Basic/economic not fancy rolling tool cabinet??

[kingcobb]

I am waiting to get a drawing back from contractor to approve everything before they get started on buidling the our metal shop/barn. I am in that dangerous stage or researching every aspect of what I might put in the barn once it gets built. Including welders, tool storage, organization systems, finally bought a honda generator after going back and forth between it and a much cheaper higher watt duromax, and of course toolboxes.....


Ok..... I have been reading all over this board....searching and whatnot, so apologies if I have somehow missed this, but are the cheaper tool boxes really that bad? I mean the discussions on here are pretty intelligent about people not needing to splurge for a snapon, but even then, most settle in to the "get an Icon, or American General, or order from Stricklytoolboxes" which I can understand the reasoning behind if you have a big tool collection.....but are Husky and kobalt and craftsman and any of the other nameless box store brands really that bad? I know there are tradeoffs, but I'm not a professional mechanic and my tools currently sit stacked up in wooden particle board drawers on the bench in our garage. I'm not a professional mechanic or anything, some of my tools will go years without me using them. I just need a decent tool box that won't fall apart on me or the drawers break or falloff after a couple of years? If I have to go American General or Icon or whatever just to get that level of quality....then I guess ok, Just wasn't wanting to go spend $2k on a tool box after building the shop.

I know one response would be you bought a Honda generator why are you balking at a toolbox.....Mainly I can think of few worse experiences then during a prolonged black out going out to the barn and starting up the generator only for it to do nothing and then trudging back into the house to explain that to the wife. Short of a cheaper toolbox just falling apart on me I don't think there is the same risk of failure......


Anyway....like I said, if the budget options really are that bad then so be it, but if its more of, your drawers won't come out as far or it won't have soft close or something like that, than fine.

 

[Cruzan80]

It mostly has to do with the weight ratings and gauge of steel. Cheap boxes will not stay straight/level, but instead bend/slant and then bind when opening closing drawers. For the cost, the benefits really aren't there for the super cheap stuff. The mid-range stuff gets into a game of "For just a bit less, you can get X instead, which has much better ratings".

It also depends on how much you need to access at any given time, and if you care about stuff matching. I have 3x "toolboxes" around the gagre, all are older 27" wide ones. One 50's Craftsman, a 70's Craftsman and a Huot stack from the 70-80s (IIRC). This doesn't count my workbenches or the equipto/vidmars I have.

Do you need tons of drawers? Would kitchen cabinet setups work for you?

The other option is to choose to go a bit higher and look around for Lista/Vidmar/Equip to boxes. These are generally rated extremely high in weight, with the downside of less customization for drawer layout. Used, you can generally find them at/below $100/drawer, depending on width. Again, they may not match or line up with each other perfectly.

 

[mepstein]

I have US General in my house and snap on in my shop. US General is fine for the hobbyist. Snap on or equivalent is really what you want for a "shop" environment that will get more tools (weight) and constant daily use. You get what you pay for. But I'm not saying you have to buy snap on boxes new. Our snap on guy would call us when he had a repro'd box. Usually about 6-12 month old. Great shape and about half the price. The tool truck brands are defiantly stronger and heavier duty. Just consider your use and what you will be happy with. Horses for courses and all that.

 

[CoThG]

Snap-On Master Series would be my go to economy box if I didn't want to spring for an Epiq. Just depends on what your budget is.

 

[kingcobb]

Have a family I now through working with their kids in 4-H that just listed a MATCO 52". No idea what kind it is. They say the drawers are stiff, I'm assuming they need to be cleaned and greased but who knows. Its a 3 bay with a wood top.

Haven't read a lot on here on MATCO quality. Its the red one. They are wanting $1000 OBO.....

 

[driftpin]

Shop, shop, shop-around. A used better-quality box is a good investment in my opinion. My advice besides that would be, "don't spend more on a box than the total value of your tools is." That may sound simple, but I think it's valid.

It doesn't sound like you're making your wages w/your tools.

That Matco sounds like it's the basis of a good deal if it comes w/tools. I'd be the early-bird and time to whip out the $$$.

 

[BTL-A4]

My 2¢: Get a US General box at Harbor Freight and move on with your life. You could go down the rabbit hole with toolboxes; everyone has an opinion. Lista and Snap-On ones are stupidly expensive for the home shop crowd. Even the Icon ones at HF are overkill. All nice boxes, but way more that it sounds like you need.
The other big box store ones (Craftsman, Husky, etc.) would probably be fine for your use case. Check them out and see for yourself.
I like the Craftsman Griplatch ones because I HATE the soft close drawers. I found mine on FB and CL. They are rare and getting pricey. I have 7 (plus a Waterloo and a HF US General) and they all work great. One of them probably has 1000 lbs of tools in it and it opens and closes fine. Mine all sit in one place. I wheel them out occasionally to clean under and behind them.

 

[mike93lx]

US General or Husky Heavy Duty are a good step up from the really basic Yukon and Husky Standard Duty.

In most home garages, any box will serve just fine for many, many years

 

[sk farmer]

in my farm shop i have a hf 72 with a montezuma on top, an old crinkle finish hf 40inch with side cab, a craftsman 40 inch stack and a basic yukon type from home depot.

i am satisfied with all of them but have thoughts on strengths and weaknesses. the 72 is a great box but i found it too large and heavy to move so it stays parked. it has a full array of 1/4 to 3/4 drive chrome and impact including wrenches to 2 inch. the hf 40 with side cabinet is parked but was my mover the montezuma on top before the 72. it is now parts and hardware storage. the cman stack is also parked. it has consumables, specialty and collectable and less/seldom used tools. the home depot/yukon is parked and has my 1 inch impact stuff and some less used stuff as well.

i currently have a us general 5 drawer cart with basic stuff that moves around the shop. none of this exactly answers the op's question but gives an idea of what a farm shop may have or need.

if i had to start over. i would go with several mid range cabinets such as the us general 40 and leave them parked or build them into a bench system. plenty good general tool, parts and supply storage. for mobile use i would go with a us general cart with full drawers or something similar. that i find the 5 drawers has too much useless/ hard to reach space in the open bottom.

i feel a 40 inch cart is too large and clumsy to move around. someday, i will get an all drawer cart like the us general loaded with these items. i bet the ops farm shop list would be similar.

1. basic 1/4 and 3/8 hand sockets in sae and metric, standard and deep. along with an assortment of ratchets extensions.
2. combo wrenches up 1 1/4 and 28mm along with ratcheting to 3/4 and 19mm.
3. 4-piece pry bar set and 6-8 screwdrivers and small pick set.
4. 4 assorted hammers and a basic punch and chisel set.
5. brand matching cordless light, drill, 1/4 hex, 3/8 and 1/2 impacts with basic accessories to go with them.
6. 6 or 8 assorted pliers and small, medium and large locking curved jaw pliers.
7. a "junk" drawer with tape measure, magnets scribe, markers etc.


this would cover 90+ percent of my repairs with access in arms reach. my 5 drawer just doesnt have the room for that i am mostly just missing the 1/2 impact stuff and the larger wrenches. guess what i am always walking the 30 or 40 to get?

 

[Nobody-named-Olli]

I may be the odd one out again, but I wouldn’t hesitate to buy literally any box that I see fit for my purpose. It helps being able to see & handle them in person.

Can you check out any of the brands you mentioned in a store near you? If yes, do it and see for yourself if you can spot differences that would be worth the difference in price to you.

I have a Snap-On, Made in USA, KRA/ Heritage Series box that enough people here, and on the internet in general, wouldn’t consider a “quality” toolbox, including the Snap-On rep - albeit half jokingly considering what he has in his lorry - who runs the “Snap-On Rock and Roll Tour” here …

As always, draw a line and do you.

Oh, and I personally wouldn’t pay a thousand for that Matco box pictured above.

Kind regards,
Olli

 

[MushCreek]

I always chuckle when people say that US General is OK for homeowner use. I used one as a tool and die maker for 20 years. Full of really heavy tooling- vises, sine plates, angle plates; a lot heavier than sockets, ratchets, wrenches, and screwdrivers. I still use that box in my home shop, still full of heavy tooling. Zero issues. In fact, it works better than the Kennedy box it replaced.

 

[rust in the eye]

That Matco looks like a decent but neglected box. $1k might be a bit rich for it given condition.
It is pretty time consuming to dismantle and properly clean years or decades of **** from the drawer slides but perhaps worth the effort at the right price.
My thoughts are if you can wind up with a "pro" box that is fully functional and presents well enough once "done" at or near the price a new import box do it.
If you ever decide to sell it a "pro" box will always have value whereas the import box not so much.
An old beat up Mac roller chest was given to me once. I spent a solid day cleaning, repairing and halfass straightening a couple of drawer fronts that had been beaten down nearly an inch because a previous owner used the drawers like an anvil, which says something about how stong this thing was made. That box still ain't pretty but now WORKS flawlessly, which unless you are some tool polisher furnishing his "man cave" is the point.
The box you are considering looks to need significantly less effort.
That seller has clearly made zero effort to prepare it for sale, limiting its appeal to many. You may be able to exploit this laziness.
Good luck.

 

[no704]

Look for a used architect horizontal file

 

[Jgaz]

I have a Snap-On, Made in USA, KRA/ Heritage Series box that enough people here, and on the internet in general, wouldn’t consider a “quality” toolbox, including the Snap-On rep

Amen brother! Well said!
I bought my KRA/Heritage after my used 70’s vintage KRA didn’t like all the rolling around I needed to do when I went to work at the proving ground. The old box was too tall and tippy. I wanted a work surface as well. I also needed more storage space.

The new KRA was a SnapOn dealer show box. Bought it at a real good discount.
25+ years ago there were no where near the tool box choices that are available now.

The used box was good enough for me for a long time. It was used daily, professionally for about 20 years.
I‘m glad I never got into the “my tool box is bigger” ******* contest.

OP, buy what you want, but can afford.
If you aren’t rolling it every day there are a lot of choices out there.

My KRA/Heritage series in its retirement resting place.


I later changed the large lower LH drawer that came stock to three smaller drawers seen here after I changed jobs and had cabinet next to my bench for my welding helmet, PPE, etc.

 

[IndyGarage]

I would vote for a Husky. I used a 52 inch Husky in my shop for about 6-7 years loaded down with tools, I never had a problem with it. I really liked the soft close drawers on it.

I wanted a bigger box so I bought a 72 inch Matco and a 48 inch Snap On - both a couple years old and in nearly new condition from one of the guys at the shop next door to mine.

I've since moved almost everything to the Matco - which is both deeper and wider than the Husky and definitely looks nicer - but it really doesn't work any better. In fact, I like the Husky soft-close better than the close on the Matco box. I was going to move the Husky to my home shop, and instead kept it at my shop and moved the Snap On home.

I would say the Husky works every bit as good as the Snap On also. Snappy looks like a jewelry box though.

 

[NUTTSGT]

For the money, the USG boxes are pretty good and as a person that tries to be frugal with my $$, worth their cost.

Their boxes, whether be 27, 42, 56, or 72" all share common measurements. This almost makes them modular design in my opinion.

They have options for add ons and accessories, color matched to the 8-9 color available.

They are readily available locally to most or can be ordered online shipped to home, or order at store for shipped to store.

You're in the design stage of your build. You don't have to rush.

 

[Rusted Nut]

I’ve had a Husky box for several years, no complaints.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I always chuckle when people say that US General is OK for homeowner use. I used one as a tool and die maker for 20 years. Full of really heavy tooling- vises, sine plates, angle plates; a lot heavier than sockets, ratchets, wrenches, and screwdrivers. I still use that box in my home shop, still full of heavy tooling. Zero issues. In fact, it works better than the Kennedy box it replaced.

I agree on this. 60 years of repair and machining in industrial settings and over the years used Husky Pro, Craftsman ball bearing drawer units, and US General. They are all in my home shop being used regularly today. I use the grey Craftsman for metric and automotive along with General for the SAE, and the Husky and several US General for most else like machine tooling and such. Drawer sizes and layouts for the particular tool storage needed has been a bigger consideration with me between them than the brands. There are 7 units spaced around the shop. I would have no issue with the US General if I was starting a new shop layout.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

in my farm shop i have a hf 72 with a montezuma on top, an old crinkle finish hf 40inch with side cab, a craftsman 40 inch stack and a basic yukon type from home depot.

i am satisfied with all of them but have thoughts on strengths and weaknesses. the 72 is a great box but i found it too large and heavy to move so it stays parked. it has a full array of 1/4 to 3/4 drive chrome and impact including wrenches to 2 inch. the hf 40 with side cabinet is parked but was my mover the montezuma on top before the 72. it is now parts and hardware storage. the cman stack is also parked. it has consumables, specialty and collectable and less/seldom used tools. the home depot/yukon is parked and has my 1 inch impact stuff and some less used stuff as well.

i currently have a us general 5 drawer cart with basic stuff that moves around the shop. none of this exactly answers the op's question but gives an idea of what a farm shop may have or need.

if i had to start over. i would go with several mid range cabinets such as the us general 40 and leave them parked or build them into a bench system. plenty good general tool, parts and supply storage. for mobile use i would go with a us general cart with full drawers or something similar. that i find the 5 drawers has too much useless/ hard to reach space in the open bottom.

i feel a 40 inch cart is too large and clumsy to move around. someday, i will get an all drawer cart like the us general loaded with these items. i bet the ops farm shop list would be similar.

1. basic 1/4 and 3/8 hand sockets in sae and metric, standard and deep. along with an assortment of ratchets extensions.
2. combo wrenches up 1 1/4 and 28mm along with ratcheting to 3/4 and 19mm.
3. 4-piece pry bar set and 6-8 screwdrivers and small pick set.
4. 4 assorted hammers and a basic punch and chisel set.
5. brand matching cordless light, drill, 1/4 hex, 3/8 and 1/2 impacts with basic accessories to go with them.
6. 6 or 8 assorted pliers and small, medium and large locking curved jaw pliers.
7. a "junk" drawer with tape measure, magnets scribe, markers etc.


this would cover 90+ percent of my repairs with access in arms reach. my 5 drawer just doesnt have the room for that i am mostly just missing the 1/2 impact stuff and the larger wrenches. guess what i am always walking the 30 or 40 to get?

Smartest thing on this page!

Walk into any professional mechanic shop or industrial facility and count how many USG boxes you see.... they are literally taking over the market. My buddy is a Grainger rep here in the DFW and he is constantly complaining about HF has mostly stolen all of his tool and toolbox business.

The trick to a home shop is shelves. Mechanics like big boxes because thats their office space at work so they need side lockers and what not to lock up their blown molded cases. A home shop works well with shelves since you don't have to worry about coworkers stealing your stuff.

Also look at a professional mechanics tool box thats fully loaded with tools its always the same. You always see a Socket drawer, wrench drawer, plier drawer, and a screwdriver drawer the rest of the box is filled with cases, bolt bins, wire leads, power tools, snack drawer, etc.

What are you currently using for tool storage? And why is that no longer sufficient?

 

[PCustoms]

I stopped reading when lista and snap on were responses to a guy looking for an economy box. WTF, you guys either have insane debt or live in an entirely different tax bracket then the rest of us.

Granted it's been a while, but when I needed a box the US General were the heaviest built for the money. Mines been moved 3x fully loaded and suffered no wear.

Sure it's not fancy but when I can buy 2-3x for the cost of a used premium brand it's kind of a no brainer.

 

[JerseyBoatBuilder]

I sold my Snapon box before we moved because I didnt want it weighing down our POD besides getting good money for it during covid.
I got lucky here finding a 24 inch deep International box at a Homedepo in the corner here. Been serving me fine here for 5 years.

Show a picture or link to the box

 

[cgrutt]

Didn't read through all of this so sorry if it was already covered but have you considered metal cabinets vs an actual toolbox? I have five of the craftsman metal cabinets that I keep alot of my tools (typically cased). They were about $200 each when I bought them but probably double that now. Added plywood shelves to a few of them for more storage space. They're great for storage of infrequently used tools. Believe theyre about 6' tall 30" wide and about 18" deep. Lots of volume for the $$$. Just something to consider.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I stopped reading when lista and snap on were responses to a guy looking for an economy box. WTF, you guys either have insane debt or live in an entirely different tax bracket then the rest of us.

Granted it's been a while, but when I needed a box the US General were the heaviest built for the money. Mines been moved 3x fully loaded and suffered no wear.

Sure it's not fancy but when I can buy 2-3x for the cost of a used premium brand it's kind of a no brainer.

Exactly!

When I was in the market for a cart I really wanted the Homak Big Dawg cart until I realized I could buy 3 USG full banks for the same price!

43" Big Dawg 6 Drawer Service cart

Buy 43 Big Dawg Service Cart offers 6 drawers for ample storage and heavy-duty wheels for smooth movement. Perfect for workshops and garages.

homak.com

I ended up with a USG.

 

[dante2]

A Yukon (HF) or cheaper Husky is a decent compromise especially if you're not a frequent user. I bought a couple of Yukon boxes used so I could use them for my woodworking/seldom used tools. It's turned out better than I expected as far as function is concerned. It would never hold a candle to the automotive tools in my other box but thankfully I have that covered. $450 and a little work to flip the top drawer slides.

 

[kbuhagiar]

I stopped reading when lista and snap on were responses to a guy looking for an economy box. WTF, you guys either have insane debt or live in an entirely different tax bracket then the rest of us.

Granted it's been a while, but when I needed a box the US General were the heaviest built for the money. Mines been moved 3x fully loaded and suffered no wear.

Sure it's not fancy but when I can buy 2-3x for the cost of a used premium brand it's kind of a no brainer.

^^This. Right. Here. ^^

I was a Craftsman roll-around toolbox guy all my life. Bought my first one in 1978 and accumulated four more over the years. I have always been perfectly happy with them (except for those marketed under the 'Homeowner' line, which were really cheap/bad). A few years back I wanted a roll-around cart, but in blue to match my NewAge cabinets. Discovered the USG boxes and couldn't believe the build quality for the price. If I ever need another toolbox it'll be a USG.

 

[kingcobb]

Built in cabinets in garage and preexisting peg board.. They're cheaply made fiber board or osb or some such. They were already there when bought the house. I replaced the work top with a solid wood piece when we moved in as it was disintegrating but have just used these. Except for the giant drawer of sockets(sockets that were mine, my fathers, and both my grandfathers) on the bottom right they aren't too overloaded, but the drawer bottoms still give me trouble with falling out surprisingly easily. Forgive the mess state currently. Changing oil on the compressor or it'd be up underneath.

Need to do a little organizing after throwing things over worried about hail on the tru k other night. Wife's car is always in garage...mine only when it looks like hail.

 

[JuncleJohn]

I have Craftsman, Kennedy and my latest purchase was a Master Force from Menards. Matching chests and roller cabinets of all three.

The Craftsman's are 50 years old, Kennedy’s about 25 and the Master Force about 10. They are all good boxes. I did have to eventually upgrade the wheels on both the Craftsman and Master Force.

I recommend you buy new and stay away from the expensive ones.

John

 

[Cruzan80]

I stopped reading when lista and snap on were responses to a guy looking for an economy box. WTF, you guys either have insane debt or live in an entirely different tax bracket then the rest of us.

As one of the guys who mentioned them, you obviously didn't read the rest of my post. Where I said I had 3x 27" stacks, all prior to about 1980. 2x CM and a Huot.

All of thelista/vidmar ones I have bought have been sub-$250. So much less than most of the options mentioned on here. My other point was comparing a used (not a deal) Lista/Vidmar to a used SO, they are approaching the same rough price-point (most Lista/vidmar I see are listed sub-$2k). So not saying buy those compared to USG/Husky/etc, but as a SO alternative.

 

[PCustoms]

As one of the guys who mentioned them, you obviously didn't read the rest of my post.

No, because it's an unrealistic option and not "budget".

Unless you stumble into a screaming deal, sub $250 lista just doesn't happen

 

[Cruzan80]

Ok, I seem to find one or two at that price (or at least sub $400) about every 12-18mo or so (average). Have to agree to disagree.

I wasn't saying that is the first/primary option. Just if he is wanting to spend that much money, I would go Lista/Vidmar over SO. Otherwise, go with the lower options (such as the other ones I mentioned I have, and that work great).

 

[zendriver]

Just wasn't wanting to go spend $2k on a tool box after building the shop.

Your choices are pretty limited, then.

I know one response would be you bought a Honda generator why are you balking at a toolbox.....Mainly I can think of few worse experiences then during a prolonged black out going out to the barn and starting up the generator only for it to do nothing and then trudging back into the house to explain that to the wife. Short of a cheaper toolbox just falling apart on me I don't think there is the same risk of failure......

Not me, I get people buy into the propaganda that inexpensive gens are not reliable.

Anyway....like I said, if the budget options really are that bad then so be it, but if its more of, your drawers won't come out as far or it won't have soft close or something like that, than fine.

I have USG boxes for years. Not sure why they'd "wear out" since I don't really slam the piss out of them, opening and closing, even if I were to use them all day long. The drawers are not huge, so no real chance of loading 100# of tools in one. If I wrenched for a living, I'd probably go with Icon, just because they do have larger drawers and other features.

I've looked at the Husky, Kobalt and others on occasion. They seem pretty sturdy and are priced well.

It's your money.

 

[T45]

Ok, I seem to find one or two at that price (or at least sub $400) about every 12-18mo or so (average).

What if you need to actually get some work done before year 2 ?

 

[Cruzan80]

Then you use shelves, or buy other cabinets, or just pay up. Notice, I didn't say this was the only option, just another potential one.

The benefit of used is the price, the availability on your timeline is frequently the issue.

 

[Ohio Andy]

you need to understand what you're going to do with it and what you want to store in it. I took a quick peek and the stuff at harbor freight. They were saying you could get 120 lb per drawer



Then I went totally off. The rails popped over to Tekton. It has super high-end stuff that cost significantly more when they were talking 400 lb per draw.



For the price difference, especially if you're looking to save some money now you know what you get the cheaper one. If you can absolutely afford it and you want it, you just go ahead and buy the more expensive one and you know it'll hold up better.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

Built in cabinets in garage and preexisting peg board.. They're cheaply made fiber board or osb or some such. They were already there when bought the house. I replaced the work top with a solid wood piece when we moved in as it was disintegrating but have just used these. Except for the giant drawer of sockets(sockets that were mine, my fathers, and both my grandfathers) on the bottom right they aren't too overloaded, but the drawer bottoms still give me trouble with falling out surprisingly easily. Forgive the mess state currently. Changing oil on the compressor or it'd be up underneath.

Need to do a little organizing after throwing things over worried about hail on the tru k other night. Wife's car is always in garage...mine only when it looks like hail.

How big of a shop are you building?

Please dont take this the wrong way but honestly it dosen't look like you currently have enough tools or equipment to really justify a big box. Any consumer grade box will be a massive upgrade and will allow you a few years of growth into it.

I am a "pro" mechanic (whatever that means) and in my shop where I work I still use shelves and a USG single bank. I do have a small Vidmar but I got that at an estate sale for $200. Honestly if you just put hand tools in the single bank its actually pretty hard to fill up.

Save your money on the box and invest in tools and tables!

Remember on this site when you say your building a shop everyone assumes your building some 100x100 building filled with lifts,fab tables, cnc mills, cnc lathes, etc, etc, etc!

 

[T45]

For a poor-mans roll-cab this thing is top-notch....

 

[kbeefy]

I've been buying second hand USG boxes for about 10 years. They work fine and typically cost about 1/10 the price of the tool trucks.
I've had Snap-On,Mac, Matco and Cornwell Boxes. Currently I have several USG and a Sunnex box. Theres really nothing a tool truck box does that a second USG box for a fraction of the price can't do.

 

[Aaron_W]

I would look at your needs. Will the tool box stay parked in one place except for moving to clean or will you be wheeling it out whenever you want to use it? Cheap boxes will last a lot longer if rarely moved.

Are you going to pack it full of heavy stuff, or neatly layout tools so they are easy to find / grab rather than maximizing the use of space?

Are you in the shop many hours every week, or just here and their to fix something need to be fixed right now or a pleasant Saturday hanging out with the tools?

Are you kind to your tools and play Mozart to them or heavy handed because they are tools dammit?

Look at drawer layout. I wanted a 42-48" box to use with a small lathe. I looked at the 46" Husky with 9 drawers, and the 42" US General with 10 drawers. You wouldn't think 1 drawer would make that much difference, but the USG has two full width low drawers, 4 split 60/40 low drawers and 4 split 60/40 medium height drawers vs the Husky's 1 full width low drawer, 6 split 50/50 low drawers and 2 tall drawers. The USG layout was far better for storing the lathes tooling and accessories.

If you are storing carpentry tools, you will likely prefer a different layout than a box designed for mechanics tools.

Also look at depth, many of the cheaper boxes are only 18" deep, while the more expensive boxes may be 22-24" deep. A skinnier box may be desirable for some due to their shop layout.



The high end tool boxes are built for extreme duty, 40+ hours a week, loaded down until stuff just won't fit anymore and operated by gorillas in a hurry.

The cheapest boxes are pretty much ****, but a conscientious owner can make them work. The mid range box store brands Husky, Kobalt, Yukon up through US General are perfectly functional so long as you care for them and remember you get what you pay for. I've had a Husky 27" top and bottom for 8-9 years, and it has been fine. Other than rearranging the shop a couple of times it has sat in the same spot. It is not the most robust box but I keep that in mind and it has held up.

I've also got a 26" and 42" US General, and some US General carts (1 drawer, and a couple of 5 drawer). For the price I think US General is hard to beat. They are more expensive than most of the box store brands, but also significantly better built. That said I keep looking at the Husky and Yukon 46" 9 drawer work benches and one of these days I'm sure one will follow me home.

Also keep in mind the size, the bigger boxes are almost always built better than the small boxes of the same brand / line so make sure you compare apples to apples. The 26" USG is far and away better than my 27" Husky, a much bigger difference than the 42" USG and 46" Husky.


When comparing prices keep in mind sales. HF puts the US General boxes on sale fairly often bringing the price of the USG pretty close to a similar Husky. Of course Home Depot also put their boxes on sale from time to time, which can make Husky a pretty good deal. I don't have a handy Lowes, so don't watch their sales, but I'm sure they have them as well.

 

[1Bad55Chevy]

I've been buying second hand USG boxes for about 10 years. They work fine and typically cost about 1/10 the price of the tool trucks.
I've had Snap-On,Mac, Matco and Cornwell Boxes. Currently I have several USG and a Sunnex box. Theres really nothing a tool truck box does that a second USG box for a fraction of the price can't do.

Man, your shop is really nice! Is this just a hobby shop or something more!

I reall like the wall of boxes and the line if tables!

 

[kbeefy]

Man, your shop is really nice! Is this just a hobby shop or something more!

I reall like the wall of boxes and the line if tables!

Mainly a personal hobby shop but I do some side work there as well as flip the occasional vehicle.