I've come to a point where my $400 mastercraft boxes just won't do anymore.

I know Vidmars and Lista are GREAT boxes, but I can't afford the box and any more tools to put in it on an apprentice wage. All the inserts and other 'dense' type storage I put into the company Vidmar, so I don't need that great quality either. I'm here in Alberta, Canada so alot of the great priced mid-quality product sites I found through searching this forum won't ship to me. Craftsmen Pro seems to be the best I can get around here without getting snap-on/mac, and $1000 for a 42" roller of that quality just seems too high.

What I have found with Canadian shipping prices are CLARKE and EXCEL boxes. Both of which I've never heard of, but appear to be craftsmen/beach/mastercraft quality at about half the price.

http://www.bosstoolsupply.com/index....D&ProdID=12746
http://www.bosstoolsupply.com/index....OD&ProdID=7789

Along with any advice on brands, and where to buy I'd REALLY like more generic advice on what to get or not get with a box.
-Is it worth it to wait and save for a Vidmar quality box?
-Do PrincessAuto/HF brands make since in the mid-term?
-How wide, and generally how much storage do you guys use?
-How heavy do you usually load yours?
-Are there specific features (other than the obvious roller bearing slides) that are important?

I get the impression that application is just as important with tool boxes as it seems to be with most other products, so here is some basic information on my use.
-I Rarely move my tool box
-The heaviest drawer so far is full of reference books,.
-Although I don't lock my box right now (Real small company) I will when I move to a larger company.
-I keep everything from my measuring tools, to my ratchets&wrenches, to my hammers
-Having some space on the top is really nice for writing/drawing/reading


Sorry to ask so many open questions, but I feel like I'm really over my head and I hope the experience and advice from all the great members of this forum will steer me toward the best decision.

Pat

2 years ago, i bought the CT 41 incher...worth 999...goes on sale for 750 something...

good enough for now i thought....i'll eventually buy a nice big kennedy in afew years

you get what you pay for....you'll have to look and research something with all the features you want.....its only after youve had a peice of crap box do you know all of these...

Why not look for a nice used box, Snap-on, Lista, Mac or? The Snap-on and Mac boxes are traded up every few years it seems like with the car guys. Buying a good quality box is paying a bit more up front but not having to replace it every few years. The slides and drawers are much better on the more expensive chests.

Steve

How about the stainless boxes at Costco? They seem much better quality than CT, Sears, Beach, and are way cheaper and probably better than the Snap on Mac stuff.

I agree. Check Craigslist. You can find nice toolboxes for reasonable prices. I see Matco and Mac boxes in my area for $1000-2000 all the time. I picked up a very nice Craftsman for only $150 that was about 1/4 mile from my house once.

You have evidently never used a SnapOn tool let alone pulled a drawer on one of their top chest's or roll cab's to make a statement like that.

Regarding Snap-On, maybe you can buy a full compliment of the Master Series boxes. Those would only set you back the same price as a new Bridgeport.

My dad got one of the Costco boxes, and the quality is shocking in a positive way. I wasn't expecting as smooth a drawer, even fully loaded. It's not quite as good as one of the top names, but I would certainly spend my money on one or two.

harbor freights big red box is on sale this month
bottom for 379, top for 279 and side box for 179

dollar for dollar the best box on the market today, mine are loaded to the teeth and spend about 30k miles a year bouncing up and down I-5 in the seattle tacoma area mounted in the back of service trucks.

nice roller slides just like the expensive boxes, and heavy guage sheet metal that a frisbee will not dent (you can't say that about a snapon taco wagon, don't ask me how i know)

knowing what i know now i would have liked the option of buying these boxes years ago

(ducking for cover now)

bob g

Ditto on the Costco cabinets, good product for the price, if you drive out to Leduc go to Peavy Mart, similar prices and products with more selection and somethings always on sale.

Price wise the Bridgeport's cheaper.
SnapOn's policy(at least the dealers I've delt with)is they will give you the original suggested retail price for your old SnapOn boxes when trading up as long as they are in reasonable condition.
I've traded up several times in the last thirty years and have no regrets.

fwiw,
I would like to get an amen on the above. I received one of those Chinese POS Tool Boxes as a Christmas Gift from my Father when I was at The Colorado School of Trades. In short I toted the box into the building and listened to a lot of guff about "my new stainless grill". In short I took all of my tools out of my Waterloo, while standing in front of my lathe, and put them into my step up "Stainless" lockable box. Ragged bastard lasted for 3 hours before the locking system fell completely apart. I had 10 minutes to get to Design & Function Lecture and my new box would not lock NOR would it close. Long story shorter. Old guy came around and pointed to an old Gerstner, steel drawer bottoms, he had since sing dirt was new. Lesson learned.

Repacked my "cheap" but functional Waterloo and carried my Habachi Grill home. And yes it was a long walk to the truck with my junk Chicom Toolbox. Replaced it with a new Snap-On Heavy Duty Road Chest. My father's heavy truck mechanic has been working out of one daily for 15 years. The drawers were LOADED with Snap-On sockets up to 2.5". It fell when be moved via chain fall about 4 feet and landed on a corner. Crinkled the corner A LITTLE but did not hurt a thing. You would not believe how heavy that box was loaded. Snap-On guy down the street from my father cut about 40% off the same box and it arrived via common carrier. I've NEVER looked back and regretted it. Have little experience with the 15K Snap-On Roll Cabs, however, I've never seen the equal of this Snap-On Heavy Duty Road Chest when it come to tough...fwiw & imho.

Regards, Matt Garrett.

-Is it worth it to wait and save for a Vidmar quality box?

I personally think so. If the moon shines just right they can be bought for around $500USD used in good functional condition.

.....and carried my Habachi Grill home.
now thats funny.

My son mithered the life out of me to sell him my Gray two piece roller box and I eventually gave in to him and bought one of the Costco stainless units. It is an excellent set just as good as any American made roller box I have seen. The only reasonable criticism I can make is that the draw lining material is not the best quality but good enough. When considered at the price I think there is no question that these boxes are the best value out there.

CD.

Call up your local Snap-on or Mac dealer. They are a the ones taking the old boxes in on trade, so they have the used boxes.

Got a Snap-on top and mid box (from the Mac dealer, no less) for $450. That was about half the cost of new.

Yes, it was double the price of a new Craftsman, but four times the box. I've had it for almost 20 years.

About 5-10 years ago, I picked up a small Snap-on rollaway for $100. When I first saw it, I thought that it looked like it fell off a truck. In fact, it had. It had dents all over it, but it functions perfectly (looks like hell). Best $100 rollaway I could have gotten.

Steve

In yet another toolbox thread, the inimitable Milacron recommended some Canadian-made boxes by Rousseau:

OT-Alternative to Lista?

Don't know if these are in your price point, but it may be possible to find good quality close to home.

Jim

Just one caution if you go Snap On, beware of the "K I Q" series of boxes. IF you are expecting top Quality this is not the one. I bought my top and bottom boxes 8 years ago for 1500 brand new and have been replacing slides ever since. There is a provision for doubling the number of slides on all but the 1.5" drawers which helps some. I buy the slides at the rate of about 10 pairs every 2 years. However, it was still worth what I paid for it. Good luck, David

The difference in the consumer quality and industrial quality boxes in mainly how well the drawers and slides hold up in daily use. For a weekend hobbyist the consumer box may be fine, use the same box at work where you open and close heavy drawers all day long and it won't last. If you are serious about continuing in this line of work then buy something good quality new or used. How would you feel if the doctor you went to see had a Wal-Mart blood pressure monitor? The same applies here; you are in a profession, strive for the quality that marks a professional and the durability your profession demands.

Steve

In used boxes I think they can be one of the better deals out there. Not as common as the mechanic's boxes, but not as well known outside of machining/manufacturing circles. I've yet to put more than $300 into one, condition ranging from needing repaint and heavy cleaning (gov't auction, out in the weather) to wipe it off and use it minty huge Vidmar factory built roll-around (5' long drawers, 28" deep).

Of course that last two that were the best deals popped up when I wasn't looking for them. And you usually can't pick your ideal set of drawers. I have had some luck on ebay, there's one group (motorhead something or other) that has new scratch and dents pretty reasonable. Have bought from them for day job.

Rob