Sears tool chest sale - advice?

[george graves]

Sears has a sale on tool chests and roller cabinets combos. And I need someplace to put my tools....

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/subcat.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&cat=Storage%2C+Chests+%26+Cabinets&subcat=Chest+%26+Cabinet+Combos&keyword=%27009H0112000%27%7C%27009H0134000%27&resultsLabelText=Craftsman+Storage+Combos

$300 - Craftsman 10 Drawer, 26 in. Quiet Glide Combo - Black
$200 - Craftsman 12 Drawer, 26 in. Combo - Black

I know the "Quiet Glide" drawer sliders "feel" nice, but how do they compair to the regular sliders when full of tools?

Any advice is welcome.

[lordofthewaters]

My advice is, that if you're just gonna keep a few things in it, then they are fine. But if you're gonna pack it full like mine is then you'll probably want something a little more heavy duty. The main thing is to make sure your tool chest has ball bearing sliders. I'd also check at Lowe's hardware, as the Kobalt brand boxes are the exact same thing as Craftsman just badged differently, and they are usually cheaper.

You can also sometimes get good stuff (IE Snap On, Mac, Matco, Cornwell) from ebay cheap. If you're not in a hurry that's the way I would do it. Mine was $600 local It's a Snap On.

[StereoInstaller1]

Toolboxes are ridiculously overpriced IMO. My Matco was $1900 in 1990. The sidecab was another $400...and it is a POS (just the sidecab, the main is fine).

My advice is to look for the big stainless "all roller" boxes found at Costco and Harbor Freight. They are excellent quality with very nice sliders.

I have seen them quite a bit bigger than mine for $800.

Buy a bottom and a rollcart with a drawer. Don't waste you time with a top box at all. Just my (zillion man hours living in a shop, 27 years as a pro installer, experience of literally hundreds of co-workers) 2 cents worth.

Luke

[LINUS]

Might be a little more than you want to spend, but another vote for the stainless ones at Costco. I have it, and it could pass for a larger price tag. I'd also check the local pawn shops for name brand boxes, but if you can swing it, the Costco/Sam's Club ones are really worth it.

[backtrail69]

How much is that one at Costco? I WILL be buying one this summer.

[NOMAD]

Get ball bearings. I, like you, wanted to save money etc but after looking and feelig them. Ball bearing is the only way to go. It'll seriously last you for such a long time why skimp now and have to replace something later?
I bought a 4 drawer BB roller chest, a 6 drawer BB top box and a 4 drawer intermediate QG on scratch and dent (like I care there is a scratch) for $270.
The Quiet Glide intermediate I'm only filling with light items like diagnostics, electrics and smaller bits. I can tell a big difference compared to the BB drawers which are beefy. They also build the structure of the Roller chest itself much stronger than on the QG.
If you want to save some money get a BB roller box and then get QG top boxes for now, then you can get BB top boxes if you need them later and put the QG to light duty on the work table.

Check out the seller 4rebeccac on ebay. I bought all my boxes from her. It's local pickup in Ontario, CA by the airport. Worth the savings because I've seen roller box BB go for $80.

[RobertK]

Yard Sales.. As soon as spring gets here hit some yard sales. I've seen brand new looking Craftsman and Snap On roller boxes sell for $25-$50. Usually you'll find them at estate sales and yard sales of people who bought them to keep the tools they never use in it. They are usually cheaper if a woman is running the sale because they give you more haggle room.

Last year my friend's in-law GAVE ME a $200-$300 Craftsman tool cart because it was "too dirty" after being a small basement flood. I gladly accepted and simply cleaned the dirt out the bottom drawer.

[mrsleeve]

Toolboxes are ridiculously overpriced IMO. My Matco was $1900 in 1990. The sidecab was another $400...and it is a POS (just the sidecab, the main is fine).

My advice is to look for the big stainless "all roller" boxes found at Costco and Harbor Freight. They are excellent quality with very nice sliders.

I have seen them quite a bit bigger than mine for $800.

Buy a bottom and a rollcart with a drawer. Don't waste you time with a top box at all. Just my (zillion man hours living in a shop, 27 years as a pro installer, experience of literally hundreds of co-workers) 2 cents worth.

Luke

what he said. I got my SS box from sams for 700 4 years ago. I have seen a few go on Ebay for 800 - 1500 bucks.

[LINUS]

How much is that one at Costco? I WILL be buying one this summer.

I want to say it was just under $700 with tax, but double check their site. It's was listed there back when I got mine.

[m42technic]

The $700 box at Costco is actually a pretty good value if its for occasional use.

I dumped mine about a year ago and picked this up:



Yeah, it was expensive.

[PeaveyBassist]

I'm thinkin about $7,000?

Will

[george graves]

I went and got the $300 sears box and roller today. The "quite glide".

The sears BB unit felt good, but I wasn't happy with the quality and layout. That Snap-On looks awesome. But way out of budget.

This box will have to hold me over for now. With light use, and not crammed it should serve me well.

It feels so good to get organized.

Oh, and the $200 combo was a POS...Good god man.

[MarshallM]

Another Vote for the costco stainless.

[der affe]

I went and got the $300 sears box and roller today. The "quite glide".

The sears BB unit felt good, but I wasn't happy with the quality and layout. That Snap-On looks awesome. But way out of budget.

This box will have to hold me over for now. With light use, and not crammed it should serve me well.

It feels so good to get organized.

Oh, and the $200 combo was a POS...Good god man.

was also looking at the costco s/s box as a at home box it seemed like it was well constructed. the major difference between a well constructed costco/lowes/home depot/craftsman and a "name brand" ie snap-on/mac/ matco/cornwell is the drawer configuration. the non brand name are set up with less large and or deep drawers for your larger tools like prybars extensions, pullers, air tools, deep sockets, etc. where as the others have a lot of shallow and smaller drawers that work out for the home mechanic/craftsman much better. the name brand ARE of better construction hands down, although way overpriced still, and they are made to be moved around alot fully weighted down with tools, over time that is also where you will see a major weakness in the cheaper boxes. that my ,
greg

[george graves]

Yea, the top drawer of the roller works out nicely for me with "sets" of sockets and the most used items. The top small drawers are good for screwdrivers and small stuff.