How old is the tool box your still using?

[b-mack]

I know a Tech that has had his tool box from day one 42 years strong...That's amazing with all the new boxes coming out not to be influenced to buy a new one...YOU?

 

[katy]

I have a Kennedy chest that I bought used in '55 or'56 and it's still going strong except for the green felt liners are pretty decrepid now. They've been covered w/cardboard for the last 30 or 40 (or more) years. Lost the key somewhere around 1970. It doesn't get used as much now as it did before I retired.
Of course my stock of tools has grown substantially over the years so I purchased additional boxes along the way, including a filing cabinet that holds pullers in the bottom drawer, disk grinders in the 2nd drawer, air tools in the next drawer and assorted in the top drawer.

 

[R6 Racer]

I bought my SnapOn rolling cabinet new in 76 & I'm still using it today. It no longer rolls around, I have it built into my bench.

Steve

 

[Thumper68]

Bought my First Craftsman upper and lower in '86 so that makes it 28 years.

Will be picking up a couple of HF 44's to make a bench and more storage, the CM boxes are over full and pass the lower along to my son for his tools, be nice to get his small boxes out of the way.

 

[monkeyspanners]

Got a 20 year old Britool two draw tool box i use for all my hand tools in the work truck, its taking a break now as the bottom has just fallen off due to rust from working in dairies and farms, i plan to weld it back together!

Trying a Veto bag as a temporary replacement, not sure i like it yet...

 

[Steevo]

I bought my Snap-On tool boxes in 1977/78, and they are still in great condition. I take care of my stuff.

Today:

I didn't buy them new, but my Powr-Kraft (Remline) boxes were made in the 1960's, and I use them as my garage box today:

 

[vdt1977]

Mine would be a year old in March...but I traded it in and new one should be here tomorrow. So, -1 day old? This HAS to be the last box I ever buy though... (which I also said with my last 2 box purchases)

 

[DieselSaves]

A good friend and local mechanic has and still uses his original SO box from c. '75. It is a 26" with a MAC top and SO side locker. I was talking to him about it a while back. He said it was all he needed as a Diesel mechanic in the seventies. It only started getting overloaded when he had to start adding metric. It looks to me like the transition to metric urged the adoption of much larger tool boxes to accommodate the double sets of tools needed.

 

[woody 73]

Craftsman upper and lower sometime in 1984, still going strong after 30 years.

 

[foreverfalcon40]

I have So boxes From the 90's, 80's and 50-60's era. All into one unique set-up. Got them all second hand. I clean them once a week but I am out growing them really want a triple bank with 2 sidelockers. These older boxes with shallow draw space kills me!

 

[mortimersnerd]

I worked at Minit Lube when I was about 18 and got mine free when they bought new ones. Would have been about 1993.

 

[Revere Cycles]

I am relatively young, 27, so my tool box "stewardship" isn't terribly long. I use the term stewardship because 99% of my tool storage came to me used. The only thing I bought new was my canvas Klein tool bag, which I used at the beginning of my career.

My Snap On Rollabench is from the late 1950s, Kennedy roller from the 1980s, and the rest of my boxes are somewhere in between. All of them have been cleaned and brought back to proper working condition. I am positive all of them will outlast me.

 

[Tinner]

I have a KRA-537A/557B that were made in '78 or '79. I bought them in 1981 slightly used, still serving me well today.

 

[kd3pc]

old guy - 58 years old, with a Craftsman top box, still used daily that I got as a graduation present in 1972. Real box is a craftsman 42" wide top and bottom, bought new in 1984, still going strong and used daily.

The real difference is needs vs wants....

Enjoy!!

 

[Steinmetz]

I have a large Kennedy chest I bought new in 1968 ($45, as I recall). It's still in fine shape except for a few paint scrapes.

 

[daparrothead]

Bought my Snap On boxes in 1985, they were moved around to numerous shops when I was wrenching for a living so they have a few small dings here and there but still in really good shape. Never had one issue with these boxes other than they have gotten to small. lol

Instead of buying a larger (taco wagon lower) I'm in the hunt for another KR-557, going to build a frame to put both of them on and restore the boxes. Will be way cheaper than a new larger box.

 

[Steinmetz]

I also have a couple of cantilever-type boxes made by Simonsen Metal Products Co. They were not new, but purchased from a military surplus house in the mid-1960's. They probably date from the mid-fiftties. I think I paid not more than several dollars each for them. Still also in fine shape.

 

[premierplayer]

The real difference is needs vs wants....

Yeppers, that's it.

At work I have my Dads SO mid & upper purchased new in `53 upon his return from Korea. Use it every day (along with half the shop )

 

[Mavawreck]

1940s Craftsman roller and 1950s Snap On chest. So 40 and 30 years older than I am.

 

[ABADWILLYS]

Mine, I believe i bought in 1982, thats the year i started at a GM dealer, and still in use today, its been in numerous shops and even in shops across this country, i wouldnt buy bigger because it needed to fit in my truck!! Function wise everything still works fine but cosmetically its showing its age..
this pic was taken just last year...back wrenchin in a GM dealer,
in my home shop i have a 1970's old craftsman and Kennedy boxes in nice shape still..

 

[wafrederick]

I have a Matco 4S bottom box that is a year old and the top box will be a year old next month.I have a Mac top and bottom chest that is 19 years old at home in my bedroom.the drawers open and close great to this day.

 

[crewchief888]

'85 kr 555/550b i bought new, still in use at work


'79 kr 537a
'76 kra 300b
'78 kr 274
'85 kr 274b
'77 kr 272

'94 harley edition SO last new truck brand box i bought

all in use in the garage.

 

[Hyster Gareth]

I have a Snap On KRA58 made in 1979 and purchased by my father and is still being used by me. I was given it in the early 90's when I started my apprenticeship.

 

[kenburkholz]

My dad bought his Snap on top chest and roll cab new in 1954 and used it until he retired in 1975, Never added or changed anything. His machinist box was a Kennedy that he bought in w.w. II when he was in Alaska. Ken.

 

[NUTTSGT]

My bottom box was bought back in the late 90's by Mom for my step-dad then I got it shortly after since he wasn't using it. I repainted it black when I added on to it. Sitting next to it is his original Cman box (stored in my garage) probably from the late 70's. It works fine but does show some age. My top box I bought in Nov '98.

 

[930dreamer]

The only new box I bought is my Snap On from 1985. My oldest Snap On cabinet is stamped 1969.

 

[Honda guy]

My current work boxes were about 8 years old, when I bought them, used, back in 2002. Mac MB7100/7200 top and bottom.

Original work boxes were a Kennedy? top and a Montgomery Wards bottom that I bought, used, in the mid 80's. Retired to home use now.

 

[kool_BOY8323]

first box was an all american by waterloo that i got used at a garage sale for 60 bucks. not sure of its exact age, but ive had it about 6 years. my second was my HF 5 drawer cart i got about 2 and a half years ago. the third was my 86 craftsman box that was a gift from my father in law, that ive had going on 2 years. i added the 7 drawer cab to my cart about 6 or 7 months ago, and i just got my HF 26" to replace my waterloo at work back in august. the waterloo and craftsman sit at home now. im getting a mid 70's craftsman 26 top box tomorrow. that will come home and probly store the knife collection. id like to find a bottom for it. soon..

then there's the 2 drawer waterloo that i got as a gift from my old job, the 3 drawer kmart special that ive had for about 15 years, the stack on 3 drawer that i got from a pawn shop about 4 years ago, and the plastic walmart special that ive had longer than any of them. probly about 20 years, i used to use it for bicycle tools when i was racing bmx back then.

i just realized i have 12 toolboxes, not counting the large trunks i keep some tools in. i feel like the taco bell dog, i think i need a bigger box...lol

 

[turnpikecrusier]

Got my craftsman box in 82, still using it.

 

[torqueman2002]

In the early '70s I bought used CM boxes and still use them. Repainted about 10 years ago. I don't recall what I paid, but here's a catalog too.

About 5 years ago, I bought a used set of SO boxes when I needed more storage in the shop. (The CMs are in the basement.)

Last year, I added another side cabinet.

 

[NHBandit]

It's not my go to box anymore and has been retired to duty as a place to store seldom used specialty tools, spare stuff, etc. but I bought the complete MAC set new in 1974 and all 3 boxes still even take the same key.

 

[joecon]

The oldest box I bought new is my Yorktown that I bought in 1976 but I have some
old snap ons from the 40s or 50s and my dads from the late 50s

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Newest boxes are 25 years old. Have a Snap On from the '50s, and some '60s Craftsman boxes for the oldest.

 

[kool_BOY8323]

In the early '70s I bought used CM boxes and still use them. Repainted about 10 years ago. I don't recall what I paid, but here's a catalog too.

About 5 years ago, I bought a used set of SO boxes when I needed more storage in the shop. (The CMs are in the basement.)

Last year, I added another side cabinet.

those old craftsmans have so much style.

 

[00S4Boy]

My KRL1024 is only 3.5 years old. I will probably have it until the day i die though.

 

[chrisa7164]

My big Snap On KRL 1003B work box was bought new in 2003. I have a KR 537 that I bought used in the mid 90's. It was the first box that my dealer ever sold when he started in the business in 1976. I have a Mac MB1500 that I bought used in 1995. And I have a Craftsman 12 drawer top chest and 12 drawer bottom rollaway that were bought new in the late 80's for my home boxes.

 

[ken w.]

I bought my S/O in 84-85 and still use them. I've added many more boxes since then.

 

[Mumbly00]

As old as me!!!!!! The snap on kr557/537 combo was born in '84 the kr(298? Been celebrating numbers elude me) is an '82. I am an '82, and trust me my tool box is in better shape

 

[k1rodeoboater]

I recently was given my Grandfather's machinist tool box. According to my dad he thinks it may be the same one he used during WWII while making airplane parts for the war effort. He's not sure but it may go back to the 30's as my Grandfather worked at that same plant from 1931 (started at 15yrs old) till he retired in the 80's, never having finished high school.

My dad has his old workbench which he made from the pallets at the factory. I think he has some of his old tools as well, I'm not really sure which are which anymore. Next time I'm home I'll have to figure that out. I know we have coffee cans full of nuts/bolts, misc hand tools, and random bits that my Grandfather had in his garage.

 

[zkling]

I'm not a pro, just a home user, but. My main tool box is just slightly older than I, a late 80's KR637/657 setup. ~26 years old

50's kennedy 520 that I use as a portable box. Pretty heavily modified though. ~60 years old

Oldest box is a '37 snap on combo. Keep mostly welding and brazing stuff in the top drawers, misc battery charger and the like in the bottom. Access it at least 5 times a week for tungsten, cups and the like. ~77 years old and quite honestly not a thing wrong with it.

I bought my Snap-On tool boxes in 1977/78, and they are still in great condition. I take care of my stuff.


Today:


I didn't buy them new, but my Powr-Kraft (Remline) boxes were made in the 1960's, and I use them as my garage box today:

Always enjoy Steev's setup. If you don't mind my asking, why do you have a 27" top and middle on a 33" bottom? Does it have any issues with warping the top since the bottom is wider?

The power-kraft setup is awesome. It looks just like the old craftsman boxes from the 50's.