Tool boxes, roll cabs etc.

[ScottieJ]

I'm in the market for a new tool box but I'm on a budget, number 1 it's a bday pressie from the missus, no2 I would rather spend the extra on car parts and good tools to go in it! So I'm not looking at overpriced Snob-on boxes, yes they might be good quality but are they really worth 4x the price of other tool boxes? especially when I've been told the newer ones aren't as good as the old ones by a few people.

So what have you got and how do you rate it?

I'm looking at US pro tools boxes, They do an economy version that still looks pretty good.

Click Here for Ebay Listing

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-PRO-TOOLS- ... 1595059116

or a heavy duty one with a 10 year warrenty, yeah they might be made in the east but apparently so are new snap on boxes.

Click Here for Ebay Listing

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/34-US-PRO-HEA ... 1230179879

My mate has a Sealy American pro box but he says it seems a bit flimsy.

I haven't got a clue what my current top box is? it's around 20 years old and battered, think it's either an old snap on or Mac?

image.jpg (243.4 KiB) Viewed 11166 times

[NylonAdmiral]

I bought this one about a year ago now:

http://ebay.to/1AvQanZ

I think it's pretty decent quality and was at the lower end of the price spectrum.

They're probably all made in the same factory in China anyway. One of these and a SnapOn sticker will cost a lot less, but be exactly the same as, a SnapOn toolbox.

[ScottieJ]

Watching a Britools one on ebay at the moment, if it goes cheap I might have it, very tempted by the US pro tools ones though.

All the really nice boxes that are second hand and at a good price seem to be miles away

[andyrew]

Ive got the halfords large chest and bottom box
They come up on offer quite often. Think it was 250
For the pair. Then a middle extension set was on offer
So I bagged one of them recently.

Its a little on the tall side now tho.

[RickUK]

I still have my Snapon tool chest and most of my original tools that i bought 45 years ago,its of course scratched but still works fine,the quality of the tools then was superb and also had Britool ones as well,trouble is that most of the tools had been pre metric ie AF so had to add a few metric tools as well.

No idea what the price of new tools are these days but i do like the Halfords tool chest they look like a copy of the Snapon ones.

[ScottieJ]

Is it the professional range that you have? http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10001

Sounds like you are quite happy with it?

Rick snap on ones are silly money nowadays and not made in the USA. looking at £700+ for a second hand roll cab and top box, I can think of many things I would rather spend the money on than a tool box

[gp7186]

I use clarke tool chests from machine mart and i have found them to be of very good quality and strong also if you go on a vat free day you will pay 20% less

[andyrew]

Is it the professional range that you have? http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10001

Sounds like you are quite happy with it?

Rick snap on ones are silly money nowadays and not made in the USA. looking at £700+ for a second hand roll cab and top box, I can think of many things I would rather spend the money on than a tool box

Thats the one ive got. Theres also a middle extension
Box available thats around 80 quid but again go on offer
Regular at half price.

Im happy with mine. It did have an argument with a transit
Van the other day tho after my mate backed into it.

Toolbox 1 - transit rear quarter panel 0

All I would say is check before you leave the store. I had to take
My first one back as it had a big dent in it.

[ScottieJ]

Have you got the normal Clarke ones or the heavy duty ones? I'm wondering how much of an actual difference there is in quality between them.

Most brands like Sealey, Clarke, alfords etc. have more than one range and I'm wondering if the Difference in quality is really worth the extra.

Can't decide if I want to buy a new cheaper roll cab and top box or try to find a second hand higher end set up? A lot of the branded ones look identical to the cheaper ones and I wouldn't be surprised if they are made in the same factory using the same materials and components.

[ScottieJ]

Andy tbh Im not to fussed if it has a slight bit of damage....I would use it as a bargaining tool to get more money off and then repair it it's gonna get used and abused anyway.