Neuswede
Well-known member
Cool...look forward to seeing the pics. Sounds like you are making great progress.
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Are Snap-On Boxes That Much Better ?
- Thread starter kngelv
- Start date
j.c.whitney
Well-known member
It is possible with patience, luck, and persistence to find a clean current model Snap On box at a fraction of new list price.
If you are in a hurry that concept usually won't work.
If you are in a hurry that concept usually won't work.
The 56" is quite a step up from the 40" so comparing a classic to the 40" box at $350 isnt exactly fair. If you find a store that has one on display [most dont] check one out some time, you'll be impressed.
Yes, I was actually speaking about the 56" box, I just added the comment about the 40" box. My buddy actually picked up a 56", they are nice boxes and as I stated, if I didnt get the deal on my classic, I would have went that route.
But yea the classic is way better than the 56" HF, just as a KRL is way better than a classic.
treasureseeker
Well-known member
I have a U.S. General but would love to have a Snap on. On a budget HF is very good, but not close to a Snap On.
I did the same comparison before I bought my box. Keep in mind, I'm a full-time working pro and I use the box all day every day. It honestly was a pretty hard decision. The Snap On stuff definitely looks nicer, feels nicer, has more of that "oooo.... I own something nice!" effect to it. In the end, it came down to the fact that I could look at the Snap On one and go "Yeah, I like that one more" but I couldn't find a single way the HF box would prevent me from being able to get my work done, or even slow me down. The price difference between one of the new HF boxes and even a killer deal on a used Snap-On is mammoth. To me, that represented just too many tools I wouldn't be able to afford. Since I was starting nearly from scratch, I felt it was more important to be able to have a box that got the job done and more of the specialty tools that I need rather than a very nice box with almost nothing inside of it. Since I refuse to purchase anything on credit, I have to buy tools strictly out of actual cash, so I run a harsh budget. My only concern was wither the HF box would stand up to daily abuse.
A little over a year later, I can say that the HF box is definitely suited to professional use. I use it all day, I often kick drawers shut or hip-check them, and it's survived being crashed into with a lawn tractor once a week (obviously, I'm not the one that mows the lawn around the shop!). I have had exactly one problem with it. For some reason that I can't remember, I had the deep and wide drawer out of the box and sitting on the work bench. It was completely full of sockets, so it was HEAVY. Somehow, I mis-judged where the edge of the table was when I set it down and it was just barely balanced. When I pulled a couple of big sockets out of the back of it, the whole thing tipped and slammed to the floor. The result was that the front edge of the drawer wrinkled and popped two of the spot welds. The drawer was still square and went right back into the box just fine. I've been using it full of sockets, quite a load, ever since. That's the drawer I use the most and shut via slamming into it most often. Even with the damage I did to it, it works fine for the last 6 months while waiting for the replacement drawer to arrive.
So, overall, there's two main drawbacks to owning one: 1) You won't feel as cool as if you had bought a Snap On. It gets the job done, but it's not going to make you love it. 2) Repair parts, though available and very cheap, take FOREVER to show up since they come over by sea freight and you wait until it happens to make it onto a boat.
On the positive side: 1) The HF box is extremely competitively priced so you have a lot of leftover money to spend on tools instead. 2) It's actually tough enough to stand up to professional use.
A little over a year later, I can say that the HF box is definitely suited to professional use. I use it all day, I often kick drawers shut or hip-check them, and it's survived being crashed into with a lawn tractor once a week (obviously, I'm not the one that mows the lawn around the shop!). I have had exactly one problem with it. For some reason that I can't remember, I had the deep and wide drawer out of the box and sitting on the work bench. It was completely full of sockets, so it was HEAVY. Somehow, I mis-judged where the edge of the table was when I set it down and it was just barely balanced. When I pulled a couple of big sockets out of the back of it, the whole thing tipped and slammed to the floor. The result was that the front edge of the drawer wrinkled and popped two of the spot welds. The drawer was still square and went right back into the box just fine. I've been using it full of sockets, quite a load, ever since. That's the drawer I use the most and shut via slamming into it most often. Even with the damage I did to it, it works fine for the last 6 months while waiting for the replacement drawer to arrive.
So, overall, there's two main drawbacks to owning one: 1) You won't feel as cool as if you had bought a Snap On. It gets the job done, but it's not going to make you love it. 2) Repair parts, though available and very cheap, take FOREVER to show up since they come over by sea freight and you wait until it happens to make it onto a boat.
On the positive side: 1) The HF box is extremely competitively priced so you have a lot of leftover money to spend on tools instead. 2) It's actually tough enough to stand up to professional use.
The 56" is quite a step up from the 40" so comparing a classic to the 40" box at $350 isnt exactly fair. If you find a store that has one on display [most dont] check one out some time, you'll be impressed.
exactly ...