Toolbox regrets

[Koolmoose]

All my boxes (7) are friction slides except for my new Harbor Freight 72" box. Never any problems. I am still using my father's Huot upper chest that is at least 70 years old. I do like the BB slides for heavy tools though.
Steve

 

[NedNorton]

Wow, holy old thread resurrection Batman. I remember reading this one a few years ago. Back then I didn’t have anything to say because all my boxes were friction slides so I had nothing really to compare to. Now I do, and I’m home with the flu so, I will say that BB slides are nice but not necessary. They allow for really wide drawers which is nice but, and I think someone said it before, well taken care of industrial friction slides are a pleasure to use and can hold a bunch of weight.

My boxes are Snap-On from the 80’s bolted together. (Bought used, one at a time, off the Snap-On truck in the late 80's when other guys were upgrading to BB)


Here are some examples of a few drawers loaded to the gills.

Chrome Socket Drawer…


Wrench Drawer…


Both slid easily and I never had an issue.

Here is the old with the new (Brother-in-Law upgraded so I got a screaming deal on the 1023) Yes it is nice, and yes it is worth what I paid for it. (less than 20% of list)


Had I not gotten such a good deal I would of happily wrenched-on with my easy to open and close friction boxes. If I were a new Tech I would buy a set of good older friction boxes and put the rest towards filling them with good tools and have no regrets (and no tool box payment).

Cheers,
Chris

 

[martin666]

Have a old Mac 900 series 3 piece stack with side box, of course friction slides also have a Mac MB 17O0 with BB slides. I'm happy with both set ups. Also have a Snap On KRA 537 and a Matco 36 " wide middle box both of which have friction slides, also happy with them. I can see if you're a younger guy and grew up in the BB slide age that you might not like friction boxes but that's all there was when I started, kept clean and lubed I've never had a problem with them

 

[zkling]

For top boxes they are OK, I've pretty much given up on them for bottom boxes though. Main reason being is due to welded in dividers and long term wear replaceability, especially since most manufactures are discontinuing support of friction slides. At least with a ball bearing slide unit they can be retrofitted to a current design if need be.

Favorite friction slides are the kennedy snap in slide series due the non welded on channel, followed by 80s/90s snap on.

 

[countryroad82]

I've had friction slide boxes, still have my first Craftsman stack. Wouldn't have no problem loading a good box down.

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Wow, holy old thread resurrection Batman. I remember reading this one a few years ago. Back then I didn’t have anything to say because all my boxes were friction slides so I had nothing really to compare to. Now I do, and I’m home with the flu so, I will say that BB slides are nice but not necessary. They allow for really wide drawers which is nice but, and I think someone said it before, well taken care of industrial friction slides are a pleasure to use and can hold a bunch of weight.

My boxes are Snap-On from the 80’s bolted together. (Bought used, one at a time, off the Snap-On truck in the late 80's when other guys were upgrading to BB)

Nice tools and boxes, Chris.

Is there really an advantage to have those boxes (KR 655 I'm guessing) bolted together?

 

[Al Borland]

Friction slides are fine, but my 25 year old box (26" craftsman) has never been oiled. I waxed the slides (with a candle) when it was new and again about 8 years ago when I emptied it and replaced drawer liners and cleaned it. I'm not in it every day, but at least 4-5 days a week. Still going strong. (new drawer liners are already shot. Original ones lasted 17+ years... )

 

[NedNorton]

Lookin4'67Galexieconv,

I just now clicked on your signature links and remembered seeing your box restorations. You do great work!

I think the number is 555b and the 655's had the ball bearing slides. Anyway, the boxes. I bolted them together around 1991. I had been working at a shop during HS and acquiring tools all going into one of the bottom boxes. Things were filling up. The second one came up for sale from our driver and I bought it, bolted them together and made a maple top for it in shop class. I continued to work every summer through college and the top got to be a mess. I tried to bed line it and most just pealed off. This was during the time when you rebuilt calipers/starters/alternators in the shop so a lot of work was done on that top. When I finished college my tools went to my moms for storage and I tossed the maple top. I have always planned on welding up something but never got around to it. So, long answer to a short question. Yes, to have them bolted together allowed me to use one top for both and be able to move it around as one piece, something I had to do at the end of each summer so I could store it until winter break and then the next summer. Those were the main benefits.

Oh yah... The last time I called Snap-On about getting a replacement slide the nice CS lady sent me a few just in case. So, to my knowledge, they are still supporting the old friction boxes.

Just like the post above I used candle wax on them and it always worked great. Later, I switched to a window regulator lube stick from Napa. It's basically higher tech candle wax. Oil always attracted gunk and made them harder to operate.

Now you got me thinking I need to make a top again.

Cheers,
Chris

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

Thanks, Chris. They look very good. I have a 655/650 combo and it's the nicest of the boxes that I own.

Hopefully they continue to produce friction slides as I have a lot of '80s SO boxes that use them. Even the 650 box uses them in the smaller drawers.

On a side note, I went to Colorado for the first time in September for work...Fort Collins actually. Loved it and looking forward to going back for a vacation.

 

[bobemmerich]

My Kennedy's are all friction slide. Love them! No issues at all. Most of them are older, probably 30+ years old (The 5 drawer top on the left is about 6 years old), I got the others used and abused but they still work fine. I have a C-Man 3 drawer "mobile tool box" that I've had since the mid 80's with friction slides and they've held up just fine (the box has seen better days, but the the drawers still slide smooth).
Bottom line is whether you're getting a friction or BB slide, by the best QUALITY box you can. A quality box will last no matter what type of slides it has.