tool chests

Looking at getting a tool chest with the pull out draws looking at the clarke a pro range any one got one i have a vat free code for machine mart whats thw quality like also seen which looka good a homak one in costco any other reccomendations

Snap On.

I’ve had some old school Snap On ones for nearly thirty years. They don’t have the fancy ball bearing slides like modern chests, but the paint is still good and they work well. Keep an eye on eBay, typically they are too heavy to post, so you might find something local cheaply.

I’ve had the Clarke Blue Line (blue version of the pro range) cabinet and chest for over 7 years and it’s been great. No sticking drawers or locks. No rust and only damage to it is bent corner at the top when it was hit by 150kg of falling barbell. The damage is about 4 years old and still no rust where the plastic coating chipped of with the impact. The rest of the cabinet remained true.

Halfords pro?

I couldn’t afford Snap On so bought one of These from Halfords

Depends how much you’ve got to spend and how many tools you’ve got to stow. I’ve always made my own but then I’m a sheet metal worker.

Mcmoonter: I bought something similar recently and it needs some tlc. Have you ever tried to take the drawers out? If so, have you any tips on how to get the buggers out? I’m struggling.

Thanks

Luffy

I’ve got halfords ones and they are great. Its the best way to keep tools.

luffy, mine come out by pushing a little tab on the sliders . its a bit fiddly

I’ve got red Clarke Pro ones, been rock solid for about 10 years now.

Luffy, from memory it’s pretty easy, there is a clip on the slide that you just press in, then you slide a hacksaw blade or feeler guage between it and the opening, and the drawer pulls out. To put back in you just replace the drawer in it’s slide and push it fully back until the clip pops through the hole again. I’m making it sound mre tricky than it is.

I will need to have a another look in the morning.

Mcmoonter is right, if you’ve ever removed a car stereo with the little metal strips that slide down the side of the head unit then you’ll have the correct idea.

And as for tool chests?, i’ve got a 32 drawers of snap on’s finest but i’m a mechanic to trade (for my sins) so i can justify them as they were bought over 20 yrs ago, Halfords pro is as good as any for a hobby mechanic (or even pro) and with ballbearing runners and lifetime guarantee you’d have to be an incredible snob to buy anything else.

I’ve had a stack of the red Clarke pro chests for a few years. Good quality kit.
Good selection of sizes, and decent value. Snapon stuff is awesome, but way ott for home use.

Nothing wrong with the Clarke ones in my opinion, especially if you are getting them VAT free.

I bagged a Halfords Pro top/bottom set a few years ago and it’s great.

Halfords pro is as good as any for a hobby mechanic (or even pro) and with ballbearing runners and lifetime guarantee you’d have to be an incredible snob to buy anything else.

Not true- good quality but not lifetime guarntee on chests- tools only 🙁

ah my mistake then, I automatically thought as the halfords pro tool range is lifetime guarantee then the pro tool chest would be lifetime guarantee as well, anyway….they’re still good quality and more than up to the job.

Halfords tools used to win all group test. Rest of their stuff may be crap and expensive but pro range of tools a very good and often discounted to silly money, set of ratchet ring spanners for £30?

As for tool chest think i got mine from an industrial supplies shop like cromwell tool. Does the job and no problem in years.

Top chest is clarke pro black mid and bottom drawers are halfords all works well and fits together.

I’ll give it a try this morning. Thanks for the tips gents. I’ve been trying to no avail.

Sorry to Hijack slightly but I have one of these brand new and unused, The black Halfords pro 6 drawer top box. I was gifted it a while back but never used as not really got the space. I’m in Leicester but as mentioned it’s too heavy to post. Looking for £175 if any one is interested though. dc30online AT gmail.com

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_745203_langId_-1_categoryId_255214

Thanks wlli have a look at the clarke. Stuff today

I like my tools out the way in the box but i have bought a second set of allen keys and screw drivers for wall mounting when working on bikes. Like the ability to wheel my box out onto e drive when working on motors though

I bought two of the halfords pro top boxes last year for work and for the price they are great, the roller draws are the key as you can load them up and they still slide in and out easily. would definitely recommend them.

I am going for a wooden garage.

Looks more like a drawing chest than a tool box 🙁

Thanks for the advice guys. Got the drawers out this afternoon. Had been scratching my head about that one for a little while now. Now to sandblast and respray I reckon.

Cheers

Luffy

Good work Luffy, they are really good quality boxes, a wee drop of oil on the slides makes the world of difference, line the drawers with something to prevent scratching. I have plastic toblerone organizers to sort spanners by size so they are easy to find and easy to spot whats missing after clearing up after a job. One drawer metric, imperial, whitworth etc. Post up a before and after pic.

Ah anal with tools too then mcmoonter 🙂 thats also my forte . And yup its purely so you can see whats missing after a job. Im missing a stubby 10mm ….. I know where i left it and its not there any more 🙁 it was in the windscreen tray of the frontera after i replaced the fuel hose 🙁

OP, is the costco one the blue 2 piece one?
I have seen that one & quality looked good for the money. They also seem to have the one I bought back in stock, the one with the butchers block top, I started a thread on it here.

Cheers.

yep its the blue 2 piece one going to have another look at it got my eye on a couple on fleabay as well

anyone know what mac tool boxes are like i am watching one at the moment

As has been said, very much depends on budget and luck!

I had a standard Clarke one for years and while it did still work okay it was getting too small (despite adding extra boxes etc) and the quality wasn’t great.

End of last year decided to get myself a Snap-on box, obviously 2nd hand as no way I could justify a new one. Bid on a few and didn’t win any I eventually got one for just over £800. + van rental for a day to collect it. (It was about £4k new)

I cannot see me ever buying another tool box.

The Clarke ones (like all their stuff) is a bit shit IMO, ok for home use though I suppose if you are on a limited budget. If you need/want decent quality stuff then I wouldn’t bother.

I bought a couple of the Halfords Pro boxes (the black ones) a few years ago when on offer (which seems to be quite often!) I don’t think there is much to beat them for the money. The normal (red) Halfords ones are crap though.

I work in a garage and would never realy consider snap on.yes they are great quality but I usually get britool tools and boxes or faccom tools.quite abit cheaper get the lifetime warranty and the dealer has never once had a problem replacing broken tools even when they wernt bought from him.

id be surprised if there was any difference between clarke pro and halfords pro other than colour…..

my clarke box shuts with a more satisfying clunk than the halfords one. But you really have to clunk them in to then lock the chest.

i like the look of 2 unfit2rides unit there. looking to restructure my garage workshop to live behind the 1.5meters from the back wall line or stored on high level shelves just below roofline. Want to build storage up the back wall and put a folding workbench at standing height down the long wall so i can get a car in when i need it. Currently the bench i have is too low and bulky in construction that i cant get much stored under it so its wasted space.

double post !

id be surprised if there was any difference between clarke pro and halfords pro other than colour…..

actually you’re probably right! Just checked on the Halfords web site, the “pro” ones aren’t the ones I meant. 😳 It’s the Halfords industrial range (the black ones) that are the quality ones.

.

Phase one of my new toolchest is coming on a treat

Went for the costco one in the end its massive and ways a ton seems well made with loads of space took two of us to lift the base onto the trolley

Stravomuller, that sir is a work of genius.