SO Box, go wide or tall?

[GMZ]

So I I have decided to go all out and get a bigger Snap On box. I have been crammed into a KRA 4059 (that was free admittedly) for a few years now and I definitely need something much bigger.

I have some unique criteria however that is making me waffle over how to go about it. Im in the Navy and my living arrangements and therefore tool storage are never certain. Sometimes I get a garage, sometimes a condo, townhouse, and now I am in an apt with a storage unit about 5 mi away where I keep all my garage stuff. I really am liking the KRL 722, but I dont know if I will always have the space for the footprint of that wide a box. Plus moving it will require a trailer or liftgate. I also want some bulk storage for fluids/chemicals but side cabs are obscenely bulky. So I had a thought last night that I could just build upwards since I cant imagine anywhere I would go that doesnt have a 6ft ceiling.

I was thinking of going with a Classic 60 KRA2407+2404 topped off with bulk overhead KRWL3635. That would take me from 1753 sq in to 8105, be about 74" tall and even wider than I have now without being overly so: 36"x24" up from 26"x15". I could even break it down and it would fit in my 4 Runner when I have to move.

I know its a long shot but does anyone have this combo? Or something of similar height? Is this plan destined for failure and regret? I would really love a 40"+ box but its too cumbersome for me right now.

 

[bobcatdan]

I own a classic 60 bottom and it is a nice box. I'm going to suggest two different used boxes to look for. First is a SO top and bottom combo, I don't remember the modle numbers, something like a kr665. The bottom is 36x21x40 ish and the matching top would put the box in the 65" heigh range. The other box is a mac mb1700 double bank, 50x24x48" tall. If you watch craiglist, these where popular boxes in their days and do come up for sale. If you are moving a lot, you may want to stick with a used box just so you don't beat the **** out of $5000 worth of toolbox moving it all the time. Just my two cents.

 

[teletekman]

What kind of budget are you working with? Are you planning on buying new or used?

If going wide sounds like it is out of the question as going with a 40" box does, then your only other option would be to go up. Personally myself I like to start wide which allows me also to use the top as a work bench. This is why I started out with a KRA2312 which is a 53" wide box and eventually over time I went up.

The KRA setup you are looking at, is it used?

 

[el tanque prohibido]

I really am liking the KRL 722,

Usually the shorter guys will get that box; the guys that are 5' 8" or 5' 9".

 

[moronmountain]

I like wide because I use my box as a psuedo workbench alot.

 

[garfunkle24]

Wide for the win. I hate tall toolboxes. I'm 6'3" and I have a krl7023 and a krl722:

 

[crewchief888]

i agree with bobcat dan

kr 550/555 combo
or it's newer version kr 660/655?

big enough to hold a lotta stuff,
and still small enough (empty & unloaded) to manhandle into the back of a truck by yourself. (it's not fun, but it's possible)

or buy another similar roller cab/top to what you already have. smaller boxes are easier to move, easier to place where they will fit, and can be broken up and stored seperately if needed.

 

[GMZ]

Thanks for the feedback guys...

Ive been watching CL pretty heavily lately and it seems like its either old beat up top chests like mine or wide rollers. There is a classic 96 with side bulk for $3k asking price near me but while I can store that now I don't know about in the next 8 months. I have downloaded all the pdfs for the different lines and I will go over them again tomorrow to make a spreadsheet of boxes that meet my dimensional criteria.

Im looking at buying new probably, in order to bypass the ebb and flow of the used market, budget is not an issue I am not paying retail. I am in and out on a ship so if a good deal comes along there isn't really any way to get it aside from having my gf do the transaction which gives me the creeps!

I am 6' 2", and like the workbench aspect of a short and wide. I think I need to re evaluate my want/need for bulk storage. I would like to keep everything more or less contained in one unit as I have found that is the easiest but looking around here some more I like the idea of the tool carts as well so a KRL722 plus a cart to store bulk stuff and common items might not be a bad idea. More so if I stay in an apartment since I could keep the cart at the apt and the big box in storage.

 

[D9H 90V]

Go wide and tall, got a Classic 98, not too tall but just about right for me and its like 73" wide, I like my toolbox to resimble a railroad box car

 

[lennoxlennox]

wide

i'm short so i have to stand in my bottom drawer to see what's in the top!

 

[davesnothere]

Wide. With a hutch.

 

[96snma]

Id say go wide, you can akways get a storage locker that could work as a garage.justmake sure to pay your bills or itll end up on storage wars

 

[geologist]

I prefer a wide box. I'm just shy of 5'8" and I hate not being able to see into the tops of some of the nicer tall boxes.

 

[gonefirefighting]

all mine are wide, no top boxes what so ever.

reason.....I can get into my tools by rolling around on my short shop stool and dont have to peer over into drawers and it give me tons of work top space.

another hint for you since you stated your military

I have never owned any shop or garage so all of my fixtures are on wheels (chests, cabs, benches, machines etc) so when I had to PCS or deploy I could roll my whole shop into a uhaul and be done in a day. nothing was ever fastened down.

 

[rsanter]

go wide but not too deep
if they send you somewhere you dont have a garage you need to get it in the door
you could always use it as a TV stand for that bit flat panel

bob

 

[Roots]

+1 for going wide, preferably with a work surface top.

 

[Howells]

heres mine i go wide.

 

[lennoxlennox]

heres mine i go wide.

niiiiiiiice .... especially all the wide drawers...that's the ticket

 

[Howells]

ya man i love it. 50" drawers.

 

[garfunkle24]

@Howells

That's a really nice setup. looks great!

 

[GMZ]

go wide but not too deep
if they send you somewhere you dont have a garage you need to get it in the door
you could always use it as a TV stand for that bit flat panel

bob

That's a great idea! I don't watch TV much and was thinking about getting rid of it since I don't even have cable but that would be so bad ***.

heres mine i go wide.

That looks awesome.

Funny thing is I think a KRL 722 would be cheaper than my 6 ft tall Classic 60 monstrosity when its all said and done with the addition of the bulk overhead.

 

[Howells]

I'm going to add a riser/hutch/workstation some time in the futar but right now its working good for me. I love my classic 96.