Nearly all good quality tool chests come with included drawer liners. The problem is that these drawer liners immediately slide around on you when opening and closing the drawer. We recommend applying spray adhesive on your drawer liners. To do this, just pick up some spray adhesive we recommend Gorilla Heavy-Duty spray adhesive. First, clean or vacuum out the drawers we try to do it as soon as we get the tool chest.
Next, spray the adhesive on the drawer bottom and also on half of the drawer liner. Wait a minute to let the spray tack up a little bit. Then, apply the glued half of the liner to the drawer—back to front. Finally, spray the remaining portion of the bottom of the liner and smooth it into place. We definitely love the idea of using foam inserts like those made by Kaizen Inserts. Custom foam inserts like those in the Sonic Tools S9 above help you keep track of your tools.
Most people, however, will need to roll their own. This takes discipline, as it means you have to lay out your drawers and decide where you want your tools to live. Having used foam inserts, I find it difficult to go back. Of course, you still have to add in the tools and manual labor to customize those inserts the way you want them. We judge tool chests on a variety of factors.
We also run these by professionals in various fields to see what they think and get their input. Some tool chests have tons of thin drawers that do great for small wrenches and drivers but fail when it comes to larger tools. We prefer a decent mix. Your particular needs should dictate the style you choose, however.
Auto mechanics typically favor a higher number of thinner drawers to hold all those specialty picks, wrenches, and hand tools that make their job easier. We also like the presence of power strips on the top of tool cabinets. That allows for easy charging of phones, meters, scanners, and even cordless tool batteries when needed.
Those gimmicky boxes with integrated Pioneer radios and small refrigerators? Leave them alone. They might be fun for a spell, but we prefer tool chests that focus on their core use: tool storage. We love the safety lockout feature on the Sonic Tools boxes. This keeps the box from ever tipping over on you. Value matters. How much you need to invest in a good tool chest affects your bottom line.
That might explain our excitement over Husky tool chests and workbenches that compete on features with the big dogs but do it for less. Speaking of value—we recommend Husky a lot on this page, but if you have a Northern Tool store nearby, you can find decent products from the likes of Homak.
Where you find a similar value to our most affordable picks are at Harbor Freight. Their U. General series provides several great options and colors! Our Pro reviewers work in the trades and have the skills and experience to know whether tools can perform well in the field. Each year, we bring in and review more than individual products.
Our team will put our hands on hundreds of additional tools at media events and trade shows throughout the year. We consult with innovators in the technology and design of tools to gain a broader grasp of where these products fit and how they work.
We work with more than two dozen professional contractors around the United States who review products for us on real job sites and consult with us on testing methods, categories, and weighting.
The end result is information you can trust because of the editorial, scientific, and real-world professional experience we collectively utilize each and every time we pick up and test a tool. When he's not remodeling part of his house or playing with the latest power tool, Clint enjoys life as a husband, father, and avid reader.
Working on a myriad of feature films , Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer.
After founding the CD Media, Inc. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards , an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades. For traditional metal tool box fans, this rolling model from Craftsman is a no-brainer. And, no matter how many projects it sees through, you have a year warranty from the manufacturer backing you as well. As great as portable tool boxes can be, sometimes those handles can be a pain in themselves.
What makes this version special in comparison to others is that the entire thing can deconstruct and detach from the dolly, allowing you to carry parts of it if needed. Rolling with the sturdy handle is a bonus. The handle is retractable so you can roll it around easily, or you can simply toss it over your shoulder.
Although it may look small from the outside, the interior is spacious and able to fit a wide variety of power tools and smaller handheld items. Plenty of extra room for other tools and saw blades. The boxes also have holes for padlocks to secure your most important tools. If you don't need wheels, a sturdy tool box with a handle is just as great for lugging around your daily set of tools.
The drawers slide smoothly and there is a detent to hold them in while the top is open. For more similar suppliers, including suppliers of portable equipment cases , tool box foam , and portable storage racks , consult our additional guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform.
The tool chest has a lock to keep your tools safe. Four casters, two with brakes, let you maneuver the chest to wherever you need it. If desired, you can separate the upper chest from the lower cabinet. The tool chest measures The Milwaukee Inch Drawer Rolling Cabinet Set view at Home Depot wins our top spot thanks to its rugged construction and superior storage design and capability. This is the best choice if you have a large collection of tools that you take seriously.
But if budget is a concern, you'll get plenty of storage space at a reasonable price with the Goplus 6-Drawer Rolling Tool Chest view at Amazon.
Obviously, the larger your collection of tools, the bigger the box needed to contain them all. The right choice for you depends on the size of your tool collection, the amount of space you have to hold your tool box, and whether or not you plan on toting the box with you to worksites outside your home or garage.
Also, consider the weight of the tool box. Not just the initial starting weight provided by the manufacturers, but also the final weight after you have filled it with tools. If the tool box is too big, then it will rapidly become too heavy for you to carry or move without relying on a set of wheels on the bottom of the tool box. If portability is important, consider small, compact options or look for a product with reliable casters. The simplest options have little beyond a tray with a few compartments for smaller items, while the largest tool boxes are equipped with multiple drawers, dividers to further organize the drawers, pullout bins, lift-out trays, and even spots on top to hold your laptop, beverage, or notebook.
Another consideration when it comes to organizing options is whether the doors, drawers, and trays are lockable. For homes with small kids, it's advised to invest in a locking tool box to help prevent accidents. Again, the right choice depends on your own preferences and tool collection.
The material used to construct mechanic tool boxes is usually some type of metal, like aluminum or stainless steel, though there are some products that are made of impact-resistant plastic. Heavy-duty tool boxes that you can rely on to safely store your tools are typically made of steel.
These boxes weigh a lot but stand up to rigorous conditions in busy garages or worksites. Aluminum mechanic tool boxes are less expensive than stainless steel, but these products are also more vulnerable to scratches and dents. There is no hard-and-fast definition of a mechanic tool box, nor do you have to be a mechanic to own one.
But as a general rule, these tool boxes are large enough to require caster wheels for relatively easy transportation around the workshop. They also have a wide variety of drawers to organize tools, parts, and other accessories that may be necessary when you are working on a project.
The short answer is that you organize your tool box in the manner that works best for you. This article is edited and updated by Michelle Ullman , the tool expert for The Spruce. She has extensive experience not only in writing about all things related to the home, but also in carrying out various DIY projects, including landscaping, painting, flooring, wallpapering, furniture makeovers, and simple repairs.
For this roundup, she considered dozens of mechanic tool boxes, evaluating each for basic features, extras, and customer feedback. Additional research is provided by Timothy Dale, a home improvement expert with more than 10 years of experience who specializes in plumbing, construction, and product recommendations, among other topics, and Eamon Lynch, Director of Warranty Service at Power Home Remodeling.
Timothy Dale is a home repair expert and writer with over a decade of hands-on construction and home improvement experience. He is skilled in residential, commercial, industrial and institutional plumbing, electrical, carpentry, installation, renovations, and project management.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile.
Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The Best 8 Mechanic Tool Boxes of Keep your tools neatly organized to retrieve the right tool without delay.
By Michelle Ullman. Michelle Ullman. Michelle Ullman is a home decor expert and product reviewer for home and garden products. She has been writing about home decor for over 10 years for publications like BobVila. Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Best Midsize:.
0コメント