else.

 

[Askme42]

OP stated top and bottom so yes, that would add up to about $1300 after tax.

Gotcha missed that.

 

[malykaii]

If he's not going to be a mechanic, I see a better use for 3 grand on a 16 year old. My parent's first car for me cost $1500 cause they assumed I'd destroy it. I say grab a decent first car, the $350 HF box, and send,him on a summer trip to Paris.

Boxes, like New cars depreciate a ton once considered used. Buy a 2k extreme box and you'll be hard pressed to convince,anyone its worth $600. Grab a 4k snap on off c.l. for $1200 and you'll have no problem getting that back.

 

[jonjon1]

If he's not going to be a mechanic, I see a better use for 3 grand on a 16 year old. My parent's first car for me cost $1500 cause they assumed I'd destroy it. I say grab a decent first car, the $350 HF box, and send,him on a summer trip to Paris.

Boxes, like New cars depreciate a ton once considered used. Buy a 2k extreme box and you'll be hard pressed to convince,anyone its worth $600. Grab a 4k snap on off c.l. for $1200 and you'll have no problem getting that back.

He has a car, well a truck, I gave him my 2013 tacoma with 9K miles on it that we dont use, I kept it from when I sold my business and it hasn't moved from the garage since I took it home.

He works really hard, like today {no school this week april vacation}, his friends are going to the dunes, and I thought he was going to, I was up watching the news and drinking a cup of tea this morning when he came down in his work clothes, I asked him if he was riding today and he said he was going with my father to do clean ups {my father owns a landscaping co}, he said my grandpa only needed him until 12 but he talked him into coming in early for the couple extra hours to get everything ready for the guys.

So now hes out working and he will come home around 2 because he will talk my father into letting him clean up or get stuff ready for tomorrow, and then he will go riding for a couple hours vs riding all day like the rest of his buddies... He told me its the best of both worlds, my father gives him $22 an hour so he will make a $150 and still get to ride...

My wife just shakes her head and says hes missing a lot of fun, but you know what, I "missed" a lot of fun too, my buddies were going to night clubs and spending their money on trips to mexico when we were in our 20's, I was working, and now I am retired, they are still working, Friday me and my wife were deciding if we wanted to take the kids to our villa in Italy for their vacation, last minute because the plans we had for this week fell through, what it would cost NEVER came up in the conversation, $8000 in airfare and neither of us would let that sway our decision, we ended up staying because my youngest son had a dental surgery scheduled for yesterday, I don't have to tell you that he was voting for Italy, lol...

So anyway, if he wants to save his money for a tool box I encourage it, its better than him wanting to buy video games like his little brother, I swear I raised them the same way and they are polar opposites, my oldest is careful he is reckless, my oldest works hard and saves, he works the minimum and loses money because he has no worth for it, my oldest keeps his stuff perfect and organized, my youngest is the kid that takes a $4000 dirt bike and leans it against my 39 fords $10,000 paint job and then says that I should have gotten him a bike with a kickstand...

 

[malykaii]

I follow. If he's got a truck, I definitely say browse craigslist and show up with cash and grab a nice box. If he's working for the money and saving for a box over video games, cool stuff. Plenty of great options under the price of that pit box, and bragging rights of snap on.

Dude, If I ever had kids and one leaned their bike even on my beater truck... Things would go down. Kick stand? I'd buy a kick stand, hand it to my son and then post that bike on craigslist. Lol. I hope the 39 truck and your son made it out that incident both unharmed lol.

 

[Gotcha640]

Depending on your son and your parenting style, you might suggest a more modest approach.

Between 16 and 32, I've moved 11 times - school, apartment, apartment, garage, parents, got married and another apartment, moved across country for grad school, moved again for work, another house, Morocco for work, in laws, and another house.

I have a few big tools (table saw, drill press, bench) that I had to long term loan out when I left the first time, and I get to borrow them back when I'm around.

I have three 15" husky bags, two Dewalt drill boxes (same charger, so bits and screws get stored in the empty space), a rip saw, a miter saw, and about 6 of the little flat tackle boxes. I've built a motorcycle from parts, soldered up a whole house stereo system, built speaker cabinets, hung pictures and mirrors, built and knocked down furniture, rebuilt a jet ski engine, and a thousand other jobs. And I don't need 6 friends, a truck, a ramp, and a garage to keep it in.

 

[jonjon1]

Dude, If I ever had kids and one leaned their bike even on my beater truck... Things would go down. Kick stand? I'd buy a kick stand, hand it to my son and then post that bike on craigslist. Lol. I hope the 39 truck and your son made it out that incident both unharmed lol.

LOL, My 39 did have a mark that I buffed out, and he was grounded from the bike for 2 weeks, I put a pad lock on the rotor so he couldnt even push it around if he wanted to. He didnt learn from that because about 2 months later I came home to the dirt bike leaning on the garage door, I flipped out, I went and moved the bike into my neighbors basement, he didn't ride it for the rest of the season and thought someone stole it. He was very upset, he said he left it right there near the garage, I said, "What so they took your triangle too"? and he said it was leaning against the garage, so I told him it was karma, he got what he deserved, he left his $2500 bike leaning against a house I spent almost a million dollars to build, when 1 I told him to use his triangle and 2 I told them never to leave their HOT bikes next to the house, they were to park them in the driveway until they were cool and push them in the garage..

I fear I can't get to him, because that night he was looking at new bikes, I let him go the entire season not riding {there were a few no helmet violations in the reasoning too, so he was doing more than just leaning the bike against my stuff}...

I always say I can't wait till he is living on his own with his own house, I am going to piss on his toilet seat like he does to mine, eat all of his food, leave sticky cups on the tables, spill cereal on his couch, I just can't wait, his wife is going to think I am psychotic, but it will be worth it...

Depending on your son and your parenting style, you might suggest a more modest approach.

Between 16 and 32, I've moved 11 times - school, apartment, apartment, garage, parents, got married and another apartment, moved across country for grad school, moved again for work, another house, Morocco for work, in laws, and another house.

I have a few big tools (table saw, drill press, bench) that I had to long term loan out when I left the first time, and I get to borrow them back when I'm around.

I have three 15" husky bags, two Dewalt drill boxes (same charger, so bits and screws get stored in the empty space), a rip saw, a miter saw, and about 6 of the little flat tackle boxes. I've built a motorcycle from parts, soldered up a whole house stereo system, built speaker cabinets, hung pictures and mirrors, built and knocked down furniture, rebuilt a jet ski engine, and a thousand other jobs. And I don't need 6 friends, a truck, a ramp, and a garage to keep it in.

I am hoping my sons stay close, I am going to give them their first homes which are going to be duplexes when they are all done with school and ready to move out of my house. What they do from there I am going to leave up to them, work hard or play hard, Ill offer advice but nothing else, they wont get more until me and my wife are gone. I grew up with firends that constantly got bailed out, and they didn't do so well, I was never given anything and struggled with hard work until I didnt have to anymore, so I am in the position to give them both a good start, and I will, but after that they have to take care of themselves...

I know some people around here dont agree with how I raise them {like my wife, lol}, but I stick to what I say, they get 1 pair of school shoes for the year and a pair of work boots, 1 pair a year, no exceptions, I will only replace the work boots if they are worn out from working, but if they wear out the sneakers that means they have been playing too much, lol.. My wife hates it... My youngests sneakers have duct tape on them and theres 2 months of school left..

 

[MagnumForce]

Give him a truck, give him a house, give him a 4 grand toolbox. I guess if you have that kind of money, more power to you. But personally I don't think it's good for him.

 

[Adam.C]

He sounds like a great kid. Hopefully when guys here complain that all kids want these days is to be famous, they can think of your son.

I did some quantitative research on toolboxes some time ago. Its easy to get lost in the numbers and quibble over drawer sizes. In general, here's what I found:

There are 5 tiers of toolboxes out there, loosely sorted by price. I looked specifically at 40" roll cabs, but the same can be said about the other models.

Tier 1 are the HF boxes. They are only special because of their super low price tags. (<$500) Otherwise, compared with all the other boxes out there, they are the worst. The have the lowest grade of drawer slides, low grade casters, questionable build quality, unknown future spare parts availablity. This might be the right box for an individual, either just because it's the cheapest, or because its simply "good enough". But any claims of HF being a "good quality" box compared with the others on the market are pure fantasy.

Tier 2 are the better Chinese boxes. These are roughly twice the price of the HF offerings and include the Montezuma, Craftsman, Kobalt and some Waterloo boxes. (<$1000) These typically have better drawer slides, better casters, but are not always heavier built. My sense is they are not particularly good buys. If they offer specific features (drawer latches, colors, stainless steel) that you value, they might be worth the increase in price.

Tier 3 include boxes roughly double again in price (under $2000 for a 40" roll cab). In this tier you start to see real differences between them and the less expensive boxes. The Chinese built WaterlooPro (MSRP $1480) is a heavy duty box featuring good quality drawer slides, and casters. For a few $100 less, you can get a US built Kennedy (315XB). These are designed for machinists, with many thin drawers, but offer organizational opportunities that some may appreciate. Like many other good boxes, drawers can be moved to different locations. For a few $100 more, you can get a Lista HS series (approx $1700). These boxes are the heaviest duty boxes on the market. They are really adapted from industrial storage boxes. As such, they may feature "more than you need" drawer capacities (typically 440lbs per drawer) but they are also limited in their drawer configurations and lay-outs. But for $1700, they are worth a serious look. They are perhaps the only box that one could safely say would last a 16 year old's lifetime.

My only issue with these boxes is that better boxes can be had used for similar or lower prices. I would always thoroughly check craigslist before plunking down $1500 on a new box. For example: I bought a Kennedy 315XB on craiglist for $400.

Tier 4 are the low end tool truck boxes. These are all North American made. Despite popular opinon these are typically better than the Tier 3 boxes in several ways. They offer better quality drawer slides, even if their capacities aren't better on paper. (more ball bearings, better quality races for longer life). Their construction is often stiffer with added corner gussets, making them safer and better for regular cross-shop moves. Their drawer latches are typically more robust. And there are often subtle differences that make a big difference to everyday practical use: Their drawer layouts are designed around specific tools (based on real life surveys of what and how auto mechanics store their tools). Carefully made drawers, allow the drawer to be opened from the sides without it binding or racking. Though typically listing over $2000, frequent deals make these competitve with Tier 3 boxes. They can be found under $1000 on the used market, making them particularly attractive buys.

Tier 5 are the top of the line models from Mac and Snap On. These are seriously nice boxes, with high capacity drawer slides and drawers that move like butter on a hot dish even when loaded. They are heavy-duty and heavy, designed to roll over rough surrfaces without deforming, cracking welds, etc. Typically, their casters have suspensions.

But their price tags are typically astronomical. A KRL1022 (54" wide) lists for $8300. But these are worth considering only because they are often sold to regular, lifelong customers at deep discounts and do show up on the used market for prices near the top of the line Tier 3 boxes (new Lista $1700, used KRL might be $2000) and certainly rivaling new Tier 4 prices.

For me, the standouts are certainly the HF boxes for their low price, the Lista for it's super rugged construction, and the used tool truck boxes. I personally would not buy or recommend the mid-tier boxes (unless they offer something special that you want in particular - like the slant top Montezuma box the OP has or a Kobalt with a built in stereo etc). Make sure before you buy a used truck tool box that you know the difference between the Tier 4 (KRA) and the Tier 5 (KRL). There are ways to make a KRA look kinda like a KRL.

 

[jonjon1]

Give him a truck, give him a house, give him a 4 grand toolbox. I guess if you have that kind of money, more power to you. But personally I don't think it's good for him.

I am giving him the truck to use, he is paying the insurance and taxes, its still my truck, he doesnt get to sell it when hes done with it, my youngest son will most likely use it next, they are 2 years apart so in a couple years when my other son is getting his license I am sure my oldest will have bought something else by then.

And like I said he works his jobs so he is saving for the tool box. He pays for a lot of stuff himself, he is going to prom and paid for his tux himself, paid for the limo himself, tickets, etc.. Never even asked me for a dime.

As far as the houses go, my kids are going to get them all some day anyway, why have them rent something when I own 30 of them paid for, it will be income for him and he will have somewhere to rent and invest in Vs paying someone elses mortgage...

For our neighborhood this is being stingy, lol. His buddy just got handed a brand new s60 r-design loaded -sticker was $51K!!! Not a hand me down, brand new 0 miles, he brought it by last week its a really nice car, and his best friend who got his license before him has a brand new gmc denali Acadia {about $50K}, my son is only getting to use a hand me down tacoma, you go to their school and the kids have better cars than the teachers.

I try not to spoil the kids, but on the other hand some day they are going to get it all anyway, someday my houses, boats, cars, tools, collections, guns, etc will all be theres, and when they have kids I would rather see them enjoy it now than wait till we are gone or too old to see or understand what they are doing. I DO NOT want them having to work how hard I did, I am in my mid 30's with 2 fractured verts, a worn out knee, a trick hip, torn up shoulder, a crushed hand, and my feet hurt.

I intend on giving them the maximum tax free gift each year from me and my wife so when they turn 18 they will start getting 2 tax free checks for $269 a week {so $540 per week each son} , as will any grand kids {if its still there, lol}. They just raised the limit on tfg's and hopefully they keep doing so, I think taxing gifts between family members is robbery, I already paid taxes on the money so why when I give it to my kids should it be taxed again? But that is an issue no one will change...

 

[greenbalot]

i bought the service cart from HB for $100 after coupons. It's serves me well even after 5 years.

All I do in my spare time is maintain my truck and assemble furniture for family members bought from ikea.

 

[cm_osu]

I am giving him the truck to use, he is paying the insurance and taxes, its still my truck, he doesnt get to sell it when hes done with it, my youngest son will most likely use it next, they are 2 years apart so in a couple years when my other son is getting his license I am sure my oldest will have bought something else by then.

And like I said he works his jobs so he is saving for the tool box. He pays for a lot of stuff himself, he is going to prom and paid for his tux himself, paid for the limo himself, tickets, etc.. Never even asked me for a dime.

As far as the houses go, my kids are going to get them all some day anyway, why have them rent something when I own 30 of them paid for, it will be income for him and he will have somewhere to rent and invest in Vs paying someone elses mortgage...

For our neighborhood this is being stingy, lol. His buddy just got handed a brand new s60 r-design loaded -sticker was $51K!!! Not a hand me down, brand new 0 miles, he brought it by last week its a really nice car, and his best friend who got his license before him has a brand new gmc denali Acadia {about $50K}, my son is only getting to use a hand me down tacoma, you go to their school and the kids have better cars than the teachers.

I try not to spoil the kids, but on the other hand some day they are going to get it all anyway, someday my houses, boats, cars, tools, collections, guns, etc will all be theres, and when they have kids I would rather see them enjoy it now than wait till we are gone or too old to see or understand what they are doing. I DO NOT want them having to work how hard I did, I am in my mid 30's with 2 fractured verts, a worn out knee, a trick hip, torn up shoulder, a crushed hand, and my feet hurt.

I intend on giving them the maximum tax free gift each year from me and my wife so when they turn 18 they will start getting 2 tax free checks for $269 a week {so $540 per week each son} , as will any grand kids {if its still there, lol}. They just raised the limit on tfg's and hopefully they keep doing so, I think taxing gifts between family members is robbery, I already paid taxes on the money so why when I give it to my kids should it be taxed again? But that is an issue no one will change...

Double check with your cpa but I believe you can double the amount of the tax free gift as your wife should get the same exclusion.

Edit: sorry just saw you said 2 checks.

 

[Cobra5150]

I think it's great he's working and saving his money you've taught him well. The pit box has the look appeal but not very functional for his use-unless he's planning to start racing and will need to haul tools to the track. Help him visualize two scenarios, one is a cool looking box with a few tools in it and the other a 56" or so roll cabinet full of tools. Even if he can fill the pit box the roll cabinet will hold o LOT more tools. To me more tools in a regular cabinet is cooler than a bigger box with less tools.

 

[jonjon1]

I think it's great he's working and saving his money you've taught him well. The pit box has the look appeal but not very functional for his use-unless he's planning to start racing and will need to haul tools to the track. Help him visualize two scenarios, one is a cool looking box with a few tools in it and the other a 56" or so roll cabinet full of tools. Even if he can fill the pit box the roll cabinet will hold o LOT more tools. To me more tools in a regular cabinet is cooler than a bigger box with less tools.

I told him that, but who am I to say anything I almost bought a snapon pit box for $10K, lol... I think they are cool too.

His plans are to build a garage with a house over it, he said he wants a rectangle building 44x52, he wants the entire first floor to be garage with 12ft ceilings, and the second floor will be his house, except he wants a small section of glass floor so he can look down and see the garage. My father had a huge piece of glass 2" thick and he really wanted me to take it and store it until he built his houses, lol...

He wants to live in the house and play in the garage, he also says hes never getting married, but we know how that works out, I say that now and I have been married for years...

He made a drawing of it in my con pro, I will try to find it, it was 2288 sq feet and had 1 bedroom, and 3 bathroooms, lol

 

[justanengineer]

So I was in harbor freight yesterday and as I always do I walk up and down each aisle like I was in a grocery store, I no longer end up with a ton of items because I have done it a bunch of times, now I just say "this is a good deal for rags" or "ill try this for $3", etc. And there was someone buying one of the HF tool boxes, it was like 54 or 56" top and bottom and I did the math in my head after tax it was like $1300+...

Are they that good they are worth that

Simply stated, no.

Much as I hate to admit it, Ive been shopping at HF for more than 20 years now and IMHO the quality and variety of merchandise has severely dropped while the prices have gone up. Granted, similar trends have happened elsewhere, but their merchandise is as much of a shadow of its former self as Sears' merch is. I used to wander through and admire larger, higher end tools and accessories that I wanted someday, now I wander through a few times/year bored with little interest in anything bc I own better quality versions of pretty much everything. They used to carry some decently sized machine tools and accessories, larger woodwacking machinery, and a raft of other stuff most folks dream/drool about, now its all low quality toys. On the east coast we used to joke and wonder about Grizzly's lifespan bc they sold the exact same items but couldnt support them the way HF did, so nobody bought Grizz they bought HF.

Getting back to toolboxes specifically, their boxes 20 years ago were better quality and dirt cheap comparatively. A good friend in the body business 40+ years now bought a HF box back in the late 90s, 54"(?) IIRC, lower grade stainless but otherwise equal or slightly better (heavier) than whats sold today. It wasnt top quality by any means, but for the price it couldnt be beat - top + bottom combo for <$300.

 

[Cobra5150]

At least priorities are in order bathroom>bedroom.
I too said I wasn't getting married until I was at least 40, I'm 49 now with two kids and two grandsons 5&1.

 

[jonjon1]

At least priorities are in order bathroom>bedroom.
I too said I wasn't getting married until I was at least 40, I'm 49 now with two kids and two grandsons 5&1.

When I asked him why he put 3 full bathrooms {plus a half bath in the garage with a urinal and mop sink}, he said "bathrooms sell houses", I think him hearing us say "kitchens and bathrooms sell houses" got twisted somewhere, its not the quantity of bathrooms, lol...

 

[jonjon1]

Double check with your cpa but I believe you can double the amount of the tax free gift as your wife should get the same exclusion.

Edit: sorry just saw you said 2 checks.

Yes a lot of people miss this, I told my wife if I could marry two more women, I could give the kids even more tax free, her reply was "there wouldn't be anything left to give after the alimony"...

 

[Ponchoguy]

I am giving him the truck to use, he is paying the insurance and taxes, its still my truck, he doesnt get to sell it when hes done with it, my youngest son will most likely use it next, they are 2 years apart so in a couple years when my other son is getting his license I am sure my oldest will have bought something else by then.

And like I said he works his jobs so he is saving for the tool box. He pays for a lot of stuff himself, he is going to prom and paid for his tux himself, paid for the limo himself, tickets, etc.. Never even asked me for a dime.

As far as the houses go, my kids are going to get them all some day anyway, why have them rent something when I own 30 of them paid for, it will be income for him and he will have somewhere to rent and invest in Vs paying someone elses mortgage...

For our neighborhood this is being stingy, lol. His buddy just got handed a brand new s60 r-design loaded -sticker was $51K!!! Not a hand me down, brand new 0 miles, he brought it by last week its a really nice car, and his best friend who got his license before him has a brand new gmc denali Acadia {about $50K}, my son is only getting to use a hand me down tacoma, you go to their school and the kids have better cars than the teachers.

I try not to spoil the kids, but on the other hand some day they are going to get it all anyway, someday my houses, boats, cars, tools, collections, guns, etc will all be theres, and when they have kids I would rather see them enjoy it now than wait till we are gone or too old to see or understand what they are doing. I DO NOT want them having to work how hard I did, I am in my mid 30's with 2 fractured verts, a worn out knee, a trick hip, torn up shoulder, a crushed hand, and my feet hurt.

I intend on giving them the maximum tax free gift each year from me and my wife so when they turn 18 they will start getting 2 tax free checks for $269 a week {so $540 per week each son} , as will any grand kids {if its still there, lol}. They just raised the limit on tfg's and hopefully they keep doing so, I think taxing gifts between family members is robbery, I already paid taxes on the money so why when I give it to my kids should it be taxed again? But that is an issue no one will change...

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Sounds like you are very close and he is close with his Grandfather, which is the most important thing. I was very close with my father and Grandfather, both taught me a lot and both are gone. I couldn't ask for better mentors, I just wish I had my Dad longer.

I tell folks all the time, stay on good terms with your family and friends---when they are gone, it's too late to reconcile.

 

[Tanro]

I dont understand why a homeowner / diy mechanic would buy anything other than a HF box. Hell I have 2 of them right now at work. Damn good boxes for the price. After a couple years a mechanic might run out of room in one (top/bottom/side box) but my first one lasted me 4 years before it was too full to work out of. I just got a 2nd one, might start saving and sell the second bottom box once I have cash to get a really nice Snapon box.

 

[jonjon1]

I dont understand why a homeowner / diy mechanic would buy anything other than a HF box. Hell I have 2 of them right now at work. Damn good boxes for the price. After a couple years a mechanic might run out of room in one (top/bottom/side box) but my first one lasted me 4 years before it was too full to work out of. I just got a 2nd one, might start saving and sell the second bottom box once I have cash to get a really nice Snapon box.

I guess I am just not impressed by the HF boxes, they feal like they should be around 1/2 to 2/3rds the price they are. For a bit moer you can get a tool vault, if I remember correctly the TV 72" was like 200+ lbs heavier than the HF 72" and they have a much better coating on them. Although now the TV's have gone up a bit, a member of a jeep forum I frequent bought his 72" for $1500 and at the time the HF box would have cost him almost $1300 and he would have had to pick it up, the tf was delivered...

The montezuma boxes are also really nice, but also have been going up in price pretty steady over the years.

I own 2 so boxes and just bought a cornwell roller, I think if I were buying all new boxes tomorrow it would be montezuma for the money... But I wouldn't go as low as HF or craftsman, husky, kobalt. I havent come across one of them {lately, some of the early craftsmans slid nice} that I like the drrawer feel of...

I wonder how much more it would cost to put nicer pc, slides, casters, and maybe just X press the drawers for a little more rigidity would cost them, I can't imagine it making a $1200 box much more than $1500? And then they would contend with the pro stuff available, I would still make the cheap box but have an elite line that could be taken more seriously...

Now don't get me wrong, what ever holds your tools will work, I know a diesel mechanic that keeps his wrenches in paint cans on a wooden bench, and he is about the best diesl mechanic I ever met, his familiy owned a local mac dealership years ago, hes amazing and works out of buckets and bins, so the box obviously means nothing...