Snap on Toolboxes.... Making Missing Parts

[freudianfloyd]

So I recently bought a top and bottom set of Snap on toolboxes. I'm sure everybody is tired of hearing about them, but anyway. These boxes (KB2001, and KB2100) feature a plastic trim on all edges. When I bought the box I wasn't aware of this, and didn't realize how many pieces of this trim there was. All of the trim had been removed for some reason. I grabbed all the pieces of trim I saw next to the box and figured that was all that was needed.

So after I got the box home and cleaned I started putting it together and realized that 4 pieces of trim were missing. Two corner pieces one square block that holds the Snap on 2000 Series aluminum plate on the box, and a lower side piece.

I emailed Snap on and found out they no longer carry any parts for that box, so I figured I was out of luck. In desperation, I called the lady I bought the box from to see if I could come back and look for the missing pieces. She agreed and I was able to find two of them. The best part is I found one of the corner pieces that so I had something to make a pattern from. I also found the lower side trim piece, and I already had one of the square pieces that hold the Snap on plate on.

So today I took the pieces I had to work with me, and spent a little time with our modeling software to make parts I could then 3d print.

These parts were not the simplest parts to reverse engineer, but I think they turned out pretty good even though they are not exact. I had to guess on several radii and chamfer angles.


And here they are printed next to the originals.

And here they are on the box. It actually fits better then it looks in that picture. But I may reprint them and make them a bit wider.

 

[Speed-Racer]

Wow. Fantastic work, doubt another person will notice your new pieces.

 

[msharley]

Wowser!!

Great job on fine score!!

 

[LXCam]

Nice going, I’d never guess it wasn’t factory.

 

[Shelbylex]

Sweet! Always great to see things returned to original condition!!!

 

[Steve_P]

Fantastic work. And I don't think I've ever seen a SO box like that.

 

[freudianfloyd]

They are odd for sure. I think they were only made for 1 year. Here is a better picture of the whole box in my garage. I am still missing the lock on the lower box, but I am giving up hope on finding one. Snap on no longer supports these boxes unfortunately.

 

[Shelbylex]

Looking nice!

I think that those boxes were very expensive when they came out and that's why they are so rare.

If I were you, I would either try to 3D print something to cover the holes where the lock was or put the sticker on it. Who knows - one day you might find a destroyed/incomplete box with the intact lock. Not common, but I see once in a blue moon something for not too much money which is missing parts or damaged... There was a damaged top one for $200, if I remember correctly, sitting for a while on CL in MA. Probably sold for less...

Since you almost put it all together, time to fill it with tools and give us a photo tour!!!!

 

[freudianfloyd]

Looking nice!

I think that those boxes were very expensive when they came out and that's why they are so rare.

If I were you, I would either try to 3D print something to cover the holes where the lock was or put the sticker on it. Who knows - one day you might find a destroyed/incomplete box with the intact lock. Not common, but I see once in a blue moon something for not too much money which is missing parts or damaged... There was a damaged top one for $200, if I remember correctly, sitting for a while on CL in MA. Probably sold for less...

Since you almost put it all together, time to fill it with tools and give us a photo tour!!!!

It needs a good detail before it goes on tour. It was pretty nasty when I got it, and half the drawers would not open without a lot of force. I spent a few late nights cleaning and greasing the slides to make it usable. I like your idea of filling the holes, I will have to come up with something to put there.

 

[Shelbylex]

May be try to recreate the original lock cover? With your access to 3D printer it will be possible. The buttons would be a little harder to make perfectly shaped, but may be there is something of similar shape which you can use?

Alternatively, a nice name tag or emblem?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Those are interesting boxes to be sure. The plastic components would be concerning to me as they invariably break at some point. Kudos on your ingenuity. I've rarely seen these for sale as well.

 

[dstblj52]

So I recently bought a top and bottom set of Snap on toolboxes. I'm sure everybody is tired of hearing about them, but anyway. These boxes (KB2001, and KB2100) feature a plastic trim on all edges. When I bought the box I wasn't aware of this, and didn't realize how many pieces of this trim there was. All of the trim had been removed for some reason. I grabbed all the pieces of trim I saw next to the box and figured that was all that was needed.

So after I got the box home and cleaned I started putting it together and realized that 4 pieces of trim were missing. Two corner pieces one square block that holds the Snap on 2000 Series aluminum plate on the box, and a lower side piece.

I emailed Snap on and found out they no longer carry any parts for that box, so I figured I was out of luck. In desperation, I called the lady I bought the box from to see if I could come back and look for the missing pieces. She agreed and I was able to find two of them. The best part is I found one of the corner pieces that so I had something to make a pattern from. I also found the lower side trim piece, and I already had one of the square pieces that hold the Snap on plate on.

So today I took the pieces I had to work with me, and spent a little time with our modeling software to make parts I could then 3d print.

These parts were not the simplest parts to reverse engineer, but I think they turned out pretty good even though they are not exact. I had to guess on several radii and chamfer angles.


And here they are printed next to the originals.

And here they are on the box. It actually fits better then it looks in that picture. But I may reprint them and make them a bit wider.

If you are willing it would be awesome to see these uploaded to grabcad or thingiverse, its nice to have things available for other to use if thats not a problem for you

 

[freudianfloyd]

Those are interesting boxes to be sure. The plastic components would be concerning to me as they invariably break at some point. Kudos on your ingenuity. I've rarely seen these for sale as well.

The location of the two plastic pieces I made should never see any stress. They are not located on any moving parts and really just fill in gaps. They may fail down the road if something hits them or they get dried out, but for the purpose they serve, I would be they will last quite a while.

 

[freudianfloyd]

If you are willing it would be awesome to see these uploaded to grabcad or thingiverse, its nice to have things available for other to use if thats not a problem for you

I don't have a problem doing it, but judging by the rarity of these boxes, I doubt it will be a popular model to download.

 

[freudianfloyd]

.....................

 

[WWheeler]

I'm kinda disappointed Snap-On doesn't still stock all parts for ANY box of theirs made in the last 30 or so years. For what they charge for them it's the least they should be doing IMHO. Great job making those parts they didn't care enough about to keep on hand.

 

[freudianfloyd]

I'm kinda disappointed Snap-On doesn't still stock all parts for ANY box of theirs made in the last 30 or so years. For what they charge for them it's the least they should be doing IMHO. Great job making those parts they didn't care enough about to keep on hand.

Yeah, so much for the lifetime warranty on their toolboxes.

 

[WWheeler]

Yeah, so much for the lifetime warranty on their toolboxes.

Seriously. How can they call it a lifetime guarantee if they can't even keep parts on hand for every box they sell for as long as it takes all those who bought one to finish paying it off. That's why I said 30 years.

 

[will335i]

Awesome use of your 3D printing skills.

I am kind of surprised more manufactures aren't using 3D printing to "stock" obsolete parts. Some strategically placed printer farms could replace a lot of warehouses.

 

[Steve_P]

Wow, that is an oddball SO box. This one makes the SO "taco" box a common sighting.

OP, do you have any idea when that was made? Year 2000?

 

[freudianfloyd]

Wow, that is an oddball SO box. This one makes the SO "taco" box a common sighting.

OP, do you have any idea when that was made? Year 2000?

I found a tag inside the top drawer that had Nov. 30th 1989.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

This one's for sale near me for $2,000

 

[freudianfloyd]

This one's for sale near me for $2,000

Looks like that one needs some parts printed also. For $2k, I don't feel so bad paying the $1550 I did for mine, but it came full of Snap on tools.

 

[Chumly]

Seriously. How can they call it a lifetime guarantee if they can't even keep parts on hand for every box they sell for as long as it takes all those who bought one to finish paying it off. That's why I said 30 years.

"Field Repairable, See Repair Part Warranty, Repair in the Field, The item will be Audited at the Replacement Processing Center." This is the same agreement I made with the 75th anniversary box which was what...1995? In this case, lifetime of the buyer perhaps.

The only thing I know that has a lifetime warranty are wrenches and sockets...hard parts. Even Air Hammer Chisels we knowingly put through hell. Ratchets may even be at the discretion and mood of a driver; Had some charge me to rebuild the guts, some just do it because they're not jerks. I just paid $120 to rebuild a 2-1/2HP pneumatic angled cut-off tool because there are no new equivalents really. Got a whole new head, vanes, and a better collet.

It's guys like the OP that keep these things alive!

 

[Shelbylex]

I wonder how much they cost new. Does anybody have the catalogues?
Please list the year and the price if you can find it.

https://collectingsnapon.com/2021/09/29/1990-christmas-supplement - you can see it in few places there, but no price ...

 

[kennedykyler]

Hello I’m new to the group. A friend of mine has a 2000 series box and is missing the small corner pieces you created and the long corner plastic strips. Would you be willing to share the file so my Son can 3D print or I can pay for a pair to be printed Any ideas on how to make the long strips for the lower box It’s a gift idea project to help a fellow mechanic out
Thanks
Kyle
[email protected]