You guys would die if you saw what I'm working out of. I started off on such a shoestring budget that I made myself some storage out of two desk pedestals, after removing the top and turning the drawer towers into tool storage. For less than $50 between paint, keys, and casters, I had a place to put some stuff (one side was two file drawers, the other was five shallower drawers). Anything that didn't fit in there was locked up in the cabinet beneath my workbench (just two doors with a hasp and padlock). I kept an eye out for a free box and finally found a late-'70s 26" Snap-On with an '80s-era Mac intermediate on top of it with a matching Mac top chest on top of that. Again, not into much money for those; a neighbor was just giving it away, free, at the curb. I changed the casters eventually, and added the missing lock to the Snappy, and again, purchased keys. Maybe I'm into that setup for a hundred dollars. Maybe less. The most recent acquisition was a '70s-era Waterloo 42" box that is definitely beat-up, but not beyond saving. Got it for $100...and full of old tools (some junk, some salvageable). It has storage both front and back. Anyway, I spend my money on the tools and I save on the storage. I'm handy. I'll fix an old box and between the box and the parts be WAYYYY ahead. I don't care if a drawer holds 200 lbs. I'm not getting in the drawer. It's just to lock my tools up when I leave. It's not going to drive me home. It's not a weeklong stay at a resort.
@@iFixJunkas much as I agree with this. Once you start obtaining a decent amount of tools the weight does add up and some boxes just don’t hold under the weight of all those tools.
A ton of techs are either switching over to the US General boxes, or buying them straight out of school now. You absolutely cannot argue their quality, especially for literal fractions of the cost of a new Snap On, Matco, or Mac box.
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Best deals I find are guys retiring and selling their box full of tools. I’ve seen 40-50k retail worth of tools and box for $8-10k multiple times on FB market place.
True story. Amazing the deal she could get if your patient. I have a 72 inch Masters series and virtually all of my tool track tools have been purchased on the secondary market for about 20 to 30% from retail. In most cases that still more expensive than Harbor freight but whenever I go to sell my tools, if I had to I know I could always sell them for what I paid for them. In the meantime, I am working with premium tools.
Bent Motorsports.. The bad thing about buying used tool truck brand toolboxes is they do not have a lifetime warranty. If you have a good tool truck dealer he may warranty it but he does not have to and if you get a different dealer he probably won't. They always want you to give them the serial number of the box so they can make sure you are the original purchaser of the toolbox. Now if you buy a used toolbox from the tool truck dealer instead of places like "Facebook market place" the dealer might warranty it but again he doesn't have to. Snap-on, Mac and Matco toolboxes are still made in the USA. Matco started out making toolboxes for Mac Tools only. Matco stands for Mac Allied Tool Company. They split in 1979 and started selling tools as well as toolboxes. Matco does not make/manufacture any of their tools, they rebrand all of them. The only thing they make is their toolboxes.
Never had an issue with this over the last 30 years. No warranty issues with Snap-On, Mac, Matco, or Cornwell. I've bought and sold toolboxes for a long time to make a little extra side cash and restore or customize the boxes. 100% warrantied for life is what it is. Now some really bad ones like an entire box worth of slides... they will give em to you, but you're putting those on yourself past a certain point. They will sell you the drawer matting, paint, and locks etc., but slides, wheels, drawer trim, soft close pieces they will usually either hand them over, order them for you, or replace them on the spot free of charge. Craftsman used to be like that too years ago.
@@mikemoon9730 Toolboxes are Lifetime Warranty but ONLY to the original owner of the toolbox. Read the warranty it says it. I know because I had issues with drawer slides on my Matco toolbox and I had to give them the serial number on my box to prove that I am the original owner. If you have never had a problem that means you have good luck with your dealers.
I'd only buy a snapon box from a dummass who paid full price and needs cash. There's much better boxes for a fraction of the price that will last a lifetime. Snap off is a rip off.
I've recently retired from the Air Force, but I remember using a lot of old Stanley Vidmar boxes. They always held up really well to the constant abuse we put them through. We use snap on boxes a lot too, but for anything that stayed in place and didn't need to move around, I always think about those Vidmar boxes first
Knowing what I know now, Stanley vidmar would be the only tool box I would own. Those vidmar cabinets are built like tanks and are extremely durable. plus I personally like the fact they are not on wheels, makes them harder to steal. Unfortunately I’ve already invested in multiple rolling toolboxes and don’t want to start over at my age.
I LOVE both of my snap on boxes. I got them both used from trade ins on the tool truck for massive prices off. My big box had a dent on the back that you can't even see and doesn't affect anything and a ton of surface scratches I literally just spent a weekend buffing out and was a 12k box I got for 2500$. The second one was a power cart that traded in and looked brand new and I guess it just wasn't a popular sale. It has a power top with a really deep space and either 4 or 5 drawers. I picked it up for $750. Only way I would get anything tool truck branded honestly is used and on a good discount like that. My dream is to of course order a custom box with the colors and options I want but with my highway robbery boxes, I am more than happy lmao.
I have 3 Snap on tool boxes that are from 1977, 79 and the 60th anniversary 1980. All are in great shape and I would not get rid of them! Old School All the Way! Good video!
Hello. My children's future, and my 401k are not important to me. I will buy a brand new shiny Snap On box, even though it does nothing but hold my tools.
In 2021 I bought a $12,000 limited edition Snap-On box from a guy that lost his job because of covid and was selling stuff to keep his house. The box was only 2 years old and he sold it to me for $3500. I have a friend who has a Snap-On franchise and I asked him what it was worth. He said if he had it on his truck, he could sell it for between $5000 & $6000. When I asked him what he would give me for it, he said... $2500!
That's the thing people say they hold their value but they don't really the hold above 3k normally but they aren't made of gold you can listen to the sells rep and think 2 years from now you can sell your 10k box for 10k but no it's not going to happen
I got my Snap-On tool box back in 1984 and it still works as good today as it did back in 84. Most of my tools I got from 1983 to about the 90s and they are all still working. I can't talk on anything you can buy today I really don't think any of it is as good but most stuff we buy is just junk....
I outfitted multiple USAF and civilian tool rooms. The ultimate box brand in the US is Lista, not Snap-on/Matco/Mac/Vidmar etc which are very good. Lista is so expensive new it's not normally worth it for a typical auto mechanic but I'd buy them used all day if there were more available. (At least one company wipes out industrial auctions then refurbs those Listas and they outbid most buyers.) I have Lista, Mac, Kennedy etc in my home shop along with US General and will buy more of them as they're more than adequate for normal use.
I'm a heavy duty diesel locomotive mechanic, and id say 90% of our entire maintenance department has that US General cart, and none of them have ever broken down, and theyre just outstandingly solid
There's little doubt boxes were heavier duty in the late '90s and early 2000s. The old Macsimizers like your green one were outstanding. I don't know that we can blame Chinese manufacturing for a loss of quality since Matco, Mac, Snap-On and Cornwell's boxes are still manufactured in the US, yet are decidedly less rugged than the preceding models. When a manufacturer buys lower quality materials in order to spend less is when we see a loss of quality in the overall product. You can buy very high quality from China and very low quality from the US. How much you're willing to pay dictates what you get. Nice video, thanks for doing the comparisons.
Old school snap on box’s were good idk bout now tho seems like they have cheaped out. I love both my snap on cart and hf 72 hoping to have both of those the rest of my career.
20 years with a Snap On KRL721 top/bottom combo. Still in great shape and the slides are smooth as butter. Just bought a Harbor Freight full bank service cart. Does the job, but it feels so cheap compared to the Snap On.
I have a Mac 58 inch tech box with a craftsman on top and you can definitely tell a difference in the quality, depth, not to mention the casters are much better and don’t get stuck when I do need to move the box for cleaning. Both of my Yukon boxes don’t lock anymore and the cart has a broken drawer after using it in the industry for 6 months.
Its amazing how all you (qaulified) techs or what ever you want to call yourselves allways pitch your vids content up against Snap-On....... why.. because you know deep down that your comparing other makes against the Best.!!!!! And for all you tight fisted experts out there who say that no one should finance a new s/o box.... well who are you. ???? Its a free choice. So all those people who finance houses..jet skies. Cars. Business's or whatever..... are they all stupid for financing a higher quality product as opposed to paying cash for a lesser quality product.???????????
The real important point to make here is...Do Not finance a Snap-on toolbox! Save the money if possible and buy the box outright. A $7000 toolbox can turn to a $12 000 pretty quickly 😂
My manager had a 42 in harbor freight box and my assistant manager had a roughly similar sized snapon box. they both felt roughly similar to me in terms of quality... but the harbor freight one was almost half the price. it was absolutely no contest when it came to upgrading from my 300$ craftsman hobby box i got for half off on a student discount at sears 5 years prior.
Inherited boxes are the best. I got a few Snap-Ons from my paps that'll go to my kids, I don't care what they use them for :) Only thing I swapped was the casters for a set of high quality new coasters
I have a 20+ year old snap on I bought used and I love it. I wouldn't buy a new one as the cost is overly inflated. I had a pro grade husky box before and it was garbage once loaded up. Paid 1k for each of them. I also have Kennedy boxes for my machinist tools and I like those a lot. They do well with over 100lb/drawer but you do need to add a plate on the bottom to keep the casters from caving into the bottom of the box. I also have some harbor freight for lighter tools and consumables storage and a 5 drawer for a mobile cart. Also work out of a 5 drawer at my job. Great box. I also have a few lista cabinets that are insanely well built. Empty they weigh 300-400lb and can hold 400lb/drawer!
I have a rather large MAC 68" and MATCO 70" box's that I bought in the 80's. I paid 2500 for the MAC and 1800 for the MATCO. Had a Snap-on man offer me 4K a piece for them, on trade in on a new Snap-on condo, I think he said it was 14,000 , I politely declined.
If I needed to buy another toolbox right now, I would get either the US general series 3 or the icon toolbox. They are both in my opinion just as good as any other and you can’t beat the price.
Have 44” us general series 2 as ‘weekend warrior’ tho I’m in and out of it daily working on stuff and can’t beat it they came out with a new generation that’s even sturdier when I run out of space will upgrade to that
I have had good luck with Harbor freight boxes. I had the 5 drawer cart, series 1 44", and series 2 72". Still have the 44, it was my first box. The amount of weight i had in the 72 was hurting it though, in a professional setting, overloaded, i didnt think it would hold up. Drawers would smack each other and the socket drawer was a chore to open and close. It did it, but didnt like it. I have a Matco 6s now, its stout, handles the weight easily. My dad always had Matco carts and boxes, and never an issue. I trust mine will be just as reliable. For the money US General is a great toolbox and they get better and better every release. I say young guys should start there and if they need an upgrade later, wait until they are established in the trade before that big purchase.
Used truck boxes are the way to go if you can wait for the right deal. I looked for a couple years and nothing ever worked out, so I was thinking about going with harbor freight. Then I found a 2002 mac tech series with a top box for $1200 and the guy even brought it to the shop for me to check out. I'm sure a harbor freight or husky would have gotten the job done, but that thing is 20+ years old and besides a few dings is like new
I agree man you can find some GREAT deals on tool truck tool boxes on the used market and even tool trucks will sell trade in boxes for much cheaper than you'd think. I bought a Matco 55 inch 4S for 3k and I traded it in for a new Cornwell box and the dealer game me 3.3k towards the new box. Super nice tool guy and now I've got a huge 70+ inch box that'll I'll probably never upgrade unless my dream Snap On box shows up on the used market.
@@ShawnC8030 I see variations of this comment constantly. Who the f**k cares? I just grabbed a $3800 Snap on heavy duty roll cart (with paperwork showing paid off) in basically new condition for $500. I waited 4+ months for the right deal to pop up. For the $3300 I saved, I'm not too worried about your warranty.
Ill never buy another Snap On box my last Snap On i bought in 1994 after 5 or so years it needed drawer slides every year, in 2007 ny Matco rep walked in as 2 of my drawers had just fell ouy again, ive had my current Matco box has never had a drawer slide replaced. Ive even used it as a ladder a few times and i weigh over 300 lbs.
Is the "Harbor Freight" box an Icon, US General, or Yukon? That's a big difference because they're all totally different levels of quality, and are all HF brands. Icon are the premium ones with lifetime warranty which cost multiple times US General; which is the middle-of-the-road good quality, and costs multiple times the Yukon; which is the budget option with low weight capacity, the type that you have to be careful not to fully load with tools. Although they say the Yukon is also pretty good quality, especially for the price (last I checked it was something like $350 for the 46" roll cab)
I showed one of our Diesel mechanics the HF US Gen 2 72" I got for 1K (and sold my Craftsman I got for free for $360). He said yeah I would do that now...He was still paying off his 15K Snap on. I did have to add rivets to tighten up the HF box. Pretty sure I could sell my HF for what I paid for it.
Not entirely correct. Some Snap On toolboxes were actually made in Canada, as were some MAC units. Yes, those would’ve been made in USA back then. Waterloo made them for Sears and now Waterloo is owned by Stanley Black & Decker. The older Craftsman units from the 1960s through the 1980s that have spring steel clips to hold the drawers in are superior to that lance style that you showed.
Tools and boxes are like cars. Some guys are perfectly happy with their honda accord, other dudes don't mind spending more $ for a cadillac cts. Both will get you there, one just feels alot damn better.
i have two snap on 40" split top carts; 1- 6 drawer and 1- 8 drawer, a gen1 harbor freight 26" stack and just picked up a homak 35", 7 drawer flip top service cart. im not a mechanic by trade, i do concrete but ive been working on vehicles, trucks and equipment my whole life. im about to turn 50 so ive amassed quite the collection of tools. most of my hardline tools are snap on and after that, everything under the sun. i started buying snap on about 10 yrs ago as i got tired of "cheaper" tools failing. ive since adopted the "buy once, cry once" mentality and its served me well. the so carts hold my tools and the other boxes are for extra and spare tools, parts, fasteners and everything else one needs to work on any and everything. i bought all those tool boxes for $2300 over time from the local pawn shops. would i ever buy a new snap on box? probably not. for what i do, i cant justify spending $6k on a box that holds tools. if i found a master series or an epic in the pawnshop for $2k, sure but for me right now, multiple boxes work best for me for what i do. i also use metal filing cabinets for specialty tools in cases, power tools, corded tools and anything else i dont want covered in dust, dirt, etc. for very little money, you gain alot of protective storage space.
Wow only 1300 for that Craftsman bank of tool boxes that was a steal I bought an Extreme 72x30 for 3500 about 8 years ago and have no complaints. Its actually alot stronger than some the tool truck boxes other techs at work have bought.
I don't work on cars I wrench and weld on semi trailers but years ago I out grew my red craftsman box like the one you showed. So after almost purchasing a snap on for $7000 I decided to buy the husky with the hutch and side locker for $1300. I do not regret it. People love my box and some think it's a snap on when they first see it. I have had no quality issues everything works as it should. And now I see the newest ones have the stainless top and what I assume is shinny aluminum plating inside the hutch with the snap on style hinges. Anyone new to the field I won't bad mouth snapon or Mac or anything because they are good boxes but I say I would buy the cheaper box and spend the money on what's inside. At the end of the day a box just holds your tools it doesn't make you money why be in debt for years on something you use for work when it's not making you money or your job easier.
I've watched a few videos on tool box comparison and this was by the far the best one. Short, too the point, good comparisons, and fun to watch. thank you!
Working in the industrial environment, the go to box is Kennedy. Nice boxes. Solid. Mine was out on the shop floor for 30 plus years. They hold up far better than those old craftsman. I recently purchased a Us General. Solid as my Kennedy, rolls well. Fortunately it sits in one place. If i had it when i was out on the shop floor pushing it around from machine to machine all day, id replace it. Unless you lock it, the drawers slide open when moving it. I also have one of those carts from HF. Nice. Solid. You have to close the lid or the drawers slide open. I like to use it to transport things. Cant open a drawer without the lid open. Also have an older kobalt at home i picked up cheep used. Its cheeply made. Probably about the same as a new craftsman. My first box with the soft close drawers. Absolutely love that feature. Tools stay in place.
I have 20 year old match box. It's has a ton of tools in it. Never had any drawer give me any problem. If you are serious about wrenching. Do not get a cheap box
I have a U.S. General roll cart. The caster wheels suck. If you use it everyday, they split. Other than that, it does what I need it to do. It now sits next to my Snap-on box and stores my miscellaneous tools.
I just dont understand why people dont like the new boxes. I bought a new one last year off the truck and i dont regret it nor have any complaints they are actually better than the old boxes i think, or atleast nicer. I can see the difference in quality between a snappy and harbor freight. They arent really even comparable in quality unless you just plan on looking at it.
Have had my Horrible Fright 13 drawer for last 11 years... if run out of space wull just buy the newer version and the top box and keep the old one to. If it ain't broke don't fix it,
Snap-On does not keep value were I'm from in western N.Y. I bought a 68 inch epic had it for almost 2 years and wanted to trade it in and go bigger. Snap-On wanted to give me 4 grand on trade in it was ridiculous.
Love the snap on fangirls bending over backwards trying to justify taking out the equivalent of a car loan for a damn roller box. And if you think customers care about your snap on box youre delusional (seen several people say that here)
Nice boxes but a piece of advise to guys getting into the business do yourself a favor DONT buy an expensive tool box out the gate. I always tell guys buy a roll cart and buy tools first once it’s filled look into a box fill that up before u get anything bigger. Too many times I see kids buy boxes with no tools
True or false? Half of it is just projecting an image of success to the customer when they peak back into the shop to see whats going on back there/ that because it has to be some elite that is out of reach to thecommon man/ not accessible to us mere mortals. If you're rocking harbor freight or some other cheaper stuff, then the customer sees the same equipment that he has in own garage at home perhaps?
The old argument "this company owns alllll these companies" is really silly. Like bmw owns mini and rolls royce doesnt make them the same cars lol. Similar sure but there is a big change in quality. Which more often than not leans more into luxury and ease of use rather than longevity.
My grandpa gave me a Mac screwdriver and ratchet with red handles when I was young. I always said when I got older with money I would collect Mac. However now that I am there I found out a lot of their stuff isn't USA made anymore. I understand its a global economy now but non USA made doesnt hold value. For me its about the resale value and my daughters being able to get money out of it all when I am gone.
I prefer the harbor drawer catch but i got mine in part due to being able to stand in the drawer am it still slides smooth...coworkers had other brands that were bending or couldnt close
I've had a few iterations of tool boxes over the years with my last one being a decent sized Matco 5s double bank that I bought 12 years ago. That 12 year old box showed up on day one FLAWLESS, and it's had zero issues in its 12 year run my me. At the beginning of this year I was at a point that I was out of space in that box so I crossed the bridge of trading it in and buying an entire new setup. I put 3-4 months of researching into my choice and pulled the trigger on a brand new Matco 6s triple bank. I had high hopes that the new box being matco's flagship box and still being made 5 hours from my house in Jamestown NY, this box could possibly be the last one I buy. I WAS SADLY MISTAKEN. I feel like my dad saying things like "they don't make them like they used to" but it's 100% accurate. I'm now sitting here 7 months after I originally ordered my new box, and I'm on my SECOND NEW MATCO 6S TOOL BOX. The first one showed up with enough issues that they ended up sending me an entire new setup (roll cab, hutch and locker). AND THE SECOND ONE CAME IN WITH MORE ISSUES THAN THE FIRST. For the $30k this box retails at it should be the cream of the crop, unfortunately it seems like the "built with pride in NY" was lost years ago.
@robcrossan6274 LMAO you must not have a lot of tools in it... the retention system is trash. If you grab at the side and see how much each slide flexs back and forth... this is whats going to turn you box in to a crumpled mess. The lock on most of them will have will not secure at least one to two compartments.
@@khaul I used to have a JCS773 Matco cart and I loved that thing! I've never had any Mac boxes but I did drool over the 88" Macsimizer my Mac Guy had on his truck a few weeks ago!
Ok the selling point to mechanic you can sit in drawer well if im a customer and you can afford to spend time standing and sitting on your drawer i will take my buiness someplace else cuz your wasting my time and money. A tool box drawer having that much wieght in it isnt real so your one feature is bs snap on. Ok lets buy a car we have a great new car it has standard features touch screen all that say 40000 not a nother car has same options but the door can hold two people on it but its 200000 is that worth it. Ive worked in tools for years and been in shops and field work so ive used many tools and many boxes but snap on is over priced name. I work at harbor and have so many people buying my boxes and selling there snap on and even after they still love it and even after buying bigger general or icon they bought more add on and also got a ton of tools to add to it they had thousands left. So to me if a standard 42 bottom like the two in video cost more than a 1000 brand new back away save money and get tools or get ahead not waste money
My snap on rep threw me such a dang good deal I had to get it mainly because it would've came out to the same price as a harbor freight one so if it wasn't for that go with whatever you like
Nearly 20 years later, I still think I over paid for my Snap-on box but it does work just as good as the day I bought it. Even though your toolbox is disorganized, I know you know exactly where everything is.
Wonder if the cheaper kobalt husky and harbor freight boxes will be around in good shape in 20 yrs. My US generals held up ok after a few years but idk about 20.
@@robcrossan6274 I have had a few a us general 5 drawer carts and loved the space for the price. But the issue was in under a year, the bottom started to buckle. I roll it around the shop every job because we don't have really assigned bays so we are mobile in the shop. But for the price of like 250$ but they are regularly on sale for under 200$, it is still worth it. I think once this one goes like the others, I will order one in that slick grey color and then reinforce the bottom and I have a feeling it will last for a long time.
i would think so. look at that old craftsman in the video. i have one exactly like it thats 30 years old i use at home. the harbor freight is definitely built better. i have one at work@@robcrossan6274
nobody needs a snap on tool box but if the price is right or you can afford it theyre nice to have and not aure about now a days as iv not been looking to get the deep tool boxes your paying alot anyway so buy what ya want as long as your tools fit and will be safe
I have the matco 4s double bank not a triple like his. Im very happy with it but i ran out of space. I also have a 70's snap on cabinet for my overflow of specialty tools. The specialty stuff is what im building on now. (Pressure testers etc.) Im very happy with it. Ive had it 3 years or so. B4 that i had a mac double bank n it was a lil beat but worked well. Those new harbor freight tho i would buy in a heartbeat if i was in the market!
Snap on boxes do not hold their value, nor do Matco. I have bought MINT condition Matco 6s, and Revel boxes, (still wrapped and 13k retail) for 3k each. I bought a 3500 stainless top Snap On tool cart for 1500, (never used with power and speed drawer, I have a Snap On Tool wagon at 1/3 of retail, and am looking a a brand new Snap On Epic 72 inch box, with side cab and power cab, (about a 20 k box) and the guy will take 6k for it. The best way to buy boxes are to find these Matco or Snap on boxes that people are dumping, usually at around 1/3 of new price. They are great boxes, strong, and when you buy them that way they DO hold their value. I sold my Matco Revel that I paid 3k for, for 3k to a friend.
I have a HF 72 inch set and a HF 56 inch set. I have had the 72 for about 6 years and use it probably 3 days a week. No problems at all and holds most of my common use tools.
If I wasn’t in school with a 50-60% discount on Matco tools / boxes I’d go Harbor Freight all the way. The old owner of snap on is the one who designs the icon brand at harbor freight.. that’s why they’re similar to snap on, but at 1/2 to even 1/3 of the price.
For a home garage or a box where you primarily work out of a large cart and use the box to store tools you don’t use much, the US General boxes 56” and 72” are not bad. The problem is the depth, at 20” depth, they just don’t hold nearly enough. A professional box should be a minimum 24” - 30” deep. My old Husky 36 x 24.5 holds as much as my US General 56” and cost $1000 less.
I agree the depth is limited on the general boxes. My brother has a snap on epiq and I keep my boxes at his auto repair shop. Going back and forth you really see a difference. I have a 72” and just ended up buying a 56” to supplement it. Putting all my engine building tools in that one to open up space. They’re switching over to series 3 so I picked up the series 2 56” that matches my series 2 72” for $600 a couple weeks ago. I paid $1300 for my 72”, $600 for the 56”, and $200 for the 5 drawer cart. Is it perfect? Of course not but that’s a heck of a lot of tool storage for $2100. He got the 84” epic for I think 12 or 13k new off the truck. Snap on guy ended up with it through an order and the guy backed out or something. Msrp on that thing is $25,890. Very nice but I could never justify something like that as a hobbyist. He gives me crap about building up my own tool setup when I have access to his and both his mechanics tools 24/7/365. While I appreciate the heck out of that I feel like it’s important to have my own stuff. That said I don’t need 50k in tools. The new series 3 boxes have good budget potential too but will have to wait for the newness to die off and shop the sales. Main upgrades I notice is the drawer locks are full width older snap on style. That’s easier than the single latch on series 2. The wrench drawer being as wide as the socket drawer on the 72” series 3 is a very useful update. Haven’t seen anyone in a video point that out yet and it’s my favorite update. It really needed it. Have a few gripes on series 3 and I think most of them involve the hutch. Solid swing but a miss. It is just too short. If you were about 5’ 6” or shorter it would be great. I also believe making the hutch backwards compatible is why they didn’t add any depth to the series 3. Oh and my final complaint is kinda trivial. I do not like the blacked out trim on the series 3 line. Doesn’t look great and they don’t sell chrome emblems and trim. This also makes that backwards compatible hutch not match series 2 even if it was tall enough. Pretty lame. I know they’re building to a price point but I hope the series 4 is deeper and they offer a taller hutch. Oh and at least sell chrome trim kits for those of us who don’t like the blacked out look.
There's no shortage of used big Snap-on toolboxes on Craigslist. Most of the guys selling still want 90% of the original cost; I think they'll eventually take a reasonable offer.
Customer sees a mechanics bay with all Tool Truck (TT) equipment they automatically feel that this guy invests in his craft! This mechanic knows the proper tools to do the job correctly! He’s not afraid to invest in himself, his shop and his craft. TT tools scream quality. I know they’re expensive but they’re worth it. Guy comes every week to meet your needs. You break something it gets replaced ASAP. You break a harbor freight tool? You bring it to the store if they don’t have it in stock, they will not order it for you. You must check back in randomly until that item appears in their inventory. How much time are you gonna waste doing that? Not to mention the customer sees harbor, freight tools in a mechanics bay and that screams cheapskate. I understand if you have a family with several kids you need to make every penny go as far as it can, but that’s not what we’re talking about here at least not what I’m talking about. Tools take a lifetime to acquire. You might have to buy some junk tools to get you buy, but you must budget money every week for tools. It is important. Just like advertising is important. A shop owner puts an ad on Facebook or on an automotive web site that costs him huge money. Just a sign out in front of the shop a nice lighted weatherproof sign that’s gonna last decades cost thousands of dollars so pricing is understandably high for good quality tools. Not to mention American made tools keep Americans working. Buy your tools from an Asian brand. That means Asians are working and Americans are not. That’s important to me.
As an old sage once said- "What has a toolbox ever fixed? Not a damned thing!!"
we like this!
You guys would die if you saw what I'm working out of.
I started off on such a shoestring budget that I made myself some storage out of two desk pedestals, after removing the top and turning the drawer towers into tool storage. For less than $50 between paint, keys, and casters, I had a place to put some stuff (one side was two file drawers, the other was five shallower drawers). Anything that didn't fit in there was locked up in the cabinet beneath my workbench (just two doors with a hasp and padlock).
I kept an eye out for a free box and finally found a late-'70s 26" Snap-On with an '80s-era Mac intermediate on top of it with a matching Mac top chest on top of that. Again, not into much money for those; a neighbor was just giving it away, free, at the curb. I changed the casters eventually, and added the missing lock to the Snappy, and again, purchased keys. Maybe I'm into that setup for a hundred dollars. Maybe less.
The most recent acquisition was a '70s-era Waterloo 42" box that is definitely beat-up, but not beyond saving. Got it for $100...and full of old tools (some junk, some salvageable).
It has storage both front and back.
Anyway, I spend my money on the tools and I save on the storage. I'm handy. I'll fix an old box and between the box and the parts be WAYYYY ahead. I don't care if a drawer holds 200 lbs. I'm not getting in the drawer. It's just to lock my tools up when I leave. It's not going to drive me home. It's not a weeklong stay at a resort.
@@iFixJunkas much as I agree with this. Once you start obtaining a decent amount of tools the weight does add up and some boxes just don’t hold under the weight of all those tools.
@@camerongabert3072 🤷🏼♂️
I have more than a decent amount of tools. No problems yet.
@@iFixJunk For power tools and other cased toolsI use filing cabinets
A ton of techs are either switching over to the US General boxes, or buying them straight out of school now. You absolutely cannot argue their quality, especially for literal fractions of the cost of a new Snap On, Matco, or Mac box.
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Well yeah because only recently had they started copying the design and made add ons. Sure you could customize the gen 1 boxes yourself but they went all out recently. I like my master series being 30” deep tho personally. I feel like the depth for the general boxes is even less than a snap on classic box
Harbor Freight sucks
Best deals I find are guys retiring and selling their box full of tools. I’ve seen 40-50k retail worth of tools and box for $8-10k multiple times on FB market place.
True story.
Amazing the deal she could get if your patient.
I have a 72 inch Masters series and virtually all of my tool track tools have been purchased on the secondary market for about 20 to 30% from retail.
In most cases that still more expensive than Harbor freight but whenever I go to sell my tools, if I had to I know I could always sell them for what I paid for them. In the meantime, I am working with premium tools.
Bent Motorsports.. The bad thing about buying used tool truck brand toolboxes is they do not have a lifetime warranty. If you have a good tool truck dealer he may warranty it but he does not have to and if you get a different dealer he probably won't. They always want you to give them the serial number of the box so they can make sure you are the original purchaser of the toolbox. Now if you buy a used toolbox from the tool truck dealer instead of places like "Facebook market place" the dealer might warranty it but again he doesn't have to. Snap-on, Mac and Matco toolboxes are still made in the USA. Matco started out making toolboxes for Mac Tools only. Matco stands for Mac Allied Tool Company. They split in 1979 and started selling tools as well as toolboxes. Matco does not make/manufacture any of their tools, they rebrand all of them. The only thing they make is their toolboxes.
Never had an issue with this over the last 30 years. No warranty issues with Snap-On, Mac, Matco, or Cornwell. I've bought and sold toolboxes for a long time to make a little extra side cash and restore or customize the boxes. 100% warrantied for life is what it is. Now some really bad ones like an entire box worth of slides... they will give em to you, but you're putting those on yourself past a certain point. They will sell you the drawer matting, paint, and locks etc., but slides, wheels, drawer trim, soft close pieces they will usually either hand them over, order them for you, or replace them on the spot free of charge. Craftsman used to be like that too years ago.
@@mikemoon9730 Toolboxes are Lifetime Warranty but ONLY to the original owner of the toolbox. Read the warranty it says it. I know because I had issues with drawer slides on my Matco toolbox and I had to give them the serial number on my box to prove that I am the original owner. If you have never had a problem that means you have good luck with your dealers.
Not correct. I got a 1983 SO KRA59F box from a coworker and it needed a bunch of parts. Snap On sent them to me without an issue.
I'd only buy a snapon box from a dummass who paid full price and needs cash. There's much better boxes for a fraction of the price that will last a lifetime. Snap off is a rip off.
Collecting vintage tool boxes would be fun!
I've recently retired from the Air Force, but I remember using a lot of old Stanley Vidmar boxes. They always held up really well to the constant abuse we put them through. We use snap on boxes a lot too, but for anything that stayed in place and didn't need to move around, I always think about those Vidmar boxes first
Knowing what I know now, Stanley vidmar would be the only tool box I would own. Those vidmar cabinets are built like tanks and are extremely durable. plus I personally like the fact they are not on wheels, makes them harder to steal. Unfortunately I’ve already invested in multiple rolling toolboxes and don’t want to start over at my age.
I LOVE both of my snap on boxes. I got them both used from trade ins on the tool truck for massive prices off. My big box had a dent on the back that you can't even see and doesn't affect anything and a ton of surface scratches I literally just spent a weekend buffing out and was a 12k box I got for 2500$. The second one was a power cart that traded in and looked brand new and I guess it just wasn't a popular sale. It has a power top with a really deep space and either 4 or 5 drawers. I picked it up for $750. Only way I would get anything tool truck branded honestly is used and on a good discount like that. My dream is to of course order a custom box with the colors and options I want but with my highway robbery boxes, I am more than happy lmao.
I have 3 Snap on tool boxes that are from 1977, 79 and the 60th anniversary 1980. All are in great shape and I would not get rid of them! Old School All the Way! Good video!
That big craftsman box is actually nice I haven’t seen one like that
Hello. My children's future, and my 401k are not important to me. I will buy a brand new shiny Snap On box, even though it does nothing but hold my tools.
In 2021 I bought a $12,000 limited edition Snap-On box from a guy that lost his job because of covid and was selling stuff to keep his house. The box was only 2 years old and he sold it to me for $3500. I have a friend who has a Snap-On franchise and I asked him what it was worth. He said if he had it on his truck, he could sell it for between $5000 & $6000. When I asked him what he would give me for it, he said... $2500!
Guy had to sell his boxes to keep his house because he was obviously terrible with money (buying $12k tool boxes lmao).
That's the thing people say they hold their value but they don't really the hold above 3k normally but they aren't made of gold you can listen to the sells rep and think 2 years from now you can sell your 10k box for 10k but no it's not going to happen
I got my Snap-On tool box back in 1984 and it still works as good today as it did back in 84. Most of my tools I got from 1983 to about the 90s and they are all still working. I can't talk on anything you can buy today I really don't think any of it is as good but most stuff we buy is just junk....
I outfitted multiple USAF and civilian tool rooms. The ultimate box brand in the US is Lista, not Snap-on/Matco/Mac/Vidmar etc which are very good. Lista is so expensive new it's not normally worth it for a typical auto mechanic but I'd buy them used all day if there were more available. (At least one company wipes out industrial auctions then refurbs those Listas and they outbid most buyers.) I have Lista, Mac, Kennedy etc in my home shop along with US General and will buy more of them as they're more than adequate for normal use.
Buy Tekton! Made in Canada, Snap-on quality, 1/3 the price
I'm a heavy duty diesel locomotive mechanic, and id say 90% of our entire maintenance department has that US General cart, and none of them have ever broken down, and theyre just outstandingly solid
There's little doubt boxes were heavier duty in the late '90s and early 2000s. The old Macsimizers like your green one were outstanding. I don't know that we can blame Chinese manufacturing for a loss of quality since Matco, Mac, Snap-On and Cornwell's boxes are still manufactured in the US, yet are decidedly less rugged than the preceding models. When a manufacturer buys lower quality materials in order to spend less is when we see a loss of quality in the overall product. You can buy very high quality from China and very low quality from the US. How much you're willing to pay dictates what you get.
Nice video, thanks for doing the comparisons.
love my craftsman box - the quality is good for a weekend mechanic like me
Old school snap on box’s were good idk bout now tho seems like they have cheaped out. I love both my snap on cart and hf 72 hoping to have both of those the rest of my career.
I LOVE my ICON boxes. The quality and strength is as strong as the tool truck boxes. They're customer service is excellent too.
I checked out the icon boxes when they first launched and I gotta say they seemed super legit
I sold my snap on box and bought a bigger icon. I have no regrets. Solid boxes.
20 years with a Snap On KRL721 top/bottom combo. Still in great shape and the slides are smooth as butter. Just bought a Harbor Freight full bank service cart. Does the job, but it feels so cheap compared to the Snap On.
I have a Mac 58 inch tech box with a craftsman on top and you can definitely tell a difference in the quality, depth, not to mention the casters are much better and don’t get stuck when I do need to move the box for cleaning. Both of my Yukon boxes don’t lock anymore and the cart has a broken drawer after using it in the industry for 6 months.
We have a weird mix where I work. Mix of Lista and Vidmar but then we have some various Kennedy units (garbage) and a few of the Harbor Freight carts
Its amazing how all you (qaulified) techs or what ever you want to call yourselves allways pitch your vids content up against Snap-On....... why.. because you know deep down that your comparing other makes against the Best.!!!!! And for all you tight fisted experts out there who say that no one should finance a new s/o box.... well who are you. ???? Its a free choice. So all those people who finance houses..jet skies. Cars. Business's or whatever..... are they all stupid for financing a higher quality product as opposed to paying cash for a lesser quality product.???????????
I have noticed that as well, it is like they have to try and make themselves feel better about their cheap tools.
The real important point to make here is...Do Not finance a Snap-on toolbox!
Save the money if possible and buy the box outright. A $7000 toolbox can turn to a $12 000 pretty quickly 😂
They have interest free plans
I just got the us general series 3 72inch box from harbor freight. I love it.
A technician doesn’t make enough money to justify the cost of those boxes
My manager had a 42 in harbor freight box and my assistant manager had a roughly similar sized snapon box. they both felt roughly similar to me in terms of quality... but the harbor freight one was almost half the price. it was absolutely no contest when it came to upgrading from my 300$ craftsman hobby box i got for half off on a student discount at sears 5 years prior.
Inherited boxes are the best. I got a few Snap-Ons from my paps that'll go to my kids, I don't care what they use them for :) Only thing I swapped was the casters for a set of high quality new coasters
I have a 20+ year old snap on I bought used and I love it. I wouldn't buy a new one as the cost is overly inflated. I had a pro grade husky box before and it was garbage once loaded up. Paid 1k for each of them.
I also have Kennedy boxes for my machinist tools and I like those a lot. They do well with over 100lb/drawer but you do need to add a plate on the bottom to keep the casters from caving into the bottom of the box. I also have some harbor freight for lighter tools and consumables storage and a 5 drawer for a mobile cart. Also work out of a 5 drawer at my job. Great box. I also have a few lista cabinets that are insanely well built. Empty they weigh 300-400lb and can hold 400lb/drawer!
Why would you buy anything from snap on
I have a rather large MAC 68" and MATCO 70" box's that I bought in the 80's. I paid 2500 for the MAC and 1800 for the MATCO. Had a Snap-on man offer me 4K a piece for them, on trade in on a new Snap-on condo, I think he said it was 14,000 , I politely declined.
If I needed to buy another toolbox right now, I would get either the US general series 3 or the icon toolbox. They are both in my opinion just as good as any other and you can’t beat the price.
Have 44” us general series 2 as ‘weekend warrior’ tho I’m in and out of it daily working on stuff and can’t beat it they came out with a new generation that’s even sturdier when I run out of space will upgrade to that
I have had good luck with Harbor freight boxes. I had the 5 drawer cart, series 1 44", and series 2 72". Still have the 44, it was my first box. The amount of weight i had in the 72 was hurting it though, in a professional setting, overloaded, i didnt think it would hold up. Drawers would smack each other and the socket drawer was a chore to open and close. It did it, but didnt like it. I have a Matco 6s now, its stout, handles the weight easily. My dad always had Matco carts and boxes, and never an issue. I trust mine will be just as reliable.
For the money US General is a great toolbox and they get better and better every release. I say young guys should start there and if they need an upgrade later, wait until they are established in the trade before that big purchase.
Snap on are ONLY made in Algona, Iowa from US steel from Alabama. Only thing in the small town is a John Deere plant and Snap On plant and farming.
Snap off. The rip off.
Snap on. right on.
Commenting on the video for the algorithm
Thank you for your service
I love the "you can stand on it" test... show me when somebody drops 200+ lbs on the very end of their toolbox. Never.
Used truck boxes are the way to go if you can wait for the right deal. I looked for a couple years and nothing ever worked out, so I was thinking about going with harbor freight. Then I found a 2002 mac tech series with a top box for $1200 and the guy even brought it to the shop for me to check out. I'm sure a harbor freight or husky would have gotten the job done, but that thing is 20+ years old and besides a few dings is like new
yeah that really seems to be the way to go
I agree man you can find some GREAT deals on tool truck tool boxes on the used market and even tool trucks will sell trade in boxes for much cheaper than you'd think. I bought a Matco 55 inch 4S for 3k and I traded it in for a new Cornwell box and the dealer game me 3.3k towards the new box. Super nice tool guy and now I've got a huge 70+ inch box that'll I'll probably never upgrade unless my dream Snap On box shows up on the used market.
Except you don't get the lifetime warranty on a used box.
@@ShawnC8030 I see variations of this comment constantly. Who the f**k cares? I just grabbed a $3800 Snap on heavy duty roll cart (with paperwork showing paid off) in basically new condition for $500. I waited 4+ months for the right deal to pop up. For the $3300 I saved, I'm not too worried about your warranty.
Ill never buy another Snap On box my last Snap On i bought in 1994 after 5 or so years it needed drawer slides every year, in 2007 ny Matco rep walked in as 2 of my drawers had just fell ouy again, ive had my current Matco box has never had a drawer slide replaced. Ive even used it as a ladder a few times and i weigh over 300 lbs.
One thing i like about those snapon roll carts is you can buy the slides and make every drawer double slide
You can't beat the really wide & deep top drawers on the Snap-on & Macs. They hold a phenomenal amount of tools.
Yes especially the Masters or EPIQS.
I could hire someone just to bring me tools and still save money over buying a snap on box
Is the "Harbor Freight" box an Icon, US General, or Yukon? That's a big difference because they're all totally different levels of quality, and are all HF brands. Icon are the premium ones with lifetime warranty which cost multiple times US General; which is the middle-of-the-road good quality, and costs multiple times the Yukon; which is the budget option with low weight capacity, the type that you have to be careful not to fully load with tools. Although they say the Yukon is also pretty good quality, especially for the price (last I checked it was something like $350 for the 46" roll cab)
I showed one of our Diesel mechanics the HF US Gen 2 72" I got for 1K (and sold my Craftsman I got for free for $360). He said yeah I would do that now...He was still paying off his 15K Snap on. I did have to add rivets to tighten up the HF box.
Pretty sure I could sell my HF for what I paid for it.
First of all. Tool boxes don't make you good or a bad mechanic. Second of all.tool boxes hold tools..NOT STUPID PEOPLE..
Not entirely correct. Some Snap On toolboxes were actually made in Canada, as were some MAC units.
Yes, those would’ve been made in USA back then. Waterloo made them for Sears and now Waterloo is owned by Stanley Black & Decker. The older Craftsman units from the 1960s through the 1980s that have spring steel clips to hold the drawers in are superior to that lance style that you showed.
I may not own a single snap-on box, but I own more toolboxes than most individual shops around me thanks to HF.
Tools and boxes are like cars. Some guys are perfectly happy with their honda accord, other dudes don't mind spending more $ for a cadillac cts. Both will get you there, one just feels alot damn better.
As a former shop mechanic, I know more mechanics that have strap-on tools in hazard fraught boxes than the other way around.
i have two snap on 40" split top carts; 1- 6 drawer and 1- 8 drawer, a gen1 harbor freight 26" stack and just picked up a homak 35", 7 drawer flip top service cart. im not a mechanic by trade, i do concrete but ive been working on vehicles, trucks and equipment my whole life. im about to turn 50 so ive amassed quite the collection of tools. most of my hardline tools are snap on and after that, everything under the sun. i started buying snap on about 10 yrs ago as i got tired of "cheaper" tools failing. ive since adopted the "buy once, cry once" mentality and its served me well.
the so carts hold my tools and the other boxes are for extra and spare tools, parts, fasteners and everything else one needs to work on any and everything.
i bought all those tool boxes for $2300 over time from the local pawn shops. would i ever buy a new snap on box? probably not. for what i do, i cant justify spending $6k on a box that holds tools. if i found a master series or an epic in the pawnshop for $2k, sure but for me right now, multiple boxes work best for me for what i do. i also use metal filing cabinets for specialty tools in cases, power tools, corded tools and anything else i dont want covered in dust, dirt, etc. for very little money, you gain alot of protective storage space.
Wow only 1300 for that Craftsman bank of tool boxes that was a steal
I bought an Extreme 72x30 for 3500
about 8 years ago and have no complaints. Its actually alot stronger than some the tool truck boxes other techs at work have bought.
I don't work on cars I wrench and weld on semi trailers but years ago I out grew my red craftsman box like the one you showed. So after almost purchasing a snap on for $7000 I decided to buy the husky with the hutch and side locker for $1300. I do not regret it. People love my box and some think it's a snap on when they first see it. I have had no quality issues everything works as it should. And now I see the newest ones have the stainless top and what I assume is shinny aluminum plating inside the hutch with the snap on style hinges. Anyone new to the field I won't bad mouth snapon or Mac or anything because they are good boxes but I say I would buy the cheaper box and spend the money on what's inside. At the end of the day a box just holds your tools it doesn't make you money why be in debt for years on something you use for work when it's not making you money or your job easier.
Just get a used snap on master series or epic the 30 by 72 can be had used doe 2500-3500$ all day long
I've watched a few videos on tool box comparison and this was by the far the best one. Short, too the point, good comparisons, and fun to watch. thank you!
Working in the industrial environment, the go to box is Kennedy.
Nice boxes. Solid. Mine was out on the shop floor for 30 plus years. They hold up far better than those old craftsman.
I recently purchased a Us General. Solid as my Kennedy, rolls well. Fortunately it sits in one place. If i had it when i was out on the shop floor pushing it around from machine to machine all day, id replace it. Unless you lock it, the drawers slide open when moving it.
I also have one of those carts from HF.
Nice. Solid. You have to close the lid or the drawers slide open.
I like to use it to transport things. Cant open a drawer without the lid open.
Also have an older kobalt at home i picked up cheep used.
Its cheeply made. Probably about the same as a new craftsman.
My first box with the soft close drawers. Absolutely love that feature.
Tools stay in place.
I have 20 year old match box. It's has a ton of tools in it. Never had any drawer give me any problem. If you are serious about wrenching. Do not get a cheap box
I have a U.S. General roll cart. The caster wheels suck. If you use it everyday, they split. Other than that, it does what I need it to do. It now sits next to my Snap-on box and stores my miscellaneous tools.
I just dont understand why people dont like the new boxes. I bought a new one last year off the truck and i dont regret it nor have any complaints they are actually better than the old boxes i think, or atleast nicer. I can see the difference in quality between a snappy and harbor freight. They arent really even comparable in quality unless you just plan on looking at it.
I just cant get past the stigma of HF. I cannot stand cheap tools, they should be illegal..
Have had my Horrible Fright 13 drawer for last 11 years... if run out of space wull just buy the newer version and the top box and keep the old one to. If it ain't broke don't fix it,
Snap-On does not keep value were I'm from in western N.Y. I bought a 68 inch epic had it for almost 2 years and wanted to trade it in and go bigger. Snap-On wanted to give me 4 grand on trade in it was ridiculous.
Love the snap on fangirls bending over backwards trying to justify taking out the equivalent of a car loan for a damn roller box. And if you think customers care about your snap on box youre delusional (seen several people say that here)
Nice boxes but a piece of advise to guys getting into the business do yourself a favor DONT buy an expensive tool box out the gate. I always tell guys buy a roll cart and buy tools first once it’s filled look into a box fill that up before u get anything bigger. Too many times I see kids buy boxes with no tools
True or false? Half of it is just projecting an image of success to the customer when they peak back into the shop to see whats going on back there/ that because it has to be some elite that is out of reach to thecommon man/ not accessible to us mere mortals. If you're rocking harbor freight or some other cheaper stuff, then the customer sees the same equipment that he has in own garage at home perhaps?
Nah couldn't care any less in fact most customers don't know or give a shit about tool boxes
The old argument "this company owns alllll these companies" is really silly. Like bmw owns mini and rolls royce doesnt make them the same cars lol. Similar sure but there is a big change in quality. Which more often than not leans more into luxury and ease of use rather than longevity.
My grandpa gave me a Mac screwdriver and ratchet with red handles when I was young. I always said when I got older with money I would collect Mac. However now that I am there I found out a lot of their stuff isn't USA made anymore. I understand its a global economy now but non USA made doesnt hold value. For me its about the resale value and my daughters being able to get money out of it all when I am gone.
Snap on is far superior in quality. If it’s the budget obviously US general box
I prefer the harbor drawer catch but i got mine in part due to being able to stand in the drawer am it still slides smooth...coworkers had other brands that were bending or couldnt close
I have a Mac Box and a US General box. Is the USG as good as my Mac? No. Is the Mac worth three to four times as much? Not really.
I've had a few iterations of tool boxes over the years with my last one being a decent sized Matco 5s double bank that I bought 12 years ago. That 12 year old box showed up on day one FLAWLESS, and it's had zero issues in its 12 year run my me. At the beginning of this year I was at a point that I was out of space in that box so I crossed the bridge of trading it in and buying an entire new setup. I put 3-4 months of researching into my choice and pulled the trigger on a brand new Matco 6s triple bank. I had high hopes that the new box being matco's flagship box and still being made 5 hours from my house in Jamestown NY, this box could possibly be the last one I buy. I WAS SADLY MISTAKEN. I feel like my dad saying things like "they don't make them like they used to" but it's 100% accurate. I'm now sitting here 7 months after I originally ordered my new box, and I'm on my SECOND NEW MATCO 6S TOOL BOX. The first one showed up with enough issues that they ended up sending me an entire new setup (roll cab, hutch and locker). AND THE SECOND ONE CAME IN WITH MORE ISSUES THAN THE FIRST. For the $30k this box retails at it should be the cream of the crop, unfortunately it seems like the "built with pride in NY" was lost years ago.
I love the macsimizer carts, I wish we had a Mac guy at my shop. Got a matco cart instead
I financed a family car that cost me less than that.
(It was also full of problems, so don't feel bad.)
What issues did you have ? I just bought a 6s triple bank. About a month old no issues...
@robcrossan6274 LMAO you must not have a lot of tools in it... the retention system is trash. If you grab at the side and see how much each slide flexs back and forth... this is whats going to turn you box in to a crumpled mess. The lock on most of them will have will not secure at least one to two compartments.
@@khaul I used to have a JCS773 Matco cart and I loved that thing! I've never had any Mac boxes but I did drool over the 88" Macsimizer my Mac Guy had on his truck a few weeks ago!
Ok the selling point to mechanic you can sit in drawer well if im a customer and you can afford to spend time standing and sitting on your drawer i will take my buiness someplace else cuz your wasting my time and money. A tool box drawer having that much wieght in it isnt real so your one feature is bs snap on. Ok lets buy a car we have a great new car it has standard features touch screen all that say 40000 not a nother car has same options but the door can hold two people on it but its 200000 is that worth it. Ive worked in tools for years and been in shops and field work so ive used many tools and many boxes but snap on is over priced name. I work at harbor and have so many people buying my boxes and selling there snap on and even after they still love it and even after buying bigger general or icon they bought more add on and also got a ton of tools to add to it they had thousands left. So to me if a standard 42 bottom like the two in video cost more than a 1000 brand new back away save money and get tools or get ahead not waste money
All yous would hate my box, snapon beat to hell on a service truck, no organization because its on a truck, everything is just thrown int there
I bought a Mac top and bottom in 91 I wish I would have gotten a Snap On they had ball bearing slides mine don't I am not in a shop anymore.
My snap on rep threw me such a dang good deal I had to get it mainly because it would've came out to the same price as a harbor freight one so if it wasn't for that go with whatever you like
Personally, it's all about what kind of deal you're getting
always the same with these types. Taking the high level of Snap on and others and comparing them to the cheapest service cart they make.
Nearly 20 years later, I still think I over paid for my Snap-on box but it does work just as good as the day I bought it. Even though your toolbox is disorganized, I know you know exactly where everything is.
I definitely know where all my tools are! Haha
Wonder if the cheaper kobalt husky and harbor freight boxes will be around in good shape in 20 yrs. My US generals held up ok after a few years but idk about 20.
@@robcrossan6274 I have had a few a us general 5 drawer carts and loved the space for the price. But the issue was in under a year, the bottom started to buckle. I roll it around the shop every job because we don't have really assigned bays so we are mobile in the shop. But for the price of like 250$ but they are regularly on sale for under 200$, it is still worth it. I think once this one goes like the others, I will order one in that slick grey color and then reinforce the bottom and I have a feeling it will last for a long time.
i would think so. look at that old craftsman in the video. i have one exactly like it thats 30 years old i use at home. the harbor freight is definitely built better. i have one at work@@robcrossan6274
That's what say about my pigsty of a house.it looks disorganized to others but I know where everything is
Snap-On is WAY over priced.
In all my years of wrenching i never worried about being able to sit on my drawers🙃
nobody needs a snap on tool box but if the price is right or you can afford it theyre nice to have and not aure about now a days as iv not been looking to get the deep tool boxes your paying alot anyway so buy what ya want as long as your tools fit and will be safe
They do not appreciate in value... that is just a silly statement today.
I like that misimizer tool cart 2 tone
I like the Macs. Cost no object: Mr. Big
I have the matco 4s double bank not a triple like his. Im very happy with it but i ran out of space. I also have a 70's snap on cabinet for my overflow of specialty tools. The specialty stuff is what im building on now. (Pressure testers etc.) Im very happy with it. Ive had it 3 years or so. B4 that i had a mac double bank n it was a lil beat but worked well. Those new harbor freight tho i would buy in a heartbeat if i was in the market!
yeah we're thinkin we just might buy one..
Harbor freight quality is no where near snap on or Matco
Perhaps the best toolbox is the ones we make along the way.
Harbor frieght boxes have no depth to them. You need twoo to equal one of the others
If you keep it movin it’ll never break
Snap on boxes do not hold their value, nor do Matco. I have bought MINT condition Matco 6s, and Revel boxes, (still wrapped and 13k retail) for 3k each. I bought a 3500 stainless top Snap On tool cart for 1500, (never used with power and speed drawer, I have a Snap On Tool wagon at 1/3 of retail, and am looking a a brand new Snap On Epic 72 inch box, with side cab and power cab, (about a 20 k box) and the guy will take 6k for it. The best way to buy boxes are to find these Matco or Snap on boxes that people are dumping, usually at around 1/3 of new price. They are great boxes, strong, and when you buy them that way they DO hold their value. I sold my Matco Revel that I paid 3k for, for 3k to a friend.
Reminds me or rays channels “wards” numbers are hard
Russo does have an old box...
I have a HF 72 inch set and a HF 56 inch set. I have had the 72 for about 6 years and use it probably 3 days a week. No problems at all and holds most of my common use tools.
The girl making the stupid noises and comments in the background is very annoying and makes this video almost unwatchable.
Ya women r dumb
If I wasn’t in school with a 50-60% discount on Matco tools / boxes I’d go Harbor Freight all the way. The old owner of snap on is the one who designs the icon brand at harbor freight.. that’s why they’re similar to snap on, but at 1/2 to even 1/3 of the price.
Love the old school Craftsman setup even though they aren't for pros, they as you say are great for home.
All I need is my crafsman tool box and tools
For a home garage or a box where you primarily work out of a large cart and use the box to store tools you don’t use much, the US General boxes 56” and 72” are not bad. The problem is the depth, at 20” depth, they just don’t hold nearly enough. A professional box should be a minimum 24” - 30” deep. My old Husky 36 x 24.5 holds as much as my US General 56” and cost $1000 less.
super valid point!
I agree the depth is limited on the general boxes. My brother has a snap on epiq and I keep my boxes at his auto repair shop. Going back and forth you really see a difference. I have a 72” and just ended up buying a 56” to supplement it. Putting all my engine building tools in that one to open up space. They’re switching over to series 3 so I picked up the series 2 56” that matches my series 2 72” for $600 a couple weeks ago. I paid $1300 for my 72”, $600 for the 56”, and $200 for the 5 drawer cart. Is it perfect? Of course not but that’s a heck of a lot of tool storage for $2100. He got the 84” epic for I think 12 or 13k new off the truck. Snap on guy ended up with it through an order and the guy backed out or something. Msrp on that thing is $25,890. Very nice but I could never justify something like that as a hobbyist. He gives me crap about building up my own tool setup when I have access to his and both his mechanics tools 24/7/365. While I appreciate the heck out of that I feel like it’s important to have my own stuff. That said I don’t need 50k in tools.
The new series 3 boxes have good budget potential too but will have to wait for the newness to die off and shop the sales. Main upgrades I notice is the drawer locks are full width older snap on style. That’s easier than the single latch on series 2. The wrench drawer being as wide as the socket drawer on the 72” series 3 is a very useful update. Haven’t seen anyone in a video point that out yet and it’s my favorite update. It really needed it. Have a few gripes on series 3 and I think most of them involve the hutch. Solid swing but a miss. It is just too short. If you were about 5’ 6” or shorter it would be great. I also believe making the hutch backwards compatible is why they didn’t add any depth to the series 3. Oh and my final complaint is kinda trivial. I do not like the blacked out trim on the series 3 line. Doesn’t look great and they don’t sell chrome emblems and trim. This also makes that backwards compatible hutch not match series 2 even if it was tall enough. Pretty lame. I know they’re building to a price point but I hope the series 4 is deeper and they offer a taller hutch. Oh and at least sell chrome trim kits for those of us who don’t like the blacked out look.
I agree. I just went from a 72 US General to a Matco 6s. The US general needed an add on cabinet to hold what the triple bank matco can hold.
There's no shortage of used big Snap-on toolboxes on Craigslist. Most of the guys selling still want 90% of the original cost; I think they'll eventually take a reasonable offer.
I was gone go to Lowe’s but that harbor one is bttr thanks
Customer sees a mechanics bay with all Tool Truck (TT) equipment they automatically feel that this guy invests in his craft! This mechanic knows the proper tools to do the job correctly! He’s not afraid to invest in himself, his shop and his craft. TT tools scream quality. I know they’re expensive but they’re worth it. Guy comes every week to meet your needs. You break something it gets replaced ASAP. You break a harbor freight tool? You bring it to the store if they don’t have it in stock, they will not order it for you. You must check back in randomly until that item appears in their inventory. How much time are you gonna waste doing that? Not to mention the customer sees harbor, freight tools in a mechanics bay and that screams cheapskate. I understand if you have a family with several kids you need to make every penny go as far as it can, but that’s not what we’re talking about here at least not what I’m talking about. Tools take a lifetime to acquire. You might have to buy some junk tools to get you buy, but you must budget money every week for tools. It is important. Just like advertising is important. A shop owner puts an ad on Facebook or on an automotive web site that costs him huge money. Just a sign out in front of the shop a nice lighted weatherproof sign that’s gonna last decades cost thousands of dollars so pricing is understandably high for good quality tools. Not to mention American made tools keep Americans working. Buy your tools from an Asian brand. That means Asians are working and Americans are not. That’s important to me.