Help me identify this toolbox

[agdodge4x4]

My tool dealer took this in on trade in. I’ve been looking for a box for a while and everything I see they want a lot for them. I picked up this Mac Tool box and the Matco top box for a couple hundred for the pair. I took both sight unseen and the guy delivered it. Nice fella. Definitely going to do business with him in the future.

Admittedly the Mac Tool box is not as heavy duty as I expected but it was used by two professional mechanics so I guess it’s going to suffice just fine for me. It’s been used daily and still seems fine so….should be good to go. It has a lot of storage. Anyway, drawers work fine, and seem to be bearings on the Mac. The Matco might be friction but honestly, they are so smooth, I can’t tell.

What models and vintages are these Matco and Mac Tool boxes?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

The Matco box looks late 1970s. I have one like that with the corresponding roller box. They're built like tanks.

 

[agdodge4x4]

The Matco is pretty beefy.

 

[agdodge4x4]

FYI, In case anyone else needs the info, this Mac Tool Box is a MB4280. Looks like a Canadian Beach. Too bad. Looks like it's junk. Good thing the Matco came with it. LOL.

 

[Wamsutta]

FYI, In case anyone else needs the info, this Mac Tool Box is a MB4280. Looks like a Canadian Beach. Too bad. Looks like it's junk. Good thing the Matco came with it. LOL.

Those Beach boxes are indeed junk but I wasn't going to say anything out of politeness.

 

[agdodge4x4]

Those Beach boxes are indeed junk but I wasn't going to say anything out of politeness.

What are they worth? You aren't offending me. I knew it was thin when I bought it. It forced me to make space for it's size so it will get me by for a bit.

 

[1982fxr]

I never heard of Beach making those Matco boxes...?

 

[agdodge4x4]

I never heard of Beach making those Matco boxes...?

Yeah, they made some lighter duty boxes for Mac. Badged like Mac, but not made by mac. They also made Husky boxes back in the 90's. These boxes seem to be similar to the Harbor Freight boxes. Not great, but good enough. This one was used since new at a Ford and then VW dealer service near where I live. It was passed around as mechanics upgraded. LOL.

 

[1982fxr]

Yeah, they made some lighter duty boxes for Mac. Badged like Mac, but not made by mac. They also made Husky boxes back in the 90's. These boxes seem to be similar to the Harbor Freight boxes. Not great, but good enough. This one was used since new at a Ford and then VW dealer service near where I live. It was passed around as mechanics upgraded. LOL.

Are there any pics around of Beach badged versions of the box pictured above? I've never seen anything like that.

On the 90s Husky boxes, I think it's been clarified that those were never made by Beach, but from some unknown Canadian factory during Stanley's buyouts up there.

 

[agdodge4x4]

Are there any pics around of Beach badged versions of the box pictured above? I've never seen anything like that.

On the 90s Husky boxes, I think it's been clarified that those were never made by Beach, but from some unknown Canadian factory during Stanley's buyouts up there.

I have no idea. I don't keep up with that stuff. I basically look at a box and feel it. It's either suitable or it's not. This one is a thinner version, but for $200, I got a 55" chest with 19 drawers AND a Matco top box to go with it. I also looked at a MATCO that was considerably heavier for $2000 (a supposed quality unit) that had a top drawer that was crushed. So, I don't know how much it really matters if you maintain and care for your equipment. You aren't going to wear out even the cheapest ball bearing slides in two lifetimes unless you are just abusive and careless.

 

[1982fxr]

I don't think that top box was made by Beach. Looks like a standard old school Matco to me.

 

[mikedodge]

Yeah neither look like anything Beach made. Their boxes for other brands always had some similarity to their own.

Their later ones from the 90s without their classic aluminum handles were pretty flimsy the older ones were more solid.

 

[agdodge4x4]

Just to clarify the top box is an old Matco. It probably weighs 200lbs empty. Friction slides work like butter. Bottom is a Matco MB4280. Don’t know who made it and it doesn’t matter that much. Tons of storage and got about 300lbs of tools in it right now until I can upgrade.

 

[1982fxr]

Just to clarify the top box is an old Matco. It probably weighs 200lbs empty. Friction slides work like butter. Bottom is a Matco MB4280. Don’t know who made it and it doesn’t matter that much. Tons of storage and got about 300lbs of tools in it right now until I can upgrade.

I think you confused us when you called it junk earlier...

 

[agdodge4x4]

I think you confused us when you called it junk earlier...

I didn't mean to do that. I apologize. I meant it's not the same quality as my Mac Tools service cart with split top. I can bend the sides of these MB4280 drawers with my hands and damage them permanently. It is NOT a USA made box. Maybe it's not 'junk', but it's not top grade either. It's going to suffice until it doesn't, but hopefully by then I'll have an upgrade. It's serving it's purpose.

 

[1982fxr]

I didn't mean to do that. I apologize. I meant it's not the same quality as my Mac Tools service cart with split top. I can bend the sides of these MB4280 drawers with my hands and damage them permanently. It is NOT a USA made box. Maybe it's not 'junk', but it's not top grade either. It's going to suffice until it doesn't, but hopefully by then I'll have an upgrade. It's serving it's purpose.

Does it say made in Canada or something?

Far as I know all those old boxes were made in the upper northeast US...

 

[agdodge4x4]

Its Canadian. Kind of a shame because it has a superior layout to most any other boxes I see. 19 drawers with 'shallows' a plenty are more useful than the boxes with half the drawers because they are 8" deep. LOL.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Just to clarify the top box is an old Matco. It probably weighs 200lbs empty. Friction slides work like butter.

Nope, not quite that heavy. If it is, I'm a lot stronger than I thought considering I lifted one high enough to put on the roller box for it.

 

[1982fxr]

Am I the only one who's been a little confused for this whole thread?

 

[agdodge4x4]

Am I the only one who's been a little confused for this whole thread?

I asked for help identifying the boxes.
First box (Matco) was identified
Second box (Mac) I identified myself by finding the tag
Everything after that is discussion about the quality or lack thereof of the aforementioned boxes.

That's about it.

 

[rsanter]

My first though was that the bottom was an entry level box made my beach for Mac.

for what you paid you did just fine, I would have bought it in a heartbeat

 

[mikedodge]

Looks like Waterloo style drawers like this Husky.

 

[1982fxr]

My first though was that the bottom was an entry level box made my beach for Mac.

for what you paid you did just fine, I would have bought it in a heartbeat

I have never heard of Beach making boxes for Mac.

Also never heard of Mac making boxes in Canada? Didn't know they had a plant up there?

 

[rsanter]

I have never heard of Beach making boxes for Mac.

Also never heard of Mac making boxes in Canada? Didn't know they had a plant up there?

Beach made some of the lower end boxes for Mac, they were made in Canada as far as I always knew

 

[1982fxr]

Beach made some of the lower end boxes for Mac, they were made in Canada as far as I always knew

I thought that too and had posted it several times over the years. Last year someone extremely knowledgeable about Beaxh came on and said they never made those boxes.

Made in Canada, yes, but not by Beach.

 

[agdodge4x4]

That's what I thought. I even managed to find a place on Amazon that shipped me a key, so I have a factory lock and key that works, not that I need it. I pilfered some drawer detents and I will put those on eventually. Like I said, its 19 drawers and holds all of my ****!! LOL.

I had one bad slide, but I took it off and hammered, clamped, and bent it back to shape. With a few tools in the drawer, it works perfect.