A bit OT but something most of us have in our shops.

Leon · 2016-08-21T16:07:50+00:00

I have not really noticed another new, country of origin, playing a major roll in things we buy for our shops but Vietnam is here and from what I see the quality is pretty good, maybe pretty darn good. Ten or twelve years ago I was looking at larger stacked tool chests, 40+" wide and because they were north of a thousand dollars I built my own and it has served me very well. Recently I have noticed HD selling Milwaukee stacked tool chests and I have to do the touchy feely thing every time I am in the store. Anyway my son and his girlfriend are renovating the guest bathroom in his house and he has been borrowing tools, not a problem at all. BUT he has been collecting his own tools and so far their storage location is on the garage floor around his small 2 drawer tool box. His birthday is this week and my wife suggested getting him a nice tool so that he does not have to borrow one of mine and I thought that was a good idea but then I pictured yet more garage floor space being used up increasing the tripping hazard. His significant other has mention this and told him that she will not be happy if she trips and falls. ;~) Soooo I decided a real tool chest was in order instead of another tool and the Milwaukee came into mind and that is what we got him. In particular this is the one we got for him. These two units weigh in at 300 lbs and I ended up moving the two boxed units two times, From the store to my garage and then to his garage, I was a little fearful about all the loading and unloading and the damage that might result. He and I wrestled the bottom cabinet to the garage floor and began the opening ceremony. He showed me how to break the welds on the fiberglass reinforced straps, that hold all of the pieces of the carton together, very easily with his fingers. I had always used a pocket knife. So the straps come off and the top lifts off. We see the typical paper product corner reinforcements that run down each corner and we see...

Aug 21, 2016 68 Replies

Rate this thread:

Puckdropper 9 years ago

krw wrote in news:ptksrbh2ccmvml00psic6qrpr6a5putag6@

4ax.com:

In either case, be sure to give them a few simple tests in the store. Open the drawers or spin the ratchets and see how nicely they work. You may not get the Craftsman warranty, but a life time warranty doesn't mean anything if you don't get a servicable tool in return.

Aside: has anyone tried Kobalt's Lifetime Warranty? Do they require a receipt?

Puckdropper

Vote

Scott Lurndal 9 years ago

And there is always the p-touch label maker...

Vote

dpb 9 years ago

On 08/24/2016 4:11 PM, Leon wrote: ...

I like the chest, Leon; the single-board for the drawer fronts is nice touch.

Do you have dimensions handy? I've knocked together similar but not taken time to actually make something that looks like anything as yet, but have thoughts along those lines... :)

Vote

Leon 9 years ago

Yes!

The box,

56.5" tall. 43.5" wide, 24.5" deep.

That sits on a fixed mobile base, the black bottom, and casters. The base and casters are 7" tall

The box opening,

50.5" tall, 39.5" wide

The drawers, top to bottom, over all height, not actual storage depth,

3", 3.125", 4.75", 4.75", 4.75", 4.75", 7", 8", 9"

Vote

dpb 9 years ago

...

Thanks, noted! (Not that it'll get built this afternoon... :) )

I had guessed roughly that size but was curious...

Out of curiosity, what'd you use for the drawer bottoms; those could hold a fair amount of weight...

Vote

Leon 9 years ago

1/4" birch plywood. On the deepest drawers I reinforced by screwing in narrow strips of Ipe under the bottom of the drawer bottoms, in thirds front to back. Pocket holes in the narrow strips to tie into the drawer fronts and backs.

FWIW in 1990, when remodeling our kitchen, I stood on top of a similar sized kitchen drawer bottom to prove to my wife that 1/4" was plenty to hold her pots and pans.

Vote

Sonny 9 years ago

Who would have thought Leon's wife would be questioning his work! LOL.

Sonny I'm still laughing.... Maybe, back then, he didn't have so many green tools.... Or he didn't whistle, while he worked, so much.

Vote

Leon 9 years ago

You are a sharp one! :-)

Vote

Casper 9 years ago

Leon was heard to mutter:

Now that is a toolchest! I would love to have one like that for my good tools. That is truly a heriloom treasure.

I have a simple two-piece Craftsman. I use it for basic tools only.

I've always thought that but never had the tools to make one. Still don't really but I may try my hand at it one day.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required