What have you got for a toolbox

[chevy262ss]

hey just wondering what you all had?



im a student in college going to be a auto tech, i used to have the stacked up 26\" craftsman but i upgraded to a 40\" wide top and bottom snap on box.



Snap on gives students 50% discount, got box for $1717 retails just under $3500.



also does anyone now any sites that tell how to install door poppers on your toolbox, ive heard of it done before, but have no idea how they set it up?

[tracker]

been a tech for a while (20+) and i use craftsman everything. good quality and warranty. + if i break something i can get it replaced that day instead of waiting on the tool guy to show. there are alot of techs that use lower priced tools . it is nothing to be ashamed of. i just can\'t see the point in paying the high prices when there is something ust as good and readily available, cheaper. but i do have the double wide craftsman stacked chest at the shop. there is a whole bunch of tools to accumulate over the years.

[spacecadet]

I started with a $9.99 carry around. grauduated to a $350. used Mac bottom with Craftsman top. Then moved to a $1100 Matco Traxx, looks like the big craftsman box in the sears Ads. Then went to a Snapon KRL1000. Its the one thats 5feet long and 3 1/2 feet deep. Bought it used also. Got a deal at $3000 The guy I got it from paid over 5 for it.



I like the idea of the poppers. I wouldn\'t mind having an locking system like that. Just hit the beeper and the draws unlock. Then after 30seconds they lock them selves back up.

It would elimnate people borrowing tools when your back is turned!!!



Space.



At home I have a small craftsman top and bottom. Maybe $149. 10 years ago. I usually will bring the \'good\' tools home when I am doing something more indepth. Otherwise the craftsman stuff works fine for stuff around the house and those emergency lawn mower repairs.

[Ryoung68]

I currently have a Craftsman top and bottom box set that hold my Craftsman and Snap-On tools and a Mac roll around that contains other misc. tools. Snap-On is prefered but you can\'t beat the ease of replacement that Craftsman provides.

[s10ratrod]

amen to the student 50% discount. i got the double wide snap on box right before i graduated from high school because i didnt know they also offered it to college kids(had to sell my first s-10 to get it but i bought it back). it was right around 1000 for the box that reatiled near 3000. since then iv loaded up on tools taking full advantage of the discount. theyre excellent quality but i still use a lot of the craftsman professional tools.

[DMONOTJR]

i had a 50+ inch blue point roll around. sold that, it was too big to roll around vehicles at my work. now i got a wall cabinet and a 26\" roll around loaded up. and nearly every tool is craftsman. only specialty tools that craftsman doesn\'t offer is snap-on, or mac.

[grimpuppy]

When I first got out of the Marines I was a diesle mechanic. I had a snap on box and all tools. After I quit the mechanic gig I sold all that and bought craftsman. Snap on is ok as long as you are using the tools to put food on the table and they are earning thier keep. They are to pricey for me to just tinker with at home though. Snap on warrenty is only worth a crap if you are buying tools from the snap on guy every week. Try an get a snap on tool fixed or exchanged from a snap on guy you don\'t buy tools from. What a freaking hassle. I can find a broken craftsman racthet out in the field and sears will replace it no questions asked.

[Truckman91]

Ive got that 50% discount right now, but Im not buying anything...



Craftsman is still cheaper and can be replaced 7 days a week w/o questions.



Went to the Snap-on guy at school, just looking. 150 piece snap-on set $1300!! Nothing special in the set either, Craftsman 150 piece set $150.....its a no brainer for everyday tools

[rayL]

gah i feel so inadequate. Im also a tech. Im a short guy so a top box isnt really an option for me cause i dont wanna have to have a ladder to get a tool. I have a cornwell 84\" w/ canopy. As far as tools..,pfft im by far brand loyal, i have alot of cornwell, alot of snapon, some craftsman,mac,matco,kent moore, knipex,sunex, S&K, KD, klein hell i have a set of the stanley professional wrenches( they are backup but pretty nice for 50 bucks a set). The thing about snap on is they have patents on alot of the specialty tools that are bar none the best there is. Nothing wrong with craftsman, but i only buy the professional series stuff. Personally ive learned that they all have the same warranty so i buy what feels best, and most the time its not craftsman. Sockets, extensions, and stuf like that are fine, but i have no craftsman wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers, or anything like that. As far as breaking a tool, ive never had any problems getting it replaced. Thats gonna come down to your local distributor. Mine, i have called him the day after he left with a broke tool and he has came buy to replace it( snap on). Cornwell guy rebuilt my ratchet on my toolbox at 8 at night cause i had to have a car gone the next day and had to have my ratchet. I called him at home and no questions asked he came and fixed my stuff. < That is why i own a cornwell box. That individual guy has the best service so i buy most my tools from him. If your gonna by alot of tools and gonna work on cars for a living, you will have to get away from craftsman for some things....whew i typed alot ..



Ray

[afghanimobilerawks]

welll...... since im not a mechanic i only got a small mastercraft toolbox (canadian tire) with mainly all mastercraft. mastercraft professional tools... just like sears, they have the lifetime warranty.... and i do like the feel of them..... i have a few craftsman wrenches (although i think those are my dad\'s old wrenches), some cambell housefield impact sockets.... Ch impact, air hammer.... paint can and sandblaster, but i generally stick to the mastercraft...

[Truckman91]

Speaking of tools, I found this on S10 Planet....



I found this on a board I got to for automotice techs.He works for Stanley tools but has worked for most of the tool companies and knows his stuff.Some of this info might suprise some of you and some it might not.It\'s a older write up but it\'s still a good bit of info.

I\'m not the final word on tools by any means, but since I work in the business, I\'ve learned a little bit about it. Okay, here\'s more than you ever wanted to know.



Lowes sells a line of Mechanics Tools called Kobalt which is made by Snap-On.They are good tools that are almost if not equal the quality of the Snap-On brand.



Home Depot\'s Husky brand is made by Stanley Mechanics Tools, a division of the Stanley Works. Husky are also good tools and have a good lifetime warranty (they\'ll even replace your broken Craftsman with an equivalent Husky).



Until 1994 or so, Stanley also made Sears Craftsman tools. Sears Craftsman is now made by Danaher Tools. They beat out Stanley on the contract over price. Danaher also manufactures MatCo Tools, the third largest player in the Mobile Automotive industry (behind MAC and Snap-On). Odds are, if you own any Craftsman tools that are older than about five years ago, they were made by Stanley in plants in Dallas, Texas, Witchita Falls, Texas, and Sabina, Ohio.



Stanley also owns MAC Tools,PROTO,and Blackhawk. Now here\'s the kicker: MAC Tools, Proto Tools (a very expensive industrial brand), Husky Tools, and, (prior to five or so years ago) Craftsman Tools are all made from the same forgings in the same plants. Proto is unique because it goes through addtional testing and certification because it is used by NASA, the military, and industrial customers (including General Motors).



There are three MAJOR players in the USA mechanics tool business: Stanley, Danaher, and Snap-On. Stanley and Danaher (almost identical in sales revenue at about $28 billion each) are the biggest followed by Snap-On. Each of these three manufacture and sell tools under a variety of brands (there are many other brands that Stanley makes that I haven\'t even named). The quality between these three manufacturers is roughly the same. I know its a bit of a let-down to hear that, but its a simple fact.



There are a hand full of other minor players (Vermont American, etc) and an endless list of Taiwanese import tool companies (some of which Stanley own as well as Danaher to serve the lower end consumer import brands at WalMart, etc). How do I know all of this? I work for Stanley Mechanics Tools, specifically with the Proto Industrial brand. I personally do not think that MAC, MatCo, or Snap-On branded tools are worth the extra markup since they use the same forgings and manufacturing processes that make Husky and Kobalt and pre-1994 Craftsman. Where you need to pay attention are things like ratchets and torque wrenches. There are different specifications of ratchets and you do pay for the difference. Some mechanics require a finer, more precise ratcheting mechanism than guys like me who just bang around in the garage on the weekends.



By the way, Metwrench is basically considered a \"gimick\" infomercial tool brand that is not considered as a serious competitor to Danaher, Snap-On, or Stanley. Then again, IBM once didn\'t see Microsoft as a serious force in the personal computer business. Hmmmm....

[85350DROPTOP]

I was an HVAC tech before I was a desk jockey. I had a Craftman pro roll around (without wheels) in my service truck. Talk about a hard life. It went 5+ years in the van, then in my buddies garage. Still goin strong.



i have a lot of Klein tools (eletrical tools mostly). Only Fluke or Fieldpiece meters (Fluke if my life is on the line, like with 4160v). I have mostly craftman hand tools cause you can always find a sears store, even when you are in a town you have never worked in before. Milwakee saws and grinders, Dewalt cordless drills (i have Craftsman now, but i sure miss my dewalt.) i do have some Snap-on stuff (screwdrivers).



I only use Ritchie (Yellow jacket) HVAC speialty tools (gauges, pumps, etc. That was how i made my living though.



I also believe that some tools, your best to buy from the company that originated the tool. Like Vise-grips, Channelocks, Sawzall, and Cresent. Just my 2 cents

[s10ratrod]

i have an older set of craftsman and mac ratchets. im pretty sure theyre not the same castings either. even if they were im sure theyre cheaper internally because in order to sell them at a lower price, corners need to be cut in manufacturing. its like the cordless drills. dewalt owns black and decker. which drill would you want to run? black and decker is a home owner version of the industrial dewalt. same on the outside but cheaper on the inside. i dont care where or how theyre made mac is certainly not the same as stanley etc.

[chevy262ss]

I have mostly craftsman tools in my snap on boox but i plan on getting mostly snap on tools when i can afford it.



You dont need snap on screwdrivers, hammers,punches,chisels but after using snap on tools i only want them. I like the sucurity of knowing the wrench is going to stay in place and not strip while im tuning on it, and thats how i feel with with snap on. My craftsman tools dont give me that and ive busted a few knuckles.



I havent tried mac tools or any of the other professional tools.



But after seeing the snap on presentation at school about snap on FLANK DRIVE sockets and wrenchs thats all i want, they had a nut and ground all of the corners off of it and allowed use to use other leading brand wrenches on it and none would spin it, but than he gave us the FLANK DRIVE and it was amazing you could loosen the fastener right up.(these sockets/wrenches dont grab on corners of fasteners but on the flat sides when you turn them, and because snap on has the patent, i suppose thats the only way to get them.



Also snap on diagnostic equipment is awesome,at shop we have a snap on(red Brick) and an otc scan tool. otc is nice but i love the ease of use of the snap on scan tool

Thats my 2 cents worth maybe some more.

[85350DROPTOP]

I disagree, humbly, with chevy262ss. I would not trade my Snap-on srewdrivers for anything. they are more comfortable, and will not slip. Not to mention they have a hex on them that you can put a wrench on if you need some extra grunt.



I missed the whole purpose of this post though. I have a Craftsman Box. The older heavy duty version (red with the grey drawers). 11 drawer top, 9 drawer bottom, 2 drawer intermediate, and a 3 drawer intermediate. It is about 2 inches from an 8 foot ceiling with the top open. If i buy anything else i will go wider. i hate having to use a milk-crate to get in the top of my box.