Kennedy Tool Boxes

[Wamsutta]

Whenever we have a tool box shopping thread, there's never no mention of Kennedy; I wonder why. Is it because of the the drawer layout? Is it because of the availability? I'm curious. Seems like the Made in USA guys would be all over those boxes.

http://buykennedy.com/

http://buykennedy.com/product-category/kseries/

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'd venture to guess it's because most people think of them as a machinist tool box with small and shallow drawers.

 

[vssjim]

They have always been high quality, I have a few small and large never a problem. They were bought by Cornwell a few years ago.

 

[ken w.]

Kennedy makes mostly machinist boxes and the automotive boxes are quite expensive new. I bought a used set of Kennedy top (machinist) mid and bottom (automotive) filled to the brim with tools. I didn't have room for the boxes and sold them. The machinist box sold on CL after I relisted it 5-6 times. The other 2 didn't sell until they were on 6-7 months. I also think most folks on here are more into automotive type work. They don't seem to have much resale value. Just my opinion.

 

[BuffettFan]

Kennedy at least used to offer both machinist's and mechanic's boxes. Not sure what all they have now.
As Nutts mentioned, they're known mostly for their shallow drawer machinist's boxes, the brown ones.
The mechanic's boxes were red wrinkle finished and had deeper drawers.
I own 4 machinist's boxes, dating from the 30's through the 90's.
Quality is good and consistent, but I wouldn't say outstanding.
I haven't had any issues with any of my boxes, but they're just boxes. nothing too exciting. Not sure who they're competition is in the machinist's box world, but I'll keep mine till I'm ready to hang it up.

 

[Wamsutta]

I'd venture to guess it's because most people think of them as a machinist tool box with small and shallow drawers.

That must be a popular misconception because they make a box that's 62'' wide by 24'' deep.

 

[454ragtop]

Some will disagree I'm sure, but I don't find the Kennedy boxes to be anything special, and I own some. Slides seem pretty flimsy, the machinist top boxes front to back depth is so short they're almost useless. I often wonder if the people who sing their praises have never used anything better? IMO, HF boxes seem more useful. But move on to higher end truck boxes or industrial boxes like Lista's, Vidmars, Rousseau's etc. and it's almost laughable.

 

[bmwrd0]

I have a couple of Kennedy machinist boxes, love them. I have a 33" Snap-on box that I would trade in a second for a similar sized Kennedy!
-

 

[Empty Pockets]

I have a 20" Kennedy carry box that I bought new in the 70s. It's still as good as new. They make quality boxes

 

[Tinner]

Kennedy really doesn't market themselves very well. Go to their website and download the full line catalog. The website doesn't show half of what they make. They have a huge range of products.

They really seem to be interested only in selling to businesses. You'll have to go through an industrial supplier, most of which stock only a few of the more common smaller boxes. Everything else is built to order, which takes 3-4 weeks.

The next obstacle is most of the dealers who don't stock ****, want full list price to drop ship you a box from Kennedy.

Grainger, Zoro, MSC, Travers and Toolfetch all have decent prices and frequent sales which sometimes include free shipping.

I have a 39w x 20d eight drawer with matching side box at work. It was a hassle to get them at a reasonable price, but I'm really happy with my Kennedy boxes. Lifetime guarantee and decades from now Kennedy will still stock parts for them.

Maybe Cornwell will be more interested in selling Kennedy to individuals.

 

[Rickster]

I've had a couple of the Kennedy technicians boxes. They are sturdy units and I believe one of the most under-rated box on the market. Their friction sliders were some of the easiest sliding drawers. When I got my ball-bearing slider box the drawers were repositional so you could customize your own drawer layout.

 

[NUTTSGT]

That must be a popular misconception because they make a box that's 62'' wide by 24'' deep.

Until this thread, I never knew that they made a box like. I'd venture to say that if you asked 25 GJ'ers what a Kennedy box looks like, 23 would describe the brown machinist box.

They do call it their Signature Series.

 

[Aaron_W]

When you get into machinist boxes it seems like most talk about the wood Gerstner style boxes. The Kennedy machinist boxes are probably more popular with actual machine shops than home machinists. I can't imagine an actual production shop buying $800 wood chests for all the guys.

I can't imagine spending $800 for my own home shop, my machinist tools are in an $80 Husky tool chest.

 

[ken w.]

These are the two Kennedy automotive boxes I had.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I like Kennedy boxes, but rarely run across them on the secondary market.

 

[thooks]

I have been in many large manufacturing/industrial plants. In a couple during the past 2 years, I have seen them buy 35-40 sets of smaller Kennedy combo units- something you might see an older fella have in his garage to tinker on a couple of cars with on Saturdays.

I was kinda shocked to see them do that. Pretty stout investment. What kills me, and I know many folks like this, but these were all the chocolate brown, rough-textured boxes. Looked like they were from the 70's, but all were new.

 

[Sam'sAutoParts]

I have two 520s on top of my HF 44", I love the small drawers for storing small items. I also have a 3 drawer 520 that has some random overflow tools in it and it works fine for that as well.

I would never buy a new one, and I would be hard pressed to pay more then $20 for another 520. Would consider one of the larger boxes if I could get it for less then $100. Other then that I think you can find bigger boxes for a lot less money new or used.

 

[oldschoolcraft]

I read that Kennedy started making their portable tool boxed overseas so that’s it what’s kept me from buying one of their cantilever boxes. They don’t list COO on website so I assume china

 

[Packard V8]

Kennedy has for many years been pretty much the industry standard for small/portable boxes and I love them.

I have five of the #520 7-drawer machinist's chests. They're perfect for drills, reamers, hole saws, chisels, punches, smaller mill cutters, files, taps, dies.

The 26" 11-drawer machinist's chest and two-drawer base is perfect for micrometers, dial indicators, calipers and of course has the drawer for Machinery's Handbook.

I have one of the mechanic's top chests and find it OK for smaller collections.

For those who've only seen the smaller portable boxes, Kennedy also has a larger, much heavier duty industrial line, very much competitive with Lista, Vidmar et al.

jack vines

 

[crewchief888]

kennedy seems to market themselves towards the industrial end of the spectrum.

i used kennedy boxes as a machinist, and bought a set of kennedy mechanics boxes back in the late 70's. they didnt last long after i started pulling wrenches full time....

back then, about the only place you could find then was through an industrial supplier. they were never inexpensive, especially compared to CM boxes of the time.

 

[Ben1967]

To me kennedy is a machinist toolbox, thats what i personally use mine for!

 

[xin]

Do they still make the machinist tool box?

 

[seber]

Over the years I've bought and sold dozens of used Kennedys. They are pretty well made but not special and definitely not worth what they cost new. Bottom boxes always have broken casters and collapsed bottoms. They are not reinforced for casters as machinists seldom move their boxes around.

 

[1982fxr]

Some will disagree I'm sure, but I don't find the Kennedy boxes to be anything special, and I own some. Slides seem pretty flimsy, the machinist top boxes front to back depth is so short they're almost useless. I often wonder if the people who sing their praises have never used anything better? IMO, HF boxes seem more useful. But move on to higher end truck boxes or industrial boxes like Lista's, Vidmars, Rousseau's etc. and it's almost laughable.

Yeah the machinist top boxes are shallow front to back...if you buy a shallow model.

They make a Vidmar style line too. Why compare machinist boxes to Lista? Apples and oranges.

They also make more mechanic style boxes I have one. The friction slides are second to none.

Load up a hf with tap and die. It won’t last. The kennedy website could use a little help.

 

[bobcatdan]

I read that Kennedy started making their portable tool boxed overseas so that’s it what’s kept me from buying one of their cantilever boxes. They don’t list COO on website so I assume china

Just bought a brand new K24 hand carry box, proudly made in Ohio.

 

[engineer2]

There was a pair of Kennedy roll around cabintets on CL last night. $450. Not there today.

 

[bobcatdan]

There was a pair of Kennedy roll around cabintets on CL last night. $450. Not there today.

If I has any remote use for it, on CL there is a 10 drawer top and 8 drawer 26" Kennedy combo for $225, I'd grab it. Same guy is also selling a similar size 20+ year old craftsman box, $250 for top and $350 for bottom.

 

[6PTsocket]

If I has any remote use for it, on CL there is a 10 drawer top and 8 drawer 26" Kennedy combo for $225, I'd grab it. Same guy is also selling a similar size 20+ year old craftsman box, $250 for top and $350 for bottom.

Something is worth what somebody is willing to pay for it. But sometimes it leaves me with a definite HUH? Are they kidding? As Rick Harrison always tells his customers when they quote high ebay prices."They may be asking that much but is anybody buying at that price?" Sellers often think their junk is of great value. I have a Cman red and gray set but I have no illusions that is buried treasure. My HF 44" set is far better built.



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[Chris321]

I just bought this Kennedy top and bottom boxed used. I just need one slide which has been ordered. They seem like decent boxes.

 

[Gurp]

I bought a 26" 11 drawer chest used for 20 bucks probably 7 years ago. I really like it but i only use itnto store certain things due to the shallow drawers. Of you are well organized ita a great box.
Before i current setup i kept alot in it just sorted well.
I would love to find a matching bottom.

 

[MushCreek]

I'm a tool maker, and used a Kennedy 297 chest for many years. It was from way before they had roller drawer slides, though. Over the years, as the slides wore down, the drawers got harder and harder to open, to the point that the whole chest would move trying to open a drawer. This despite the fact that I cleaned and greased the slides regularly. Mine was also too old for the roller slide retro kits. I finally replaced it with a HF 44, and that chest is far better than the Kennedy ever was. I installed my own roller slides in the Kennedy, and gave it to my son. The only Kennedy piece I have left is a two drawer riser, under my beautiful-but-useless Gerstner.

 

[Vvmvbb]

---snip--- beautiful-but-useless Gerstner.

Useless?

 

[MushCreek]

The Gerstner is OK if you have lots of small, light tools. I've been a toolmaker for 45 years, and for me, it's mostly a status symbol, and not all that practical.

 

[jeffmoss26]

Got this Kennedy a few years ago for like 40 bucks.
Holds my locksmithing tools and parts perfectly!

 

[Billybaldwin3]

I read that Kennedy started making their portable tool boxed overseas so that’s it what’s kept me from buying one of their cantilever boxes. They don’t list COO on website so I assume china

false. kennedy tool started in ft wayne indiana in 1911. moved to van wert ohio in 1914. every kennedy since then has been made assembled on site. they are well worth the money. i have several. couple hand carry boxes, the oldest is from the 20s and youd never guess it. couple 5 drawer parts bins and a new 277xr which might be my favorite thing i own.

their model numbers all mean something too. my 277xr is 27" wide, 7 drawers, and the color is red

 

[Billybaldwin3]

I bought a 26" 11 drawer chest used for 20 bucks probably 7 years ago. I really like it but i only use itnto store certain things due to the shallow drawers. Of you are well organized ita a great box.
Before i current setup i kept alot in it just sorted well.
I would love to find a matching bottom.

finding the matching bottom is easy. you'll need a 27" bottom cabinet. go to the their website the roller cabinets all start with 3 number. first two are size (you would start with 27) third number is how many drawers. price goes up dramatically with number of drawers though. ex- my dad was recently given a 273 stack. 2" only 3 drwer. retails like $520. i have had a 277 for a while now retails over $1300.

but go to their wesite, find size and numer of drawers you want. google that model number, youll find it cheap. i only paid $300 for my $1300 cabinet. bought it scratch and dent. scratch so small i would have to point it out to youafter you tried to find it. "right there, thats my $1000 scratch"

 

[ecotec]

I like Kennedy boxes, but rarely run across them on the secondary market.

I find the exact opposite. I find them at estate sales all the time. I have four Kennedy boxes, and the most I paid for any of them is $20. They are all in barely used condition, and they all have keys. I do not think I would touch another one, unless it was free. The only machinist boxes that I still want are wooden ones. I do not need one, I just want one.

Note- one of my journeyman boxes is branded Sears. I am not 100% sure that it is made by Kennedy.

 

[WisJim]

I had always wanted a Kennedy since a friend bought one in 1969. Found a blue one (top and bottom) with IHC labels at a garage sale for $75 about 25 years ago, and another like it but Kennedy brown for a similar price, and since then a couple more of various styles and sizes, about $400 for the most expensive with top and roller bottom, and another like it for $50, all at garage or estate sales. Plus a 520 size Craftsman that might be a Kennedy. For me they suit my purposes, lots of basic wrenches and sockets and automotive stuff, and lots of machinists tools, parts and accessories. I have mostly found them at prices similar to the cheaper Craftsman or unfamiliar brand names which feel lighter construction. Lately, though, there have been a couple of local online auctions that have gone for more dollars than I want to pay--but I'm a cheapskate and am not in dire need of more tool boxes.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I find the exact opposite. I find them at estate sales all the time. I have four Kennedy boxes, and the most I paid for any of them is $20. They are all in barely used condition, and they all have keys. I do not think I would touch another one, unless it was free. The only machinist boxes that I still want are wooden ones. I do not need one, I just want one.

Note- one of my journeyman boxes is branded Sears. I am not 100% sure that it is made by Kennedy.

Now that I'm on Facebook Marketplace I see more of them. You're in the midst of classic industrial manufacturing, so it's not surprising to me you see them more often. Down here in the South, not so much.

 

[1982fxr]

They're not rare out here in the desert.