Cman tool boxes
- Thread starter wesreams
- Start date
The pro-series are very good boxes, as good as any pro box. The home storage ones and the cheaper ones will work, but will not hold up well after time and the drawers will not slide smoothly.
You are better off getting the pro-series if you can afford it. Don't buy the cheap ones.
You are better off getting the pro-series if you can afford it. Don't buy the cheap ones.
chad s
Well-known member
I cant agree. I have never owned a Cman pro series box, but I have looked at them at the stores many times. I do own a Snap On KRA series box, so I know it well, and even being the lower end Snap On series, it is much sturdier than the Craftsman Pro. The metal is thicker, the drawers are smoother, its just an all around heavier duty box than the Cman pro.
Im not saying that buying the Snap On box is necessary, but to say call the Cman pro box just as good, is not really accurate, IMO.
chad s
Well-known member
Plus it says SnapOn on it ... that's gotta count for something.
Well, its not that. I wish I owned a Mac or Matco box to compare to, so my comment didnt fall into the "Snap On Worship Category". Just check out the two. There is a big difference in the feel and weight of the drawers. The Snap On has heavier gauge metal, and smoother sliders. The Craftsman Pro has a lighter, flimsier feel. It also comes at a cheap price, so it definately has its place.
Personaly, I think a used Snap On, or Matco box will be a better deal, for the same money as the equivalent sized Cman Pro.
HighOctane
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 10, 2006
- Messages
- 178
Well, if you dont have loads of money like a lot of people, I'm sure a craftsman pro-series box will do the job. You can't compare a craftsman box to a Snap-On box, they arent even in the same ball park, so I say go for it dude 
good luck.
good luck.thanks for all the input guys, theres another box ive been wondering about, anybody have any experience with proto tool boxes. i think they look alot like the mac tool boxes, there both owned by stanley so who knows, they might be mac boxes that are really cheap
As we slowly sink into the Craftsman vs Snap on quagmire again, has the month passed. The real truth is each has its place. As stated before each line has various models in different price points for different users. So starting this way.
The Craftsman Home series, Name says it all, for the limited use DIYer or something to store those things you do not need often at a very low price.
Craftsman Quiet Glide, Roller Bearing, Grip Latch Series. Will work for most DIYers to Moderate professional. By moderate professional meaning can live with the load limits of the drawers, maintain the drawers and do not move them around to much. I have seen many of these last for a 1/2 to a full career for many of my friends. You do not do things like shove them around a rough farm shop floor with bobcats, etc to them. Rolling 1,000 lbs is not easy. We do use them many places due to value and ease of purchasing, going to Sears take the pickup and get one. The minimum for a busy shop with not many tools required. You can use less, but will not provide long term reliability. Each of the boxes listed above has a higher price and caster bearing weight.
Sears Pro a step below the truck lines, but not a bad box. It depends on how you use it, what you put in it, will stand pushing around rough farm shops with a bobcat if you are careful, ie use a protetive mat, close the drawers, do not use it as a stairs, push it into walls. When properly set up with dual slides will hold about everything you can pile into it. If stationary, properly orgainized, greased and load limits understood, will last for years and for most a career. Priced less than the truck lines and easier to find. Still not a status symbol. Minimum for busy shop with lots of tools required. Again you can use less, but expect a shorter life.
The truck lines, pick your poison, price, and status level. Still they are heavier and if good used ones are available can be a better option than the Craftsman Pro. Still can be more expensive so you have to shop carefully. Again expect to run into 2 - 3 lines at different quality. They start from a level above Craftsman Pro and go to a point you can abuse them like I described and they easily survive. They will take more abuse, but, again at a cost. It comes down to will survive your career, but if you are the type of person that buys and sells every few years it can get very pricy. Service depends on your dealer, which can be marvelous to terrible. Still in rough use can last long enough to be used at a person's funeral. Expensive enough and with payments and interest you can have years of payments.
So look at where you work, what they use, because the type of work, amount of tools used and required, will really dictate how much you need to invest. For most it is less than we spend. ie how often are tools taken out, how many, how many are stored, how heavy are they, how hard are drawers slammed. If these are on the low end, then a lower priced one will survive well, if on the high end look up.
To compare one to another is apples to oranges. It is up to you to see what you spend.
The Craftsman Home series, Name says it all, for the limited use DIYer or something to store those things you do not need often at a very low price.
Craftsman Quiet Glide, Roller Bearing, Grip Latch Series. Will work for most DIYers to Moderate professional. By moderate professional meaning can live with the load limits of the drawers, maintain the drawers and do not move them around to much. I have seen many of these last for a 1/2 to a full career for many of my friends. You do not do things like shove them around a rough farm shop floor with bobcats, etc to them. Rolling 1,000 lbs is not easy. We do use them many places due to value and ease of purchasing, going to Sears take the pickup and get one. The minimum for a busy shop with not many tools required. You can use less, but will not provide long term reliability. Each of the boxes listed above has a higher price and caster bearing weight.
Sears Pro a step below the truck lines, but not a bad box. It depends on how you use it, what you put in it, will stand pushing around rough farm shops with a bobcat if you are careful, ie use a protetive mat, close the drawers, do not use it as a stairs, push it into walls. When properly set up with dual slides will hold about everything you can pile into it. If stationary, properly orgainized, greased and load limits understood, will last for years and for most a career. Priced less than the truck lines and easier to find. Still not a status symbol. Minimum for busy shop with lots of tools required. Again you can use less, but expect a shorter life.
The truck lines, pick your poison, price, and status level. Still they are heavier and if good used ones are available can be a better option than the Craftsman Pro. Still can be more expensive so you have to shop carefully. Again expect to run into 2 - 3 lines at different quality. They start from a level above Craftsman Pro and go to a point you can abuse them like I described and they easily survive. They will take more abuse, but, again at a cost. It comes down to will survive your career, but if you are the type of person that buys and sells every few years it can get very pricy. Service depends on your dealer, which can be marvelous to terrible. Still in rough use can last long enough to be used at a person's funeral. Expensive enough and with payments and interest you can have years of payments.
So look at where you work, what they use, because the type of work, amount of tools used and required, will really dictate how much you need to invest. For most it is less than we spend. ie how often are tools taken out, how many, how many are stored, how heavy are they, how hard are drawers slammed. If these are on the low end, then a lower priced one will survive well, if on the high end look up.
To compare one to another is apples to oranges. It is up to you to see what you spend.
Uncle Buck
Banned
Everyone seems to forget that until just a few years ago, every brand of chest and roll cab (including S/O) was nothing better than friction slides. Guys loaded them down and most worked just fine for a long time. Granted ball bearing is so much smoother and nicer but many guys who could probably do just fine with old school friction slides insist that nothing but bb slides will work for them. Well, if you can afford S/O bb slide chest & cab, go for it, i wish i had that kind of money to burn! More power to you!
MAD
Well-known member
Take a look at this thread from a month or two ago:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8775&showall=1
mulepackin
Well-known member
As someone has previously posted on here; a tool box won't make you money, the tools will. Do what is best for you and your situation.
chad s
Well-known member
Does everything you buy have to make you money? I like to buy the best I can afford. I am 23, and if I buy a box that is high quality, feels solid, and will last me for the rest of my life, I dont see any reason not to buy it if the funds are available.
This does not need to be at craftsman vs snap on thread at all. It comes down to the simple fact that the Snap on/mac/matco box is higher quality, and a used, but like new one can be purchased for the same price as a new craftsman pro.
Deafautotech
Well-known member
Yes, tools are make you a money. but i was 20 years old, i did took the good deals from my snap on guy as he sold me the KRL1001B for half price (it is used but it was my tech friend's) and i paid full once when he drop me a KRL1001 same day. then one year later i had to bought used Snap on chest KR1201 as much cheaper and it still have lifetime warranty. both toolboxes from my snap on guy that i paid for less than New KRL1201 (it is cost 4,640 dollars) i paid full for both and it is used. now i am 21 years old and have more tools than other techs. so i would recommend you to look for used snap on or matco tool as it come lifetime warranty....
Fast Orange
Well-known member
If you're a pro tech in a busy shop,a BB Craftsman is a good short term solution,but a good truck brand box,new or used is the way to go.Higher quality construction,meaning heavier guage metal,better drawer glides and better casters ensure that you'll have few problems with the box.When your tools are putting the food on the table,the last thing you need to deal with are jammed drawers,broken drawer slides and bent drawers.For a weekend warrior,any box of Craftsman BB quality or better will probably last a lifetime,but they won't stand up to a full time,fast paced workplace as a primary box.
IMO,a SO KRL series is the strongest,best built box out there followed by the KRA series and the other truck brands.My present box is a KRA 4107/4114 with a side locker,but if the need arises,I'll probably go to a KRL for the higher drawer weight capacities and higher quality casters.My local SO dealer usually has a pretty good selection of used boxes,either trade ins or repos,or you can find deals on flea-bay or local want ads.You can usually find a near new truck brand box for about half of the new price.
George
IMO,a SO KRL series is the strongest,best built box out there followed by the KRA series and the other truck brands.My present box is a KRA 4107/4114 with a side locker,but if the need arises,I'll probably go to a KRL for the higher drawer weight capacities and higher quality casters.My local SO dealer usually has a pretty good selection of used boxes,either trade ins or repos,or you can find deals on flea-bay or local want ads.You can usually find a near new truck brand box for about half of the new price.
George
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Deafautotech
Well-known member
I love my KRL1001B and KR1201 so much and will not trade in for other bigger box because i paid off same day when i got it.
clueless
Well-known member
and here is the kick on the craftsman pro series box,i had one,went to get 2 slides replaced under warranty,didnt have the original sales slip,they didnt honor the warranty till i filed with the bbb,then and only then did they honor the warranty.i had all the paperwork but the sales slip,the delivery slip,but not the sales slip.it lasted me over 5 yrs before the drawer glides let loose.other than fit and finish,it was ok.i got a deal on my snapon box,classic 96 plus top box,so i grabed it.the color purple sticks out,but it is nice!!
danski0224
Well-known member
I wouldn't consider anything but their "Professional" line of toolboxes....
That said, this discussion quickly turned into a Craftsman vs Snap-On debate.
If you want the best toolbox for the money, you need to look at the specifications, not the name on the box.
Once you do that, you will find Lista at the top of the pile.
They may not have the flashy colors or the fancy name, but if you want a toolbox with a rated capacity of 400# per ball bearing slide drawer out of the box (and full extension to boot), nothing else comes close.
They cost just a little more than the Craftsman Pro line and much less than Snap-On. If you do a little math, because the Lista boxes are deeper, the cost per cubic inch is not that bad- more storage space for less money.
Tool truck boxes show up fairly frequently on the local Craigslist and eBay, but you have to know what a good baseline price is first.
If I ever get around to buying a toolbox, it will be a Lista.
I have several older boxes. My first box was a Craftsman box and I still have it (it was one of their better ones when purchased). After 25+ years of homeowner use it's held up well and still looks and performs like new. I picked up an identical Craftsman box from a shop that was going out of business. The drawer slides work OK but one drawer binds up badly. Finish is pretty bad. I have an older SnapOn box that I bought at a garage sale. Its twice the weight of the Craftsman. When we loaded it in my truck my wife thought I'd lost my mind. It cleaned up great, greased the drawer slides and they works as well as my good Craftsman box's slides that have been babied. I also have a used but fairly new Kennedy, another garage sale find, and I upgraded the drawer slides to rollers off the company's website. This box is where I keep all my go-to tools and it works great. I have a 4 drawer Craftsman GripLatch mid box on the Kennedy I bought new. It works well but does not compare to the older SnapOn for drawer strength. I just picked up an older MAC box and although the exterior didn't clean up as well as the SnapOn it's drawers seem just as sturdy and the drawer slides also work just as well as the SnapOn's. I had also picked up a used Craftsman homeowners box. This thing was a giant POS! Stay away from these for any type of normal to hard useage. Sold it off to make way for the MAC box. These are all bottom wheeled box's so the comparison is apples to apples. Hope this helps.
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