Mac Toolboxes vs. Craftsman, Snap-on
Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 317
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From: New Jersey
I have the Cosco Stainless Roller/Box and its great. Well built, ball bearing drawers, Nice casters, Only drawback is Stainless gets greeses smudges and must be cleaned ofton, but hey it's a 41" Box for $500 bucks !!!!
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 512
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Originally Posted by oldcoupe42
I have the Cosco Stainless Roller/Box and its great. Well built, ball bearing drawers, Nice casters, Only drawback is Stainless gets greeses smudges and must be cleaned ofton, but hey it's a 41" Box for $500 bucks !!!!
Then again... if I swapped to an even bigger box in the garage - which would take up even more room - the other half would kill me... she's still PO'd about the two Gladiator boxes I picked up off the clearance aisle at Lowes for 1/2 price... When the weather warms up, I have some serious re-organizing to do...
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 552
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From: Northern, Va
Craftsman Professional, craftsman also makes an Industrial Line they have 6 wheels W/ brake pedal & springs on casters , mine is 30" deep , 54" long & 41" tall just bought bottem box .I have one of those boxes. . Heads up on most all tool boxes are made in Waterloo ,Iowa. & most of the tools are made there also for all the mfg. The names have changed to protect the innosent ! Same plant, today craftsman, tomarrow snapon , next day ,mac & so on!
Don
Don
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 512
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Originally Posted by yomow
Heads up on most all tool boxes are made in Waterloo ,Iowa. & most of the tools are made there also for all the mfg. The names have changed to protect the innosent ! Same plant, today craftsman, tomarrow snapon , next day ,mac & so on!
Don
Don
I still kick myself for not getting a Craftsman 41" box before then added the "grip-latch" crap...
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
Ian,
Do you have a grip latch box? My wife bought me one for Christmas and it works fine. The grip latch is not much more than a marketing gimmick, but the good news is that it also has ball bearing slides. That's what they should be promoting IMHO.
I spent about $70 on a decent set of casters and it's now a great box with a lot more room than I had before. The weakest point about a Craftsman box is the casters IMHO.
Have a great day,
Doc
Do you have a grip latch box? My wife bought me one for Christmas and it works fine. The grip latch is not much more than a marketing gimmick, but the good news is that it also has ball bearing slides. That's what they should be promoting IMHO.
I spent about $70 on a decent set of casters and it's now a great box with a lot more room than I had before. The weakest point about a Craftsman box is the casters IMHO.
Have a great day,
Doc
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Northern, Va
Check with Sears, or online , check out the { Industrial Line } no pro line up the Industrial Line is even a much better line up !!!
Don
Don
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Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
Don't buy any Sears casters. I did a google search and found a place called Caster City. They have all kinds of products there on their site, but just call the 800 number and tell the sales person your application and what type of floor you will be moving it on. They are caster experts and will get you a good set for your needs.
Good luck,
Doc
Good luck,
Doc
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
I understood that the Craftsmen pro line, the Snap-on and Mac boxes
were all made by the same manufacturer. I have the Craftsman Pro and
could never really tell the difference from the other boxes in the shop exept
for color. Which I was happy to have my favorite - Black.
I'm out of twisting wrenches now and the Box works great at the two
things it does best... Holding $40k of tools and collecting dust!
(edit: the tools don't collect dust but the box sure does!)
were all made by the same manufacturer. I have the Craftsman Pro and
could never really tell the difference from the other boxes in the shop exept
for color. Which I was happy to have my favorite - Black.
I'm out of twisting wrenches now and the Box works great at the two
things it does best... Holding $40k of tools and collecting dust!
(edit: the tools don't collect dust but the box sure does!)
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
Not only are the Craftsman PRO boxes made by the same mfg. as MAC and SnapOn, but ALL the Craftsman boxes are made by the same mfg. just at varying construction levels and steel thickness. They are all made by Waterloo. The plant is not in Waterloo though, it is somewhere in Arkansas.
Have a great day,
Doc
Have a great day,
Doc
Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
Doc
I found Caster City will give them a try. Thanks
I had a 8 drawer bottom and a 9 drawer top Snap On box but I just flat ran out of room. It was much better built box that the Craftsman box I have now. But I would rather spend money on the better quality tools (Snap On, Mac, SK) than on a box to put them in.
I found Caster City will give them a try. Thanks
I had a 8 drawer bottom and a 9 drawer top Snap On box but I just flat ran out of room. It was much better built box that the Craftsman box I have now. But I would rather spend money on the better quality tools (Snap On, Mac, SK) than on a box to put them in.
New User
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
My first box was bought in 1972 and was a waterloo. I soon outgrew it. My dad swore by Crapsman. So I bought one. 2 months later traded for a Mac because it was cheaper that Snap-on and "just as good"! Had that for about a year and have done snap-on every since! You get what you pay for and thats it!! check out the size versa's the weight. I have loaded up my TB with much iron and the draws work free and easy. I couldn't do that until I went to Snap-on. I have seen many TB's in many shops over the years and the Snap-on hold up. The other don't.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,232
Likes: 3
From: NE Texas
There is absolutely no doubt that the Snap On is a better box than most anything else. Just because the same company makes them all doesn't mean that they are all made the same. Yes, the Snap On will hold up better, but for the price difference you could go through a Craftsman box every 10 years and still save money over your career. The Snap On boxes are just disproportionately priced.
The thing of it is, the Snap On boxes are SOOooo much more expensive. To me, unless you have an unlimited tool budget, the tools in the box are first, and then the box is second.
It doesn't say Snap On on my box, but it does say Snap On on most of my tools. I've never been able to bust a bolt loose with a toolbox.
Have a great day,
Doc
The thing of it is, the Snap On boxes are SOOooo much more expensive. To me, unless you have an unlimited tool budget, the tools in the box are first, and then the box is second.
It doesn't say Snap On on my box, but it does say Snap On on most of my tools. I've never been able to bust a bolt loose with a toolbox.
Have a great day,
Doc
Last edited by MBDiagMan; Feb 11, 2005 at 07:24 PM.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Northern, Va
Sears has several lines of BOXES, FORD made Pintos through The LTD line up ,Sears sells Top of the line Boxes ! There Industrial Line, . Most all of TOOL boxes are made in Waterloo just because there were waterloo boxes sold with there name on it not Quality boxes , Not sears pro line SEARS -Industrial Line - BOXES. DON