Craftsman 54" Pro box
- Thread starter 69Bama
- Start date
That's a light weight box with low quality drawer slides for pretty good money. $1800 list for that is an absolute joke. At $1100, I'm not sure it's competitive.
The drawer layout is not particularly advantageous for automotive tools. Is there a big drawer at the top? If not how do you store 1/2" breakers, long prybars? Have to be diagonal. Not good. The depths aren't good either. Can you stand up 1/2 deep sockets in the top drawer? Hopefully you can rearrange the drawers?
My advice: as soon as you start crossing the $1000 line, you should be looking at used truck boxes as alternatives. It's surprising what you can find. If this is absolutely the most you can spend, (God strike me down) I think I'd sooner recommend the HF 56" for its better drawer layout.
The drawer layout is not particularly advantageous for automotive tools. Is there a big drawer at the top? If not how do you store 1/2" breakers, long prybars? Have to be diagonal. Not good. The depths aren't good either. Can you stand up 1/2 deep sockets in the top drawer? Hopefully you can rearrange the drawers?
My advice: as soon as you start crossing the $1000 line, you should be looking at used truck boxes as alternatives. It's surprising what you can find. If this is absolutely the most you can spend, (God strike me down) I think I'd sooner recommend the HF 56" for its better drawer layout.
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oldldh
Well-known member
For what that box costs...
You could have a 56" Harbor Freight roller cabinet and a top box...
Or...
A 72" Harbor Freight roller cabinet...
I have a HF 56" roller, and I love it...
It weighs 200 pounds more than the Craftsman box, you posted...
Got it, on sale for $ 699.00...
It's your money...
But...
You could have a 56" Harbor Freight roller cabinet and a top box...
Or...
A 72" Harbor Freight roller cabinet...
I have a HF 56" roller, and I love it...
It weighs 200 pounds more than the Craftsman box, you posted...
Got it, on sale for $ 699.00...
It's your money...
But...
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1950mercury
Well-known member
The drawer layout is terrible on that thing
454ragtop
Well-known member
Don't care what Craftsman calls it, an 18" deep box isn't a Pro box. The HF has deeper drawers and a better layout.
Jim
Jim
Sam'sAutoParts
Well-known member
That just looks like two 26" boxes welded together
That layout would drive me nuts, for the money I would go with the 56" HF
That layout would drive me nuts, for the money I would go with the 56" HFPelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
For that price no. For $199... maybe. Do the HF box.
2jz4me
Well-known member
Im in total agreement on getting a HF box instead. Crapsman boxes are WAAAAAY overpriced. Im all about the best value and if you insist on buying new then that is absolutely the best VALUE. If your budget is over 1000 dollars then I also agree that the BEST route to go would be a used snap-on or the like.
bobcatdan
Well-known member
Like most people here, I have no hands experience with that box. Most craftsman boxes in the USA are made by waterloo. That box is made in Canada by SPG International so it not what you play with in the store. For what I know SPG gets mixed reviews from it is **** to it is a good bang for the buck. So until we get a number of guys who own SPG boxes, we can't get a true feel for quality. As for the drawer arrangement, that is a personal preference. If you like the size drawers of a standard 26" roll cab, then two welded together isn't bad. As to drawer depth vs the HF, the HF is 22" at most deep, so drawer depth is a very small difference. If the HF was a 24" deep, then we could see real positive gains. The craftsman is going to 16 to 16 1/2" deep drawers. What is true HF depth? 20" at most if that. Not knocking the HF, it very well maybe the better choice, but to automatically jump to it as the better box is not right when I think most people don't know what that craftsman box really is.
malykaii
Well-known member
Ask yourself this. Are you a home user? Then you should not be spending over a grand on a box. Are you a pro? Then there's nothing pro about that box, especially for that excuse of a price.
As already mentioned 18in is not pro. You'll be surprised how limiting that is. Also, that layout is awful. If your content with 18in or need that depth for where your putting it... Grab the hf for $380. Grab the matching top and your still ahead hundreds. Need it in black? A body shop will paint both and you'll still pay less!
If you got cash, go used. I bought a pristine matco 6s that while 10years old, was only used for about 2 years. 54 wide, 24 deep, and had that stainless top (that matco wants$900) all for $1,100.
Look into matco and Mac. Same quality as snap on but less fanboy status, so prices are better. I've had bad luck with Cornwell, as all the sellers here are in denial that their overpriced Mexican made Waterloo boxes are worth less than snap on... But if you,find a good deal it's a bad *** box.
As already mentioned 18in is not pro. You'll be surprised how limiting that is. Also, that layout is awful. If your content with 18in or need that depth for where your putting it... Grab the hf for $380. Grab the matching top and your still ahead hundreds. Need it in black? A body shop will paint both and you'll still pay less!
If you got cash, go used. I bought a pristine matco 6s that while 10years old, was only used for about 2 years. 54 wide, 24 deep, and had that stainless top (that matco wants$900) all for $1,100.
Look into matco and Mac. Same quality as snap on but less fanboy status, so prices are better. I've had bad luck with Cornwell, as all the sellers here are in denial that their overpriced Mexican made Waterloo boxes are worth less than snap on... But if you,find a good deal it's a bad *** box.
sberry
Banned
I agree, do some more shopping.
MikeF2316
Well-known member
I agree that this is an SPG International made box, from their "Professional" series. I didn't have good luck with the SPG side box I bought, although it was from their "Classic" series. It was poorly made and the drawer slides felt so crappy (gritty) that I stopped using it.
And you can get it at a much better price, and in blue, black or red:
http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=ITRPRB-5413BK
And you can get it at a much better price, and in blue, black or red:
http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=ITRPRB-5413BK
If it has a model # beginning in 706 (you'd have to play around with the model # adding the 706 prefix on Partsdirect.com, Sears parts website), then Waterloo made it for Sears. Some of the Waterloo boxes are made in the USA, some are made in Mexico as noted. Depends on the model.
Me? If I was going for that size, it would be a good used, Craftsman box from a few years back. Save yourself some money and spend it on what's inside the box...that's me.
Me? If I was going for that size, it would be a good used, Craftsman box from a few years back. Save yourself some money and spend it on what's inside the box...that's me.
bobemmerich
Well-known member
Welcome to the forum!
To answer the question...NO, I have no experience with this box. Now that being said, I have seen it and "played" with it in person and I think you could do much better for 1K. 18" isn't that deep. That means the drawers are only 15-16" deep tops. If you have the cash, I'd look for a used truck brand box.
To answer the question...NO, I have no experience with this box. Now that being said, I have seen it and "played" with it in person and I think you could do much better for 1K. 18" isn't that deep. That means the drawers are only 15-16" deep tops. If you have the cash, I'd look for a used truck brand box.
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