So I was thinking... when does a tool cart become a tool box?

[justinmc]

As I'm sitting here flipping through various tool catalogs and such I've started noticing a trend that doesn't make a ton of sense to me but maybe just a little.

This would be... the proliferation of giant "tool carts" into the industry. You see them everywhere now. It used to be a tool cart was just that.. a cart. A top and bottom shelf.. maybe a place to hang a prybar off the side. Now its all about how many drawers can we cram in it and roller bearings and heavy duty casters are needed and locking lids with gas assist struts and so on and so on.
So just when does a "tool cart" become a "tool box"? I mean.. really.. I understand the idea is so someone like a master tech who has a giant Macsimizer, KRL, etc series top & bottom box can have a cart loaded with their most used tools so they can wheel it over quickly to a job somewhere else in the shop. Seriously though... why not just buy a "standard" 26" type rollaway and push that around? I dunno...it just doesn't make alot of sense to me.

Examples of what I consider to be "offenders"

"borderline"

DEFINITELY an offender... I mean come on.. its a toolbox!

 

[rsanter]

back when I was wrenching, my 'tool cart' was a bottom box

bob

 

[fourfeathers]

I'm a prime example of the abuse you are speaking of. I own the Matco you pic (in blue), and have loaded it up so much that I rarely move it anymore. It even has a side shelf. My go-to tools are all in it though, and since I have an older KR1000 without a large top drawer, I need to put my sockets in the cart.

 

[kartracer55]

I think it just kind of morphed that way I guess. It is nice to have the drawers because you can just stay more organized while you work, ya know?

 

[CAT_serviceman927]

It's just to get you to buy more tools. You put your most used tools in the cart that were once in your tool box. Then, when you go in your tool box and see all that free space, you are like "wow I need more tools."

 

[Fedwrench]

When you grunt as you push it to a different bay. When everything you need for 90% of your jobs is in/on the cart. When the only tools you really use are in the cart. When you pay over $300 for it. I still call my 7 drawer Cornwell unit my cart though. Your results may vary.
I think the increased popularity of mega tool carts stems from some dealerships going to the standardized storage units in the service areas. Of course with so many dealers closing, that may not be a factor in the near future. If they made a rollaway with a deep open till with a lid for storage with prybar stoarge on the sides, I'd buy it. Wait a minute, they do, and I bought one, It's my tool cart.

 

[justinmc]

I'm a prime example of the abuse you are speaking of. I own the Matco you pic (in blue), and have loaded it up so much that I rarely move it anymore. It even has a side shelf. My go-to tools are all in it though, and since I have an older KR1000 without a large top drawer, I need to put my sockets in the cart.

Dang you! Feeding this trend! haha... Oh I totally "get" the idea.. but like you said.. at what point does it just become another stationary "tool box" that you don't ever move. We have a tech who has a Matco 4 drawer sitting between his two bays and kinda uses it as a "desk" (even though he has an actual desk with a computer, etc)... we drop paperwork on it, parts, etc. I have never seen him reach inside the 4 drawer "bank" below it though. Perhaps I'll have to ask him. Oh and it never moves. Haha.

 

[Red Green]

If it has more than 3 drawers or 2 drawers and a locking top it is a tool box.

 

[Fedwrench]

If it has more than 3 drawers or 2 drawers and a locking top it is a tool box.

There it is, the standard to separate a cart from a tool box. It doesn't get any clearer that that.

 

[justinmc]

There it is, the standard to separate a cart from a tool box. It doesn't get any clearer that that.

Yup.. I'll take that definition. We need a garagejournal "wiki" so we can post definitions haha.

 

[Diesel-Mech]

I think its just part of a trend, tool boxes are roughly the same size as a light truck now so something had to fill the gap they left, Its easer to justify having a cart and box instead of two boxes I guess.

 

[Gregster]

Ack! I have a cart which I put tools on from my TOOL BOX and bring those over the car. My boss and the other tech have most of their tools on a cart.. I don't like the idea of having my tools always in the open.. Those guys who bring parts over are rather sketchy....

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I'm not a big fan of the new "tool carts" either...seems to me it's just another toolbox with fewer drawers. Most of them I see advertised secondhand don't seem like they're worth the price.

Just bought this recently...this is a tool cart to me. btw, there should be two drawers, one of them is missing.

 

[autoace]

I'm thinking of buying one of those cart/boxes. I think the idea is to put all your basic tools, one would use for every job in it. Less trips to the tool box. You could use the top as a regular cart, so as not to mix the dirty tools with the stored ones, in the cart/box drawers. I like that idea, easy to move the most needed stuff around.

 

[billymade]

It makes sense to me; its easier to push a cart with most used tools in it, then the 2 ton boxes people have now a days! Another thing is being able to secure tools you have out quickly; when you go on break... you might not want to leave things lying around but don't want to put all your tools "back" in your main box... At my brothers shop: I have my boxes over by the lift but there are so many cars in the shop, plus the tech has his big Snap-On over there too! This makes it hard to push my box(es) around all the cars, engines, transmissions, parts, truck tail gates being prepped for spraying etc. But what if I need to work on cars outside or in another area? A cart would make it easier to work on other stuff but still have a "toolbox" to push to where I am working or secure when I am taking a break or getting some tacos down the street, going to get parts, looking for the Snap-On guy who never shows up, etc, etc, .... I also think that you could have a couple of carts dedicated to certain things, such as: a/c recharging, battery charger/electrical work, scan tool/OBDII/VAGCOM diagnostic/internet access for mitchell/alldata, detailing supplies/tools, etc. the list could go on forever!

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

btw, my perspective is that of a backyard mechanic. From what you guys who work in the shops say, it seems to make a lot of sense to have one.

Not so much for us guys messing around in our own garages.

 

[<>Severed<>]

Even though I have one I would agree this is a small tool box. mine sits next to my tool box and doesnt move. I loaded it with body tools that I only use once in a while but still need to do my job. My SO guy told me that he had a guy in one of his larger shops that traded his tool box in for three of these one metric one standard and one special stuff.

this is my "cart" it has three drawers but has most of the tools I use on every car that I work on.

 

[Frank Elson]

There it is, the standard to separate a cart from a tool box. It doesn't get any clearer that that.

sorry, my results vary, a cart is something you put tools in to use on a specific job then unload from back into your box when the job is done.

 

[Deafautotech]

As I'm sitting here flipping through various tool catalogs and such I've started noticing a trend that doesn't make a ton of sense to me but maybe just a little.

This would be... the proliferation of giant "tool carts" into the industry. You see them everywhere now. It used to be a tool cart was just that.. a cart. A top and bottom shelf.. maybe a place to hang a prybar off the side. Now its all about how many drawers can we cram in it and roller bearings and heavy duty casters are needed and locking lids with gas assist struts and so on and so on.
So just when does a "tool cart" become a "tool box"? I mean.. really.. I understand the idea is so someone like a master tech who has a giant Macsimizer, KRL, etc series top & bottom box can have a cart loaded with their most used tools so they can wheel it over quickly to a job somewhere else in the shop. Seriously though... why not just buy a "standard" 26" type rollaway and push that around? I dunno...it just doesn't make alot of sense to me.

Examples of what I consider to be "offenders"

"borderline"

DEFINITELY an offender... I mean come on.. its a toolbox!

i tried to push KRl1203 and KRL1003 from my closed chrysler building to next door The Mercury/ lincolin shop. it is not pretty because it is so heavy to push but while it is rolling easy, it is easy as have to control so hard to keep watch out for casters to avoid bent it... the Matco tool cart on picture of above is that what i have in black tool cart. it hold most hand tools that i used every day. if i need other tool then i go to my KRL series to pick up the tools. no problems...

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Wotisit?

 

[speed bump]

There is no truly defining difference.

 

[fourfeathers]

That is SWEET Moose. I like it! Cantilever would be nice for my house setup.

 

[GDA]

Wotisit?

tool boxcart

 

[musgofasta]

Agree completely. My newest "cart" pushes the boundaries. I think they're still a cart as long as there is at least 1 lower shelf. "Carts" aren't always 26'' wide in my experience.

Just picked this up over the weekend, as my "Christmas Present" from SWMBO. Used one of the HF coupons on Saturday.

Of course it's full already...

I wanted something small(ish) that I could move around the garage, especially so I'm grinding/welding in the center of the garage (and up off the floor). I already want to replace the two fixed casters for swivels so it goes in any direction. I plan on bolting a larger wood top on the top, possibly even removing the lid. I haven't decided yet. I wanted one with a lower shelf for bigger wood tools, like circular saw and sawz-all.

 

[Tallboy]

I was close to getting one of the SnapOn carts, but decided to save myself a chunk of change since it was for home use and put an intermediate box on a scrap cart from work. Later added a laminated wood top for a worksurface.

 

[bchee]

I was close to getting one of the SnapOn carts, but decided to save myself a chunk of change since it was for home use and put an intermediate box on a scrap cart from work. Later added a laminated wood top for a worksurface.

Hey that looks pretty cool.

 

[fourfeathers]

One big difference I had thought of, is that many tool carts have all 4 full swivel casters for maneuverability. Some project centers do as well.

 

[jimvannoy]

Back in the early 80's I worked as a mechanic for Firestone. There was a room at the back of the service area where we had to keep our toolboxes. We had a cart which was just the type with a top and bottom shelf that we had to use to take our tools and parts to our service area. It was kind of a pain loading it up and unloading it everyday and kind of messy/hard to find what you needed from a big pile of stuff. Plus half the time you would have to walk all the way to the back to get this or that tool you forgot or needed for a certain job. A cart with a bunch of drawers back then would have been nice!

 

[speed bump]

After pondering this question as an excuse not to do anything because its 0°F outside and the wind is blowing and its snowing I have reached the conclusion that difference is a cart you can still move easily to the job, a box is a generally stationary thing to store stuff in.