So Where To Find A Decent Rolling Tool Chest...

[P2Vaircrewman]

Anyone have any info on where and from what Snap On boxes are made of, they list country of "origin" as USA I find that rather vague. Craftsman is a little more forthcoming as to actual location and materials. Its a box to hold tools, it sits in a garage, does it need to be armor plated and on tracks.

[czgunner]

https://strictlytoolboxes.com
Before I left the auto repair trade, I was shopping here to replace my Snapon Classic 78.

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[223to45]

Anyone have any info on where and from what Snap On boxes are made of, they list country of "origin" as USA I find that rather vague. Craftsman is a little more forthcoming as to actual location and materials. Its a box to hold tools, it sits in a garage, does it need to be armor plated and on tracks.

Believe the Snap On are built in Kenosha Wisconsin. Been awhile since I looked.

Craftsman has been made and I believe still are made by WaterLoo

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[utahjeepr]

Anyone have any info on where and from what Snap On boxes are made of, they list country of "origin" as USA I find that rather vague. Craftsman is a little more forthcoming as to actual location and materials. Its a box to hold tools, it sits in a garage, does it need to be armor plated and on tracks.

Kenosha, Wisconsin is what is says on the back. I think that is HQ, not sure on the plant. I know they are US made with US steel though.

If your box stays put mostly (as most do) then any quality, sturdy box with good drawers and hardware should suffice. Mine roll around the shop alot. They used to live a more adventurous lifestyle, getting loaded up and thrown in the race trailer and taken to events.

One still ends up travelling to construction jobs alot. Gang boxes are great and all, but it's hard to work out of with small hand tools and bags are a PITA. Probably has more miles rolling around projects than my truck. In that environment a good box is worth the investment.

One can occasionally find great deals on Snap-On (etc.) used but it's harder than it used to be. One selling point is that you can get replacement parts for them pretty easily.

ETA: I looked it up. Snap-On tool boxes are made in Algona, Iowa with US sourced steel.

[AKDoug]

We have two Snap-On boxes in our shop and two Waterloo made in USA boxes. There are no more made in USA Waterloo boxes, so that's out.

Proto still makes boxes in the USA for less than half what a Snap-On box costs, but you are still going to be paying mid-$2000 for a 55" roll cab. You can get a Husky for 1/3 the price of the Proto. It's all about balancing out your needs. In our case we need another 55" class cabinet and we're likely to pick up one of the Husky's because it will be holding lighter weight specialty tools.

[TommyG]

US General is cheap Harbor Freight China junk just like the 'new' Crapsman stuff is.

Not even in the same ballpark as the old Craftsman stuff...

Thin metal, cheap china casters, cheap drawer guides, cheap locks, all china junk.


A sign of how cheap they are can be found comparing what 'good' quality guides cost compared to the entire US General cabinet costs...

They were the best we could source locally without having to mortgage my house. I have a set in my garage. My buddy has a huge one in his garage and one in his race trailer and they are holding up well to daily use. If I could hop in a time machine and ride to Sears of 25 years ago and buy a real deal Craftsman I would but I can't.

If you have a suggestion for a domestically produced alternative we are all ears.

[DG23]

Anyone have any info on where and from what Snap On boxes are made of, they list country of "origin" as USA I find that rather vague. Craftsman is a little more forthcoming as to actual location and materials. Its a box to hold tools, it sits in a garage, does it need to be armor plated and on tracks.

Not that simple.

It has casters so you can move it around. Cheap china casters do NOT hold up if loaded down with any real weight.

Same goes for the drawer guides. The china guides might work ok with no weight in the drawers but load them down with heavy tools and see how long they last.

The 'buy once - cry once' concept applies here. You can buy cheap and fix / replace as the stuff breaks or...

Example:

@ $110.00 bucks for a single pair of 'heavy duty' drawer guides (500lb load rating):
https://www.cabinetparts.com/p/accur...39#productinfo

or...

@ $12.00 bucks per pair for similar but with a 100lb load rating:
https://www.cabinetparts.com/p/cabin...9326217f5d2812

or...

China stuff for dirt cheap.

Notice how the same exact china guides are on all the drawers regardless of their size / depth:


Works fine when you are not keeping anything heavy in any of those drawers or moving the cabinet around a bunch but...

[One More Time]

A Husky in the dimensions you are wanting is about $1,000

The price of toolboxes is pretty crazy.
My shop supplies a US General work cart with a few tools in it for new guys so they have something to start with.
Kinda funny watching them get prices on the Snap-On or other trucks for a toolbox.

About 20 years ago the Matco guy was retiring and I finally caved in and got a bigger box than the Snap-On one I had.
I think I got 25% off and it was about $15,000.
A medium sized bottom roll cab is about $6,000 now.

Work carts have gotten pretty big now, almost roll cab size with outlets, USB and multiplug.
My main box hasn't moved in 20 years, I've went through a few different carts and have a Mac one now but it usually just sits in one spot and I have another cart that I use on the job.

Pretty much the same at home.
Main box has never been moved and I use a cart to work off of.

[BangBang77]

All of my rolling chests are Kennedy brand. I have two of the brown krinkle paint and my large chest is a red one. They have all been exceptional boxes and have been loaded / unloaded all over the country on job.

Not sure if they still make the red ones though...

[Artos]

I would probably pick a proto if buying new...I got my snap-on lightly used w/ partial gun trade.

You can also contact your local snap-on dealer for a possible trade in / blemished...they are out there.