Tool boxes.....been wondering lately

[impactims]

I see a lot of HIGH DOLLAR tool boxes out there and I have been wondering what the draw is to them. When I say high dollar, I mean several thousand.

As long as my tool box houses my tools and I can find what I want when I want it I am happy and even the cheapo boxes can do that.

High end tools and equipment I understand. But boxes? I don't get it. I have quite a bit invested in tools, but less than $100 total invested in tool boxes (2) and I havent had a problem with them.

 

[kams1973]

You obviously haven't had to roll your toolbox across an old hangar floor have you?

 

[yasha32]

good boxes also serve as a mobile work surface if need be. i've used the top of a snap on roll box as an anvil of sorts (not hot metal) and it looked amazing afterwards. My school using snap on boxes and in general they seem to be great at taking abuse, I think thats a draw... over engineering.

 

[impactims]

Hangar floor?

 

[american lockpicker]

I can't see spending 40K on a box when you can buy a new pick up truck and put a topper on it and keep tools in there.

 

[TheFarmer]

High end tools and equipment I understand. But boxes? I don't get it. I have quite a bit invested in tools, but less than $100 total invested in tool boxes (2) and I havent had a problem with them.

Structural strength and good slides are very important Not sure if you've seen a decently loaded poor quality box roll across an uneven shop floor. Only takes months for the slides to give out or welds to break.

 

[pipsters]

I didn't see the value until a few days ago. I bought a 56" tool box from a tech who expanded his tool inventory. The box I bought was a "value" series from a decent tool box maker. In 10 months he really wore out that poor box. Loaded with tools the sliders start to flex. New they are around $950.

You really need 16 gauge steel and above to construct a tool box that will withstand daily use for years. Unfortunately, that costs money. Some of the only tool box makers designing and manufacturing those types of tool boxes are here in the US so prices will be higher due to that as well.

If I was a tech I wouldn't buy new but can definitely see spending $2k-$3k on one used.

 

[Garage5.9]

To me its a status thing kind of stupid but that's just how it is. Exspensive tools = exspensive tool box

 

[pipsters]

FWIW the Toyota guy who just bought my old HF tool box said the Toyota Master Techs at his dealership use the Craftsman stuff. That being said they work for one dealer, Toyota, and probably have much less tools than someone working for a place that handles all types of makes.

 

[Danglerb]

Somewhere inside every human being is a desire to own the best of something, most people who have the opportunity to do so, do so.

 

[diesel research]

I can't see spending 40K on a box when you can buy a new pick up truck and put a topper on it and keep tools in there.

You can tell who has shopped around for boxes, and who has no idea what they really cost. People are always making statements that boxes cost $10k, $15k, $40k. There is a very very high likely hood that none of those people making those claims have ever even seen a box of that price range.

If it cost anything more than HFs $370 price tage, some will claim it's expensive.

Sure there ARE $40k boxes out there (I posted a pic of an employer provided $800k box) but how many people do you know with such a box?

_______________________________

As far as why?

Ask yourself a few questions:
Why do people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house, only to be forced to work so much they are never inside of it?

Why do people spend thousands more on an automobile when they could own a bicycle?

How do you know how much they really paid for the box? I find tools and boxes are a place so many people lie about the price. Some lie and exaggerate how much they really paid, like bragging or resale, others lie and under value how much they paid to avoid criticism or brag about how frugal they are.

Example:
A guy I know just bought a brand new camo SO classic for $2500. Depends on who you are, sometimes he will boast about his "deal", or to others he will say I have a $5,000 box

Another coworker got a steal on a tech1000 or some mac box, paid less than $3000. Sometimes he will boast like he is trying to earn a "you ****", but when he went to interview with another company, he proudly claimed "I have a $7k box"

So on to more info on "why". Various people use their boxes to different levels. Maybe some homeowner pretty much stares at his box, maybe some tech uses it all day. Maybe he works in the same bay out of a select few drawers, or maybe he puts hudnreds of miles on the casters and chassis and uses all the drawers all the time.

Obviously people have a wide variety of acceptable function. One may demand the drawers glide smoothly for life, another is fine with them binding a little or some dents here and there. Just like cars.

There is also a wide variety of "status" reasons, whether it is a poor attempt at trying to impress peers, or even an attempt at trying to impress a potential employer. Sad but true, tool box discrimination exists and may determine your pay wage or if you are even hired. Know of places that you must have ___ to be employed. Like I said in another thread, if it is financially worth it, it may be just a small cost of doing business.


Of course, going back to not knowing how much someone really paid, there can be a drastic difference between street price and msrp or even "perceived msrp".

 

[Creditor]

............ I have quite a bit invested in tools, but less than $100 total invested in tool boxes (2) and I havent had a problem with them.

Can you be a little more specific when you say "quite a bit invested". I am looking for a dollar figure.

 

[Buckgnarly]

If people are patient, and don't mind some overspray, faded paint, minor rust, etc then great boxes can be had used.

Between my KR1000 and SO side box I have 950 invested, plus 500 in an old top and bottom Home Depot Husky box (the old Canadian ones).
They are a little beat up, but once you own a GOOD box you'll never look back. HF is no better than Cman, but that Snap On box is light years beyond any of the other boxes, and will last me until I'm dead.

Buying alomst any new large box makes no sense to me...

 

[WRX/Z28]

Exactly. Why do people buy Mercedes and BMW when they could drive a Kia, or hyundai for 1/10 of the price?

All I can say is, load a good Snap on, Mac, Cornwell etc... box down with heavy tools and slide the drawers, then do the same with a cheapo box. The difference will become much more apparent.

There's also the durability factor. I fully expect my toolbox to last me the rest of my life, and based on the last 15 years performance, I think it's a realistic expectation. Some of the cheap boxes out there I wouldn't trust to last me 15 months, let alone 15 years.


*Edit Add in that $3000 for 60 years of use= $50/year. $400 for 5 years of use= $80/year. So where is the real bargain?

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I see a lot of HIGH DOLLAR tool boxes out there and I have been wondering what the draw is to them. When I say high dollar, I mean several thousand.

As long as my tool box houses my tools and I can find what I want when I want it I am happy and even the cheapo boxes can do that.

High end tools and equipment I understand. But boxes? I don't get it. I have quite a bit invested in tools, but less than $100 total invested in tool boxes (2) and I havent had a problem with them.

 

[diesel research]

All I can say is, load a good Snap on, Mac, Cornwell etc... box down with heavy tools and slide the drawers, then do the same with a cheapo box. The difference will become much more apparent.

Have you saw how some of the boxes are "loaded" around here? 2 extensions, 10 sockets, and a pocket knife.

I recall a guy (coworker) boasting about his "heavy duty" quietglide box, one drawer was "loaded" with tacobell hot sauce packets only, and another with a single tub of car wax. Of course he might not understand the big deal.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Have you saw how some of the boxes are "loaded" around here? 2 extensions, 10 sockets, and a pocket knife.

I recall a guy (coworker) boasting about his "heavy duty" quietglide box, one drawer was "loaded" with tacobell hot sauce packets only, and another with a single tub of car wax. Of course he might not understand the big deal.

This is before the 12 points were also put in, open/close with one hand easy.....no way lower end boxes could do this

 

[Eldogg]

Being a Hotrod Builder I see this all the time. I call it The Show or Fake it till you make it. People walk in to a shop and wow is all you hear. Open their box and you couldn't build a Snap-Tite model car with the tools they have.

 

[WRX/Z28]

Have you saw how some of the boxes are "loaded" around here? 2 extensions, 10 sockets, and a pocket knife.

I recall a guy (coworker) boasting about his "heavy duty" quietglide box, one drawer was "loaded" with tacobell hot sauce packets only, and another with a single tub of car wax. Of course he might not understand the big deal.

Exactly, I see boxes that are barely half loaded. I can understand why they would think they all serve the same function. I have drawers with my weight in ratchets, sockets, extensions and such. They still open easily with no fuss...

There's nothing wrong with HF boxes for what they are, and for a light tool set. Trying to say that there is no need for the premium boxes out there is just sheer ignorance.

I'm sure the diesel field has some even heavier tools that what I work with, so i'm sure you're on the same page with me...

 

[RodneyPierce]

Thanks Eric for the new sig quote!!

 

[diesel research]

I'm sure the diesel field has some even heavier tools that what I work with, so i'm sure you're on the same page with me...

Does schedule80 stainless pipe and sledge hammers count?

Not even gonna talk about the guys who have "forged" old kingpins/axle shafts into various mega punches and chisels...It's pretty crazy when your chisel is bigger in diameter than your hammer.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

Not gonna copy all of the post--- But DR is right on the money!

You can tell who has shopped around for boxes, and who has no idea what they really cost.


As far as why?

I'm a cheap SOB who drives a cheap commuter car to my job where I work with my tools everyday out of a box that some would consider "too much" - list price was just as much as the car ....And I DO have a drawer full of junk and a couple with barely anything in them only because it is a recent purchase and the last (smaller) box was stuffed full. The old box was an odd size that none of the side cabinets matched, so I couldn't really just add on - so I traded up. I got full price that I paid for the old one on trade - can you get that from a no-name box?...and I have another 5 to 10 years left in this work, so I confident the box will be full before I take it home to retire.

 

[TAftw]

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that if you do something for a living, you need top of the line tools. Whether it's landscaping, auto tech, police officer, lineman, etc. etc, cheap stuff just doesn't cut it if you're using it for 40 hours a week.

If I have drawers with 250+ lbs. of tools, and I'm opening and closing them 30 or 40 times a day, a cheap tool box just isn't going to hold up. Those expensive boxes ARE built better than the cheap stuff, and if you're wrenching every day, that's the correct tool for job.

Also, I'm sure the truck brand boxes have better locking mechanisms and security features than a cheap box. If I have a serious amount of money invested in my tools, what good is it if they're not protected in a safe box?

 

[twincam00]

When you use your toolbox all day every day, you dont wanna use the cheap stuff

 

[Aberdale]

I have an expensive tool box because I wanted it.

Could I get by with a smaller, cheaper box? Sure. I did for many years. I could probably get by with no box at all. Just throw my tools in a cardboard box.

Yes, I have a shiny expensive toolbox. And I couldn't care less what anybody thinks about it. It makes me smile every time I open and close a drawer. And I'm the only one that I care to impress.

Dale

 

[glenmore]

It makes me smile every time I open and close a drawer.
Dale

How much is this worth?



A lot!

 

[-Brent-]

At the moment, I'm on the fence of justifying a higher cost box. As I'm bringing more and more of my tools to UT (as well as aquiring "new" stuff), I'm seeing the limits to my boxes.

Truth be told, I don't have much invested into storage and my boxes are all in very good to nearly new condition but some of the longer or larger stuff just doesn't fit.

This is from when I moved into my garage. It's more orderly now but even with all these boxes (at less than $750 total spent) I'm at the point where there's only so much I can do. A big, wide box would really help.

 

[hammergodthor]

I have an expensive tool box because I wanted it.

Could I get by with a smaller, cheaper box? Sure. I did for many years. I could probably get by with no box at all. Just throw my tools in a cardboard box.

Yes, I have a shiny expensive toolbox. And I couldn't care less what anybody thinks about it. It makes me smile every time I open and close a drawer. And I'm the only one that I care to impress.

Dale

This is the bottom line. We could argue about the "best value" until the cows come home, but it all boils down to this: "I wanted it."

I would add, "and I could afford it."

 

[j.c.whitney]

Many on GJ have found and purchased gently used current model Snap On tool boxes for 50% or even 30% of new list price. Patience, good timing, and luck certainly play a part in that.

 

[route246]

Disclaimer: I'm not a pro but a serious hobbyist and handyman

I bought a $2500 72" Montezuma after much thought. I outgrew my $750 stainless box from Costco. I could afford SO and looked seriously at new and used ones for a long time before settling on the Montezuma, based on all of the discussion here. The SO would have been severe overkill and it would have been a waste of money in my opinion. I'm not one who shows off my stuff and most people don't even know about my tool sickness. My boxes sit innocuous in the garage with vehicles sometimes parked tightly next to them. But, I needed something that was deep (ruled out HF 56") because of limited floor space and something that could hold a high weight density in some drawers. Pro-quality was the only thing that fit the bill. $2500 Montezuma or $10K SO were the two available choices to me and after looking at my use model $2500 Montezuma became the optimal option. $3K-5K used SO was also an option and I waited patiently for over a year of searching CL but nothing acceptable ever appeared, although I did go out and look at quite a few during that time. The other problem with used is transporting a 72" box from wherever CL happened to show one. Transporting a 72" beast is a logistical challenge since I don't have my truck anymore.

But, in the end, this thread by Nissan_Crawler pretty much sold me on the 72" Montezuma. This box is a beast and it's exceeded all of my expectations. It's already over stuffed and I'm putting overflow into the old Costco box.

 

[HarrisonTX]

You can tell who has shopped around for boxes, and who has no idea what they really cost. People are always making statements that boxes cost $10k, $15k, $40k. There is a very very high likely hood that none of those people making those claims have ever even seen a box of that price range.

If it cost anything more than HFs $370 price tage, some will claim it's expensive.

Sure there ARE $40k boxes out there (I posted a pic of an employer provided $800k box) but how many people do you know with such a box?

_______________________________

As far as why?

Ask yourself a few questions:
Why do people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a house, only to be forced to work so much they are never inside of it?

Why do people spend thousands more on an automobile when they could own a bicycle?

How do you know how much they really paid for the box? I find tools and boxes are a place so many people lie about the price. Some lie and exaggerate how much they really paid, like bragging or resale, others lie and under value how much they paid to avoid criticism or brag about how frugal they are.

Example:
A guy I know just bought a brand new camo SO classic for $2500. Depends on who you are, sometimes he will boast about his "deal", or to others he will say I have a $5,000 box

Another coworker got a steal on a tech1000 or some mac box, paid less than $3000. Sometimes he will boast like he is trying to earn a "you ****", but when he went to interview with another company, he proudly claimed "I have a $7k box"

So on to more info on "why". Various people use their boxes to different levels. Maybe some homeowner pretty much stares at his box, maybe some tech uses it all day. Maybe he works in the same bay out of a select few drawers, or maybe he puts hudnreds of miles on the casters and chassis and uses all the drawers all the time.

Obviously people have a wide variety of acceptable function. One may demand the drawers glide smoothly for life, another is fine with them binding a little or some dents here and there. Just like cars.

There is also a wide variety of "status" reasons, whether it is a poor attempt at trying to impress peers, or even an attempt at trying to impress a potential employer. Sad but true, tool box discrimination exists and may determine your pay wage or if you are even hired. Know of places that you must have ___ to be employed. Like I said in another thread, if it is financially worth it, it may be just a small cost of doing business.


Of course, going back to not knowing how much someone really paid, there can be a drastic difference between street price and msrp or even "perceived msrp".

Perfect, and very well written.
I lol at the people that brag about how much they spend, or even lie, and provide an inflated number. If someone tells over inflates the value of his box, he is foolish in my eyes. I know the value, and I know know what I could build the same box for. I don't understand the point in lying about prices.

I do understand the point in spending serious coin. It just part of doing business.

Also, Hello to another Texas Vet. cool .50 cal pic.

 

[wornoutoldman]

At the moment, I'm on the fence of justifying a higher cost box. As I'm bringing more and more of my tools to UT (as well as aquiring "new" stuff), I'm seeing the limits to my boxes.

Truth be told, I don't have much invested into storage and my boxes are all in very good to nearly new condition but some of the longer or larger stuff just doesn't fit.

This is from when I moved into my garage. It's more orderly now but even with all these boxes (at less than $750 total spent) I'm at the point where there's only so much I can do. A big, wide box would really help.

You should be entered in the "I'm giving away two toolboxes" thread

 

[CoryZ]

When the value of the box appears to be insanely more expensive than the value of the tools inside, I do wonder a bit. Some of the kids with the ginormous new expensive boxes and few tools seem to be "all hat, no cattle."

I understand where you guys that have drawers full of heavy stuff are coming from in wanting something beefy enough to do the job. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Also running out of room and deciding to consolidate with a bigger box rather than adding another smaller box is to me in a different category.

Some of the cheaper boxes around do seem like paper thin junk, so buying to a reasonable quality level certainly makes sense.

With that all that said, if you can afford it and it makes you happy, don't let me stop you.

My own tastes run to the vintage boxes. I can and do wait for a deal. I'd rather have a couple of antique SO stacks with character vs any of their new boxes.

However, somebody needs to buy the new boxes now so in another 30 years we can get good deals.

 

[-Brent-]

You should be entered in the "I'm giving away two toolboxes" thread

I should, you're right. Maybe I will.

 

[caseyjw]

Most people who hold that type of opinion have never worked in production, maintenance, or anything where time to completion is an important metric. Time to completion hinges on a couple of different factors:

1. Having the right tools for the task
2. Finding the right tools in a timely fashion
3. Placing them back into the correct location easily to be ready for the next task

With a tiny cheap toolbox, you can't have all of the right tools for the job. These toolboxes barely suffice to hold all the tools that a homeowner needs let alone a professional technician. Smaller toolboxes also rule out having proper organization, because tools need to be stacked on top of one another. Proper organization takes space, and large(r) toolboxes afford a professional technician the ability to be efficient.

The other side of that is durability. Your toolbox needs to be just as durable as your tools. You need your slides to be working properly, your casters to be smooth, and your top to be functional. If you have to stop working to fix your toolbox to access your tools.... item #2 goes down the toilet.

So ask yourself, if you are truly a professional technician how can I be more profitable? desirable? efficient? how can I retain my job? having a good tool box and a mobile cart is only one small part of that, and it is an investment.

Casey

 

[BigAl62]

I have a Snap On KR650/655 combo that I bought in 1988. I still have it and I've only had to have 1 set of drawer slides warrantied. I spent the money so I wouldn't have to spend lots on many cheap tool boxes - I saved money in the long run not having to replace it every few years. Best money I ever spent! (yes, I'm a professional mechanic and the box is used every day!) At home Craftsman does just fine, I see no need to spend big money for my home box, but my work box is my life's blood - I make my living with it!

 

[waltmcq]

why do I fly first class when I go across country when coach just a few steps behind me is cheaper

 

[Outlawmws]

You really need 16 gauge steel and above to construct a tool box that will withstand daily use Added: And heavy loads for years. Unfortunately, that costs money. Some of the only tool box makers designing and manufacturing those types of tool boxes are here in the US so prices will be higher due to that as well.

If I was a tech I wouldn't buy new but can definitely see spending $2k-$3k on one used.

Quoted for truth. Most homeowner boxes are maybe 22 gauge. Older 50's/60/s boxes were 20 Ga. tool stands generally 16 ga.

To me its a status thing kind of stupid but that's just how it is. Exspensive tools = exspensive tool box

In some cases a true statement. not always

This is before the 12 points were also put in, open/close with one hand easy.....no way lower end boxes could do this

Loads like this under daily use will bend the bottoms of thin materials. I have one Kennedy drawer that scraped because if was FULL of snips... Edit, I had rearranged and unloaded some of them, (and added others) it STILL does...

 

[ZRX61]

Interesting comments... I have all sorts of tool boxes. Mine get dragged/rolled across hangar floors, moved around airports on a forklift, thrown into bomb bays & flown across the country......& the ONLY one that's ever been damaged in use...... is the SnapOn box...

 

[WRX/Z28]

Interesting comments... I have all sorts of tool boxes. Mine get dragged/rolled across hangar floors, moved around airports on a forklift, thrown into bomb bays & flown across the country......& the ONLY one that's ever been damaged in use...... is the SnapOn box...

Probably was the only one that was fixed as good as new for free as well...

With the weight of stuff my box is supporting without issue, I can't fathom how someone could easily damage one...