competitivley priced tool chests (CHEAP)?

[Mutz]

After reading Dave123's thread on Halfords Pro range, i thought i could do with somewhere to put all my tools, rather than seaching through countless tool boxs and odd drawers around the garage.

So i started to look round for a cheap(ish) unit; and some are a reasonable price but how good are they?

In a perfect world we would all buy roller draw units made by snap on etc, but i dont need that for what i want, which is to keep everything together and occasional use.

Ive been to halfords and there cheap range appears reasonable quality (with no tools in), ive also been to machine mart, not so impressed with the quality.

Also been checking out some units on the bay, but cant really get an idea of quality on there although some are a good price.

Havnt managed to look at any on argos.

It's not going to be rolled around the garage, so wheels do not have to be great, so my question is:-

A) What and who's cheap box have you bought and are you happy with it.

B) Is it man enough for the job or do you wish you had saved your money.

The unit i am looking at, at the moment is a Halfords combination on special offer for about £68.

Tool box and roll chest, if you bought one is it alright for the price?

Sorry to have gone on a bit but im sure over Clubbers would probably like some info too. So what have you got thats not a pro range.

Thanks Graham

[lee celtic]

My misses bought me one several years ago from a picture in a catalogue for my birthday ,

when it came the roll cab complete with top box was only about 2 1/2 foot high  :lol: :lol:

by the time I'd put tools in the top box the sides of the roll cab were bowing ...

I ended up going the the local tool hire place and getting a sealy one  for 34 quid (just the top box) had it about 8 years now and it's still going strong  :D

even with all the holes I drilled in the lid for the socket racks. ;)

[Dr Neil]

I have a top box and rollcab from Halfords (stack on range). I have had them for approx 11 years and,being a mechanic) use it 5 days a week.

It wasn't that expensive and has lasted very well,though the paint has gone dull,but who cares.

I don't see the point in spending thousands of pounds on Snap on sheet metal to keep tools in, after all it's the tools that you use not the box.

just my view

Neil....

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

I bought mine from machine mart and managed to screw them down by £100 for going for the display models. They even bunged in two magnetic tool trays and some mole grips! Suckers! The power of L S-P shall reigh supreme! Mwahahahaha!

[Lewis.J.P_1987]

Check out Machine Mart, there Clarke range is cheap, If you can afford a bit more, get a Halfords professional one with the rollers and double extension draws.

You can get this for £100 at machine mart!

[Mutz]

Out of thousands of members there is only 3 people with economy tool chests,4 once i buy one; well i cant believe it.

Come on the rest of you even if its cack, let us have the benefit of your judgement. (pics would be good) :-k

[Andy 300tdi]

Check out Machine Mart, there Clarke range is cheap, If you can afford a bit more, get a Halfords professional one with the rollers and double extension draws.

You can get this for £100 at machine mart!

I got the exact same one from Maccro for £67 + vat

[Dave123]

I have an argos special, £30 of ebay it cost, hence why I was looking at halfords pro range, I had a long hard look around and found that it's definately best quality for the money but wanted to ask peoples opinions over long term use. I think you should get one they also have their 40% off offer too!  :dance:

[V8MoneyPit]

Sarah bought me a budget Sealey 'American Pro' chest with a pile of tools. The chests are reasonable quality and do me fine. Most of the tools were rubbish, but some are actually quite good and get used frequently.

[J.D.]

Costco or Makro (if you have cards) are also good for toolboxes, both of my big ones in the workshop came from Costco, who were cheaper than Machine Mart.

[ben-dent]

My 1st tool kit when i was an aprenttice was an argos cheepo one but it got broken with in a few months, so i forked out on something expencive

I have both a Snap-on and a Mac tools toolbox, when i was working as a Mechanic i needed one that i could Keep all my tools in it i have a tool for every thing, (including Body working tools), My tools alone are worth over 7k so whats 2k extra?? i only buy snap-on or mac, but now im not spannering they dont get used as much, its not a waste though, because in 10 years time they will still be as good as they are the day they were bought, and they have a life time warrenty,  and they will still sell for a good chunk of what i paid for them,

[william127]

ive got a sealy american pro chest with 3 wide drawers, 3 narrow ones and a top compartment, came filled with tools, they wernt the best quality but made my sets complete with mechanical tools that i dont need for work (ive got loads of building hand tools). so i got all the tools i needed for car work and a box for £87ish. 

dont know how well it would last if it rattled round in the van but for leaving it the barn full of tools i only use on the cars its fine.

[Mutz]

Ben Dent, I appreciate that for professional use you would spend a good bit on a tool box as well as tools, as this is what pays your wages; what i want to know is what, how much and is it any good cheap systems for the DIY/occasional user; who's tools wouldnt come to the total of a mid range quality box, but need to keep everything in one place instead of in 4 or 5 different boxs.

I always try to buy the best quality tools for my day job/work, and you just know whats best from experience, but im not a mechanic and am looking for personal experience of cheap boxs as i cannot warant spending a lot of dosh on a combi drawer unit for occasional use.

Looks like im getting a better selection and choice now, thanks for comments on your boxs; keep em comming.

[clbarclay]

Quite a few years ago we bough my farther a clarke top box tool chest for the farm workshop. It was like this one, but without the top row of small draws
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/ctc900-tool-chest/path/new-tool-chests-and-cabinets

The bottom draw is nice and deep (unlike many top boxes) and is full of big spanners (20mm to 35mm) and still slides out/in nicely enough without roller sliders. Due to some less than desierable gutters between barns, this tool box box also ends up under a monsoon when it rans heavily but is still in good order. Its a handy enough size that it can be carried while laden, any bigger and the tool box would just be restricted to a bench or trolly. The lock on this model was by dropping in a couple of bars in the front so you don't have to lift the lid on anything every time to open a draw. This box has been full laden since we got it and has not suffered mechanically.


I got this model 4 and half years ago.
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cfs308-8-drawer-tool-chest/path/clarke-hd-tool-chest-range

Deep centre draw is useful for keeping stuff like loctite in as the puts can live upright. The draws a locked by the lid closing (hidden inetrnal mechanisum) so the when in use the lid just lives open. Occasionaly you think that a roller sliders on the draws would be nicer, but basic sliders still do the same job and its not like I'm a full time mechanic opening draws every minuet. Again this box is still in good order, though it doesn't get used as much as the other box, mainly beacuse due to a lack of space.


Neither are particuarly practical for off roading. I have an old cantileaver box I got as a child and an even older ammo box which hold most of my tools and spares in the RRC. The hold relativerly a lot more tools for their size and are easier to get in or out. I've seen some tidy setups in hard top 90's where the box sits on a frame behind the bulkhead to give some storage underneath and allow the draws to open while there is other stuff on the floor, but I haven't seen a practical solution for using them in a disco or RRC. You need a clear space in front of top box tool chests to get at the draws unlike a canitleaver which can live stacked up and then when you need it just take the tool box handy to the vehicle when you need it.

[TechnoTurkey]

I've got the same one as pictured by Lewis.J.P_1987, I think I got it from eBay for about £80 and it is fine for my needs.

[Mutz]

Swaying towards the Sealey AP series, total of 16 draws or should i get the 13 with a large space at the bottom?? £150ish

[william127]

a big draw is usefull for things like hub spanners, club hammers or a small angle grinder. just my opinion of course..
where did you see the sealey box? have you looked in there current promotions book as there may be a one you want reduced or full up with kit(can never have too many tools)

[Mutz]

Just found 2 on the bay 1 is a 13drawer with cupd. £132 (red)
another is a 13 drawer with cupd with roller bearings £172 (grey)

[Tel]

i have this set up didnt pay that much for it either (dont you just love staff discount)

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=12438

[Mutz]

thats like £300+ nice set up but cant warrant it.

[Tel]

I think I paid just under 200 for the lot but I needed some decent storage as I have pretty much everytool I will ever need and the bottom drawer is perfect for my airtools and angle grinders
It is worth splashing the cash on decent storage as if you get it right first time your never need to replace it again 

[paul_humphreys]

Go around the local car boots. There was someone sellin a Snapon roller chest and top box at the weekend for £100!!!

[Lord Shagg-Pyle]

Go around the local car boots. There was someone sellin a Snapon roller chest and top box at the weekend for £100!!!

Did you burn your fingers when you touched it? Call me an old cycnic, but car boot sales are where a lot of stolen stuff gets punted out. I've dealt with a couple of cases where a victim recognised their stuff and the 'vendor' got a quick visit to the local nick! :shock:

[barmiebrumie]

15v yrs ago when I was a panel beater I bought a Snapon rollcab, middle box & top box cost me £1,000 done a few yrs in bodyshops & now @ home in the garage it will proberbly outlast me  :roll:, but would I pay the same again



NO, would now buy sealy or halfords

Just my opion

John

[SWEETY]

I used to have a Mac Tools top box, middle section box & roll cab & it was great but cost me a bomb & then sold it when I came out of the trade & was skint TBH wish I had'nt now :doh:A couple of years ago I got a heavy duty top box from Machine Mart & it's been great for what I need/want & last xmas I got the 3 draw centre box due to filling the top one :roll:TBH the runners on the centre box are'nt as good as the top box but are fine for what I use it at home for & if I do go back into the trade I'd still use it

[Mutz]

Going to look at the Mackro ones tomorrow, i mean today.

Will let you know what they are like?

[Mutz]

They do 2 at the moment.

1 is a 8 drawer @ £59+vat

2 is a 13 drawer @ £79+vat

Both are quite flimsy but i havnt writen them off yet, but still like the look of the 13 drawer Sealey AP series with bearings on all drawers. @ £185ish but need to look at one in the flesh to see if its worth the extra dosh.

[boss]

me and my dad are going halfs on a combo deal thing cant remember what breed it was but it was double skined, roller bearings 8 draw top and think is a 10 draw bottom on ebay for about £360 i need a roll cab he wants a top box getting the package that way seems cheaper than going and getting them seperatly

[karlo]

Costco were doing these a while ago fantastic piece of kit for a little over £400





Think they have them in black now.




http://www.cspsmetal.com/toolchests/index.html#41S