First visit to a MAC truck

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

How do the ranks work with boxes? Is KRA above Classic? Is Tech above Macimiser? I have a tone of catologues but it doesnt rank them. I then need to log onto the portal to see the price. It is very confusing. Even some of the van men have trouble explaining it.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Pretty much! I can pick it up and wield it but to actually use it......... A Nigerian OIM though it was a good idea? Enough said. We used a pnuematic bolter in the end. It might actually be a Snap-On! I could stick it on ebay!

 

[Dirty Diesels]

Pretty much! I can pick it up and wield it but to actually use it......... A Nigerian OIM though it was a good idea? Enough said. We used a pnuematic bolter in the end. It might actually be a Snap-On! I could stick it on ebay!

LOL, I don't blame you, was it an inch drive impact gun?

 

[Olafur]

Re: toolbox in the UK
After looking for months on the web, this is what I found most interesting:
Take a look at this: https://sortandtorque.com/storage/drawer-cabinets

Note, they can supply (much) bigger cabinets than they show in the online store.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Re: toolbox in the UK
After looking for months on the web, this is what I found most interesting:
Take a look at this: https://sortandtorque.com/storage/drawer-cabinets

Note, they can supply (much) bigger cabinets than they show in the online store.

No it was a pneumo/hydraulic knocker

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Re: toolbox in the UK
After looking for months on the web, this is what I found most interesting:
Take a look at this: https://sortandtorque.com/storage/drawer-cabinets

Note, they can supply (much) bigger cabinets than they show in the online store.

They look a bit crappy though. Do you own one? Are then any good? For that price I would expect junk but, prove me wrong!!

 

[Olafur]

They look a bit crappy though. Do you own one? Are then any good? For that price I would expect junk but, prove me wrong!!

Don't own one. What I saw in them is how deep the drawers are (57cm) and the load capacity, and the possibility to order the drawer configuration I wanted. And I love boxes with few BIG drawers so I don't have to spend the day shifting between them looking for tools. (think all 120cm wide x 57cm deep drawers from top to bottom)

CABINET SIZES
There is a multitude of different sized Polstore cabinets ranging from 411-1,431mm and heights from 283-1625mm. There are plenty of drawer heights to choose from in 25 mm increments ranging from 50mm- 400mm. Because the system is modular you can create pretty much any specification you require.

These are industrial cabinets. Sure don't look like junk to me - take a look at this video and judge for yourself:

IMHO you get a lot for your money in these judging by the prices in the online store. And from the description they are in different league than most automotive oriented toolboxes. (material thickness, 200 kg ball bearing sliders etc..)

 

[dutchgray]

Those cabinets look good to me, if I had the room it's where I would spend my money over a big tool brand box.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Don't own one. What I saw in them is how deep the drawers are (57cm) and the load capacity, and the possibility to order the drawer configuration I wanted. And I love boxes with few BIG drawers so I don't have to spend the day shifting between them looking for tools. (think all 120cm wide x 57cm deep drawers from top to bottom)



These are industrial cabinets. Sure don't look like junk to me - take a look at this video and judge for yourself:

IMHO you get a lot for your money in these judging by the prices in the online store. And from the description they are in different league than most automotive oriented toolboxes. (material thickness, 200 kg ball bearing sliders etc..)

I have sent them an e-mail to either send a catologue or a rep to come and say hello. My years budget is spent but I can spen more. I think we have 500 left to spend on hand tools so I will give them a try. Just a shame Matco dont care.

 

[Skin]

How do the ranks work with boxes? Is KRA above Classic? Is Tech above Macimiser? I have a tone of catologues but it doesnt rank them. I then need to log onto the portal to see the price. It is very confusing. Even some of the van men have trouble explaining it.

Heritage->KRA(Classic)->KRL->EPIC.

The latter 3 are differentiated primarily by size, bracing and drawer slides/options (such as casters) as opposed to steel gauge. In other words, all other things being equal, a Classic and EPIC are structurally pretty similar. Heritage use a thinner gauge construction for parts of the cabinet

Similar story for Select, Tech, and Macsimizer.

Select comparable to Heritage.
Tech somewhere inbetween KRA and KRL
Macsimizer comparable to KRL/EPIC.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Thanks for that.

 

[Formula]

No matter where I've worked, there's always been a snap on guy. Seeing a regular Mac guy is about as rare as a Bigfoot siting.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

No matter where I've worked, there's always been a snap on guy. Seeing a regular Mac guy is about as rare as a Bigfoot siting.

I thought so too. In fact I thought they had died off due to selling Chinese junk.The guy that came to me has just started up. I have always bought Snap-On but the MAC pliers just seem to fit my hands better. Their screwdrivers seem quite good for the price too. I have tons of Knipex pliers which are good but I dont like the grips. The MAC ones seem to be just right, go figure!

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

The MAC knuckle savers seemed like really good wrenches but I was not impressed with the Precision Torque ones. Compared to my Snappy sets they seemed cheap and uncomfortable to use. The standard knuckle savers were in my opinion on a par with Snap-On. The dealer was pushing the Precision Torque but I thought they were pretty ****. If I do decide to buy some it will be the Knuckle-Saver version.

 

[Dirty Diesels]

The MAC knuckle savers seemed like really good wrenches but I was not impressed with the Precision Torque ones. Compared to my Snappy sets they seemed cheap and uncomfortable to use. The standard knuckle savers were in my opinion on a par with Snap-On. The dealer was pushing the Precision Torque but I thought they were pretty ****. If I do decide to buy some it will be the Knuckle-Saver version.

Had the jaws of a 15mm knuckle saver spread on me, so I've gone Snap-on/Blue-point for mine now!

 

[Rosso]

Rather than start a new thread as this is along the same line of discussion, does anyone know if Mac pliers are made in USA ? They do a few that Snap on don't make which i would buy but for the price they are i hope they are US ?

 

[Wamsutta]

Rather than start a new thread as this is along the same line of discussion, does anyone know if Mac pliers are made in USA ? They do a few that Snap on don't make which i would buy but for the price they are i hope they are US ?

That depends on the part number. Some are rebadged Channellock; some are made by Kal Tool; some are made by Stanley-Proto; and some are made by an unknown Asian tool maker.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Rather than start a new thread as this is along the same line of discussion, does anyone know if Mac pliers are made in USA ? They do a few that Snap on don't make which i would buy but for the price they are i hope they are US ?

The ones I am planning on buying had USA proudly stamped on them. However there were about 20 next to the set I am going to buy which had MAC but no USA stamped. Guess which set I am going for!!!

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Re: toolbox in the UK
After looking for months on the web, this is what I found most interesting:
Take a look at this: https://sortandtorque.com/storage/drawer-cabinets

Note, they can supply (much) bigger cabinets than they show in the online store.

Their REP phoned me on Tuesday and apparently they supply their boxes to the USAF. Because Snap-On keep breaking! I don't believe a word of it but they are sending up a rep and a catalogue so we shall see. They don't seem to make roll cab style boxes which may be a problem. They do seem to talk a good job, and if the USAF use them they can't be bad. However when I worked for British Aerospace everything was Snap-On and all the US Marines kit was Snap-On too? Go figure.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Their REP phoned me on Tuesday and apparently they supply their boxes to the USAF. Because Snap-On keep breaking! I don't believe a word of it but they are sending up a rep and a catalogue so we shall see. They don't seem to make roll cab style boxes which may be a problem. They do seem to talk a good job, and if the USAF use them they can't be bad. However when I worked for British Aerospace everything was Snap-On and all the US Marines kit was Snap-On too? Go figure.

The Sales Rep contacted me and dropped off these catalogues today. They do seem good quality but as far as I know are made in Italy so may be the same as Beta. Better than Snap-On? I dont know but they certainly look very good. The prices are almost Snap-On territory though.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

I need to see a picture of said spanners. Especially the 150 mm one!

The 150mm is behind loads of junk in the back of a container. However I did manage to take a pic of my 95mm stubby.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

The 150mm is behind loads of junk in the back of a container. However I did manage to take a pic of my 95mm stubby.

I want one just as a novelty. People must look like midgets using one.

 

[Olafur]

The Sales Rep contacted me and dropped off these catalogues today. They do seem good quality but as far as I know are made in Italy so may be the same as Beta. Better than Snap-On? I dont know but they certainly look very good. The prices are almost Snap-On territory though.

Don't think Beta is responsible. Their current main line of boxes feel light duty and very different design. I bought new, kinda oddball toolbox from Beta recently - top and bottom. That one came to me packed in cardboard covered with strange symbols in asian language. Don't think it's made in Italy.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Don't think Beta is responsible. Their current main line of boxes feel light duty and very different design. I bought new, kinda oddball toolbox from Beta recently - top and bottom. That one came to me packed in cardboard covered with strange symbols in asian language. Don't think it's made in Italy.

Thats disapointing as I quite like Beta, but there is no-way I am paying their prices if they are made in Asia. They are dearer than MAC for a lot of things, and occasionaly Snap-On believe it or not! That is even with a 20% trade discount.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

I want one just as a novelty. People must look like midgets using one.

Its good for a laugh if nothing else!

 

[dutchgray]

Quite a bit of Beta stuff is still Italian made or at least European and to be fair for the low price you can get their smaller boxes on eBay they can't be anything other than Asian made.
The problem is working out what comes from where as they don't mark COO generally.

 

[Olafur]

Here is a crappy pic of my Beta box.

 

[MikeF2316]

The 150mm is behind loads of junk in the back of a container. However I did manage to take a pic of my 95mm stubby.

Nice.

Folks were impressed with my 55 mm socket. This is a whole other level. Post up the 150 when you dig it out.

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

Here is a crappy pic of my Beta box.

That looks like a decent box. Is it a 40"? I had a look at some of the Beta stuff at the nearest dealer to me which is Grampian Fasteners. Most of it seems good. I am concerned if they are made in Asia though. When I asked the question all I got was blank faces and they tried to avoid the question so it must be true. It's a pity. The only tool dealer that doesn't seem to hide it is Snap-On. If you ask him he will look it up straight away and tell you where it is made.

 

[Dirty Diesels]

The 150mm is behind loads of junk in the back of a container. However I did manage to take a pic of my 95mm stubby.

How big is your cheater pipe, to fit that spanner so you can turn the damn thing? I would imagine the nuts and bolts those spanners fit must have some serious torque settings!

 

[Scotland Offshore ABZ]

How big is your cheater pipe, to fit that spanner so you can turn the damn thing? I would imagine the nuts and bolts those spanners fit must have some serious torque settings!

Yep seroius torque. A lot of the time the sockets and spanners are just used to line up the gaskets so the flange doesn't leak. Then the big Air Guns and some out to play!

 

[Olafur]

That looks like a decent box. Is it a 40"? I had a look at some of the Beta stuff at the nearest dealer to me which is Grampian Fasteners. Most of it seems good. I am concerned if they are made in Asia though. When I asked the question all I got was blank faces and they tried to avoid the question so it must be true. It's a pity. The only tool dealer that doesn't seem to hide it is Snap-On. If you ask him he will look it up straight away and tell you where it is made.

Overall it's 42" wide. It's a decent box, but I don't have comparison from for ex. Snap On. Never seen one.
Here are the details: http://www.beta-tools.com/catalog/a...ang_en/__catlang_en/__catalog_beta/__filters_

Yes the COO thing is a bit difficult for many tool dealers. It's really a shame Europe doesn't have the same rules as the US regarding that. I have known Beta for long time and they make very good tools IMHO. Seems like they still do.