The Swivel Pro

Posted by 141drew Posted onApr 19, 2011 at 5:10 PM and filed under Reviews & Features


So I’ve been getting emails about these boxes for a couple of weeks now. The folks at Swivel Storage Solutions are working really hard to promote them… and while I think they are great looking, I’m not sure the problem exists that they are trying to solve. I have 70 year old Snap On boxes with drawer slides that never bind and open like butter no matter the weight within. Even so, this might be one of those products you gotta feel and touch before you can judge.

Anyhow, details here.


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amt

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yeah, seems like a lot of wasted space based on the drawer design
 
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Jay_Dub

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Yeah, that does actually look like it'd waste as much as 1/2 of each drawer.

I came here and registered just to ask this:

are most of these tool chests pretty much the same? Or do you really recommend one in particular? Snap On you say? I don't know that we have a SO dealer here. I have Home Depot and access to a Lowes.

I think I can cajole my mother in law buying me one of these, and want to get one that will last.

Thanks!
 
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Stephenw

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Someone posted a link to those on here a year or two ago. The consensus was the drawers couldn't hold much weight because of the single pivot point. There is also a good deal of wasted space because of the curved drawer (to allow pivoting).
 
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ddawg16

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Like you pointed out....it's a solution looking for a problem.....

My personal opinion is that it's a brainchild of someone with more money than common sense and just has to see his product out there.
 
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JeremyJ

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They are plenty strong. Watched a 200 lb man stand in a drawer and wiggle around at SEMA this year. Even bounced on it a bit!
 
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kfosburg

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Jay_Dub said:
Yeah, that does actually look like it'd waste as much as 1/2 of each drawer.

I came here and registered just to ask this:

are most of these tool chests pretty much the same? Or do you really recommend one in particular? Snap On you say? I don't know that we have a SO dealer here. I have Home Depot and access to a Lowes.

I think I can cajole my mother in law buying me one of these, and want to get one that will last.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

(Arguably) the most recommended affordable tool box on this forum is the Harbor Freight box that sells for around $360 depending on the coupon of the week. See: http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53369
Jump to the end for the latest news...
 
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autobon7

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ddawg16 said:
Like you pointed out....it's a solution looking for a problem.....

My personal opinion is that it's a brainchild of someone with more money than common sense and just has to see his product out there.
Click to expand...

I totally disagree. My local tool shop has a few of these in stock and they are a very good design. I prolly would agree with most if I have not seen them in person. You really must see them before you judge. Does not seem like wasted space and VERY strong. As the above poster witnessed, strong enough for a guy to stand, even bounce in a drawer. Didn't even want to tip tho it was empty.
 
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Stephenw

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While the drawers may be strong enough to stand in, I don't think they are as strong as a quality toolbox drawer with roller bearing slides on each side.

For those who have seen them in person...

How do they not waste the space behind the curved portion of the drawers?
 
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Stuey

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I've seen these mentioned quite a few times lately as well. It does look appealing, although I would agree that the double-drawer units seem to waste a bit of space. From the stock photos, it looks like the single-drawer units waste less space.
 
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BOONEY7750

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I like the corner shelf, and if there is room the square work station. I was in a shop with a square work station and after working on it about 5 minutes loved the 360 work area and storage, but what will that cost? Looks like 4 corner units and 4 of the bigger corner units? As for the feet, easy to do on your own benches, light duty just use a T-Nut and bolt. Heavy duty use feet off commercial Office furniture and just put on your legs. I actually use threaded adjustable casters on the back and adjustable legs on the front so I can make it stationary, but pick it up an inch of the ground to move it.
 
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wbrian63

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Looking at some of the pictures, surprisingly the drawers don't all appear to be pie-shaped. Some definitely are, but not all. It looks like they only remove as much drawer as required to get the box to clear the frame.
http://www.swivel.pro/pro30.html
Obviously, the deeper the drawer, the more corner has to be removed:
http://www.swivel.pro/pro20.html

All that being said, the corner unit is the best application of the concept.

As for loss of storage, just buy a bigger box. To me, this is no different than sizing a tool box - you figure out how much stuff you need to hold, and buy something big enough to hold it. In this situation, you'd need a larger box, probably by about 25% at the worst, judging by the pictures.

Traditional slide-in-slide-out drawers are more my cup-o-tea, but the design seems solid, and that corner box would come in handy...

GOK how much these things cost...
 
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prine

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1) Waste of space (as everyone said)

2) My tools are not pie shape, thus even more wasted space.
 
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autobon7

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prine said:
1) Waste of space (as everyone said)

2) My tools are not pie shape, thus even more wasted space.
Click to expand...

Why do you need pie shaped tools?

"While the drawers may be strong enough to stand in, I don't think they are as strong as a quality toolbox drawer with roller bearing slides on each side."

I have seen many quality boxes over the years (SO, Cornwell, Matco, Etc) but none of them are as heavy gauge and sturdy as the Swivels. I think if I stood in any of my buddys boxes (drawers) it would be a** woopin time. :lol_hitti With the Swivels I wouldn't even give it a second thought.
 
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rwhite692

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autobon7 said:
....Does not seem like wasted space...
Click to expand...

Please elaborate. It looks like a good 4 or 5 inches is lost at the rear of the cab, and also the amount which is lost due to the arc scape of the drawer.

From the manufacturer's vid, on their website:


2258873550011691741S600x600Q85.jpg
 
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sk farmer

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because there is no gap between the drawers.if you look at the front of your typical drawer it is much wider than the drawer itself. possibly a 1/2 inch on each side that is ocupied by the slides. on a double bank there is also the support stucture wich is oftne one to to inches wide. if you have a double bank cabinet or chest measur it.s width and then measur the internal width of the drawer. my guess would be 5 to 6 inches of lost space in a double bank. yes you lose some in the angled corner but it is made up in the cubic inches gained with no slides and internal support for the slides. i have seen thes boxes in person and i don't think it would be for me either but i do see that they use the space better.
 
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autobon7

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sk farmer said:
because there is no gap between the drawers.if you look at the front of your typical drawer it is much wider than the drawer itself. possibly a 1/2 inch on each side that is ocupied by the slides. on a double bank there is also the support stucture wich is oftne one to to inches wide. if you have a double bank cabinet or chest measur it.s width and then measur the internal width of the drawer. my guess would be 5 to 6 inches of lost space in a double bank. yes you lose some in the angled corner but it is made up in the cubic inches gained with no slides and internal support for the slides. i have seen thes boxes in person and i don't think it would be for me either but i do see that they use the space better.
Click to expand...

Very well said sk farmer. That sums it up pretty well. IF there is any space at all wasted it is very minimal. I don't believe there is. Bottom line is these may not be for everyone but if you are in the market for a heavy duty, very high quality box/bench/cabinet then the Swivels would be a top shelf choice. Go see for yourself.
 
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prine

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autobon7 said:
Why do you need pie shaped tools?
Click to expand...

I have like 1 curved shaped tool, a C clamp. (and its not even the same arc pattern as their boxes)

This means that all those curved places in the Swivel tool box would be wasted. Unless I wanted to break up how my current tool box was organized and maybe put a stubby screwdriver here or there. Then I could spend an extra 30-60 seconds opening all the draws to find the out of place tools because I wanted to use all the space in my box. :willy_nil

Plus all the tools I buy come in a plastic square/rectangle BOX, not a rounded box. So again creating more WASTED SPACE!!!!

Bottom line unless someone starts making curved tools to fit the curved box this will equal lots, and lots of wasted space (my guess is 35%+ if I count the unusable curves that I CAN NOT USE). And even if someone makes curved tools, I'm not buying them.
 
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Spareparts

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This is not a new design, I seen several of these designed boxes in 1968 in Germany. Most of the line mechanics at dealerships had them. That design really intrigued me and when I was building my service truck one cabinet had that type drawer's built in. The space that was lost because of the radius of the drawer was used for storage of under utilized tools like large pry bars long extensions and such. Very little wasted space, actually it used more of that box's space than putting a lower chest in there. If you have done any field repair you can't have enough tools, parts, or hardward. Just because it is different dosen't mean it is inaffective. I wish I had taken pictures of it but the internet was just getting started then, remember it was just a fad we were going thru then.
 
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autobon7

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prine said:
I have like 1 curved shaped tool, a C clamp. (and its not even the same arc pattern as their boxes)

This means that all those curved places in the Swivel tool box would be wasted. Unless I wanted to break up how my current tool box was organized and maybe put a stubby screwdriver here or there. Then I could spend an extra 30-60 seconds opening all the draws to find the out of place tools because I wanted to use all the space in my box. :willy_nil

Plus all the tools I buy come in a plastic square/rectangle BOX, not a rounded box. So again creating more WASTED SPACE!!!!

Bottom line unless someone starts making curved tools to fit the curved box this will equal lots, and lots of wasted space (my guess is 35%+ if I count the unusable curves that I CAN NOT USE). And even if someone makes curved tools, I'm not buying them.
Click to expand...

You don't need curved tools just lay them out on a radius. The above link shows (global) shows organizers. Laying them out would not be rocket science, with or without dividers/organizers.
 
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darkk

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Nope, I buy tool boxes for extra room, why would I buy a box that appears to waste 20%-30% of each drawer. They are a solution to a problem that doesn't exist....
 
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prine

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autobon7 said:
You don't need curved tools just lay them out on a radius. The above link shows (global) shows organizers. Laying them out would not be rocket science, with or without dividers/organizers.
Click to expand...

Your logic = FAIL

No tools shown in link (global). And I don't need to spend $3500 for funky shaped storage just to hold 5 cent screws. Sounds like you work for the federal government to spend US tax dollars, with logic like that.

:thumbup:
 
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