Recommendations on rollaway tool chests

[Tonixx]

Hello,
I've been lurking on this site for a while, ever since my wife gave me the go-ahead to redo the garage. I love this site! I've gotten great ideas, and once the project starts, I'll start up a new thread to document the progress.

I'm still in the planning phase. I need a new tool chest, and unfortunately I'm limited on space to a certain extent. Whatever I get needs to be approximately 26-30" wide, and no more than 40 high, preferably 15"-18" deep drawers. I like the 6-7 drawer rollaway bottom chests, but so many of them that I see at Sears and the home improvement stores seem cheap and poorly made, with a lot of semi-bad to bad reviews, citing how cheaply made they are. My 25 year old Craftsman has served me well, but it's too small and will be used as a secondary chest. I should add that my budget for a new chest is around $1000.

So, can anyone give me recommendation on brands/models? I'll be working on motorcycles and light car work (no wood working), and I'd call my use level 'light to moderate'.

Any input would be welcome, and thanks in advance!

 

[CWP1616L]

Can you go 39 inches wide? The Kennedy 3900MP is a great mid size box.

 

[Super Sport]

Sears sells Viper boxes, which are a high quality import box. Much better quality than the Craftsman boxes. They have both 26" and 33" configurations available.

They are only 18" deep overall, which is shallower than you are really looking for.

The red 26" from HF is pretty decent too, but it comes with a top box.

 

[cburnscrx]

Sears sells Viper boxes, which are a high quality import box. Much better quality than the Craftsman boxes. They have both 26" and 33" configurations available.

They are only 18" deep overall, which is shallower than you are really looking for.

The red 26" from HF is pretty decent too, but it comes with a top box.

I'd recommend the 26" from HF. It's not quite as beefy as the very popular HF 44", but it's better than anything in it's price catagory. It can be had for $299 with coupon, and if you don't want the top box put it on Craigslist and reduce that cost even further. I am guessing you'll get $100 without trying, so you're looking at $200 for the bottom.

 

[Tonixx]

Thanks for the replies so far. I clarified my post, as I could go with shallower drawers and still be okay. 15-18" deep would be fine.

I do like the Viper boxes, but they do have a lot of bad reviews too.

SuperSport and cburnscrx: What is 'HF'? Is that the brand or is that an abbreviation? Never mind, I figured it out (I think): Harbor Freight, right?

 

[Super Sport]

Thanks for the replies so far. I clarified my post, as I could go with shallower drawers and still be okay. 15-18" deep would be fine.

I do like the Viper boxes, but they do have a lot of bad reviews too.

SuperSport and cburnscrx: What is 'HF'? Is that the brand or is that an abbreviation? Never mind, I figured it out (I think): Harbor Freight, right?

Yes, Harbor Freight.

I've never seen bad reviews on Viper boxes myself. They usually get pretty top-notch reviews every where I've seen. The ones I have seen in person have always seemed great.

 

[crewchief888]

for the size you specified, check for a lista or vidmar cabinet.

if you can fit a 33" wide box, an older mac, matco, or snapon roller may be available, but you'll only be at 18" deep.

 

[volaredon]

I myself am going to be lookin for a 42-60" wide bottom Snap On, Waterloo, Mac, matco, etc fairly soon (but not quite yet) May check Stor-Loc, Lista, Kennedy and such not too familiar with those nor do I see many boxes by these companies around and available (though Stor-Loc is made about 6 miles from here)
Used is fine, HF or Craftsman are not.

 

[bobcatdan]

Can you go 39 inches wide? The Kennedy 3900MP is a great mid size box.

Kennedy also makes 29" and 34" versions of that style box. For USA made boxes, they are pretty decent prices.

 

[cburnscrx]

I guess one thing we need to know...budget? A 26" Snap On is $1,100 vs. the US General for $299 with coupon.

Snap On
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item...roup_ID=681763&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

US General
http://www.harborfreight.com/roller-cabinet-26-8-drawer-with-8-drawer-top-chest-67831.html

 

[Tonixx]

Thanks for the info everyone. Yes, I've looked at the Kennedy smaller versions and they're nice. I went to my local Harbor Freight and looked at the US General. Not bad, and I like the idea of selling the top box on Craigslist.

I'm still looking. My budget is $1000, but that's got to be the perfect box that has a nice (lifetime?) warranty. I'm still leery of the asian made stuff: people are saying the locks go bad, the casters fail... bah! I want this to last as long as my Craftsman: another 25 years or more!

 

[bobcatdan]

Kennedy has a lifetime warranty.

 

[Bluearmflames]

I just bought a krsc326 snap on rollaway for a grand brand new. It's 32 wide by 21 deep by 43 tall. I really like it.

 

[CWP1616L]

The Kennedy 3407X is a real nice box too. Heavy gage steel.

 

[diesel research]

one more option in that size and price:

 

[volaredon]

but who sells kennedy? where can I see them side by side? I might be interested in one. I have never seen them displayed any where though I have seen some older guys my Dad's age (in their 70s or so) that have old kennedys in their garage...

 

[Bjkearns]

My Snap On box would fit your needs perfectly
I bought it used on Craigslist for $350 if I recall correctly

 

[Super Sport]

Thanks for the info everyone. Yes, I've looked at the Kennedy smaller versions and they're nice. I went to my local Harbor Freight and looked at the US General. Not bad, and I like the idea of selling the top box on Craigslist.

I'm still looking. My budget is $1000, but that's got to be the perfect box that has a nice (lifetime?) warranty. I'm still leery of the asian made stuff: people are saying the locks go bad, the casters fail... bah! I want this to last as long as my Craftsman: another 25 years or more!

I'm not really a big advocate for import stuff, but how often are you going to be wheeling it around or locking it? From what you said, I'd guess you're just a DIYer. That's all I am, and I never lock my box and very rarely move it anywhere. I'd worry more about slides, but you can more than likely contact the company and order a couple sets of replacement slides in case you ever need them.

If you want a quality USA-made box that you can see in person, you're either going to have to go used or buy off one of the trucks. I don't think you're going to find any Protos, Kennedys, etc. for sale locally.

 

[bobcatdan]

but who sells kennedy? where can I see them side by side? I might be interested in one. I have never seen them displayed any where though I have seen some older guys my Dad's age (in their 70s or so) that have old kennedys in their garage...

Do a local search for kennedy dealers in your area. They are normally handled threw industral jobbers. I have no idea if they would have any in stock for you to look at. Also Epstein's carries kennedy.

 

[diesel research]

I'm not really a big advocate for import stuff, but how often are you going to be wheeling it around or locking it? From what you said, I'd guess you're just a DIYer. That's all I am, and I never lock my box and very rarely move it anywhere.

it only takes 1 time for a failed lock to really frack your world up. dont just fail from wear, but just circumstance. twice in 2 years this has happened. one tumbler failure perhaps due to wear. blue lowes box. had to cut lock off. one lock rod failure, craftsman red 26". p-o-s lock rod fell off the tumbler and jammed down into drawer. even after cutting lock off, still couldnt open it. if you can imagine fitting needle nose through that small lock hole while still keeping it spread enough to grasp rod, that was the task. end diagnosis/investigation found a small piece of plastic bag jammed between drawer and rear lock bar.

 

[Zebu Fellenz]

one more option in that size and price:

Those look like the boxes Mac sold in their "Economizer" line.

 

[rsanter]

I'm thinking used snap on is what you need
Buy high quality and the warranty becomes less important

I have a kr300 I could sell you that fits the size you want...
Either that or try to fit a 41" HF unit in your space

Bob

 

[Loscaldazar]

Look at Performax if you have a menards around you. Better than the HF one that is 26 inches wide.

The 26 HF is nowhere as nice as the 44 HF one.