Need help picking a 26'' top chest

[blstickley]

need help picking out a good 26 inch top box i am a welder, farmer and weekend warrior i am not looking to spend more then 400$ i have looked at craftsman, husky, kobolt, and tractor supply company the TSC boxes seem the best but i want ya'lls opinion on this if i am missing some good brands for the price range let me know also what if any of these brands is made in the USA thanks

 

[diesel research]

also what if any of these brands is made in the USA thanks

None that I know of. You would be LUCKY to find mexico within the price range....

 

[justanengineer]

Being a "weldor, farmer, and weekend warrior," why not visit an auction, flea market, or non ridiculous craigs ad and buy your favorite brand of "vintage" box. For $400 you could likely get 3-4 nice SO top/bottom combos if you look around.

 

[ibedayank]

made in the usa...now that means snap-on

 

[bobcatdan]

Kennedy could be an option, a new SO 26" box is over $400. Also look at International, made in Canada. The box is rebadged by everyone from ATD to Wright. They offer a "road chest" that I think falls into the $400 price range. I have seen two. The larger 31" wide at a customer's shop, looked like a nice box. Saw another one at a car show for sale, looked beat and cheap. Check Norther's site, I'm not smart enough to link the page.

 

[blstickley]

i do check auctions and flea markets but if you yourself do this you know how that goes its few and far between i found a 70's power kraft bottom that is in great shape and seems alot better built then the stuff i have looked at in the stores in the last few days and as for snap on and others yes that would be nice but the money can be better spent for me on equipment and feed in this wonderful times we live in and as for the mexico thing i wont even go there :-D

 

[blstickley]

thanks i have looked at kennedy machinist boxes as a option but didnt know much about them they look to be built well but have never seen one in person

 

[93sr20det]

Have you tried Waterloo?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002Q6F7O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[blstickley]

thanks 93sr20det i hadn't seen that box seems like a good box from the pictures i just hate to buy something i haven't got the chance to @#$! with and see what its made of ill be looking in to it thanks

 

[93sr20det]

I have a 41 inch lower one step up from that one and love it. I plan on getting that 26 inch to add so I can keep a small work area on my large box.

 

[blstickley]

sounds like a good idea ill have to read up on them but thanks for the lead that's what i was looking for in this website was good leads and so far its paying off in its first day

 

[Ritter4.0]

Stay away from the Kobalt ones. I have had mine for about a year as a bench chest. One of the rivets or whatever holding the left side of the bottom drawer broke. I'm sure its still under the 3 year warranty, but why replace it with another one thats gonna break too? I might look into Matco or Snap-On when it gets worse since I use it everyday. But for $115 I can't really complain.

 

[blstickley]

good to know ritter4.0 thanks... i have done some looking but cant seem to figure out who makes the TSC masterhand tool boxes they seem to be the beefy ones of the store bought ones anyone know jack about them?

 

[Ritter4.0]

Maybe Montezuma or Extreme, maybe Waterloo? Any of those 3 are worth checking out. I would guess Waterloo makes the Masterforce ones, but I've never seen them to know.

 

[jvitez]

Wouldn't you prefer to support your friendly neighbor to the north instead of those nasty, evil Chinese folks making most of the low priced boxes?

http://www.spginternational.com/

Most made in Canada. Not quite America, but close......

 

[sk farmer]

Being a "weldor, farmer, and weekend warrior," why not visit an auction, flea market, or non ridiculous craigs ad and buy your favorite brand of "vintage" box. For $400 you could likely get 3-4 nice SO top/bottom combos if you look around.

really? i hear this all the time. find me a nice so combo for 100 - 125 and i will double your money. better yet, find me four of them like you say and i can find three other people to buy the rest. i don't doubt that someone finds one on occasion but to say you can buy them often is a stretch and to buy them dirt cheap is next to unheard of. i have seen many of them sell for close to new price at auction. i recently chased a rough looking proto taco wagon with no top box to over 500 dollars. a far cry 100 or 125.

 

[Carl B]

One of the sponsors of this forum - Garage Organization has a 26" from Extreme Tools for $349.99 with Free Shipping. 26" wide x 16" deep x 18" high.
http://www.garage-organization.com/Product/Extreme-Tools-EX2607CHRD.aspx?view=Specs

If course I'd much rather have the US General Pro 13 Drawer Roll Cabinet from Harbor Freight for $359.99 {$349.99 with the coupon}. That roll cabinet has a 2900 lb capacity & options of top and side boxes all at very reasonable prices.

13 Drawer Roll Cabinet - 44-3/4" wide x 18-1/2" deep x 40" tall - $359.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/13-drawer-red-industrial-quality-roller-cabinet-90320.html

Top Tool Box 41" x 17 1/2" deep x 22" high $299.99
http://www.harborfreight.com/red-roller-cabinet-top-chest-92099.html


There is really nothing on the market that I've found that comes even close to the Quality of the USG-Pro for anywhere near the price. I'd sell the old bottom box and make the switch now - before the price of steel goes up again.

FWIW,
Carl B.

 

[blstickley]

thanks for all the help ill have to check out the HF stuff i had no idea they would get that kinda review on here but then again thats what i came here for!

 

[AZ_Catskinner]

The cheap "Task Force" boxes from Lowe's are USA made Waterloos. I've got one on my bench that I keep all of my measuring tools/drill bits/welding consumables in that used to be my home/road box and it's never had any problems.

 

[SweetD]

If you can find something on the cheap, you could always make a little project out of it. I happen to be working on my 26" Craftsman box today I bought on craigslist months ago, for $20. Have about $15 of paint in it.



So far so good. I'm a weekend warrior in the garage, so I don't need the heavy-duty stuff like the pros...good luck!

Dave

 

[melliott28]

If you are near a Harbor Freight, I like the HF 26 inch combo ($350 on sale right now) and given that the HF combo is less than the top end of your budget, you might want to buy it and have the added storage that the bottom cabinet offers. Another option is Costco; they sometimes have reasonably priced toolbox combos (I bought my 26" Stanley set there for $300).

Heck, if you lived in my area, you could buy the HF set, keep the top chest, and I would buy the bottom cabinet from you.

 

[blstickley]

boxes is looking great dave i got a good deal on a power kraft bottom box at a auction a couple months ago plan on cleaning it up a little it seems that stuff from the 70's is 3 times heavier then the stuff you get today

 

[SweetD]

boxes is looking great dave i got a good deal on a power kraft bottom box at a auction a couple months ago plan on cleaning it up a little it seems that stuff from the 70's is 3 times heavier then the stuff you get today

No doubt the older stuff is heavier.

Most likely because it was actually made here in the States.

Definitely post some pics when you get on that Powr-Kraft - I love that brand! Here's my Powr-Kraft radial drill press...



Dave

 

[blstickley]

melliott28 thanks for the offer but yeah texas aint across the street but good looking out dave ill get some pics up some time this week that drill is a beast i love the more steel less complicated way things used to be built i have a table top buffalo drill press that thing must be pushing 200 pounds shame a lot of it ends up in the scrap yard anymore

 

[BOONEY7750]

I had a 41" Masterhand. I worked at TSC, someone dropped it off a fork lift, I got it to "recycle" it. It took a twelve foot fall and only dented the corner. We assumed it would be trashed and out of square, but instaed of the whole box giving, just the corner that hit concrete bent. I straightened it out with a square stock and a body hammer it was a great box. I gave it to my Dad when I got on two 26" boxes are better than 1 41" kick, I reget it. I have Sears Item# 00959618000 | Model# 59618 grip latch and I really like it. I have about 3 years of what I would call heavy homeowner use and several moves since I have had it with no issues. I believe my griplatch and the TSC brand boxes both have 100# drawer slides too. Most cheaper 26" boxes seem to have 50# drawer slides. When I worked at TSC the boxes only came in green, not sure if that matters.

 

[muibubbles]

people keep posting the HF chest... i have it and i LOVE it but you asked for a 26".............?

no expierence but same company. and ifs anything like my us general im 100% you'll be more than happy. they make the service carts that everyyyyyyyyyybody loves.
its the best bang for you buck tool box IMO (us general)

heres the 26"
http://www.harborfreight.com/26-8-drawer-roller-cabinet-with-8-drawer-top-chest-67831.html

 

[justanengineer]

really? i hear this all the time. find me a nice so combo for 100 - 125 and i will double your money. better yet, find me four of them like you say and i can find three other people to buy the rest. i don't doubt that someone finds one on occasion but to say you can buy them often is a stretch and to buy them dirt cheap is next to unheard of. i have seen many of them sell for close to new price at auction. i recently chased a rough looking proto taco wagon with no top box to over 500 dollars. a far cry 100 or 125.

A taco wagon isnt a small (~26") top chest, nor is it an older (50s-70s) small top/bottom combo like I see regularly and was suggesting previously. Lemme see...auctionzip says that yesterday (Saturday), had I not gone to the Indy Zoo then shopping w/SWMBO I would have had my choice of 221 auctions within 150 miles (2.5 hours). Add to that the auctions that arent listed on that site, and you can see not only why I drive an S10 but also how I can come across a few "deals" amongst the mob of ridiculous prices. Not bad for a single day, but keep in mind that quite often I do it several times in a single week.

A deal isnt a deal if it can be reproduced within a few weeks by someone with a bit of common sense and ability to spot the sales that will get little public attention/attendence. You would **** if you saw what I typically pay, but then again maybe not, bc I dont collect wrenches or ratchets and the majority of my tools cannot be used by 90% of those on this board.

 

[Big Gus]

people keep posting the HF chest... i have it and i LOVE it but you asked for a 26".............?

...heres the 26"
http://www.harborfreight.com/26-8-drawer-roller-cabinet-with-8-drawer-top-chest-67831.html

I don't own one of these but did look at one in the store. I will have to say these appear to be good quality boxes. I compared this box to the ones on the floor at Sears and there was no comparison. The US General box appeared to be a much better box...and cheaper too.

 

[Mr.Nutcase]

I have the HF box, I use Professionally at the dealership I work at.
I removed the US General tag, and put Craftsman decal
I recommend it, I looked at sears, they had some but I needed a box the same week
The one I wanted from sears would take 6 weeks to arrive, screw that