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Cheap Toolboxes - Can anyone recommend a decent CHEAP roll away cabinet?


alsancle

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You can also fine cheap boxes of all brands at an auction house called “ everything but the house”. When people move and downsize a lot of tool boxes ( some with tools in them) go up for auction. I’ve seen some go for $50 or $75

up to $300 but not much more than that. Sorry I don’t have the actual site name but it should be easy to google. 
dave s 

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  • Peter Gariepy changed the title to Cheap Toolboxes - Can anyone recommend a decent CHEAP roll away cabinet?

I purchased one last Dec from Home Depot.... similar to the blue Huskie.   Wood top and 9 drawers (1) full width drawer at the top, 

On the left side are 5 drawers and on the right 3 drawers the bottom one is deep.   I put it in may office because I had lots of small stuff

that got lost.  Pretty sure the price was $299 and at the time Harbor Freight similar size was $399

 

 

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I often run into reasonably priced top boxes. I have at least 6 or 7 now. 3 quite vintage { 1950's } Snap on, and a later 60's Snap On , plus a good sized Proto  { 70's ? } and the Craftsman I bought new when I started as a mechanic in the later 1970's. and probably more in dark corners of my storage shed. All the used ones were $100.00 or less. 

 Bottom cabinets seem to cross my path much less often. I only have 3 . The matching Craftsman I bought new during my start as a mechanic. And two 1960's / 70's Snap On's I bought second hand. They were also both under my $100.00 favored trigger point.

 Most of my top boxes live on workbenches.

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I've noticed the HF box prices have increased quite a bit, but they seem to be well-made. Lot heavier gauge steel than Craftsman. I haven't looked close at Husky and the tool truck brands are way out of my price range.

 

Local NAPA had an open house last Friday and I checked out the boxes on their tool truck. Appeared comparable to the Harbor Freight boxes both in construction and price.

 

But I don't think I need another tool box right now!

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4 hours ago, SC38dls said:

You can also fine cheap boxes of all brands at an auction house

One thing I really miss is the weekly auctions in a town about 20 miles away. They went to online only when the plague came and doubtful they go back to live auctions. I'm one who likes to put my eyes and hands on what I want to bid on.

 

They used to always have neat old tools and boxes, and I bought plenty of Snap-on, Cornwell and other high-$$$ brands at reasonable prices. The stuff was usually part of an estate and was auctioned off no reserve to the highest bidder.

 

They sold an almost-new Matco roller one week and a kid about 20 yrs old came to buy it. There was a flipper bidding against him who ran him out of money and got it for $3100. I overheard the flipper say he already had it sold for $5500 which didn't sit well with me but I stayed quiet.

 

However... when the flipper was trying to load it on his flatbed truck it got away from them, fell off the ramps and landed on a corner then on its top, damaging it pretty badly.

 

It was all I could do to not heehaw like a jackass after what he'd done to the kid.

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I had a tech working for me, he was a real tool buyer, Snap-On, Matco, Cornwell , I would guess tool box's and tools $75K 

 

He was in lawsuit with his sister when he died, sister sold everything for the first $5K, he must have rolled over in his grave, I think that's what she was hoping.

 

Bob

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5 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

One thing I really miss is the weekly auctions in a town about 20 miles away. They went to online only when the plague came and doubtful they go back to live auctions. I'm one who likes to put my eyes and hands on what I want to bid on.

 

They used to always have neat old tools and boxes, and I bought plenty of Snap-on, Cornwell and other high-$$$ brands at reasonable prices. The stuff was usually part of an estate and was auctioned off no reserve to the highest bidder.

 

They sold an almost-new Matco roller one week and a kid about 20 yrs old came to buy it. There was a flipper bidding against him who ran him out of money and got it for $3100. I overheard the flipper say he already had it sold for $5500 which didn't sit well with me but I stayed quiet.

 

However... when the flipper was trying to load it on his flatbed truck it got away from them, fell off the ramps and landed on a corner then on its top, damaging it pretty badly.

 

It was all I could do to not heehaw like a jackass.

Does this mean " you don't get mad; you just get even"? Someone must have been listening to your thoughts!

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Karma works in mysterious ways!🙈🙉🙊

 

I had struck up a conversation with the kid. He was about to graduate auto tech school and was looking for a nice used box that wouldn't kill him financially, and the Matco would have suited his purpose well at the $3k he had with him. He had also brought three buddies with him to help load it. Boy was prepared. Hated he didn't get the box because I have a soft spot for a kid trying to get started in life, but the highest bid wins.

 

There were plenty of times I backed out of the bidding if I noticed a young person was in it, especially on tools.

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Recently boxes at auctions, online, have been close to new prices. I was looking at tools, but noticed the box prices. Not like the time I was at a local auction that had some Snap On and Mac  top boxes and side cabinets. I was bidding on the Snap-On when the other bidder (what were the other people were doing there, as they were not bidding!) came over and we discussed the boxes. He got the Snap-On and I got the MAC even cheaper. We both smiled, saving time bidding against each other. The Macs looked newer, and have the chrome handles as Plays says. He was planning to rebuild the Snap-Ons for resale. I just needed boxes.😁

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Guess Im feeling a bit ornery without my morning cup of coffee, but I dont see anything wrong with someone buying someone at auction and reselling. If a 20 yo kid was tapped out than so be it. I have been tapped out trying to buy stuff at auctions by people with deeper pockets and what they did with it afterwards is none of my business. Such is life!

 

I was at ritchie bros, sitting beside a guy that was buying every crane that went across the block. He was into it for a couple of million dollars. I finally asked what he was doing with all of those cranes and his reply was that they were already sold to buyers and he could not find them fast enough. I suppose his customers could have went to the auction.

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55 minutes ago, TAKerry said:

Guess Im feeling a bit ornery without my morning cup of coffee, but I dont see anything wrong with someone buying someone at auction and reselling. If a 20 yo kid was tapped out than so be it. I have been tapped out trying to buy stuff at auctions by people with deeper pockets and what they did with it afterwards is none of my business. Such is life!

 

I was at ritchie bros, sitting beside a guy that was buying every crane that went across the block. He was into it for a couple of million dollars. I finally asked what he was doing with all of those cranes and his reply was that they were already sold to buyers and he could not find them fast enough. I suppose his customers could have went to the auction.

 

When you are getting out bid at an auction by a dealer you know that you are under the money.

 

It is very hard to get a decent Snap-on or Mac box cheap.  I watch CL and nobody is giving them away.   20 years ago my buddies told me that I had just bought a Snap On bottom and Top full of snap on tools from an estate sale and I owed them 2k.  I was slightly annoyed until I started looking at the price of a single Snap On wrench.

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Garage Sale season is just around the corner!  That, and 'spring cleaning' season.  My son-in-law snagged me a perfectly fine (albeit lower-line) Craftsman cabinet w/ toolbox on top that someone simply pushed out to the curb...  ;)

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Maybe I should have elaborated a little.

 

Me and that flipper have history all the way back to high school. Didn't like him then, don't like him now. Just an oily, disagreeable human being who likes to gloat when he's shafted someone, and who goes out of his way to do it.

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50 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

Maybe I should have elaborated a little.

 

Me and that flipper have history all the way back to high school. Didn't like him then, don't like him now. Just an oily, disagreeable human being who likes to gloat when he's shafted someone, and who goes out of his way to do it.

I hear ya on that one! I know a few  people just like that.

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I don't know how cheap is cheap but I just bought a 26" Craftsman roller cabinet from Lowes and what is now an obsolete 5 drawer top box which still has real handles, not just carveouts with a piece of curved aluminum in the carveouts, at Tyler Tool.  I use MSN Edge which identified a coupon discount worth $22 for the top chest so it was reduced from $152.00 +6% sale tax.  Tyer Tool is VERY SLOW to ship but the older box is pretty nice.  The local Lowes had 11 of the roller cabinet and they assembled it and put it in the back of my car.

 

CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 26.5-in W x 34-in H 5-Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet (Red) in the Bottom Tool Cabinets department at Lowes.com

 

Craftsman CMMT81563 26 in. 6-Drawer Tool Chest - Red-Black | Tyler Tool

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, NailheadBob said:

I love all these tools and tool box stories, makes me want to get out and buy some.

 

Bob

I think you should!😃

 

Then you can go buy more tools to put in them!😁

 

That's how I ended up with 9 sets of combination wrenches...☺️ who needs 9 sets of combination wrenches...

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Took a five minute break this afternoon perused fb marketplace as usual.  A guy one town over listed a blue point box, filled with snap on sockets, wrenches Standard and Metric and screwdrivers, all Snap On $200 for all.  The ad was was up for 49 minutes.  I messaged I could pick it up tonight for his ask.  Sadly, I was guy #2... 

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16 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said:

Took a five minute break this afternoon perused fb marketplace as usual.  A guy one town over listed a blue point box, filled with snap on sockets, wrenches Standard and Metric and screwdrivers, all Snap On $200 for all.  The ad was was up for 49 minutes.  I messaged I could pick it up tonight for his ask.  Sadly, I was guy #2... 

Hope the stuff was legit, wouldn't burn yer fingers, and went to someone who'll use and treasure it instead of flipping it.

 

A friend has done ok buying old tools and boxes at pawn shops. I can't get past wondering if they were stolen and pawned. There's some questionable pawn operations in these parts.

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Interesting, I took a look at this topic late in the week, thought for a minute and realized my current boxes were pretty well stuffed.  Sure would be nice to spread things out a bit.  So, today I agreed to buy this like-new Craftsman 3-stack for $150. One of our club members had helped clean out an estate and ended up with this one he didn't need.  Super clean, new drawer liners, and it's coming home tomorrow.  I'll decide about the stickers later.

Terry

Tool boxes.jpg

Edited by Terry Bond (see edit history)
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20 hours ago, rocketraider said:

Hope the stuff was legit, wouldn't burn yer fingers, and went to someone who'll use and treasure it instead of flipping it.

 

A friend has done ok buying old tools and boxes at pawn shops. I can't get past wondering if they were stolen and pawned. There's some questionable pawn operations in these parts.

I think he was solid, good marks on fb marketplace and home pick up but one never knows.   $200 isn't a lot of cash but it is prudent to be careful in any meetup situation involving cash. 

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Stickers on a toolbox — Yeah, I’ve got ‘em

 

Back when I had multiple spaces I had leftover Hershey swap meet space stickers in most years.  Now that I’ve downsized to one space, that one sticker goes on the windshield and none left for the toolbox.

 

Tom

C6FA7709-43AC-42EB-8FB2-170FD19488CA.jpeg

08959C68-1D08-4E93-A8BD-87D577E6DC1D.jpeg

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52790762608_7af8e566a2_c.jpg2023-04-03_10-19-42 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Heres my cheapy from craftsman. Its kinda rickety was inexpensive. Have some carpenter tools and some power tools in it.

 

52789757552_2e6c7f5480_c.jpg2023-04-03_10-19-33 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Here is my lifetime supply of mechanic tools. Started when I was about 18 with the black box on top. Its a craftsman but when they built quality stuff. Very solid and drawers slide like they should. Still holding up well after 40 yrs. The stack below is cheapy stuff added a piece at a time. Drawers are rickety and its basically junk as far as tool boxes go, but they work for me. If I were making money with these kind of tools I would def. have a better rig.

 

And heres a box I built a few years ago for some of my cabinet making tools.52790706805_af73c15af9_c.jpg2023-04-03_10-19-23 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr52619722776_d9e9e2b2ba_c.jpg2023-01-10_03-56-33 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

52620156455_fdd6f433ec_c.jpg2023-01-10_03-56-44 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

52619723636_1f064b8441_c.jpg2023-01-10_03-57-05 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

spent some time this week trying to get more organized in my garage......I have a few buddies with spotless, well organized garages and hanging out with them is a mixture of "having a lot of fun/feeling inferior because my garage is a mess".  I told my wife, I was going to go get a new cabinet and start with organizing car wrenching tools only in the new cabinet.  She made the comment "do you need that today? I bet they are all on sale for father's day".  I am famous in my own mind for many things, perhaps the top two are I am cheap, and I married someone a lot smarter than me.  She is probably right, and it is only 4 weeks away....plus it lets me procrastinate for 4 more weeks while telling myself I'm being responsible as I procrastinate and punt "cleaning my garage" down stream for 4 more weeks.  For others on this thread who think they may want a new/cheap cabinet, I'm feeling some Harbor Freight 20% off coupons might be a month away.......just saying.

 

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31 minutes ago, John Bloom said:

spent some time this week trying to get more organized in my garage......I have a few buddies with spotless, well organized garages and hanging out with them is a mixture of "having a lot of fun/feeling inferior because my garage is a mess".  I told my wife, I was going to go get a new cabinet and start with organizing car wrenching tools only in the new cabinet.  She made the comment "do you need that today? I bet they are all on sale for father's day".  I am famous in my own mind for many things, perhaps the top two are I am cheap, and I married someone a lot smarter than me.  She is probably right, and it is only 4 weeks away....plus it lets me procrastinate for 4 more weeks while telling myself I'm being responsible as I procrastinate and punt "cleaning my garage" down stream for 4 more weeks.  For others on this thread who think they may want a new/cheap cabinet, I'm feeling some Harbor Freight 20% off coupons might be a month away.......just saying.

 

 

Make it happen!

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/icon-tool-storage

 

Green and Red Icon Tool Storage Cabinets

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Those HF big boxes are really nice and do seem to be well made. 

I was at hd the other day and they had a really nice rolling tool cart/work bench Milwaukee branded. It was 499. the guy told me he would take 20 off because it was the last one they had. I had to think long about that one. But in the end my shop is already too crowded and I figured I would be buying only because it was something shiny. IF I had  the space I def. would have grabbed it though. It was that nice. I suppose the little cart I threw together out of mdf scraps will have to suffice.

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1 minute ago, TAKerry said:

Those HF big boxes are really nice and do seem to be well made. 

I was at hd the other day and they had a really nice rolling tool cart/work bench Milwaukee branded. It was 499. the guy told me he would take 20 off because it was the last one they had. I had to think long about that one. But in the end my shop is already too crowded and I figured I would be buying only because it was something shiny. IF I had  the space I def. would have grabbed it though. It was that nice. I suppose the little cart I threw together out of mdf scraps will have to suffice.

 

I have almost the same issue with toolboxes as I have with the garage I'm probably never going to build.  Seems like I can have a car or the box but not both.

 

image.png.639fa1b192a67264c791eacac0eff41b.png

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WoW! I knew they were pricey but I suppose its the sign of the times. Last time I was there (about a year or so ago) those things were like 6k I thought.  Not to mention I have enough tools to fill maybe 2 drawers. 

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