Tool Chests; What Would You Recommend?

[johnhenry 20]

Evening all

 

Ive managed to run out of space completely for tools and My tool box broke AND we've tidied out the garage and discovered a lot of space and goodness.

 

I now have a good excuse to get a tool chest.

 

I have looked for ages at tool chests, and its a bit of a minefield, as everyones personal experience is different.

 

What brand(s) do you use/would you recommend???

 

 

 

 

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

There are a few different trains of thought. Some folk will say that the Halfords or Machine Mart stuff is good value, which it is, BUT, only when you buy it, as it doesn't hold it's value.

My opinion is to buy second hand a big name brand, I have a Snap On box, my reason being (a) I'm a badge snob but more importantly ( it retains it's value so if you ever decide you no longer want it, or hit hard times, you can sell it on and get back a good chunk of what you paid for it.

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

I've got the Clarke 9 drawer chest. Faultless and perfect for home tinkering.

[jamie_1992 66 1 Cars]

Iv got a snap on box and it's been great for me if I were to buy another I would look at getting the kind that can have a wooden top work surface

Best to speak to a snap on dealer to get a second hand unit I was offered one for about 700 not so long ago

[johnhenry 20]

Yeah I'm definitely keen on a better brand, not a brand snob but I have had bad experiences with clarke and halfords stuff. (why everything comes down to personal experience as Alan77 has just confirmed)

 

Didn't know you could get hold of 2nd hand units through the snap on guy! Wonder if they still have their lifetime guarantee present as part of the sale?

 

Anyone used/had experience with Sealey premier? or Sealey range at all? we have a good local dealer who would be a good point of call if there were a problem. Personal contact with people seems to be a real positive for me.

 

Cheers

John

[deathbringer929 49 1 Cars]

ive got a large mac tools box. these and snap on come on ebay regular. as tom said they will hold their money better than the cheaper brands. the only thing i would recommend is to get one with ball bearing slides, as soon as you put some heavier tools in normal slides they start to drag a lot.

[jord294 92]

If you talk to local snap on dealer, they have auctions to buy/sell slightly damaged new units.

 

If you can remember the set up I had, I got it for £700 with couple of little dinks.

 

Brand new was nearly £1800

[GilesW 41]

I think you can only make a decision once you've made a few initial decisions, ie:

 

- what are you wanting it to do - is it a rarely used storage box, or a daily use 'hard life' tool box.

- What is the environment it will be sitting in - wet, dusty damp garage, or clean-room F1 engine build area.

- is it short, mid or long term performance you want from it.

- is it an investment, or a means to an end.

 

And lastly....

 

- How much £'s are you able to spend on it.

 

 

You may find buying parts or sections over a few years when you can afford it works better for you, or that actually a Sealey Premier or Halfords Pro ticks more boxes than any other option.

[Biggles 65]

Excellent points in the post above.

 

I have one of the cheap Halfords ones - 4 drawer, not ball bearing - it's a hobby chest, keeps the tools together in the (normal) garage plus gets carried around in the back of the car when out rallying. Have absolutely no complaints about it.

 

Think what you want it for and go for the appropriate spec. Don't spend £900 when £90 would give you what you want. I have no doubt Snap-On / etc would have given me a higher quality product but did I actually need that ?

[johnhenry 20]

All really good info thanks!

 

If you talk to local snap on dealer, they have auctions to buy/sell slightly damaged new units.

If you can remember the set up I had, I got it for £700 with couple of little dinks.

Brand new was nearly £1800

 

was a really nice setup!

 

I think you can only make a decision once you've made a few initial decisions, ie:

 

1) what are you wanting it to do - is it a rarely used storage box, or a daily use 'hard life' tool box.

2) What is the environment it will be sitting in - wet, dusty damp garage, or clean-room F1 engine build area.

3) is it short, mid or long term performance you want from it.

4) is it an investment, or a means to an end.

 

And lastly....

 

5) How much £'s are you able to spend on it.

 

 

You may find buying parts or sections over a few years when you can afford it works better for you, or that actually a Sealey Premier or Halfords Pro ticks more boxes than any other option.

 

1) Its not for a business, every hour, every day unit. but I am out pretty much every weekend in the garage working on cars or bikes. In my mind going for a unit that exceeds what you need from it will mean it will last longer

2) The garage has had a new roof, is a little dusty, and doesn't appear to be damp (we emptied it last weekend). Its not an F1, level polished floor place. but its a decent garage.

3) I would prefer long term value for money, but not at any cost. A several year warranty/guarantee would be brilliant

4) An investment in me and my time, rather than any resale value. Would look to keep it for many many years. Really not interested in resale value.

5) Cost: Buy once, buy well. But again, not at any cost.

 

Concerns and Questions:

• Aftersales service from 2nd hand snap on stuff (even through the dealer) - will try and get in touch with our local rep and see if they come with warranties/guarantees
• Has anybody used US PRO? they offer 10 year guarantees on their better stuff. that sort of confidence in the product is appealing. but the difficulty is its all online. Anyone know more about the company/source of its stuff?

Cheers

John

[mikeyd 13]

inthe end its just a box to keep tools in-agree on ball bearing sliders but cant see the point in spending 7 /800 quid on a toolbox which wont earn you a penny if you are a professional and crazy money if only hobby

ive got a clarke which cost £100 ish 10 years ago stays in workshop most of the time but gets chucked in the service van for rallies/autocross etc and when fixing machinery on my brothers farm- got a few dents /scratches but still does the job fine + if it got driven over would owe me sod all!! [fate of previous box ! ]

[madspikes 41 1 Cars]

I've had a halfords roller unit for 6+ years and it's great for a hobbyist. It sits in my slightly damp dusty garage. I've also got a non roller ball unit I pulled out the skip at work... Roller unit every time.

 

Whatever unit buy, I'm sure it's worth waiting to pick up the right unit in a sale.

 

I'd also go with more money on tools than the box they sit in!

[Masekwm 2]

I'm about to buy the Halfords Industrial bundle of tool boxes for £300. If you join British Cycling for £10 you save £30 too

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

I have a 53inch snap on box i use for work, witch lets just say i wish i NEVER bought it!

it cost way to much for what its worth, and ive only had it for 3 years and it went rusty at the bottom edge a year ago and ive been fighting it with snap on ever since, they couldnt care less, their aftersales is absolute crap, i would never ever buy anything from snap on again. now all the ball bearing draws are starting to fall apart one by one, this they are actually fixing witch is ok, but they shouldnt be falling apart in the 1st place, i take good care of the box, considering the amount i paid for it! im begging to hate it!

ive totaly refused to buy anything untill they repair my box, all they tell me is they cant do anything as they dont make my model of box anymore, (round corner one)

It was just one of them things i thought i needed at the time so i bought it.

 

On the other hand, i know its not that big but i use a halfords industrial box in my garage where my 205 is, i got it second hand, have had it for a year the last bloke had it for 3 years, its been used and abused, apart from the many dents ect it works perfectly all the draws are still smooth, no rust, couldn't be happier with it.

[johnhenry 20]

Thanks Mase for the heads up!

 

I have a 53inch snap on box i use for work, witch lets just say i wish i NEVER bought it!

it cost way to much for what its worth, and ive only had it for 3 years and it went rusty at the bottom edge a year ago and ive been fighting it with snap on ever since, they couldnt care less, their aftersales is absolute crap, i would never ever buy anything from snap on again. now all the ball bearing draws are starting to fall apart one by one, this they are actually fixing witch is ok, but they shouldnt be falling apart in the 1st place, i take good care of the box, considering the amount i paid for it! im begging to hate it!

ive totaly refused to buy anything untill they repair my box, all they tell me is they cant do anything as they dont make my model of box anymore, (round corner one)

It was just one of them things i thought i needed at the time so i bought it.

 

On the other hand, i know its not that big but i use a halfords industrial box in my garage where my 205 is, i got it second hand, have had it for a year the last bloke had it for 3 years, its been used and abused, apart from the many dents ect it works perfectly all the draws are still smooth, no rust, couldn't be happier with it.

 

This is why I reckon its most important to have a personal contact rather than a bigger company, who may deliver something a little better (on paper) but less personal relationships.

 

just popped into halfords in the GTI to see their professional range and their industrial stuff. their professional stuff seems okay (has a £199 bundle deal), not a fan of their industrial for some reason :S

 

I shall call Sealey up tomorrow and find out what they say about gauantees.

[harryskid 193]

Take care mate on how much you spend, you could end up with a box which is worth more than your 205!

[MiniGibbo 142]

Clarke hand down every time, nothing better value for money.

[marksorrento205 80]

Snap on for me at work and home. I do also have a halfords roll cab that has only ever sat in the corner and never moved - still works fine. My work snap on one gets moved around a six bay hangar all day and is still perfect

[1 FAT PUG 39]

snap on man sometimes has offers on, i got my 9 draw for 350+vat, when it should have been about 700+

[Reebmit 51 4 Cars]

Snap-on and Mac for me, I have to say the Mac set up is still as good as the day I bought it and it spent many years in a professional environment. Wasn't cheap but not quite Snap-on prices. I expect though if it is just for home/garage use then the Halfords range is probably very good. I stopped buying Snap-on/Britool tools a few years back and since have added a few of the Halford professional range tools and am very impressed really cause I hate Halfords as a company.

[johnhenry 20]

Ive had reliable word from a sealed rep that about 75% of the lower end stock comes off the same line, he's been out there and seen the factory (remarkably as part of a works trip!)

 

so at base level, its whoevers cheapest, as what he says checks out with most sharing an almost identical design/appearance/layout.

 

There appears to be a design sealey call, Heavy Duty Superline Pro, and Clarke call Heavy Duty Industial. Have a really strong feel to them, about £500 difference in price and their identical construction (look that way). They vary in fittings (sealey has gas strut top box bit, clarke doesn't) but I'm just now waiting to see what offers sealey have on for the early part of Jan and if they bring out any new adaptations of their heavy duty range. If not, ill be popping down to machine mart and then buying the sealey gas rod spares!

 

Was staggered how similar they all were on close inspection and that a rep was so honest and said they were.

 

Was looking into making one tbh!

[speno 239 2 Cars]

Come on chaps , surely we need Pictures of the beasts ;0)

I've got a clarke , it was free soo win win

Most of the mechanics on my ind . estate have snap on

[welshpug 1,657]

Any pro i know has snapon or mac at their workplace, though a mate does have a large yellow unit 4' tall by 5' long which afaik is an us pro unit he paid cash for at the royal welsh show several years ago and its still going strong.

 

Drapers bb units are ok but still feel a bit flimsy, as do the clarke units, however the black and gold clarke industrial boxes are very nice solid units.

 

Personally i have a very old sturdy cantilever thing and a cheap draper blue thing i barely use in the shed!

[MiniGibbo 142]

I have a black and gold Clarke and never seen a unit better.. Clarke tools are pap but I'll never believe the snap on chests are worth the money over it.

[johniban 59 1 Cars]

personally i have had very good experience with sealey and clarke tools, compared to snap on, not sure what other makes of cars are like but french fixings, like engine mount bolts ect the torx bolts, the snap on torx sockets are a tad to small and round the fixing of easily , compared to a halfords socket or sealey/clarke/draper item fits perfectly.

 

snap on in my opinion is all cheap tat with a high mark up, some of their tools are awesome, but others are not,

 

i wanted a flaring tool todo my brake pipes, snap on wanted £150 + vat for some fancy die cast crap in a posh plastic box, i laughed and bought a similar one of ebay for £30 inc postage. used it todo my whole 205 brake pipe set, its quick, and very very easy