Help Me Find a New Toolbox

Oops, drawers not included on this one... $465 on ebay

I also saw another video which pointed out a single drawer can easily be removed to bring just that one drawer to the job rather than trying to move the box closer. 

Videos

Might you consider going for a "Forever" metal tool box with a lifetime warranty?

Blue point so "affordable"

Bigger option

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Metal-Boxes/Metal-Box/KRW185      

And the expensive but rugged option

https://shop.snapon.com/product/Metal-Boxes/Metal-Box/KRA21G

I also have the same Rally Box you do as my "go to" portable box, so yes one day I to may have to look to replace.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:

In reply to bluej (Forum Supporter) :

Like those cages around jobsite stereos?  That would actually be pretty amusing.

I have one of those radios. I love it. Mostly because it has 4 GFCI sockets and a battery charger.

mazdeuce - Seth said:

In reply to oldopelguy (Forum Supporter) :

I see a man with color coded Wera sockets and I see a man I want to hang out with. 

You see a man color coding all his tools to match the Wera color codes. Eventually the plan is to do the pins in the box the same colors too.

Currently using UV cure gel nail polish:

on some loose Beta 42 wrenches and:

and a loose TONE wrench.

Once color coded it should be easier and quicker to put them away than not to. 

I'm hoping to fill in some of the center letters on the metric ones in blue, the brand name or something, so that you can spot which toolbox it goes into from across the room too.

Any experience with these? DeWalt stacky things

Seems to have the toughness I want in a more affordable package than the Pelican option.

I would think the dewalt wouldn't be too different from my craftsman plastic stacky system.  It sounds like youd be putting it through too much abuse for it to last.

A few folks here at work have Milwaukee Packout cart things.  They are impressively tough, and don't seem as expensive as they should be.

In reply to paranoid_android (Forum Enabler) :

I like the concept of those but there are no drawer units- so you need to unsnap everything and open it to get to the goods.

Looking around eBay at Pelican 0450s and similar, I found this Kipper GMTK case that might be a good option, it at least seems like it might be built tougher than average.

In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :

I would think tools getting crammed into/jostled around in drawers would cause them to get jammed shut occasionally between services. Have you not experienced that?

In reply to Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) :

It has only become a problem now that the drawers themselves are pretty badly bent- when every drawer had a nice flat underside, you just had to shake the box and everything would settle nicely so you could open it.

Build the cage, add tabs for drawer slides, and mount the replaceable cases to them?

Edit: tabs to make securing down with a quick release easy.

This thread has me poking around the internet. A bit outside our scope, but this NASCAR toolbox writeup on Speedhunters is interesting to say the least. Especially the hardware bins. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

This thread has me poking around the internet. A bit outside our scope, but this NASCAR toolbox writeup on Speedhunters is interesting to say the least. Especially the hardware bins. 

so many ideas i'm going to implement when i get my new box.  right after the carpet in the first floor is done.  ;-)

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

That's awesome, when I was doing FSAE we had boxes with tools and widgets specific to suspension/brake/engine/electronics work so people could quickly split off and work on their respective systems.  The NASCAR boxes are like the ultimate version of that.

I can't seem to dig it up right now, but RedBull's Dakar Daily series had a really neat video on KTM's service trucks also- it's like a souped up dealer parts department/apartment block/garage on wheels!

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

well that was a fascinating read 

Also found this playlist that's 12 videos of superbike race mechanics tool boxes. Different, but the same. Kind of. 

I really didn't need to learn about those Pelican boxes....

Not sure if this is really relevant, but this page shows the Hyundai WRC service. It looks like they have a briefcase type tool box for each corner of the car. Tools used are tools at hand. 

Edit: Toyota does the same. 

I'm a mechanic by trade and I  have huge Matco box in the shop that I  bought used.  Love that thing, but it's hard to beat a good Craftsman box. Have one I used for years as a track box. Has a life time warranty on the slides, as long as You don't run over it with the tow truck.  Lowes is selling Craftsman now. I  did score a $500 Mac box for a $100 at a pawn shop, because the lid didn't close right and the draws were hard to open. A little work on the hinge and cleaned and lubed the slides and it's like new. Well almost. 

This thread is dangerous.  I've been wanting to do some sort or revamp on my tool storage (both garage and mobile), and now I'm going to start digging down that rabbit hole.  

I've already  been big on something similar to the team links above where I keep a box for different tasks (trackday, firearms, woodworking bits/specialty tool, etc.).  Does anyone have any recommendations for decent "middle boxes" ?  I have a few of the small top boxes like the original post, but they live on the workbench and having to open the top to open the drawers is not the most ideal.  I'm coming up pretty dry on finding any that aren't outrageously expensive. 

Tom Suddard said:

I really didn't need to learn about those Pelican boxes....

Four months later... I need to confess that I've been keeping an eye out for one of these for less than $400. And I finally won this Pelican toolbox on eBay for $212.

I'll update this thread when it gets here!

In reply to Tom Suddard :

I'm interested in the update/review!

And, more than a little jealous. 

In reply to drock25too :

I don't think you're correct about the slides on craftsman toolboxes. Craftsman (nicely) told me to get lost when mine fell apart:

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/how-to-fix-my-lousy-toolbox/175181/page1/ 

Related but not related:

My new $350 Husky roller has been sorted and organized. I am very happy about this investment. I also bought the $90 Hazard Fraught 30" tool cart and am in the process of making it into a quick service box with air tools and electrical repair kit because it's what I generally work on around here.

Came here to say maybe Milwaukee Packout. No drawers, but the interlocking system has plates that can be mounted wherever to mount the stack wherever.