MustangEater82

iTrader: (1)

I have dug through here and alot of the posts... looking at what people use and whatnot for tools.

well this weekend I was at the Rolex 24, and had garage pass. You can pretty much go anywhere in the garages, if you wanted too could dig through people's toolboxes(lol I didn't) but you can see cars come in and work(24 hour endurance race, they swap out trannies clutches brakes, and more)

Just alot of tools I saw laying around...

Jacks...
tons of US General aluminum jacks
bunch of aluminum "lightening jacks"
Couple craftsman(all red ones with silver lift arm, never really seen one like that), rest were brands I didn't recognize.

ToolBoxes..
I was surprised, tons of Craftsman ballbearing, griplatches, and heck the Costco stainless steel ones. Bunch of Waterloo ones, but not as many snap on and matco ones as I woudl have expect.




Just some food for thought.... I mean get whats work for you, but I mean these are teams from around the world, 68 teams and didn't seem like everyone had the crazy expensive top of the line stuff.

VETTEX2

the good stuff stays at the shop

last year we won a championship using a 5 gallon bucket as a toolbox at the track

we were asked only once to borrow a tool

this year we are splurging on leather pockets for it

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

The best jacks are made by a company by the name of Brunnhozel racing.. they make a all aluminum jack for the garage area that looks like their pitroad jacks they cost about 1400 bucks....all other "Racing jacks " are nothing but sales slogans...If you ant to see nice stuff look in the Nextel cup Garage...

1slow01Z71

iTrader: (36)

The matco, SO, mac, cornwell etc arent worth the money these crazy people pay for them. The ss costco boxes are very nicely made and work just as well as any of the other ludicrisly priced boxes out there.

03NHSilvy

iTrader: (1)

Don't go making blanket statements. I got my Matco 7525 for within a few hundred of what a comparable sized Craftsman pro box sells for. The C-man was slightly cheaper, but when you take into account the way better financing rate I got through Matco compared to me shitty sears card, and the freebies I now get from my Matco dealer, the Matco box was a better deal. The costco boxes look well built but the stainless is way too flashy for my tastes, and most of the ones I've seen are the taller veriety, I like having the workspace on top of the box. Not to mention we don't have any costcos around here.

Compstall

iTrader: (5)

I'm in charge of our tool crib here (military) and I'm looking hard to buy a new toolbox for our trainer bay.

We currently have two tall Snap-on boxes, but I want to consolidate both of them into one big fatty box. We don't want to stack them up so we're getting a large bench-top height box.

I'm down to 1 of 3 choices now:

- Matco MB8535 (12,845 sq. in., 76" long)
- Matco MB8545 (14,221 sq. in., 86" long)
- Mac Tools MB1900 (13,009 sq. in., 88" long)

Matco is the only one that's stepped up to the plate to send me the info I need.

We REALLY like the Mac box. The Mac Tools military rep sucks. I've tried to call that lady many times in the past and only get her answering machine. She never returns my calls. I've called them 3 times today; all I want is a gov't price for the damn thing and nobody can supposedly help me but the military rep. She better hurry up 'cause I'm spending money on Friday.

Snap-On has a box that's close to my needs currently but not quite big enough. They list another box on their website but it doesn't show up when you click on it. I called them and apparently this box isn't available yet. So scratch Snap-On off the list.

Stanley Vidmar has decent stuff but their website is a PITA to navigate through so scratch them too.

I called up Craftsman today and asked them if they have larger boxes they just don't list on their website. They said no, and that Waterloo manufactures all their boxes. I'm gonna give them a call and see what they got.

The way things are leaning though, I think we're probably gonna pick up one of the Matco boxes.

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

Lista makes nice stuff they have cabnets for just about anything you can imagine... The stuff you see at the race track has to be high quality because the demands on it are more extreme constant opening and closing transport from track to track is really hard on stuff.

1slow01Z71

iTrader: (36)

People boast about being able to sit in their drawers cause they are so tough, well you can do the same on the Costco box, I have seen many of stupid expensive boxes. There is nothing that I can see that makes the "big" brand boxes worth the money they ask for them. Come on, for the size box you can get from Costco for 1K you would have to pay 4-5 times that for the same size box. I made the blanket statement because its exactly that, IMO the quality isnt there, or anything special about these rediculously expensive boxes to pay 5X more then a comparable Costco or Sears box. The Sears professional box's are over-priced too. At the local Chevy dealer that I frequent there are 5-6 Costco boxes there out of the 12ish techs and they all seem to be working just fine right along side boxes that cost 5x more. Thats why I feel confortable making that statement.

Compstall

iTrader: (5)

Well we ended up ordering the Matco MB8545 box in a new Silver Vein powdercoat finish w/ black trim and a stainless steel top. Got it for $7,800 shipped. The foam for the drawers alone was $1,400. Talk about your tax dollars at work!

I agree with 1slow01Z71, I have yet to see anyone sit or stand inside their drawers, and what the hell would you do that for anyway? The box just sits there and holds tools.

I have a nice 3-piece Craftsman box that's taller than me at home. It's fully loaded, and I've had it over 6 years and it works wonderfully.

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

If your a professional mechanic you appreciate Snap On or any other top brand of tool.. you pay for a quality item as well as the service provided by the tool dealer..The DIY home mechanic dosent isnt offered the service or cant justify the cost which is normal.If I took my car or truck to a shop and say nothing but cheap tools and box's Id think twice about having them do my work... Tools are an investment in yourself and nice stuff shows you take pride in what you do.

88monte

iTrader: (10)

yeah who cares if you pay 30 bucks more for a snap on or matco tool. you know you have the quality. ive been a tech for 4 years and i have a snap on box. the tools we use every day are an investment.

BlkBeaSSt

Buy what you will, but those that do it every day know the Snap On/MAC stuff is worth it.

03NHSilvy

iTrader: (1)

Allright well I can't find any toolboxes on the Costco site (they do sell coffins though, which I guess is the answer to "shop till you drop", a real everything in one store ) to get any exact measurements on. But if its the one I'm thinking of its tall and has the single bank of drawers. It might have the same amount of storage, but I prefer the wide tool boxes with a surface I can do work and fill out paper work on. Also most of the retail store sold boxes aren't as deep as the ones from the tool trucks. And your right, the Costco box and other cheaper ones can get the job done, but the truck brand boxes make everything easier. None of the store bought boxes can touch how nicely the drawers open and close on the truck brands, I can (and did) choose a custom drawer configuration for my toolbox so it works better for me, you can't do that with the retail brands. The quality difference is there, I hate to say it but if your not in the industry then you will probably never understand, plain and simple. I also see it as some sort of twisted commitment to your job and the quality work you do. The standing in the drawer is to show the strength, I mean one of the large full width drawers can easily have a couple hundred pounds of tools in them. I've seen overloaded craftsman slides fail in person, on my old box. My pay is dependent on getting cars in and out as fast as possible, and I don't have the time, nor can I afford to deal with **** like that. I could argue this till I'm blue in the face, but in every dealership I've been into, and theres been a lot, I'd say at least 80% were either Snappy, Matco, Mac or Cornwell. The rest were mixed retail ones.

1slow01Z71

iTrader: (36)

The Costco box you are talking about it a little shy of 700, the one Im talking about is a double wide, it is tall for sure, the drawers on it operate very well and the deep drawers have double sliders on them. I dont work in the industry but I have friends who work at the dealership and they have the costco boxes I recommend you take a look at one if you can find one near you. And no you will not find the damn things on their website, I looked too before trying to find the specs and had to go up there in the end. They are actually made by CSPS, I did a google search and couldnt find their website. Tax return time I will have the big one in my garage Guess Im just a tard and cant send spending the ludacris amount of money some people do on tool boxes when IMO there is a much cheaper alternative.

03NHSilvy

iTrader: (1)

Nearest Costco is over an hours drive, and chances are once I got back to the parking lot my truck would be gone so I'll pass. I got a good deal on mine, I'd be hard pressed to pay the full price on it though. Part of it is trivial **** too, like no one else in the shop has a box like mine, or the same color (green/black if ya care), I know my toolbox was made in the USA, I don't know about the Costco ones, but its been my experience that nearly everything in those warehouse stores comes from a country I couldn't find on a map if you had a gun to my head. Hell some of my friends don't get why I'm into cars and trucks either, they see the mods and my wheeling it as a waste of money and risking damage. I've given up hope on getting them to see the light, I guess I should here too

Compstall

iTrader: (5)

I am a professional mechanic and currently teach maintenance on aircraft. Unfortunately I cannot agree with the second half of your statement as we get next to no service on base from Snap-On. I've gotten the run-around every time I call. Snap-On gives me a name/number to call and the dude says we're not in his area. I've talked to two other shops on base that have this guy's name and they say he never calls them or offers to come on base for anything. They always have to call him. In my eyes that's not good service.

On the other hand, the Matco rep I talked to just Thursday afternoon in OHIO, over-nighted me 3 huge catalogs and they were sitting on my desk by lunchtime yesterday here in NEW MEXICO. Now THAT's service!

antz01ta

iTrader: (3)

not sure if they still sell this brand but this is the one that i got from Costco cost was $685.00, actually I bought 3 of them.
http://www.hammerheadsteel.com/products_lx.htm

Owning this box for 4 years now I have never had an issue with it and wouldn't buy anything else. For the price of the Snap-On or mac etc empty you could buy on of these and stock it full of tools. i have seen alot of the high end boxes and this one is equal quality to them. i know this post doesnt agree with alot of people but you would have to have rocks in your head to spend 6k+ on an empty piece of sheet metal just to say you have it.

1slow01Z71

iTrader: (36)

No they dont sell the one you posted a link to anymore. Its either a single wide or double wide box that is ~6' tall and made by CSPS. I do agree to spend the money on certain tools from Snap on or other big tool brands. I love my SO 1/4" rotating head ratchet

CTSmechanic

iTrader: (2)

I have gotten the run around from a few dealers before.. Although I can imagine that being in the milatary and having to deal with the government could be a pain in the butt for the dealer

MustangEater82

iTrader: (1)

As for the boxes... I mean seems if you have soem decent sheetmetal with decent sliders is all you need.

And maybe a good set of wheels on it. just seems $6,000 range gets pretty high. I know what you guys say on the actual wrenches, just seems the box is a bit overpriced.