Not your average which toolbox thread.

[AlexNGreen]

I work at a light rail train maintenance facility and roll my tool box around 8-12 hours a day over imbedded rail road track. When I started 6 months ago I purchased a Masterforce 36" tool box and it has performed admirably.

The other day I was looking at the box and noticed that the sheet metal on the front of the box was deforming at the corners and was actually starting to tear. The deformed and tearing sheet metal is from the impact the box receives as it rolls over the embedded tracks. Another contributing factor is that when the sheet metal was punched, it was punched with a sharp corner and not a radius. The picture included is not a picture of my box but the yellow line shows where the tearing is occurring on the upper and lower corners.

The adage you get what you pay for is certainly proving true for me. That said the question is, what box should I get to replace my current box? I'm interested in 36- 41" boxes. I believe I've narrowed down my choices down to used Snap-On KRL boxes or a new Lista 750 series box.

The Lista can be seen here:
http://www.listabox.com/model-750/single-bank/shallow/config.php

The Lista also comes in shallow 22.5" depth and 28.5" depth options.

What box would you guys choose and do you think it would withstand long term abuse of the embedded rail?

Let me know
-Alex

 

[kctyphoon]

My crystal ball says snap on guys will love this thread...

 

[bobcatdan]

My 2¢ is which ever box you buy, I would make an undercarriage with better wheel/caster set up to take the strain off of the box.

 

[Fedwrench]

Uneven flooring and constant rolling day in and day out requires a Frankenstein Box. By this I mean take the box of your choice, build a frame for it and then add 4-6 of the best all terrain/load bearing casters to the frame you can find. No harbor freight casters either. It will save your box from an early death and move easily around your rail yard providing years of service without the major investment of a new box.

 

[Bobcat753]

What about one of these Kennedy boxes?

 

[kctyphoon]

Or a pit box..

 

[Airframer]

Taco box?

 

[mensa]

Uneven flooring and constant rolling day in and day out requires a Frankenstein Box. By this I mean take the box of your choice, build a frame for it and then add 4-6 of the best all terrain/load bearing casters to the frame you can find. No harbor freight casters either. It will save your box from an early death and move easily around your rail yard providing years of service without the major investment of a new box.

You cannot dispute logic.

Fedwrench is great. When he speak; me listen.

 

[jinotown]

By far, the strongest tool storage I have ever seen is Strong Hold. I have some of their stationary and roll around units. They make my Snap On and Hazet boxes feel and look like toys. They are not fancy looking, so nobody would think about stealing them. FYI, they are VERY heavy and will last forever.

 

[kctyphoon]

Extreme tool pit boxes..

.

 

[AlexNGreen]

Uneven flooring and constant rolling day in and day out requires a Frankenstein Box. By this I mean take the box of your choice, build a frame for it and then add 4-6 of the best all terrain/load bearing casters to the frame you can find. No harbor freight casters either. It will save your box from an early death and move easily around your rail yard providing years of service without the major investment of a new box.

I had thought about making the frame. After seeing the damage that has already occurred in 6 months the fact that the top drawer already feels heavy when opening/closing has made me decide it would probably be better to upgrade my box.

Or a pit box..

Not a fan of pneumatic tires. They go flat and the box is never as stable as solid caster. I would consider using 8" hard casters.

Taco box?

What is the Snap-On number for the box?

By far, the strongest tool storage I have ever seen is Strong Hold. I have some of their stationary and roll around units. They make my Snap On and Hazet boxes feel and look like toys. They are not fancy looking, so nobody would think about stealing them. FYI, they are VERY heavy and will last forever.

Took a look Strong-Hold but ,like you said, they are very plain and I'm not a fan of the drawers behind swinging doors.

What about one of these Kennedy boxes?

Did look at the those but the boxes that get the center wheels are too long and the drawers are only rated at 120lbs. Not great considering the price.

 

[metal1313]

i agree that you need something along the lines of a pit box, or a box with a heavy steel frame work under it and some large wheels.

 

[MatBirch]

Where I work, we roll constantly, often outdoors and over cords and hoses all day. We are an aluminum fab shop, so pretty much without fail everyone adds a reinforcement layer to the bottom of thier boxes. Usually 1/4" al plate, but some guys opt for a frame out of angle. I was in a time crunch and dead in the water with my Cornwell box beginning to collapse, so I threw a sheet of 3/4 plywood under mine. That was 3years ago, and even though it's Busch league, I haven't seen a reason to change it yet.
This solution has both fixed and prevented damage to every make and model of box imagineable. We have over 100 guys and turn over maybe 15%/year. LOTS of boxes!

 

[kctyphoon]

The purpose of the pneumatic tires is to help absorb some of the shock in this scenario.. They seem pretty popular with nascar and such.. Can't see them being that unstable as the purpose of the design is to make them easy to transport.. Snap on makes their own version, but I belive the large one is like 18,000.. Can't be that unstable..

 

[AlexNGreen]

I understand the reasoning behind pneumatic tires and do have experience with them, just don't like them.

 

[Kracin]

have to roll over all kinds of junk sometimes. and any box rolling enough with tons (literally) of tools in it is going to buckle and deform eventually unless you make something to take the load off.

enter the heavy duty box frame with extra heavy duty casters!

the wheels and frame will outlast the box easily.

 

[Petey156]

Buy the snap on, Let the warranty do the work.

 

[Tronyadorable]

It's sheet metal. Go buy a set of sprung casters. Stop by a window builder and get some 1/8" x 3/4 or 1" angle aluminum. Use a button head self tapping sheet metal screw and some contact cement to apply the angles to the corners.
Life goes on.
You didn't actually think they put the molding on the corners so you don't dent the box did you ?
They don't want it to fall apart.......like yours is.

 

[Kracin]

Buy the snap on, Let the warranty do the work.

if they take a look at how the box is being used every day and decide that he is putting it through more than normal abuse. what then? especially if he has to take it in every other year for a warranty repair or replacement?

 

[AlexNGreen]

Alright lets try this again. I'm going to buy a box and want to know whether or not you would go with (A)Snap-On or (B) Lista.

 

[Tronyadorable]

See how Craftsman rounded them two posts above ?
A sharp 90 is half way broken.
Solution

 

[Tronyadorable]

Alright lets try this again. I'm going to buy a box and want to know whether or not you would go with (A)Snap-On or (B) Lista.

Lista. No shadow of a doubt.

 

[MagnumForce]

I can't imagine rolling over obstructions like flange ways with out pneumatic tires. You may not like them but I think they are the solution and you will have a problem with any box without them.

 

[wrnchtwstr]

I would go with (A) Snap-On. The wheels on the Snap-On look like they would hold up better. That's where your problems are going to be is the wheels. Snap-On probably has the better warranty.

 

[kctyphoon]

I'm not undertanding the asking for advice, and then not wanting the suggestions people present to you.. What they are saying, is not matter what box you buy, you might have the same issue since your describing a more abusive environment then these boxes were designed for.. They are trying to help you NOT ruin a $2k-$3k box.. Even if you know what you want, I wouldn't shun the advice these guys are giving you..

 

[Danglerb]

Frame, big pneumatic tires.

 

[AlexNGreen]

I'm not undertanding the asking for advice, and then not wanting the suggestions people present to you.. What they are saying, is not matter what box you buy, you might have the same issue since your describing a more abusive environment then these boxes were designed for.. They are trying to help you NOT ruin a $2k-$3k box.. Even if you know what you want, I wouldn't shun the advice these guys are giving you..

I do truly appreciate the input given but the advice given has not addressed my question. The question was which brand tool box to buy given the environment. To add some context, I've got 10 years experience in industrial maintenance and have a firm grasp on possible box combinations and methods to prevent deterioration of a toolbox. Do I know it all? No, of course not; but all I came here to get was an opinion about was whether a used Snap-On KRL or a new Lista box would be best.

 

[Kracin]

I do truly appreciate the input given but the advice given has not addressed my question. The question was which brand tool box to buy given the environment. To add some context, I've got 10 years experience in industrial maintenance and have a firm grasp on possible box combinations and methods to prevent deterioration of a toolbox. Do I know it all? No, of course not; but all I came here to get was an opinion about was whether a used Snap-On KRL or a new Lista box would be best.

i still stand by my opinion as well.. tool boxes like you are looking at aren't made to constantly run over rough terrain, rail road tracks embedded in ground, and stuff like that on a day to day basis. no matter which one you get you are probably going to have to make a frame for it, or reinforce the base so it doesn't twist and break the spot welds all over from the bouncing, shaking, and twisting of going over things all the time.

 

[MagnumForce]

The problem is the thing dropping every time you go over a flange way. You need a tire to conform to the flange ways. I don't even think sprung wheels would help.

 

[wvrailroader]

Get pneumatic tires and get them foam filled by a tire shop. They will still have more give than a solid caster and they will never go flat.

 

[wild cowboy]

have to roll over all kinds of junk sometimes. and any box rolling enough with tons (literally) of tools in it is going to buckle and deform eventually unless you make something to take the load off.

enter the heavy duty box frame with extra heavy duty casters!

the wheels and frame will outlast the box easily.

which Craftsman box model number was the basis for this?

or a link?

 

[Kracin]

which Craftsman box model number was the basis for this?

or a link?

pretty sure this is the same one

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-40in...a=00959169000P&kpid=00959169000&mktRedirect=y

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

I crewed for an ARCA/NASCAR Cup team. All the tool boxes, pit boxes, etc. had pneumatic tires. When they start out new, they shouldn't lose air. If built correctly with fixed wheels on one end and steerable wheels on the other end they become highly maneuverable and easy to push around.

Pit roads and garage areas like Daytona were easy to push stuff around as there is lots of concrete, well laid block top, perfect transitions. But at places like Salem, IND and the dirt tracks of Springfield and Du Quoin, IL they were rough and uneven. The pneumatic tires were the only way to move the heavy boxes around.

If you can afford to step up to Snap-On or Lista, I won't try to talk you out of it.

If you get sticker shock, consider building a frame with pneumatic tires and put your box on it. That is the route I would go.

Keep us posted.

 

[rsanter]

Look for a used pit box, they drop value a lot after new but it is perfect for your application

Bob

 

[larry_g]

Alright lets try this again. I'm going to buy a box and want to know whether or not you would go with (A)Snap-On or (B) Lista.

Where I worked we had both brands supplied. I can say that the Lista boxes we had were 2x the strength of the SO boxes. Compare the depth of the slides and th metal thickness. Also look at the corner post structure and you will find the the Lista is usually a bigger cross section. As others have said reinforce the undercarriage, or check the box your buying. Your in a niche market where you will need heavy duty running gear to last for any length of time. I would suggest you get a salesman on the phone and discuss your needs, and they are out of the ordinary as far as the typical mechanic needs.


You can also contact Linda@Lista who is a member here.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[rtole]

Get pneumatic tires and get them foam filled by a tire shop. They will still have more give than a solid caster and they will never go flat.

I was going to suggest this as well. We do this where I work........I can vouch that there would be nothing you could do to make them go flat after foam filling.
As far as which brand.........hard to go wrong with either.......but I give the nod to snap on, but I have less experience with lista. I have used some, just not as many as I have snap on. It might come down to inspecting the framework of each one, and how thick the metal is. As someone who uses a cart myself I like snap ons drawers with the lock and roll. I would not want a box I had to move that relied only on drawer detents. When you roll over stuff and the box flexes.........some kind of latch is nice. I don't know if lista has a feature like that. I think the masterforce does, so you may not have encountered rolling over something and have a few drawers fly open..........then the whole thing tips. I have watched it happen. Yes sometimes people forget to lock the box before moving........that's why I like a drawer with a latch system.........while not fail proof........it adds another layer of prevention.

 

[efb16acrx]

pit box, foam filled tires.

 

[Bigplum]

Get a wheelbarrow and chuck it all in , it'll be self sorting too , all the heavy stuff will rattle and shake itself to the bottom

 

[colin39]

Another vote for the pit box, good casters, well made and easy to move

 

[kctyphoon]

I do truly appreciate the input given but the advice given has not addressed my question. The question was which brand tool box to buy given the environment. To add some context, I've got 10 years experience in industrial maintenance and have a firm grasp on possible box combinations and methods to prevent deterioration of a toolbox. Do I know it all? No, of course not; but all I came here to get was an opinion about was whether a used Snap-On KRL or a new Lista box would be best.

Right, and the message being conveyed back to you is the type of box is irrelevant to the problem you posted.. Your not addressing what YOU SAID was your problem.. I'm sorry if you don't "like" pneumatic tires, but they make those boxes to deal with the problem you have..

Your problem is that the wheels, on ANY box like you're looking at, is mounted on the corner of the cabinet, and not to a solid base, frame, or axle. So every time you run over something, all the force from that impact is being absorbed in the vertical corner above that wheel, and your twisting the entire box.. What you need, is to disburse the load onto a frame that won't flex, AND/OR a tire that will absorb the impact. Even if you buy the strongest box you can buy, something else will likely fail over time, and if not the box then the wheels..

So you can buy either box you're looking at, but you should really consider modifying it to suit your needs.. I'm not an expert on tools boxes, but from already ruining one box in 6 months, I would seriously consider a pit box if I were in your shoes.. The things are made for transport, the others aren't.. Not to mention, the things just look awesome too.. That extreme tools pit box I posted is like $3200 I think.. Not bad considering....

Take at look at these.. Just for the hell of it..

This small one is $3200