Roll-around tool box

[ClassicXJ]

Okay I am starting a new aircraft mechanic postion tommorrow morning and I need to buy a new roll-around toolbox sometime this week. I know there are a few mechanics on here so what is everyone using. I looked into the Sears ones but they don't seem that great and way over priced!! My boss suggested the Husky ones at Home Depot and I like them but wanted some opinions from guys that use them.

What do you guys use and do you like them?

 

[Glenn B]

Dang, if you think Sears is over-priced, I will not even suggest the quality of the Snap-On rollaways. Snap-On is about the best IMHO for both quality and endurance.

Sears/Craftsman is not too bad, and pricewise is good. When you go the inexpensive route, you start running in to issues like how many rollers on the rails, bearings on the rails, locking mechanisms. wheels/movability, etc...

I now have a Craftsman rollaway. But when I did wrenching for a living I did only Snap-On for boxes.

I will say this... no need to go for a big name if you are just getting in to it. No sense going in debt. When you decide you need to move up, and can justify the expense, then consider the quality stuff.

Curious, an airline? or? If so, what airline so I can avoid them. (jk)

 

[ClassicXJ]

Airline no.. I just seperated from the Air Force about 3 weeks ago. Right before I seperated I finished my FAA Airframe and Powerplant license. I got a position at Bombardier Aeospace doing inspections and maintenacne on corpate aircraft. I didn't mean to say that craftsman was overpriced but just seemes a little pricy for the qualilty. I would love to get a Snap-on box but right now it's just not going to happen. The Air Force didn't require me to use my own tools so I just had to spend alot of money on new tools to be able to start this new job right away. Maybe I'l take another look at Craftsman.

 

[Glenn B]

Congrats on your service. Thanks!

Tools are spendy as a rule for quality. No doubt about it. But Craftsman give a great "bang for the buck" for most stuff, including boxes.

IMHO... and this comes from doing this most of my life... Ratchets and sockets I get from Snap-On. I like my knuckles and the action of their ratchets. Wrenches, screw drivers etc.. I now just get Craftsman. They work well enough. ALL of my 1/4 in drive stuff (ratchets and sockets) were all Snap-On. You cannot beat their ratchet action IMHO.

Impact guns.. 3/8ths I get Snap-On.. More power for the buck. Larger stuff up to 1in drive I always got Ingersol/Rand. Same with air ratchets. My air grinders/cut-off I found Mac to be just great. Torque Wrenches I always got Snap-On.

Get the box you can reasonably afford. If you upgrade later to Snap-On etc... a good dealer will give you a decent trade in on your old one, or help find a buyer.

 

[STEELFISH]

Get you a revolving account from Snap-On and get a box and some tools, Snap-On even has a few tool box w/tools for some good deals. You pay on the revolving account maybe 45-65 a week but you have some tools in hand that are worth wile. BTW, I am tired of my Craftsmen tools, and am replacing them with Snap-On, and it doesn't hurt that Dad is a dealer.

 

[OT]

Most anyone can get an account with Snap-on.
Also, you just can't beat the convenience of the rep being there every week for payments and warranty items.
I pay $40 a week and have never had a complaint, except with the 1/2"to3/8 adaptors.
I would HIGHLY recommend Snap-on to you, especially working in the aerospace industry.
You need the best you can get, don't you?

 

[RichP]

Craftsman makes a professional line of tool boxes, might have to find a bigger sears store to see one in person. Mac also makes some nice ones. While drawer bearings and such are important so is the locking mechanism to keep tools from vanishing. Get a BIG one like this, I"ve never heard anyone say 'gee, wish I had gotten a smaller one', me included.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/prod...pid=009CH001000&subcat=Chest+&+Cabinet+Combos

 

[Dirt]

the craftsman pro series is nice. but only snap on for me. i had a craftsman box that got my foot in the door but, as soon as i could afford it i bought a matco box it worked real well for a couple of years. but when i needed a bigger box i had to go with snap on. the quality is undeniable it is simply superior. another thing to think about is there is not always a matco or mac guy that comes to your work. there will always be a snap on guy though. that's something to think about as far as warantee on your tools. it sucks to break a waranteed tool and there's no one around to warantee it.

 

[Matt S.]

I had a craftsman roll away and in 5 months of work, it collapsed. Warrentied it in and traded it for a really slick snap on. I should have done it in the beginning. Get something you think is bigger than you need. You will fill it very fast.

 

[RKBA]

When I lived in TX, almost all of the pawn shops had a good selection on roll cabs and tool chests. I would at least take a cursory look for a used box before you drop the major coinage on a brand new one. You may discover that you want/like/need something different than you thought.
Be careful, tool boxes like lift kits can become wiener measuring contests in a hurry.

 

[thecozmo65]

Take a look at remline. thats what I have. Double roller slides, heavy guage drawers. Really nice boxes at reasonable prices.

 

[woody]

If you have a Lowe's Home Imprvmt. store nearby... check out the Kobalt boxes. These were made by Snap-on at the same factory as their KRA series boxes.

They may lack some of the nice features of the S-O, (like "Lock n Roll" drawer latches) but are of similar quality.

I was a Snap-on rep, so I am biased to a point, but I'll say that I'd base a toolbox decision more on the quality of the toolman since their pro boxes are all pretty good. (S-O, MAC, Matco, Cornwell) You will see this guy(gal?) again so it's nice if you don't hate his guts... at least not you owe him your firstborn + arm & leg.

When I turned wrenches for a living (industrial setting), we had no visiting tool-guy to buy from... I bought all Craftsman and a small Craftsman box. I hade space constraints working around our machines... really narrow aisles that my little roll-away barely fit through. A wider/taller box wouldn't have fit, and would have meant downloading to a roll cart or hiking a ways. Consider your space constraints and allow room to grow... Don't get the hugest box out there for bragging rights (they'll make a bigger one next year) but don't get one that will be too small right away either.

Food for thought / Insider info: Snap-on dealer cost was like 69% of the catalog price- for the SO/Blue Point branded stuff. If your dude has a new box gathering dust (ask them what they have that isn't on the truck) you could probably beat him up for 25% off and he'll still make a little for his time. Also every month they have Featured Tools/boxes where there were pretty big discounts on the promo items. The toolguy can pass this along to you or keep it quiet and make the bank himself...

Insider info #2: Snap-on Credit (their in-house bank) charges crazy interest on their loans. Way smarter to either save & pay cash or get a personal loan from a credit union.

 

[XJJPR]

Mac tools!




hinkley

 

[Bent]

Costco has a stainless upper/lower combo for $499. For the price, it's pretty solid, full extention drawars on slides comparable to a HD Accuride. I've been eyeing it but the Jeep ate all my money. It's not a Mac or Snap-on by any means but it's a better value and quality than anything you'll find at Sears.

 

[Root Moose]

FWIW, I have both Craftsman and Husky boxes in my shop. The Husky may be marginally better quality but I really don't notice that much of a difference.

I'm just a home hobbyist so take that for what it's worth.

 

[DDCxj]

90% of all the hand tools at the shop I work at are Snap-On. The tools that aren't usually get replaced once a year. We've had a few guys that had craftsman ratchets and sockets and the tended to be breaking a lot more tools.

Almost all of our air tools are Ingersoll-Rand with the exception of a couple Snap-On air ratchets and impact wrenches and a couple Mac pieces. A lot of people dont like Ingersoll-Rand but the only problem we've ever had with one is that it got left on a landscaping trailer that a kid changed a flat on and we never got it back.

As for the roll away tool boxes, if you can't afford a Snap-On box, from what I hear you should look at Mac. There are about as good as snap-on but priced a little cheaper usually. Two of the guys I work with are planning on getting Mac's for their second boxes because of this. Keep an eye out for promotions for Mac and Snap-On. You can usually get some pretty good deals.

 

[Redcbr007]

Costco has a stainless upper/lower combo for $499. For the price, it's pretty solid, full extention drawars on slides comparable to a HD Accuride. I've been eyeing it but the Jeep ate all my money. It's not a Mac or Snap-on by any means but it's a better value and quality than anything you'll find at Sears.

2 of my buddies have that box and the quality was great. SS ball bearing, double railings on the bigger drawers etc.. Even though I have a craftsman box I went and bought that for a secondary box. Total was 700 OTD. Not too bad

-Red

 

[xjspyder]

Go MAC,or go home.Last month I traded my10 year old snap-on box for a MACSAMISER 1350 Series.MUCH better quality from day 1.My old s-o box felt cheap from the getgo.Yes the box is expensive,but it has a life time warranty,and it's powdercoated not painted,like s-o crap.

P.S. I'm a profesional Jeep tech, so I use all my tools everyday.

 

[Dirt]

Go MAC,or go home.Last month I traded my10 year old snap-on box for a MACSAMISER 1350 Series.MUCH better quality from day 1.My old s-o box felt cheap from the getgo.Yes the box is expensive,but it has a life time warranty,and it's powdercoated not painted,like s-o crap.

P.S. I'm a profesional Jeep tech, so I use all my tools everyday.

My Snap On is powdercoated 100% . and lifetime waranteed. and will take the pepsi challenge with MAC junk anyday. Are all MAC sales reps so full of shit?? did you know i will get exactly what i paid for my box whenever i decide to trade up. Will you? :twak:

P.S. I'm a prfessional Gm tech and use my Snap On tools everyday cause i broke all the others.

 

[planefixer]

I've got a Craftsman Professional 14 drawer roller that I've been using every workday (wrenching on airplanes no less) for about 6 years and it works just fine.I paid $635.00 for it but I think they're closer to $700.00 now.The professional series has ball bearing rollers on the drawers and after 6 years they still open/close nice and smooth.