When did Craftsman rolling chests get cheap?

[Recoil Rob]

I see plenty of reviews here with opinions that the new Craftsman chests are poorly built, very flimsy.

When did the change occur and was it a result of changing their source? Are the older cabinets marked "Made in USA" or date stamped?

From time to time I see used Craftsmans on Craigslist and it would be helpful if I could when it was purchased or where it was made to determine whether it's worth the ride.

thanks, Rob

 

[greybeard]

I don't know but, I agree they are a lot flimsier than the older ones. I have a stacked set, I not sure of the model but it has to be the most common set, anyway, I was in True Value the other day and just pulled out the drawer of a new Craftsman box. It felt so cheap compared to my old set. Thinner metal, cheaper components.

 

[Indy_500]

My dads 30 year old Craftsman top box made in usa is built strong, and the drawer slides are really good even though they are quiet glide!

 

[pipsters]

I have an old Craftsman tool box, I'd guess in the 20-30 year old range, and the gauge is very similar to what was bought just two years ago.

I think there is a lot of folks in general, not just on here, who remember things differently...

 

[A1an]

My family has a nice Craftsman tool chest that was purchased back in the mid to late 90's. It is just a regluar two piece chest with ball bearing drawers. That chest has been exposed to salt water multiple times (garage was flooded in a couple storms). Despite the abuse it still feels more solid than the new Professional series Craftsman chests.

So if I were to guess I would think the change to cheap chests was probably in the late 90's...so maybe within the last 10-15 years?

 

[greybeard]

I have an old Craftsman tool box, I'd guess in the 20-30 year old range, and the gauge is very similar to what was bought just two years ago.

I think there is a lot of folks in general, not just on here, who remember things differently...

In my case, it's not remembering, it's comparing one with the other. I have an old one that I'm comparing with a new one.

 

[pipsters]

I dunno guys, my old one is pretty flimsy too.

 

[wmartin]

I have an old Craftsman tool box, I'd guess in the 20-30 year old range, and the gauge is very similar to what was bought just two years ago.

I think there is a lot of folks in general, not just on here, who remember things differently...

I have to respectfully disagree with that.

Side by side, I had identically sized Craftsman wheeled bottom boxes. One I bought in the 1970's (non ball bearing of course), the other bought a couple of years ago on sale (ball bearing).

Absolutely no comparison in the general stoutness of the boxes. The old one was far superior. The poor quality of the newer Craftsman (plus the fact that I wanted to be more mobile) lead me to give both away and go 100% to portable cases.

My guess is that in some areas, we are just seeing the result of 25 years of cost reduction by a multitude of designers. No individual change amounts to much, but the aggregate is obvious.

 

[lowbucktruck]

I have to respectfully disagree with that.

Side by side, I had identically sized Craftsman wheeled bottom boxes. One I bought in the 1970's (non ball bearing of course), the other bought a couple of years ago on sale (ball bearing).

Absolutely no comparison in the general stoutness of the boxes. The old one was far superior. The poor quality of the newer Craftsman (plus the fact that I wanted to be more mobile) lead me to give both away and go 100% to portable cases.

My guess is that in some areas, we are just seeing the result of 25 years of cost reduction by a multitude of designers. No individual change amounts to much, but the aggregate is obvious.

Ditto. I have to agree with wmartin. I have a new set of Craftsman top and bottom boxes; the bottom box felt so flimsy that I didn't bother to even put the casters on it (set it on a roll-cart frame that was far more sturdy). Can't speak for the Pro-series Crafty boxes.

My dad's old standard-issue Craftman toolboxes (1970's vintage) are built like a tank by comparison; heavier-gauge steel. I would not feel safe standing on my new Craftsman bottom roll-cab. Now my old Williams roll-cab, that I feel safe standing on.

 

[back2class]

The old ones were never great. The late 80's stuff (red and grey/brown/blackish drawers were decent quality. I have never seen ones made after the mid 1990's that were any good. Guess we are talking 15-20 years old.

 

[kc-steve]

I still own a Craftsman machinist box purchased new around 1980. It is good quality, hardly flimsy. Made by Waterloo. I recently pulled it out of the garage to clean it up and a guy driving by asked me what I wanted for it.

Now if I can just find the keys I'd be set.

Steve

 

[Blue Gator Six]

back about 20 years ago You could by a Cheap version of Craftsman tool boxes. You could also buy a quality chest. The cheap ones were cheap. I bought my first roller from them. It was very inexspensive. If I remember correctly I paid about 250.00 for both the top and bottom box. I could have spent around another 2 to 3 hundred bucks and got a really nice one, but for what I needed the cheapy fit well. With that being said I guess the cheap ones out sold the exspensive ones, so they just went cheap all around. I would not pay what they are asking for thier boxes today. I finally gave my old Cheap Craftsman boxes to a kid in the nieghborhood. I bought a HF tool cart box to replace it and I love it.

 

[kc-steve]

. . . I bought a HF tool cart box to replace it and I love it.

Yeah, their not bad if you modify them. Strengthen the place where the casters are attached and replace the casters with high-quality casters. I own one too. Of course, if you've never owned a good set of casters then you will likely poo-poo my opinion.

Steve

 

[csmitty]

As a design engineer cost outs are a huge part of new designs these days and the past decade easily. Its sad when you go to the store and try to find what they did differently or just assume since its new its probably not as good as it used to be. Not sure for all companys as they to keep the quality intact but alot don't. I recently got to see some of the changes to Sioux's angle grinder's to reduce cost but still stay stong.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Thanks for all the opinions. Today I was going by the local Sears so I stopped in and saw them for myself. After having just rehabbed a 1980's Snap On KRB I had something to compare the new Craftsmans. I went right over to their "Heavy Duty Premium" cart and there's no comparison. The sheet metal is a much thinner gauge, it was 50-50 if the Grip Latch handles would open or not and I wouldn't feel comfortable loading a drawer with tools. Seems like they are too flimsy for the amount that I have in my SO.
So I'll keep an eye out for old SO's, older Craftsmans or check out HF.


thanks, Rob

 

[csmitty]

I wouldn't worry about a new SO box, other than the price, was plaing with a KRL7022 and 1022 yesterday, those drawers are thick. Granted not the same as KRA box, but the KRA is still good comparably.

 

[powertrip]

Thanks for all the opinions. Today I was going by the local Sears so I stopped in and saw them for myself. After having just rehabbed a 1980's Snap On KRB I had something to compare the new Craftsmans. I went right over to their "Heavy Duty Premium" cart and there's no comparison. The sheet metal is a much thinner gauge, it was 50-50 if the Grip Latch handles would open or not and I wouldn't feel comfortable loading a drawer with tools. Seems like they are too flimsy for the amount that I have in my SO.
So I'll keep an eye out for old SO's, older Craftsmans or check out HF.


thanks, Rob

Not really apples to apples comparison

 

[BigAl62]

I don't know when, but my 30 year old boxes are sturdy. I don't know what I'll buy when I need a new box for home (out growing mine, but I'll keep it). I have a Snap On box at work, I probably find another on Craig's List.

 

[2oolhound]

It's not only thinner metal that's used, often the sides of the drawers had folds and recesses that added strength. Today manufacturers claim the attached slides provide that strength and use flat thin metal on the sides of the drawers. A lot of these new cheaper boxes aren't as deep either. I've seen a lot of boxes that look impressive in the flyers but when you see them they are only 16" deep otherwise they'd flex out of shape permanently.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Not really apples to apples comparison

It is in the fact that I paid about the same for the used SO as the new Craftsmans.

 

[onewaydave]

Remember (or not) that Sears and Penneys were the "good, Better, Best" queens. They dropped that termanology but kept the concept through to today. I have had several stacked Cman sets that vary from flimsy that I gave away and fairly sturdy that I have now and will keep.

I like that Cman machinists set up there, pointing up.

Dave.