Heavy, well made GP hand tool box?

burbguy82

$100 site donor 2024
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In the past, general purpose tool boxes have declined in quality. I suppose many dont just keep a classic tool box anymore like this or similar.
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How much would you pay for a high quality hand tool box that you last forever? $100, $150? Or does the typical box store chinese box work just fine?

Would you pay for a custom length, or features?
 
Those brown, crinkly finished Kennedy tool boxes were pretty high quality.

Also remember that there are so many specialty cases now-a-days...fiber sided, rectangular cases which stack securely.
Workmen/techs use hand trucks too so each box can be smaller than in times past.
 
I actually sold several older steel boxes and replaced them with new plastic boxes. They are not as strong as steel but they are quiet to move around, won't scratch the surfaces they are sitting on, and rust won't develop on the box or the tools inside (unless they fill with water). And they don't break the bank.
 
From what I see in trades trucks locally, systems like Packout are really catching on. I'm not necessarily for or against -- just saying the market seems to be embracing them.

I own some basic Packout stuff myself but really try to avoid mobile jobs.

But yeah, plastic is quieter, more forgiving (fewer sharp edges and more rounded corners) and can be made weatherproof and water tight. Milwaukee has done a pretty good job of using heavier/thicker plastic so it's not really flimsy like a cheap homeowner box from Walmart or Ace.

Still, I could see the appeal of an old school box like pictured, but I think the market would be limited
 
I think the market would be limited
I agree. The glass reinforced plastic boxes today are very convenient, but i like a basic tool box.....they have character. I have some Japanese Trusco small boxes that fit an extraordinary amount of stuff. Love them.

I made a box the other day, a prototype, 16ga steel fully welded....just not sure that someone would pay the fee for such a thing, maybe ones who just have the cash to blow.......kind of like Duluth Trading, etc.

No I will not be posting any pics, as it was a prototype, and some of the welds are not what I would what to buy.
 
Now that you mention it, I recall making a 20" steel box in shop class back in the '80s. It had gray hammer tone paint and was a great box for the brass hammer and a few other tools we made. I have no idea what ever happened to it...

If you have the metalworking equipment, building custom boxes would be a cool hobby. As mentioned above however, I would not expect a lot of people would want to pay a fair price for a custom product when an imported product is available at a fraction of the price. Even the diehard "made in America" types would be reluctant to pony up for this amount of cash. Regardless, it would definitely be worth building boxes if/when suitable boxes are not available, or just because...
 
I have a weakness for buying used Kennedy boxes and FleaBay usually has a bunch that are reasonably priced compared to buying new. No way I would pay the new price for new Kennedy but I've scored some nice used models that barely had a scratch.
 
I can't see my Packout stuff ever breaking.

We even had a guy get t-boned last year - one of his Packouts got loose and went flying and it's unharmed.
Their half toolbox would be great for a homeowner, but it’s overpriced if you don’t need the platform or weatherproof-ability IMO.
 
I understand liking the nostalgia, I have a couple old steel boxes holding tools I never use, but there heavy, loud and not very organized.

Pro techs - like electricians or HVAC techs have all gone to soft bags like the Veto Pro Pack. There quiet, organized, and won't put a hole in a customers wall.

I did buy an old aluminum tackle box a few years ago. Way better than anything plastic you can buy today.
 
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