big tool boxes... which to get?

i got a big ass snap on and i love mine..it was $6500 dollars but it is my last tool box to buy

i have the huge snap -on box in lime green its badass getting the workstation for it as well for my comp.monitor. lowes tool boxes are made by the same company that makes MAC's tool boxes so they are built pretty good for the money. start small tool trucks always give you more then what u payed when u trade it in

Originally posted by complexdesigns



We got a stainless one from sam's that is badass. Make sure to go ball bearing tho if you want it to last.

i got one...my buddies neighbor just went out and bought 3 of them..says there the best ones he has ever had..and the cheapest price..

Edited: 2/15/2006 7:05:05 PM by SinistarCustoms

Snap-On is definately worth it if you got alot of money in tools and want them safe and sound. I looked at some Matco boxes before I bought mine But they feel really flimsy. The Kobalts are pretty much the same as Craftman boxes.Ive heard Kobalt is owned by Snap-On. Here is a pic of my Box.Dig that bitchin Mazda emblem

i bought mine at harbor freight haha for 200 bucks its a 13 drawer ball bearing

i was under the understanding that kobalt is made by snap-on.

I work at a pawn shop and see everything from from 100 dollar Harbor Freight boxes to 10 thousand dollar Snap On boxes. To me a toolbox is kind of like a gun, you get what you pay for. If you buy something cheap i can guarantee that in a couple of months or maybe even a couple of years you will be looking for a better box. I would suggest buying something decent now and saving yourself the hassle later.

Speaking of pawn shops, maybe you should check them out in your area. I know some poeple hate us! But there are deals to be found. We recently sold a Matco top & bottom box for $1650. It was $4350 new. Not bad. We've sold some of the smaller Snap On, Mac, and Matco boxes for under a grand easy.

i got a snap on box .... i figure if you spend the money on good tools u might as well spend the money on a good place to put them i use mostly snap-on but i have some mac and others as well

I think it is important to quantify the response to these questions and in addition ask the original poster in what setting the tool box is going to be used.

Let me explain. It cool to a certain extent to have 6-15k tool boxes but these guys telling you they have them probably have 2-5 times that amount in tools alone. Does the average weekend wrencher need something of this caliber, heck no! Would we like to have this equipment? HELL yes!!! But most of these guys that have all this money wrapped up in tools and boxes are using them for thier career. This is thier lively-hood. So dont get discouraged but some of these responses if you feel like you cant afford 1/4 the cost of most of these tool boxes.
For the average weekend guy the boxes dont get as much use and therefore you might be able to get by with something less expensive. Most of us cant afford to buy exclusively MAC, Snap-on, Matco. But for the amount of use the tools and boxes will get, Craftsman of Kobalt work great.

So that being said, consider the use of the box and then make up your own mind as to what you want to swing for it.

As for me, I am also in the market for a box. I am just a weekend wrencher so I dont need a super expensive box so I have been looking at the Stainless boxes at Costco and Sams. Full ball bearing, everything is stainless, will hold all of my (cheap by comparison) craftsman tools and it is not a lot of cabbage - 550-ish. It will be goodenough to pass down to my kid when the time comes. Those lowes boxes look pretty good too. I go craftsman before the Kobalt though. And thats because there arent very many lowes here int he portland area and theya re kind of a pain to get to.

I don't wrench professionally but I know I will be wrenching for life, so I choose to spend my money on the tools (even if it means debt to pay off). It's only been 15 years of my life and with everything paid off and the piece of mind that the tools will outlast me is worth the extra price to me already. The only thing I've bought 3 of are boxes. So my advice is to buy a box a little larger and maybe a little out of reach. In the long run it will be worth it.