OK, I've finally got enough tools that I want to put them into one of those tall chests, on wheels with many drawers of different sizes, in the garage, instead of fishing around in my glorified tackle box.
Went to Sears because of their sale on Craftsman and checked out their pretty red ones. Crappy! Lightweight and poorly constructed.
So I moved up to the serious black ones with the ball bearing drawers. Crappier! In fact, one of the drawers on was already off its tracks.
Cobra Make, Engine: B&B Manufacturing,351 SVO stroker from Bennett Racing
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Snap-on or Mactools are what the "pros" use. I have a smaller snap-on tool chest works great and it is about 30 years old. They are better constructed than craftsman tools. Heck my Mechanic even pulled the Middle drawer out on his Mactool chest- Granted its about 6' tall. Pulled himself up on the drawer off the ground. BTW he weights about 195. You get what you paid is never more true in this case.
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I have the sears ball bearing type boxes and am very happy with them. I don't understand why but sometimes it seems like the floor models are damaged goods. I think the two I have are 59614 and 59615. Reguarly they are about $650 but seems to me they had the combo on sale for $430. The two boxes empty weigh in at about 200 pounds which I thought was pretty darn beefy for the size. I also bought all the socket, wrench, misc, etc organizers and drawer liners. It is SO very nice to reach right in and get the tool you want with out having to look through a bucket full of sockets!
Rick
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I'm with Rick, I've had the Sears boxes (set of three stacked) for about 5 years now and never had a problem with them. And the drawer organizers are the way to go too. There are others out there that are probably better made and of course, more costly, but for the money, you can't beat Sears Craftsman.... my $.02!
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If you have a Costco near you, go check out the Stainless steel version ($650) . All roller bearing with snap-close drawers. I bought a few of them and they were all good quality. Let me know if you want me to send a picture of it.
But, do not mistake it for the one at Sam's Club. Sam tried (unsuccessfully) to knock it off and they failed> Very poor quality from the ones that I have seen.
edit....
Here is a auction on Ebay for the same box I was talking about but go buy it at Costco for $650.
James,
Yes, I'm close to a Costco so that would be very helpful indeed. I've read the entries above about Craftsman, but think the quality must have dropped since they were bought. I did a little ebay searching on snapon and gosh...
thanks!
Are any of the new ones American-made? My experiences with Chinese-made merchandise have been almost universally unsatisfactory. Not to mention their slave labor-based economy, etc.
sams club has an awesome stainless steel stack set for 1/4 th what I have in my mac bottom,,I wish I had seen it earlier,
wanna buy a big mac roll around ? Tim
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"this whole Adult thing just isnt working for me "
I plan to buy the Costco tool chest. Like most stuff at Costco, it is a "best buy" for the money. Just think of all the space that you will save with all tools in one place and accessable. It will be placed in the improved garage that we are building that will be heated and have the height for a four post lift. I will be able to work on the car and house projects, even in the cold Michigan winters.
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SnapOn. Best built,best designed tools, period.
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"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious." Thomas Jefferson
I have had my KENNEDY top and rollaway for 30 years, and it was old when I got it. Top quality in every way. You can find good deals on quality old gear in Pawn shops for a pretty reasonable price.
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Having sold boxes for the last ten years, my garage only contains 3 boxes.
1) Snap On - A small box due to the Price.
2) Kennedy mechanics chest. - Really a great box at a decent price.
3) Proto mechanics roller- Nice box, a little higher priced.
I've seen the Costco chest and if I would need another one, I'd consider it.
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Doug,
We have Snap-on Stacker with side pod - Not in box, but never used. In perfect condition, and comes with drawer liners.
Looking for a new home. Just taking up space in my "Toy Chest" now.
It's about almost $6,000 new.
If interested, I'll send pix, you can have it for $3,000.00 .
Let me know.
Terry Lee
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Costco tool box
Guys,
After looking at one in the garage of the fella that made my GT-40 wheels, I had to have one.
I bought it at the Costco in Burbank, Los Angeles California.
When I got it home, we assembled the the wheels etc, stacked it...it is LIGHT YEARS beyond the Craftsman stuff.
Sadly...Sears...or whoever markets the Craftsman brand has been slowly gutting the "brand name" for the last 10 or 20 years.
I looked at the Craftsmen tool boxes, over priced and marginal if they were the ball-bearing units...for less than a 100 bucks more I got the stainless stuff from Costco...one year later?...GOOD CHOICE !...money well spent.
It infuriates me when marketing prostitutes milk brand name/goodwill images till nothing is left...it is truly immoral, but people have such short and uncritical memories.
All,
Extremely helpful, everyone. Looks like snapon is the ne plus ultra, but waaay costly. And at least some corroboration on Craftsman quality of late.
Terry,
You're an order of magnitude off from my territory, my man, but thanks! Got any other "interesting" items in your "toy chest." (He's got chests in his chest, folks...)
It's to Costco this weekend to check things out, we'll go from there.
AND, it's going to be all of 40 tomorrow. To hell with the salt, I'm getting out in the beast!
Again, you guys are a treasure trove of info, thanks!
Cobra Make, Engine: B&B Manufacturing,351 SVO stroker from Bennett Racing
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Doug:
Another thought is to find one of the Snap-on tool guys and ask if any one of them has taken a box in on trade. You maybe able to pick up a good deal on a good box for a lot less than you think. Besides those guys would love to get rid of something that is not generating them any $$. That is if you are willing to own something that is second hand. If you want to own it brand new you gotta step up to the plate. I got mine used (inherited) did not matter to me. Quality is quality no matter how old it is. I admire the damn the Salt full speed ahead attitude If the driveway was in a little better shape I would do the same.
Non Cobra: Best Garage Tool Chest?
Hehehehe. 
If the driveway was in a little better shape I would do the same.
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