HF vs Matco boxes for home useage...

[Kona Cruisers]

OK well at work I have a Snap on Master Series that I recently upgraded to, so this isn't a constant use item.

I already have an OLD matco 52 inch wide by 24 inch deep box, with a side cabinet and side drawer section, which I use at home. I am CONTEMPLATEING..
Selling it for around 1500 for the whole thing, and spending that on a 3-4 HF Bottom boxes and two full height end lockers and haveing "THE TOOL BOX WALL"!!!

WOUlD you do it?

why or why not?

 

[KingConstruction]

Im not big on HF but if you need the storage space for tools than that would be an easy way to get it with out having to spend alot out of pocket, and from what i have heard the HF boxes arent to bad

 

[NUTTSGT]

Why not just keep the Matco and add the HF parts ?

 

[Nuit Damnant]

I've seen both up close, and personally, while the HF box isn't bad, I'd personally rather have the Matco. Much better quality IMHO. Plus depending on how old the Matco is, it probably has character.

 

[BB26]

Quantity or quality...what's more important to you? Personally, I would choose quality. Just like I would rather have one set of quality wrenches versus ten sets of HF wrenches.

 

[Kona Cruisers]

its a mid eighty Taco cart....

cant get parts anymore....

 

[alamerang]

its a mid eighty Taco cart....

cant get parts anymore....

You'll probably be in the same boat with the HF box as far as parts go. IMHO its a good light to medium duty box for the money. If I were you, I'd go to the store and spend a few minutes checking it out since only you really know what you have and what you want out of a box. Then make your decision based on that. If you expect to have a a lot more tool storage needs in the near future then you cant go wrong for the price.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

For light duty home use, they can't be beat for the value they have. You are already covered at work with a good pro box so the HF rollers should work well for what you are wanting them to do.

 

[Mickey O]

OK well at work I have a Snap on Master Series that I recently upgraded to, so this isn't a constant use item.

I already have an OLD matco 52 inch wide by 24 inch deep box, with a side cabinet and side drawer section, which I use at home. I am CONTEMPLATEING..
Selling it for around 1500 for the whole thing, and spending that on a 3-4 HF Bottom boxes and two full height end lockers and haveing "THE TOOL BOX WALL"!!!

WOUlD you do it?

Hell no.

why or why not?

A billion reasons.

Do you really need that much drawer storage?

Would you rather have a steak or a hamburger, the hamburger is cheaper?

Your tools will hate you.

A cardboard box will do the same as a HF box for much less if money is a big concern.

More space in the landfills in ten years if you don't buy the HF boxes.

You can buy cheaper USA or Canadian made boxes on Craig's list.

Would you rather one Porsche or 5 Yugo's?

..............

 

[Aberdale]

Mickey makes a compelling argument without bringing up COO. (Thanks Mickey.)
A good used Mac, Matco, Snap On, or even Craftsman Professional Series will hold it's value much more than the HF box. Think about 5 years from now. A 5 year old HF box will be worth nothing. If you buy a used pro box, it will likely be worth as much in 5 years as you payed today. (If you take care of it.)

I was seriously considering buying several HF boxes, but ended up buying a couple really nice Mac boxes off Craigslist. I have absolutely no regrets, and spent about the same money that I would hve spent on the HF boxes. JMO.

Dale

 

[TheGrooveking]

its a mid eighty Taco cart....

cant get parts anymore....

MY mid 80's taco cart is still kickin' *** and hasn't needed any parts, someday I may upgrade the casters.

TheGrooveking

 

[arkangel06]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[crewchief888]

its a mid eighty Taco cart....

cant get parts anymore....

and you think that a 25 year old box is worth $1500?

if i buy a box, i get the best box i can afford, i wouldnt sell any box i already have and buy HF

just my $.02

 

[stricht8]

No Freakin' Way! Buy some used quality tool truck brand boxes. As mentioned earlier they will hold their value.

 

[drsifu]

I have absolutely no regrets, and spent about the same money that I would hve spent on the HF boxes. JMO.

Dale

Many people have made this same exact statement, but none are willing to show proof of it.

Show me a used Matco/Snap-On/truck branded box that you paid under $300 for that has the same dimensions as a HF box.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90320

I understand that the quality may not be up to par, but there is no way in hell you can find a used truck branded box with the same dimensions as the 13-drawer HF box for under $300, which is the price I paid for my HF box.

but as to the question at hand, what do you want? if you need the extra storage, sell the Matco. if you don't, keep the Matco until you do need the space and than sell it.

 

[red]

My problem is there is almost never any truck branded box on craigs list in my area. In fact when HF boxes are on sale they are always out-of-stock. Have to show up on delivery day to score a box! (Maybe) Saw some tools yesterday on craigs list and slept on it and today they're gone!

 

[Aberdale]

Many people have made this same exact statement, but none are willing to show proof of it.

Show me a used Matco/Snap-On/truck branded box that you paid under $300 for that has the same dimensions as a HF box.

Yeah, you're right. It's not an apples-to-apples comparison, because none of the professional boxes are like the HF box. But here's the deal:

I was going to buy the HF roller box ($339 on sale), the top box ($299 on sale) and a side box ($199 on sale). The total price at HF would be $837 plus $66.77 sales tax for a total of $899.77 It seemed like a great deal, even though I wasn't crazy about the pinkish red crinkle finish paint.

In the meantime, a pair of Mac boxes, a MB4290B (http://www.mactools.com/product/tabid/120/p-319318-mb4290b.aspx) and MB4295B (http://www.mactools.com/product/tabid/120/p-319319-mb4295b.aspx) came up for sale on CL for $1000. I went to look at the set, which looked almost new, and offered the owner $800, which he took. It also had the fold out shelf option, and a key lockbox attached as a bonus.

Is it the same as a HF box? No. But I would rather own $2858.00 worth of Mac boxes for $800 than $899 worth of HF boxes that will be 25% of that in 5 years. If I choose to sell my Mac boxes in 5 years I'm pretty confident I could get my purchase price back or more. And I didn't have to settle for the pinkish crinkle finish.

To each his own. If you are happy with the HF box, then good for you. I'm just saying that the purchase of a good quality used box was a no brainer for me.

Dale

 

[bb1970]

Keep the Matco. In time the HF boxes are going to fall apart. There are already posts about struts for the lids failing, drawer problems, etc. In time everyone will see how much toolbox $300 buys. I'll bet the first thing that all these guys do is scrape th U.S. general tag off of their new boxes.

 

[stricht8]

Many people have made this same exact statement, but none are willing to show proof of it.

I bought a 1970's fully functional standard narrow whatever that is SO bottom and top box with the fold out side shelf and a Husky intermediate thrown in all for $200. So I'm sure that if you pay a little more you could get a bigger Truck brand box.

 

[hyisbm]

we need to make a thread for these "deals" some people are finding and where they are located. I have been keeping an eye out for the past year and not one deal such as those mentioned have been seen. around here, a truck brand box with the same dimensions as a HF will not be had for anything less than $1000. I do recall seeing the same person posting the same box for pretty much the same price for a whole year. believe me, if I found a deal I would jump on it but no such luck in this neighborhood.

and for the OP, I take it your idea is to organize and hide most of the stuff in your garage. And you already know it won't be used too often. I don't see why a wall of HF boxes would fall apart on you any time soon. At the very least, I would say you would definitely get your money's worth before that happened if ever.

 

[selohssa]

No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no!

 

[bdog]

Harbor Freight sells a LOT of junk and most of it is not worthe the metal it is made out of but their toolboxes are nice. For the price you can't beat them.

 

[gabeancounter]

I just bought 2 HF roller cabs last night $272 each. HF is a store full of mostly junk. These are one of the rare exceptions. The quality of the boxes are higher than the kobalt, husky, and cman I saw. This is a top quality box for the avg shade tree joe. You will find 100's of post telling you the same thing on the quality of these boxes.

I would dump the matco to someone else wanting a big name box and build a wall of HF boxes.

 

[sk farmer]

i won't comment on coo or brand x over brandy. i will dispute peoples argument on the harbor freight being worth nothing in five years. no they will not increase in value, i know that. are they worth half price a year later? i am sure they are but so is every other box. i know how they are built and put together and know they will last longer than then five years. if you need abox and that is your price range they are a reccomended buy from me. you will take a hit on any brand you buy if you sell them.

 

[1984GMC]

I bet I could sell my HF box for less than the full price and more than I paid for ....vs the killing these guys on craigslist are having to try and sell their $5k SO or mac box for 2 grand or less.

 

[jam022316]

I would. In my opinion, especially for home use, the truck boxes are way overpriced. I really like the quality of the masterforce boxes at Menards and feel they're prety snazzy for home use. I think if you aren't using it day in, day out, a HF box(es) would hold up just fine.

 

[crewchief888]

we need to make a thread for these "deals" some people are finding and where they are located. I have been keeping an eye out for the past year and not one deal such as those mentioned have been seen. around here, a truck brand box with the same dimensions as a HF will not be had for anything less than $1000. I do recall seeing the same person posting the same box for pretty much the same price for a whole year. believe me, if I found a deal I would jump on it but no such luck in this neighborhood.

and for the OP, I take it your idea is to organize and hide most of the stuff in your garage. And you already know it won't be used too often. I don't see why a wall of HF boxes would fall apart on you any time soon. At the very least, I would say you would definitely get your money's worth before that happened if ever.

those deals are very "territorial" i dont see many deals like that around here either, it's either a new (used) box, with an as new price, or a beat up set of CM, again with new prices.

 

[dreamingmuscle]

HF boxes. Not when I can have Stainless boxes from Sams Club for not much more $.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/se...earchfor=tool&simpleitemtype=0&location=store

________
find headshop

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I wouldn't sell the box you have, unless you have a very clear plan on what you want to do. I have two of the lower HF boxes for the base of the workbench on my back wall. For me, this was a signifigant upgrade.

They are not very cheap or flimsy, in spite of what the spewers say. They are a considerable upgrade from my old bearingless craftsman set from 25 years ago, which has held up fine in daily use. I wouldn't leave them out in the rain, or try to go four wheeling with them, but the HF boxes are very stout.

The HF boxes provide a very clean and uniform look to a workbench setup that can be rolled around if desired. In my case, they have doubled my storage capacity, but keep in mind that the drawers are only 16 inches deep, on an 18 inch cabinet.

For me, this was a one time deal. The sale price plus 20% off was very compelling, and they were brandy-new. I have never found a better deal on matching cabinets, and there isn't a better cabinet made for anywhere near that price IMO. I realize that a lot of HF stuff is cheap, but I thought that these cabinets were the best item in the store. I know that a lot of us have gotten sucked into garage ''fashion'', but really consider that a lot of the best working shops have a great layout.

If this is going to make your shop better for YOU, go for it. If you go to HF, and the boxes are not to your liking, I would be really surprized.

 

[shovel]

I somewhat disagree. The HF box is as sturdy as the Matco box, but not as pretty. The difference here is the HF box drawers are 16" deep vs 22" on the Matco. That extra 6" stores a lot more sockets and wrenches. There have been NO good deals on CL in my area. I'm still lookin....

 

[1984GMC]

HF boxes. Not when I can have Stainless boxes from Sams Club for not much more $.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/se...earchfor=tool&simpleitemtype=0&location=store

I checked those out, Just as crappy as the home depot/lowes turdburglers, too thin and flimsy.

 

[hyisbm]

those deals are very "territorial" i dont see many deals like that around here either, it's either a new (used) box, with an as new price, or a beat up set of CM, again with new price.

if that's the case (which seems like it is for a lot of people) then we shouldn't be suggesting others to "keep an eye out on... for a good deal" because that deal may not come. The advice should be "if you're looking for a truck brand, buy used only otherwise...would be adequate for home use". I can totally understand if you need it for your job but for the regular homeowner, I don't think a truck brand is necessary (unless you have the $$$ to spend). and I wouldn't doubt that for some of us, if we had a truck brand box, it might even be worth more than the garage itself which would probably fit my situation. I had my brother's truck brand box stored in my garage when he was transferring jobs and I actually felt sorry for the box. It did not look like it belonged there LOL

 

[gabeancounter]

I checked those out, Just as crappy as the home depot/lowes turdburglers, too thin and flimsy.

What is a turdburgler?/

 

[Art From De Leon]

What is a turdburgler?/

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=turd burglar

Definition #2

 

[dirttracker18]

I certainly understand the arguement and have thought about that myself. However, I have my fathers SO box and the only issue I ever had is that the name plate came off, an easy fix. The box is from the early 70's and works great. Our low end box that was a smokin deal on sale is only 5 years old and the drawers already don't open as well. I think I would have to go the CL route and find a quality used box or boxes.
BTW, my Craftsman and Mastercraft (Canadian Tire) pro boxes are still in great shape and have 10 years on them now. Both go on sale for great prices (like 50% off).

 

[gabeancounter]

oh man those are so funny! gotta bookmark that dictionary.

 

[lawfarm]

The resale points listed above may or may not be valid. Is a HF toolbox going to have the same resale value as a Mac toolbox in ten years? No. But the point the OP made is that he can have four HF toolboxes for the price he'll get from selling his used Mac, plus a few extra side boxes. So the question is: will four HF toolboxes and two side boxes have the same cumulative resale value in ten years as the one Mac box. I suspect the answer to this question is yes, although I don't have good info on HF toolbox resale value. (They are quite well-reviewed, so I believe that they may hold value well. In any event, he'd have 4+ to sell, instead of 1).

Beyond that argument, for me personally, resale value is a red herring. If I'm setting up my garage, I'm intending to keep and use the toolboxes. I don't buy stuff based on resale value--my wife can worry about that after I'm dead. I buy stuff based on how well it fits my needs and how well it will function. I have a HF bottom box and side box. For me, I'd definitely buy more HF stuff, and I'd definitely rather have 4+ HF boxes than one Mac box. Even if the Mac was worth a lot more $$, I'd rather have the HF boxes...no, wait, I'd rather have the Mac box so I could sell it and buy HF boxes. And that, in my opinion, is the answer to the original question. For a homeowner, the HF boxes will function beyond your expectations and offer a wealth of storage room. I don't think you can go wrong. Or, you can keep your one Mac box and not have enough storage. The choice is up to you.

 

[TheGrooveking]

I somewhat disagree. The HF box is as sturdy as the Matco box, but not as pretty. The difference here is the HF box drawers are 16" deep vs 22" on the Matco. That extra 6" stores a lot more sockets and wrenches. There have been NO good deals on CL in my area. I'm still lookin....

The HF box is not as sturdy as the Matco, the Matco has thicker steel and more welds.

TheGrooveking

 

[lawfarm]

The HF box is not as sturdy as the Matco, the Matco has thicker steel and more welds.

TheGrooveking

Not having cut apart a Matco box, I'll take your word for it. But let me rephrase as follows: The HF box is heavy duty enough for anything that you're likely to throw at it. The metal, welds, slides, etc. are all sturdy enough for some pretty serious use, and a lot of guys use these as base cabinets or as supports for machinery (lathes, etc). I don't think there are any realistic durability concerns with the HF boxes.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Absolutely I would. I have seen the boxes in person and know someone who has one. For the price, I don't think those boxes can be beat. They are a heck of a lot better than the **** sold at sears. I find it hard to believe that anyone cant appreciate the job these guys did on thier set-ups.