Craftsman V-Series side locker solution

[RandoRemi]

Hello!
I was wondering if anyone owns the 56in Craftsman V-series tool chest and cabinet and has successfully mounted some kind of side locker.

I actually recently got in touch with Waterloo (produces the craftsman boxes, including V-Series) and asked them about a side locker, to which they replied "it's not impossible, but I don't think they have anything planned, we've had a lot of requests for them though" you think craftsman launching a "professional" tool storage solution they'd read the room, but I guess not.

 

[Theronswanson]

Hello!
I was wondering if anyone owns the 56in Craftsman V-series tool chest and cabinet and has successfully mounted some kind of side locker.

I actually recently got in touch with Waterloo (produces the craftsman boxes, including V-Series) and asked them about a side locker, to which they replied "it's not impossible, but I don't think they have anything planned, we've had a lot of requests for them though" you think craftsman launching a "professional" tool storage solution they'd read the room, but I guess not.

Surely you can't be serious on the last statement. This is the same company that built a brand new facility for US production, and never opened it.

As far as a side locker, most of them attach by a lip that's welded to the side. Then has mounting holes for bolts.

 

[Farmall450]

Surely you can't be serious on the last statement. This is the same company that built a brand new facility for US production, and never opened it.

Explain the dozen sets in my basement

They opened it and gave it their all, but allegedly all the specialty Ukrainian equipment couldn't be supported due to the war...

 

[finn]

Surely you can't be serious on the last statement. This is the same company that built a brand new facility for US production, and never opened it.

As far as a side locker, most of them attach by a lip that's welded to the side. Then has mounting holes for bolts.

That was what, five years ago now.

Kudos for the for SBD eventually realizing the plant was destined to fail, and pulling the plug when they did.

That took balls.

Look at Malco and the locking pliers debacle. Good tools but they couldn’t be produced profitably so they pulled the plug. Rumor has it that there are still tens of thousands of those unsellable (at a profit) pliers in warehouses.

Ideal was in the same situation when they bought SK, built a brand spanking new plant, then closed it a few years later.

They would have looked like geniuses if they closed the operation a few years earlier to stop the bleeding. Instead they limped it along, losing handfuls of cash until the manned up and closed that business albatross.

 

[Schurkey]

Look at Mayhew and the locking pliers debacle.

Malco? Eagle Grips?

 

[finn]

Malco? Eagle Grips?

Well, I was close.

Funny thing is, I googled and it came back Mayhew. I went with it even though it didn’t sound right.

I’ll change it.

 

[Andres26tnt]

Surely you can't be serious on the last statement. This is the same company that built a brand new facility for US production, and never opened it.

As far as a side locker, most of them attach by a lip that's welded to the side. Then has mounting holes for bolts.

You can't be serious? Not only did they open the factory and release 3 different sized tool kits(I own a bunch). They lost a lot of money due to multiple factors and closed the factory to stop the bleeding.

Fiy it wasn't Stanley fault entirely. We finally know what happened. Stanley B&D sued the equipment supplier Ajax-CECO. Basically they gave them faulty equipment that led to a bunch of issues in production. That itself led to delays and eventually the cancellation of all the tool retail orders.

 

[RandoRemi]

The plant opening was a blunder, but from everything I've read it seems like it was a whirlwind of issues that all showed themselves at once, mainly being covid and supply-chain/faulty outdated equipment. Which is an absolute shame.

I think craftsman trying to get back into the commercial world is a pretty good move, I like a good few of the V-series tools, and they hold up well in the heavy-duty workspace.

Now if only they'd make that damn cabinet!

 

[mreisner]

Hello!
I was wondering if anyone owns the 56in Craftsman V-series tool chest and cabinet and has successfully mounted some kind of side locker.

I actually recently got in touch with Waterloo (produces the craftsman boxes, including V-Series) and asked them about a side locker, to which they replied "it's not impossible, but I don't think they have anything planned, we've had a lot of requests for them though" you think craftsman launching a "professional" tool storage solution they'd read the room, but I guess not.

US General from Horror Freight will hang off of pretty much anything and they are pretty well made. I had one hanging on a 40 inch Snap On for a few years.

 

[RandoRemi]

US General from Horror Freight will hang off of pretty much anything and they are pretty well made. I had one hanging on a 40 inch Snap On for a few years.

That's the one I was mainly looking at putting on it. It has a 1-inch overhang that I can offset to the back to keep a flush look.
Probably have to drill 2 holes in the top and bottom box sides to fasten it down tight, which isn't a problem.

 

[Andres26tnt]

The plant opening was a blunder, but from everything I've read it seems like it was a whirlwind of issues that all showed themselves at once, mainly being covid and supply-chain/faulty outdated equipment. Which is an absolute shame.

I think craftsman trying to get back into the commercial world is a pretty good move, I like a good few of the V-series tools, and they hold up well in the heavy-duty workspace.

Now if only they'd make that damn cabinet!

The problem is they only have one toolbox factory. So they have to choose what products to release. All the boxes from craftsman/Mac/Proto/DeWalt are made there. A side cabinet for craftsman is a low priority list as they still view them as a home gamer brand. The V line is a good start, but with a lot of issues. Best best is to get a HF side cabinet.

 

[Theronswanson]

You can't be serious? Not only did they open the factory and release 3 different sized tool kits(I own a bunch). They lost a lot of money due to multiple factors and closed the factory to stop the bleeding.

Fiy it wasn't Stanley fault entirely. We finally know what happened. Stanley B&D sued the equipment supplier Ajax-CECO. Basically they gave them faulty equipment that led to a bunch of issues in production. That itself led to delays and eventually the cancellation of all the tool retail orders.

I must have read a bad article or 2 on the deal. As I read it, they never opened the facility.

 

[mreisner]

That's the one I was mainly looking at putting on it. It has a 1-inch overhang that I can offset to the back to keep a flush look.
Probably have to drill 2 holes in the top and bottom box sides to fasten it down tight, which isn't a problem.

I just did two on the bottom lip of mine and didn't do anything on the top box and it worked perfectly. Once it gets a little weight in there it doesn't really move around anyway.

 

[u2slow]

Side-lockers are costly for the space they afford.

Better value to buy another rolling chest.

 

[RandoRemi]

Hate to necro the thread, but here's the finished product! Bolted in and secured with the locker door flipped around
Fits perfectly!

 

[Steve_P]

Hello!
I was wondering if anyone owns the 56in Craftsman V-series tool chest and cabinet and has successfully mounted some kind of side locker.

I actually recently got in touch with Waterloo (produces the craftsman boxes, including V-Series) and asked them about a side locker, to which they replied "it's not impossible, but I don't think they have anything planned, we've had a lot of requests for them though" you think craftsman launching a "professional" tool storage solution they'd read the room, but I guess not.

Craftsman sold a side locker and also a side cabinet for the Griplatch series of tool chests 10+ years ago; the issue was that almost nobody bought them because of the high price relative to the chests themselves. Even the middle tool chest didn't sell much because of that reason and is very uncommon to see. So, Waterloo may be going by past sales figures in their current and future product decisions.

Those V-series boxes look nice as does the added locker. I think that's the first time I've seen them here - at least that someone has bought.

 

[RandoRemi]

I never knew that about the griplatch boxes.
Id understand waterloo going by those sales figures though, craftsman themselves probably want to avoid another big loss as well considering their reputation as of now.

I like the v-series boxes quite alot. For the money I definitely think it's worth it. Hopefully craftsman continues this trend of more "commercial" grade chests and tools.

 

[Steve_P]

I never knew that about the griplatch boxes.
Id understand waterloo going by those sales figures though, craftsman themselves probably want to avoid another big loss as well considering their reputation as of now.

I like the v-series boxes quite alot. For the money I definitely think it's worth it. Hopefully craftsman continues this trend of more "commercial" grade chests and tools.

Good to hear you like the v-series boxes.

Not sure about craftsman's reputation right now, but I wouldn't go by GJ because this is a statistically irrelevant sliver of opinion, and it's highly biased towards certain brands, and against others (SK, Craftsman, Gearwrench...). This came up in the v-series wrench thread and because of that I did a generic "craftsman" search on Amazon; there were all sorts of Craftsman products that I've never seen before that had sold 1,000+ units in the last month, and with >4* reviews. Meanwhile, the GJ crowd is obsessed with the boutique brands like Koken, Nepros, PB Swiss.... which have a tiny fraction of those sales in the US. My point isn't that Craftsman is great or PB is bad, or that selling a lot of **** is better than selling a small amount of quality products, but rather that the Craftsman name still has a lot of value in the US to the typical 99.99% customer, despite what you'll read here from the tool snob 0.01%.

I have a bunch of the Griplatch boxes and other typical Craftsman tools like wrenches and sockets. I don't think I've bought anything with the Craftsman name in ten years until I bought the V-series metric wrench set on sale a few months ago- and they're gorgeous wrenches.

 

[Skellyii]

Craftsman sold a side locker and also a side cabinet for the Griplatch series of tool chests 10+ years ago; the issue was that almost nobody bought them because of the high price relative to the chests themselves. Even the middle tool chest didn't sell much because of that reason and is very uncommon to see. So, Waterloo may be going by past sales figures in their current and future product decisions.

Those V-series boxes look nice as does the added locker. I think that's the first time I've seen them here - at least that someone has bought.

Agreed. I have a Craftsman Professional side cabinet and a middle tool chest, but I found them dirt cheap at estate sales. I don't remember ever seeing the middle cabinets in the stores.

BTW: Are the V-series tool chests available in any brick and mortar store, or is it online only?

 

[RandoRemi]

Agreed. I have a Craftsman Professional side cabinet and a middle tool chest, but I found them dirt cheap at estate sales. I don't remember ever seeing the middle cabinets in the stores.

BTW: Are the V-series tool chests available in any brick and mortar store, or is it online only?

Got mine at lowes. They rarely stock more than one set though.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Bild your own side lockers, I did. In fact, I built 27 of the tall units. (4&5)

 

[Andres26tnt]

I never knew that about the griplatch boxes.
Id understand waterloo going by those sales figures though, craftsman themselves probably want to avoid another big loss as well considering their reputation as of now.

I like the v-series boxes quite alot. For the money I definitely think it's worth it. Hopefully craftsman continues this trend of more "commercial" grade chests and tools.

When I seen in store, I thought it was great box. Definitely worth the money. It's not that expensive compared to the other Uber expensive USA made boxes. But to the 99% that shop at Lowes it's quite expensive. Especially when they have the equivalent husky/Milwaukee/kobalt near or what ever brand is cheapest. Hopefully they will expand the line for sure. I will like to see a tool cart of some sort to compete with HF and husky.