So School started for me and im in the market for a new box.. I was looking at matco, snap on, and others but for the price they just didnt seem worth it... I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the U.S. General 73.5" L x 29.3" W x 37.3" H box. Its alot bigger and about the same price as a 53lx24d box from matco. Are these good boxes? or should i just go for the matco with the warranty?

thanks, Scott.

Ill toss in a link so anyone can see what im talking about..

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=67428


Am i in over my head?

 

Not familiar with that brand of tool box, but based on how well my Storehouse brand tool box from Harbor Freight has held up, I would go for it.

 

Have you checked your local craigslist.com site?

There are usually several in there (some including tools) for HUGE discounts over new.

like:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/t...min&maxAsk=max

 

I have a U.S. General box. Not this particular one, but it is by U.S. General and from Harbor Freight. Box is OK... not as heavy duty as you're used to seeing. The big problem is the drawer sliders... not up to par like you would expect from the "better" manufacturers - especially when you load the drawer down with tools.

That being said, for someone like me who only uses his tools on the weekend, the cost savings was worth it. If I made my living with my tools, however, I'd pay the extra for better quality.

 

i have two of them and for the money they are a good buy. a lot better built than most of the craftsman but as jimowens said the drawers do not have roller bearings like the high end craftsman, matco, snap on, or others.

 

Trust me, if you are using your tools to make a living, spend the extra $$ on a higher end tool box, you will not regret it. My brother has a snap on tool box that dad bought in 1979 that is still structurally sound, a little faded and scratched, but it has held up to years of abuse, many of them daily use in a shop. Also a 200lb person can stand in the bottom box drawers that have double slides (with a full load of tools also) and not even phase the box. Just my .02.

 

I gotta go with the others, even Mfgs. like Waterloo have cheapened up their boxes, thinner gauge steel, etc.

Seems like Craigslist always has good quality boxes at deep price cuts.

At the minimum, go and inspect that box at Harbor Freight before you buy.

 

Ive had the whole kit and kaboodle for about a year and am very impressed with the construction. Way better construction than craftsman and the 2 center chests with 2 side drawer bolt ons were about $1k total (x-mas sale). Hit the stickers with a heat gun and get them off asap. Great buy!

imo you can buy 5 of these boxes for the price of a single high dollar box, get 10 years out of each and youre money on top. Put your money into tools not a box.

 

Thanks all for you input i guess ill take another look at the snap on and matco stuff

 

SO and matco are overrated and way overpriced. the newer HF boxes are very well built, go to a store and check them out. the one at our local store has a 300lb steel plate in the big drawer, and it rolls in and out nice and smooth

 

100% agreed

 

+1 to the above!

When I was turning wrenches for a living I had friends that dumped money into the high dollar boxes and had none left to get the good tools to fill them. I bought a decent Craftsman and put my money into the top quality tools. After all, I had to make a living and the box does nothing to put food on the table

 

I keep my tools in my service pickup most of the time, anyway!