Tool Chest & Cabinet

[TarkMalbot]

I am looking at buying a new tool chest and cabinet.

My Halfords Professional tool chest was great and just what I needed but it has never been the same since it tipped upside down out of the side loading door of the van and spat my tools all over the floor!

I have been searching around for something of quality but at a good price. I have decided I want something with roller bearing draws that have a more quality feel to them but without seeing these in person and only going off online pictures it is difficult to tell which would be best for the money.

I have been looking at the Clarke HD Plus range and also the Sealey American Pro range. These are both the sort of price I want to pay and have found a great deal on a Sealey pro combi set for less than £175 with a great RRP saving:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360229882887

Any good or any others I should be looking at for similar price? Please dont say "Just get a Snap On" as I just justify that much money on one.

Cheers.

 

[s410man]

i wouldnt buy a snap on one if i could afford it as they are way to overpriced

try teng tools-much better than sealey but a little more

or maybe a nice little project

 

[blenkie1]

Britool and Facom are good boxes they do offers on them now and again. Not as good as Snap on but a lot better than sealey and clarke. If you get in touch with the local snap on agent they sometimes have boxes part exchanged.

 

[side-show-bob]

If you can get hold of one Beta make good tool boxes we bought 5 last year for a busy engineering workshop and they still look and work as good as day one.

 

[Mad Mick]

Hi All,the best tool box that I have is an American made Lista,(ex US forces),it's built like a tank with removable drawers,and you can only open one drawer at a time ,so preventing any chance of tipping.Regards,Mick

 

[Luke]

I've got the Clarke HD ball bearing chest and top box. They're pretty good for the money. Doubtless you could buy better, but I'm happy with them.

 

[keithski122]

I use snap on for work, fantastic quaility, some reasonable prices if you buy secondhand.Otherwise I've found teng to be top quality, was selling a small roll cab a while ago but decided to keep it for home use.

 

[malcolm]

I bought a US Pro tool chest (eBay make sold by an Irish bloke in East Anglia) about 3 years ago (see http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=3896 )

Still very pleased with it. I think it has roller thingies, is fairly solid and a decent size and has drawer liners. Chests from a lot of the high street retailers seemed a bit small and flimsy.

 

[dersbum]

DO NOT buy the one you have pictured,
it appears identical to the rac branded one from argos.
i have one. very very thin metal the top box comes inside the bottom lift up panel when delivered..
i am very disappointed with the quality, i now use it for storing consumables grinding discs, sandpaper tyraps et.c. i reckon if i put my socket sets an heavier stuff it would just fall apart.
i wish i had took it back as not fit for purpose. also check out the measurements and compare them to your halfords stuff i bet it is smaller than you think.
i now use a huge facom storage unit. free from work because one of the doors was missing. i have now fixed it and the thing is brilliant.
if i was you i would wait and see what offers halfords come up with.
rgds
bill

 

[tomsutton529]

I got a halfords roller cabinet a few years ago, not the black pro type, very good quality and strong, Its been dragged round the country to sites and Rallys, had engines on it and it spent the last 3 week under a mini while we found the time to make a proper stand, its had slings thrown round and lifted with cranes, once I come accross some pennies il be getting a top box for it..

 

[shocker]

Its worth spending out on a good one.I have had snap on for 25 yrs and they have had the **** kicked out of them and still go on.A sealey for about 15,heavier build than the modern ones.And last year I bought a variety off e bay,argos seconds anf others and they wont take the weight of much in the drawers and bend if you look at them funny.

Snap on these days are over hyped and priced.Teng going that way too.Britool still good,beta are good but the Halfords Pro (I hate to say anything good about halfrauds) are possibly the best value for money.Unless you can gouge a heavy discount out of a dealer whos in dire financial straits.

 

[graffian]

I bought a USpro roll cab a couple of years ago. I have a 30 year old snap on which I can't fault. The USpro thing is ****, it's literally falling apart after a few years. My nephew has a Beta roll cab, looks good, but his work has built in toolchests so he doesn't use it; then he won a new snap-on cabinet, I keep meaning to visit and see if it's in the way;-)

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

At a visit to an ex govt surplus place ....I paid £150 for an ex USAF aircraft maint six drawer tool cabinet in 1.5 mm steel set on four heavy duty wheels ..
best buy I have ever had . I can easily move it even though full and have also happily stood on it when the wheels were in lock position.

size 48 inches high x 30 deep x 24 wide. top two drawers compartmented as desired to take all screwdrivers ,pliers , all my spanners & sockets,
next drawer to take hammers, stilsons etc
Bottom drawer deep as any big filing cabinet drawer .

I would love to have a pair or three of them thats for sure.