US General or masterforce tool box?

[DiscoBerry]

My old craftsman quiet glide box was getting cramped so I sold it the other day and now need to decide on a new one. I was looking at the 41 inch HF box for 399 minus the 20% coupon (336 out the door) or the masterforce box at the local menards which is on sale for 399 ($420 out the door) but no coupon. I was wondering what people think of there masterforce and HF boxes and if the master force is worth the extra $85).

 

[tonydanzah]

masterforce all the way. It is definitly worth the extra monies not to have the wrinkle finish box.

 

[06wt]

the hf boxes have a wrinkle finish? i have never really looked at 1 up close i always walk rite past it on my way out the door and have never really stopped to look at it. but yes wrinkle finish and dirty hands would not b fun to clean all the time,.

but sorry i have no input on either box, as i have not really inspected either

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

I have the US Gereral box "love it." I hear the Masterforce has a lifetime warranty, that alone I would go with the MF. Got a pic or a link to the MasterForce box?

 

[Indy_500]

I think the masterforce has a wrinkle finish too. But for those prices i might lean towards the masterforce. In my opinion it's just a tiny bit better.

 

[Indy_500]

If the HF boxes go on sale again, they'll be $270 w/coupon.

 

[philw]

Masterforce. I bought one 2 years ago to store 3/4 drive stuff and to have some spillover room since my Kennedy's were overflowing.

I also have my air tools, impacts, ball joint press, slide hammer and various other heavy things in it and haven't had any problems at all.

It gets moved rarely so I can't comment about how it would hold up in that type of situation.

IMO, the HF seemed to be not quite as nice as the Masterforce when I compared them.

Masterforce boxes DO NOT have a wrinkle finish.

 

[tonydanzah]

Masterforce does not have a wrinkle finish! I have 3 of them and love them. The slides are better then the hf. Also the MF box is lifetime, I asked specifiaclly in the store and they told me if I break a slide bring in the drawer, and they will swap it out. When I bought mine, I went to Loews to look at the stainless box, I was not impressed. I went to HD and didn't really see anything. I went to HF and was really not impressed. Finally I went to Menards and found what I was looking for.

 

[Indy_500]

At my local menards, all the masterforce look somewhat of a wrinkle finish, halfway between a craftsman box and an HF box.

 

[tonydanzah]

At my local menards, all the masterforce look somewhat of a wrinkle finish, halfway between a craftsman box and an HF box.

You sir are very mistaken. Its a green gloss finish.

 

[spartyon8]

I want to say that the MasterForce top and bottom are on sale this weekend for 688. I personally love my HF box but don't use it everyday and it doesn't get that dirty.

 

[Indy_500]

You sir are very mistaken. Its a green gloss finish.

hmmm idk. In my opinion it's nowhere near as smooth as a craftsman.

 

[tonydanzah]

I can see the reflection of my car in mine.

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Granted it is nowhere deep as a snap on or matco box. But its not wrinkle. If I actually spent the time polishing mine, I think you could make it very deep.

 

[Deafautotech]

i did play around between Harbor freight box and menards box... i would go for menards because it is slides was smooth than harbor frieght, even better is lifetime warranty!! so i was almost buy it but i found a older usa made craftsman full wide drawers little cheaper...

 

[DiscoBerry]

Does anyone have any experience with making claims on the Masterforces waranty? If its gonna be a selling point I wana make sure they wont "hassle me".

 

[Gunnar]

I think either way, you can't go wrong. They're both good deals and well-built for how inexpensive they are. I was in your same situation deciding between boxes, but for me it came down to drawer configuration. I liked the 13 drawers on HF vs. 11 on Masterforce. I don't have much use for taller drawers. I do like the finish on the Masterforce though. Although green... meh...

 

[DiscoBerry]

Im thinking the 13 drawers on the HF will be more usefull to me and its cheaper to boot, only problem is I have to drive 60 miles to get one from HF.

 

[Scout Driver]

I vote for the Masterforce.

Scott

 

[Indy_500]

Im thinking the 13 drawers on the HF will be more usefull to me and its cheaper to boot, only problem is I have to drive 60 miles to get one from HF.

if you want the top chest or any of the side chests, print off a couple 20% off coupons, and buy the roller, take it out to ur truck (or whatever vehicle ya got) then go back in and buy another with a 20% lol.

 

[mjozefow]

I have compared the two back-to-back and the Masterforce is by far the better box. Thicker metal, the drawers don't rack, and the finish is glossy POWDER COAT.

The issue I have with both is that they are either both ugly colors.

The Masterforce is a helluva bang for the buck. I actually was going to buy a HF box, but I really don't think they are worth the money even at sub $300 prices. This is my opinion, no need to get defensive.

All of the Masterforce display boxes I have seen have been unharmed, not so for the HF box.

 

[Indy_500]

I think my problem is that i like red too much

 

[DavidB]

Well, at least you have a choice. No Menards around here. :-(

 

[DiscoBerry]

I have a menards but the nearist harbor freight is 60 miles away and I love that store, I could just look at all the differnet stuff, given most of it isnt of the highest quality but I find all the different tools very interesting.

 

[DiscoBerry]

I think Im gonna go to menards tommorow after work and look at that box again. And maybe go to Harbor Freight on friday and if I like it better Im gonna get that one.

 

[scott37300]

Just checked the menards flyer online and the bottom is on sale for 399. To bad there isn't a 20% coupon for them also! I have looked at both and was really thinking about the HF because of price. I like the master force one better, sorry Indy I have been to both menards in our local and it's smooth. The drawers seem to be smoother, hopefully they will under load also. Will grab some heavy sledges and throw them in the drawer tomorrow and see how it rolls. A new tool box really isn't in the budget right now but it's something I have wanted for a while so might have to pinch some pennies and pick one up on sale.

Like mentioned I would rather have the 13 drawers instead of the 11 taller drawers but after looking at bith the master force really is nicer. And I will have to ask about the warrenty, that would be really nice.

 

[spartyon8]

I also thought that the masterforce slides were better until I loaded up the HF unit. Once loaded with weight, the HF slides really well.

 

[tonydanzah]

I also thought that the masterforce slides were better until I loaded up the HF unit. Once loaded with weight, the HF slides really well.

Same goes for the masterforce slides or any ball bearing slides. More weight is better. If someone takes a pic of the HF slides I'll take a pic of the MF slides.

 

[yogitech]

I swear MF manufacturer sourced the materials from the same place as Mountain tool boxes. My mountain box to the <---- has the exact same drawer pulls, and, the drawer lenghts appear to be exactly the same. Whats the depth on the MF boxes?

 

[tonydanzah]

mine is 18". I originally thought they were montazuma boxes. But in another thread someone posted they were made by ISN. I also have a Cman stainless box that they do not sell anymore that looks the same. Same drawer pull and thicker metal.

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[yogitech]

mine is 18". I originally thought they were montazuma boxes. But in another thread someone posted they were made by ISN. I also have a Cman stainless box that they do not sell anymore that looks the same. Same drawer pull and thicker metal.

<a href="http://s965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/?action=view&current=DSCN2143.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/ae133/tonydanzah_photos/DSCN2143.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I've also seen that style on the "Viper SS" branded boxes in the SEARS cataloque... If similar constuction, they use some thick metal on these things.

 

[tonydanzah]

Are the locking pins in front of your drawers?

 

[yogitech]

Are the locking pins in front of your drawers?

No, the locking mechanisms are all in the back...

 

[tonydanzah]

No, the locking mechanisms are all in the back...

hmmm......

 

[Indy_500]

I don't know if anybody else noticed this but i think it's pretty funny. The brand of the drawer slides on the HF box is Hong Chang Sheng. But they still are pretty decent slides. If you open the drawer and look on the left slide (it might say it on the right slide, i didnt' check) it says it. I really do like the drawer pulls on the masterforce. But when i got mine on sale for $270, i don't think it can be beat, also, I like the 13 drawers a lot better than the 11.

 

[tonydanzah]

I don't know if anybody else noticed this but i think it's pretty funny. The brand of the drawer slides on the HF box is Hong Chang Sheng. But they still are pretty decent slides. If you open the drawer and look on the left slide (it might say it on the right slide, i didnt' check) it says it. I really do like the drawer pulls on the masterforce. But when i got mine on sale for $270, i don't think it can be beat, also, I like the 13 drawers a lot better than the 11.

I think not having wrinkle paint beats it. And I also like the MF 11 drawer configuration better. Its all personal preference.

 

[Indy_500]

To be honest, i didn't even know about this site until a week after i had my HF box. I googled my toolbox and this site popped up. My parents took me everywhere to find a toolbox i liked. Started out at Menards, then Fleet Farm, Home Depot, Then Sears, then Lowes, then Harbor Freight, back to Menards, and back to Harbor Freight. I just didn't care for the green, the drawer configuration, or the price at that time (it was like $540 i believe at that time for the masterforce box) By the way, the boxes at Fleet Farm are actually pretty good.

 

[BWright]

I looked at both boxes before buying my box. They are pretty much in the same ballpark. I wouldn't say one is really any better than the other. I like the gloss and the drawer pulls on the menards box but didn't like the wasted space created by the pull out work surface and deep drawers. I hated the HF red crinkle finish, but decided I could deal with it in black.

 

[PowderKeg]

Those MF drawer pulls sure as heck look like the ones on a 36" Montezuma set I've been drooling over at the local Orscheln's - were on sale for $700 for the pair back at Christmas, and I've been hoping they'd do it again. $688 for a 41" set is definitely better; I think I might have to find a Menards on the way to/from the Indy Airshow this weekend to some more.

 

[MechanicNamedJohn]

I have the red, wanted black, but never in stock at the store and was special order. No discount either for the black. So I finally went back to order the black one, they said it's discontinued, so I got red. I'm gonna strip it and paint it either gunmetal, or satin black.

Lucky you for getting black. Nice box.

 

[Boost Creep]

i like the black on the hf boxes. can you get the side lockers in that black too? i don't mind the red on mine but i like that a whole lot more. i'll sell my red for all black stuff if its all available in it