[Ian F]

In my 20+ years of DIY wrenching and collecting bike tools, I've been seaching for the "perfect" box to store them in ("perfect" being a matter of opinion, of course). Something that will hold my tool collection in a neat and organized manner, but not be too heavy that I can't easily take it with me to races and w/e gatherings.

For years, my 22" 2-drawer box has served this purpose. It was just (barely) big enough to hold everything, but was still managable on the weight side. A complaint I've had is the standard problem with portable drawer boxes: the top has to be open to pull the drawers, which can make things tough when packing the car/truck.

For years, I've lusted over a Craftsman 3-drawer intermediate box. 26"W x 12" deep and meant to go on top of a roll-away and under a chest. It has the concept as my 2-dr box, but with the top compartment in a bottom drawer. Add some side handles and some MDF on top and presto: the perfect portable race box. However, I couldn't quite get past the $130 price tag...

And finally Sears has them on sale for $51.99 (+s/h). About $69 with tax and shipping. Get 'em while they last.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00965120000&tab=des#tablink

 

[binary visions]

Wow, I wonder if our local Sears has any in-stock so I can check it out? Looks perfect for my needs.

Question, if you've seen it up-close. You mentioned putting handles on it - I don't mind doing my own hack-job to install handles, but how feasible is it in terms of accessibility and the bolts interfering with the drawer mechanisms?

Also, just out of curiosity, what's "MDF"?

 

[McGRP01]

This is the one I have. 3-Drawer w/ handle on top.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00965337000&bidsite=&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&subcat=Portable Tool Boxes - Portable Chests

 

[binary visions]

I couldn't resist. I just pulled the trigger on the 3 drawer intermediate box. Here I am, trying to save money and I go and buy something like this... Damn you, Ian!

 

[Ian F]

Wow, I wonder if our local Sears has any in-stock so I can check it out? Looks perfect for my needs.

Question, if you've seen it up-close. You mentioned putting handles on it - I don't mind doing my own hack-job to install handles, but how feasible is it in terms of accessibility and the bolts interfering with the drawer mechanisms?

Also, just out of curiosity, what's "MDF"?

neaky:

I just received mine today. The runners the drawers slide on are welded to the inside of the casing. I plan to use a pair of "chest style" handles that are usually held in place by 4 bolts. I imagine I may have to cut them to exact length so they don't interfere with the drawers. Red Loc-Tite on the threads as well.

MDF + Medium Density Fiberboard. Good, hard, cheap, easily replaceable work surface. There are two existing holes in the top of the box. I may add a couple more if I think it's neccessary (don't think it will be). I plan to use 1/2" thick board and 1/4" countersink philips machine screws.

The drawers remove from the slides with minimal tools (a screwdriver) to access the inside. I also plan to get some drawer liners. When I get it all done, I'll try to post some pics.

McGRP01 - That box is similar to what I have now. I even bought a three drawer model almost exactly like yours in an attempt to replace it, but mine is 2" longer and while I didn't think it would make a difference, it did - certain tools just didn't fit well in the shorter drawers. Plus, you have to open the lid to open the drawers, which gets annoying... Now I'll be able to load the drawers facing out in theback of the car/truck and be able to stack stuff on top of it without affecting tool access. Plus, the two measily latches have always scared me...

 

[binary visions]

I plan to use a pair of "chest style" handles that are usually held in place by 4 bolts. I imagine I may have to cut them to exact length so they don't interfere with the drawers. Red Loc-Tite on the threads as well.

MDF + Medium Density Fiberboard. Good, hard, cheap, easily replaceable work surface. There are two existing holes in the top of the box. I may add a couple more if I think it's neccessary (don't think it will be). I plan to use 1/2" thick board and 1/4" countersink philips machine screws.

The drawers remove from the slides with minimal tools (a screwdriver) to access the inside. I also plan to get some drawer liners. When I get it all done, I'll try to post some pics.

Sounds very similar to what I had planned when I was ordering it yesterday.

I figure the bolts for the handles can go with the head of the bolt on the inside which should help any clearance problems, since the bolt head will be shallower than any hex nut I'd use. Can just hacksaw off the extra bolt length from the outside.

Just looked up some info on MDF - never heard of it before. I was considering just a sheet of plywood but I might just have to see if I can get a small piece of MDF locally - thanks for the idea!

Drawer liners are a must, IMO. Protects your toolbox, protects your tools, and keeps them from sliding around when you open the drawer hard.

You know what the best part about this toolbox is, though?

An excuse to buy more tools

 

[binary visions]

Oh, want to hear something funny?

I called out local Sears asking if they had or could get the toolbox so I wouldn't have to pay shipping. He looked it up, and said that he'd have to order it, but I'd still have to pay shipping, and that the cheapest shipping would bring the total to $69.00 - I'd have to drive to the store to pick it up.

To order it online and have it shipped to my doorstep was $64.00.

 

[stosh]

Thats funny!!!

Hey Nashbar has a headset press on sale for $50's right now!!!

 

[-dustin]

This is the one I have. 3-Drawer w/ handle on top.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?vertical=TOOL&pid=00965337000&bidsite=&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&subcat=Portable Tool Boxes - Portable Chests

that's the one i have, except on top of the lid, is a plastic piece that has about 8 little compartments. perfect for bolts and such. it's too small. i seem to have outgrown it in about 2yrs. i'm now waiting to get money for the pallets to go in the CH Ellis case i have.

 

[binary visions]

Hey Nashbar has a headset press on sale for $50's right now!!!

Yeah, except it's "Nashbar" brand.

I've owned (and hated) too many cheap tools. Never again. I don't buy cheap tools.

 

[stosh]

Yeah, except it's "Nashbar" brand.

I've owned (and hated) too many cheap tools. Never again. I don't buy cheap tools.

Yeah I've bought a cheap chain whip, I'll never do that again.

Thing is for the amount of times you use it $50's might be worth it.

 

[llkoolkeg]

I couldn't resist. I just pulled the trigger on the 3 drawer intermediate box. Here I am, trying to save money and I go and buy something like this... Damn you, Ian!

Dude, while flashing through the channels, don't ever linger for more than 3 seconds on HSN or you'll lose your shirt.

BTW, if'n you were trying to duck out of sight of womenfolk, this is the thread to be in.

I also love Craftsman tools. Not the best, but the best value...especially if you can wait until the Thanksgiving and Christmas sales to stock up. I have this rule that unless it's on sale or will immediately pay for itself by helping me to avoid paying someone else to the job, I don't buy tools. It's more addictive than nicotine.

The best thing is the Craftsman warranty. You would not believe the stuff I have returned there for replacement after years of use.

 

[McGRP01]

that's the one i have, except on top of the lid, is a plastic piece that has about 8 little compartments. perfect for bolts and such. it's too small. i seem to have outgrown it in about 2yrs. i'm now waiting to get money for the pallets to go in the CH Ellis case i have.

Yeah, I've had mine for about 2 years. Outgrew it a while ago. I need something with deeper drawers, and those cool little bolt compartments on top like you mentioned. Hmmm....looks like a trip to Home Depot/Sears is in line for the weekend!!

 

[Ian F]

Ok... I bought the materials at Home Depot and Lowes: two chest handles, assorted hardware and a 2x4 sheet of 1/2" MDF. About $22 for everything. I also pulled the drawers out of the casing. Turns out interference with the handle hardware will not be an issue. The drawer slides mount to an interior panel which is about 1" away from the exterior casing. However, some of this panel will need to be cut away to allow access to the nuts attaching the handles. I don't anticipate this being an issue. I'll try to take pics as I'm working and post them when I'm done.

Side note: my headset press consists of a set of Chris King cup adapters ($50 off Ebay) combined with a 7/8" bolt, nut and a bunch of washers and a couple of BFW's. Works very well and has paid for itself many times over the years. Plus, it stores easily and is always with me - I've installed many a headset in parking lots when someone shows me their new frame... and new headset.. then mentions needing to go to the shop to get it pressed in (don't use a 2x4 & a hammer on your $1000 frame...). 5 minutes later: done.

 

[binary visions]

Dude, while flashing through the channels, don't ever linger for more than 3 seconds on HSN or you'll lose your shirt.

Actually, I'm very good about impulse shopping. I never do it - I usually agonize over everything I buy for a week or more depending on how complicated the item is (for instance, I spent a full two months shopping for a digital camera). Tools are a weakness, though!

I also love Craftsman tools. Not the best, but the best value...<snip> The best thing is the Craftsman warranty. You would not believe the stuff I have returned there for replacement after years of use.

Definitely. I inherited many of my dad's Craftsman tools. Broke some wrenches, screwdrivers, etc. and had them all replaced. Broke a big, 15+ year old 1/2" drive socket wrench (which, of course, had been used many times as a hammer, pry bar, and paint stirrer among other things), and they just handed me a replacement, no questions.

It's more addictive than nicotine

Got that right!

 

[McGRP01]

Actually, I'm very good about impulse shopping. I never do it

I'm not. Just saw a NIB 110 x 5 Thompson stem on ebay and "bought it now" for $52. At least I really needed a new stem and didn't just buy it because it was a decent deal.

 

[RhinofromWA]

I have 2 of these.....well one without the caddy.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00959033000

For $30 it hold a bunch of tools and has served me well. They are on close out and wont be around again. It is BIG and yes it can hold more than 250lbs....I would know.

It isn't prefessional grade but it houses ALL my tools and the older one has been reserved for spare parts and larger bulky tools.

Just another option. That caddy seems to be nice so far as that box full of tools is a back breaker.

 

[Ian F]

Oh don't talk to me about impulse buying... I'm a recovering shop-aholic... many years ago I was really bad when it came to guitars... if I saw a guitar I liked, I bought it. It was bad... had up to 22 of 'em at one time... I'm down to about 7 now...

I'm not too bad with tools, although I try to buy tools as I have the money available rather than when I need them. Thus I've been prone to "Sears Shopping Sprees" from time to time... the last one was during the Summer and cost me $400. I've been collecting for quite a few years, though, so there's not much more I need. I could use some more sockets I suppose... and I'll probably splurge on some Snap-on ratchets (but not sockets) some time this year. I've been doing enough DIY auto-wrenching to justify them (at least in my little mind... )

I picked up a couple of Gladiator boxes from Lowes' clearance section over the Holidays. Got the 2-door cabinet and 5-drawer cabinet for $300 - less than 1/2 of what Sears wants for them. They were the store display models. The only bad part is the locks don't have keys... I keep forgetting to ask about that when I go in there...

Anyway... tool box update: The MDF is in place and the holes for the handles have been drilled. I now need to figure out how to access the inside to attach the handles...

Coming soon: A spiffy drawer divider system borrowed from a woodworking magazine.

 

[binary visions]

Anyway... tool box update: The MDF is in place and the holes for the handles have been drilled. I now need to figure out how to access the inside to attach the handles...

My toolbox will be here tomorrow. Very excited - I have some MDF (thanks for the idea - looks like a very solid work surface for almost no money) and screws to bolt it on, all I need are some handles and drawer liners - Home Depot had very little to offer.

As for the handles, my plan is to buy bolts with slotted heads, and drill a bolt size hole ALL the way through both the outer and the inner walls. Then, use a larger bit to enlarge the inner hole, making it big enough for the bolt head to pass through. That would allow me to use a screwdriver to hold the bolt in place and put the nut on from the outside so I'd have no accessibility issues when torquing down the nut.

 

[Ian F]

My toolbox will be here tomorrow. Very excited - I have some MDF (thanks for the idea - looks like a very solid work surface for almost no money) and screws to bolt it on, all I need are some handles and drawer liners - Home Depot had very little to offer.

As for the handles, my plan is to buy bolts with slotted heads, and drill a bolt size hole ALL the way through both the outer and the inner walls. Then, use a larger bit to enlarge the inner hole, making it big enough for the bolt head to pass through. That would allow me to use a screwdriver to hold the bolt in place and put the nut on from the outside so I'd have no accessibility issues when torquing down the nut.

Hmm... What I plan to do is also use flat-head, counter-sunk machine screws in place of the wood-screws the handles comes with (#10 x 3/4"), then using the widest fender washers I could find bolt the handle to the outer casing. Putting the nut on the inside to keep a smooth exterior surface. My theory here being to spread the stress caused by the handles over the greatest amount of surface area possible. If you can wait a week or so, I should be finished and we'll see how it works and looks. I'm waiting for the garage to warm up a bit.

I bought bulk drawer liner material from Sears. About $16 for a roll that'll do this box plus a few drawers in my automotive tool box.

 

[Ian F]

Ok - the mods to the box are finished! The pics are ready to go, I just have to get them posted and linked. Hopefully tonight.

To access the inner handle nuts, I used a Dremel cutting wheel to cut the offending piece of metal, bent it out of the way, bolted the handle in place, and bent the metal back. It's soft stuff. Vacuum up all debris before reassembling the drawers.

The only thing left is the drawer dividers, which will have to wait until warmer weather so I can roll the table-saw into the driveway (generates too much dust = dust all over the cars = g/f...). Then transfer the tools and fini!

I was bad at Sears the other day... went there looking to buy a set of $20 drag-link sockets and left with $125 worth of sockets - but no drag link sockets (didn't have them in the store). Oh well... I should be good for sockets for awhile... until I spring for the 1/2" dr. metric impact set... Is it wrong to be gazing at a tool-box drawer full of sockets? :evil:

 

[binary visions]

Ok - the mods to the box are finished! The pics are ready to go, I just have to get them posted and linked. Hopefully tonight.

I'm hoping to get the MDF cut this weekend.

The (loaded) toolbox weighs less than I anticipated, so the handles are a secondary project that will occur as I get antsy or need something to do. I would like to see your pictures!

Is it wrong to be gazing at a tool-box drawer full of sockets? :evil:

Never!

 

[Ian F]

Got pictures uploaded...

Here is the brand new box with the drawers removed before I started cuttin' and drillin'. The MDF is cut and sitting on top, but not attached yet. It can also be seen here that the casing is the same as the 4-drawer model:

A closer-up of the slides and interior showing the original holes in the top for the MDF. In the upper-right corner, you can see part of how the locking mechanism works:

Another shot of the slides and a better look at the locking mechanism:

The hardware laid out on the work bench. At the upper left is the original hardware for the handles:

The MDF top installed. Turned out just like I wanted.

The underside showing how the top is attached. Two of the holes were existing and I added two more equally spaced so as to appear original:

The holes drilled into the side. You might be able to see the layout lines. It took me a 1/2 hour to mark the position for the holes... 30 seconds to drill them... such is the "measure twice, cut once" creedo - I almost drilled them upside down! :

With a cutting wheel in a Dremel, I cut two parts of the metal webbing and bent them out of the way to access the holes to bolt them in place. The handles are attached with counter-sunk bolts with two fender washers under the interior nuts to spread the load as much as possible, then some red lock-tite on the bolts before tightening them down:

...and then bent the insides back into place:

The completed handles mounted:

The completed box.

...with drawer liners:

Final notes. Turns out the box does have a drawback I wasn't expecting. The shallow drawers are not as deep as the two drawers in my old box. So I'll have to think about how I organize the tools.

But this box should last me another 10 years or until I get bored and build a nice custom, wood box for my tools.

 

[-dustin]

i got a new tool box today, too, and also faced the shallow drawer thing. thought it was kinda weird that the portable tool box would have deeper drawers than this one. regardless, i am happy. very, very, happy.

looks good, by the way. i like the MDF top. it'd be nice if i had an actual working surface somewhere.

 

[-dustin]

hm, apparently Craftsman prices can vary, and be cheaper in-store than online. i paid $89 for my 7-drawer in Fredericksburg, yesterday. today, in Austin, i found it for $74.

 

[binary visions]

hm, apparently Craftsman prices can vary, and be cheaper in-store than online. i paid $89 for my 7-drawer in Fredericksburg, yesterday. today, in Austin, i found it for $74.

That box that was on sale, I called up two local stores to see if they had one instock so I wouldn't have to pay for shipping. Neither had it in stock, and neither could give it to me for the price I could get it for (after shipping) online.

 

[Ian F]

looks good, by the way. i like the MDF top. it'd be nice if i had an actual working surface somewhere.

Thanks.

Having a portable work-surface was one of the main reasons for buying the box. Somethign else I may do is installing a few wood-nuts (threaded nuts that press into drilled holes) to the under-side of the MDF and then have a sturdy place to mount my truing stand and maybe even a small bench-vise...

 

[-dustin]

odd turn of events. sunday i was told i could get back the difference between the 2 tool boxes (F-burg and Austin) which was $18. i go there today with my receipt and am told that they can't do that because the cheaper box is on closeout. i call bull****, and the lady checks the price of the box in their system. it rings up at $89. i say "you have 2 marked at $71 right over there."

she asks me to show her, and i do. then she says "oh, well these are on closeout. see that sticker right there? they were probably returned."

so i say "i bought mine on closeout. i was told the .88 signified it was on closeout. it was the floor model. this one hasn't even been taken out of the cardboard box. and it's marked as $71.43"

"well i'm sorry, we can't do it for you since it's on closeout."

flustered, i take my receipt from her and exit. i'm gonna go back tonight when they're less busy. at the time, they were packed. apparently there's a big sale going on? there were quite a few items marked as "free after rebate" including socket sets (if anyone is looking).

 

[beckah]

BTW, if'n you were trying to duck out of sight of womenfolk, this is the thread to be in.

I beg to differ - I am HUGE tool fan, especially Craftsman. (Who isn't?)

Ian: Congratulations on the new tool box! The modifications look sweet.