For my garage.. Captflash mentioned klick-lock plastic boxes in another thread, which has prompted me… I currently just use a shelf & up to a year ago this was ok but now my tools are piled up & I’m starting to knock stuff onto the floor whilst search for what I want…
I have cantilever tool boxes [for car tools & old electrical stuff] but they’re pretty rubbish and too awkward to leave out, so are hidden under my bench, with stuff piled ontop….

Have a concrete/aspestos garage, that leaks in the rains, and suffers badly from condensation during the winter – so must be of decent quality and not rust at a hint of water in the atmostphere. I can’t drill the walls, as the prefabricated concrete just shatters, so no tool wall..

Are any of these “snap-on” tool box/cabinets copies any good? (I can’t afford snap-on prices)

This kinda thing, but a branded one?

Halfords or Machine Mart have decent ranges, I prefer the pull out drawer types.

Yes.. but are they any good? (quality/life wise)

It the draw type I fancy, I don’t want something you just pile stuff into.

I have a Sealey-AP2305 and its pretty nice, around a year old now and no signs of corrosion or any problems and it is left out in a pretty battered shed. Its fairly expensive but I considered it to be a once in a life time type purchase.

I bought mine on e-bay so didn’t see many, but something I felt was important was that its an all steel construction and that the runners where bearing runners rather than some of the cheaper ones that use a shelf type runner(doubt that’s the proper name).

Only thing id change is that id wish id got something bigger, I have an ever growing range of tools and its pretty full now.

just wipe steel boxes and tools with an oily, parrafin or deisel rag. Spray into corners with wd40, 3in1 or some other water repellant/spray lubricant to keep moisture from creating rust. Still have my Britool tool box and most of my tools from my apprenticeship days, now 40yrs old 🙄

My big Machine Mart chest’s been fantastic, I feel like more of a man knowing I have a toolbox that’s bigger than my fridge Not cheap but it feels like it’ll last longer than I will. The Halfords ones seem just as good (same factory maybe) but tend to be more expensive.

Cantilever toolboxes are OK as well, but basic “box with a lid and a tray” ones are a bit crap, the tool you want will always be buried at the bottom.

I can’t drill the walls, as the prefabricated concrete just shatters, so no tool wall.

make a timber frame from 3×2,make it the width of a sheet of peg board and about 1/4inch, 8mm,higher than floor to ceiling height, ensure its a tight fit. Knock it into place (interference fit is the phrase we are looking for) fasten a sheet of peg board to it and your done – one made to measure tool wall.
Its a bodge but its one that will work – I know at least three people who have done this and they are still holding strong after a coupleof years.

z1ppy

I have a Halfords style one that’s brand new and unused if you were interested in it. Bought it years ago, then moved from my folks, where it sat still wrapped in cardboard for ages. Only unpacked it a few weeks ago, its now sat in the garage not getting used too!

Can’t remember what I paid for it, but if you’re interested, make me an offer…

Ditto Stan-Bad … but with a massive dose of no-nails. Also could you dynabolt a baseplate into the floor for added measure, and a bench to provide a decent footing ?

I personally don’t get on well with tool boxes, as said what you need is always at the bottom, and I tend to unpack everything as the job progresses. Much prefer a tool wall whereby you can lift what you need and stick it straight back when your done. Keeps the bench tidy to boot.

SPAMADY SPAM SPAM SPAM!

It’s not like a US site like that would even be of any use to me….

[EDIT: So as to not look a complete idiot, this post was in response to a SPAM ad which the mods have now deleted.]

I use Halfords’ 3-drawer chest (link) and they’re down to a bargain £32 at the moment. Not exactly Snap-On quality, but good enough for home use, I’d say. It’ll hold a more or less complete tool kit (with careful packing). I added some non-slip matting to line the drawers.

Sachets of Silica gel in each drawer will help prevent corrosion.

TBH I took a look @ them all in the local store, but thought the friction shelves were a bit crap, especially when filled with lots of heavy metal tools*. That and there really quite flimsy… and a blind bearing puller came up on ebay, so that blew my budget…

*I’m from Brum, I have a lot of Brummy screwdrivers…

TBH I took a look @ them all in the local store, but thought the friction shelves were a bit crap, especially when filled with lots of heavy metal tools

Absolutely true; but bike tools aren’t that heavy. If you have a budget to get ball-bearing supported drawers, then go for it; but I couldn’t find anything better for the money than the Halfords one. The drawers actually feel much better when there’s some weight in them. As I said, mine holds a complete tool kit – much of which is held on the top shelf, anyway – and the drawers are doing fine. There have been five bikes in the house to be maintained, not to mention everyone else’s I have to work on.

Fair comment, I just held off because Mboy above had one for sale (but has seemingly forgotten about this), and then saw them and was a little put off by there flimsyiness (hense not chasing Mboy 😉 ). Also it’s the whole buy cheap, buy twice….
The local car parts place have a decent looking Sealey one with scratch damage going cheapish, so am holding out to buy that when I get some spare penny’s again.

but I couldn’t find anything better for the money than the Halfords one

This is defintely the case, even the scratch damaged one I want is double that Halfords price, and is normally 5 times as much.. 😯

I’ve had a Halfords one for a couple of years now. It’s been quite good, gets lugged around to most races (mainly for motocross), used to prop my trailer up when I needed to grease the hub bearings, generally well abused and it’s still fine. Covered in dents and scratches mind by that’s to be expected really, got a bit of rust in said scratches but not an excessive amount.

Iain

Halfords pro range are nice, if you can find one in the branch with a dent in it you can normally get some discount too 🙂

I’ve got a Halfords ‘Clip Off’ (or whatever their catchy nearly Snap-On type name is) tool chest with tool box nested on top. One bit of advice, go for the largest size you can afford, I got the smaller size and regretted it not long after.

Machine Mart do some decent ones. You dont need Pro range / Snap-On stuff unless your dragging it around a workshop/factory/garage on a daily basis. Mine is a Kennedy one, bought through work when I was setting the CNC’s. For bike tools though, I have a small plastic one that copes admirably. Its easy to pop in the boot for days out / carry to the kitchen for mid winter fettles.

I don’t want a snap-on toolbox, but do want something decent that’ll last, I have a tool/kit bag for throwing in the car
As discussed above, I don’t want a box to pile all the tools in, I want something I can easily locate the tools I want. I have lots of bit & piece’s not all bike specific, that get used on the bike repairs…

A tool-wall may be more use [though awkward if your read the OP] but I do fancy a toolbox..