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It now seems to be common to see wheeled tool chests in both pro and private garages usually with a further drawered tool box sitting on top.

Halfords have inexpensive sets, their proffesional sets with ballbearing runners, did not look that strong to me and their industrial sets which to be honest did not feel that much heavier on inspection. I did get a Halfords tradecard off them that lowers prices on these items.

MachineMart have their Clarke Mechanic set which is their entry level and their HD set which from a WEB inspection appear to be a bit heavier but as yet I have not seen them in the flesh.

At the local garage today the mechanics all have large SNAPON cabinets at around £2,500.

I have loads of tools and would consider myself a heavy private user, not a proffessional user but having a two post lift as you can guess their are a lot of guest cars turning up and using the tools.

I want something that will last say 15 years and by that time I will let the motor trade take over the car maintenace.

Has anyone purchased this type of kit in the past few years.

Edited by Eddie Cairns
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I recently bought the black Halfords industrial range when on special offer.

 

Its pretty well made, quite a bit heavier than the red range.

 

Perhaps go and have a look as its usually on display?

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Yep, I'm a Halfords fan. I have their 7 drawer with roller bearings sitting on top of a 5 drawer (larger bottom drawer) with roller bearings. Cost me £250 on one of their regular offers and I've seen them down at about £200 again on offer. They work fine and feel certainly of a quality which will give 10-15 years use to me in an everyday amateur garage.

I've worked for 40 years in professional truck shops and seen the equipment which those guys accumulate and Snap on was always the choice...until about the last 10 years. Then I've seen some Halfords sets come in purely for the reasons you've said, who wants to put £2500 into boxes to keep tools in ? the cheaper ones do the same job.

 

Mick Richards

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Hi Mick

 

Why don't you ask your local Snap-On rep if he has something secondhand?

 

I got to know the local Snap-On guy as he used the bakery two doors away from my office, and as I needed some imperial feeler guages/ spanners etc, it wasn't long before I was spending far too long browsing the contents of his van and after that rarely did I emerge empty handed, due mostly to some very interesting, quality 'must have' stuff on board.

 

However, I found they are always upgrading the local mechanics' cabinets, and I managed to buy from him a used Snap On wheeled lower cabinet with very deep drawers together with an upper tool chest, again with several drawers and compartments, for a little under £300 complete with keys, and was very pleased with it.

 

The problem I found with the Clarke and Halford sets is one, they are quite expensive as usually new, and secondly the drawers are not deep enough, so you will find you will spend half your time with a steel ruler or screwdriver trying to free off a drawer jammed halfway by the tools in the one below. Also Snap On tools and equipment is guaranteed for life which applies to secondhand cabinets as far as I know.

 

Regards

 

Kevin

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Hello, I agree with Kevin on Snap On, lovely stuff to use!!, try ebay and look for closest, they always come up and if you are happy with a non -red tool cabinet there are bargains, good luck, Andrew

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I am a big fan of the Halfords Professional range, I looked at many different types and felt the they offered by far the best value/quality blend.

As Mick has mentioned, wait for their sale offers, before Christmas is a good time and check for the 'flash-sales' throughout the year.

 

Whenever I have looked, snap-on are ridiculously expensive, even secondhand.

 

....... Andy

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Bide your time and pick up secondhand snap on and build your set up as they become avIlable at sensible prices on eBay, gumtree etc

Edited by carld
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SnapOn have to be what a pro uses every day,

Then Teng Tools, then Facom

 

I used a cheapo Halfords top-box and cabinet for ten years of hobby mechanics, and the drawers get a bit loose, so I treated myself to the Halfords Pro equivalent. Less than ten but no sign of problems. Halfords Pro tools were alleged to have been made by Facom, of Blue point fame to the same standard but I believe they have a different t contractor now. We shall see. Certainly their " No questions asked replacement" if you do have a tool failure is cast iron,straight off the shelf if they have it in stock.

 

Pros I know speak very highly of Halfords. They still want SnapOn for themselves, but is worth it, unless for daily use for life?

 

John

Edited by john.r.davies
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not being well-organised i find drawers frustrating...gotta pull open to find whats inside...

 

I use these simple tray type...can see everything at once...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Utility-Tray-Tool-Cart-Trolley-3-Tier-Tool-Storage-Wheel-Rolling-Garage-Workshop-/401113244893

 

 

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Ask yourself if you will wear out a relative cheapie?

 

Unless you are using a tool box for your work the tool tray will get vastly less use than a kitchen drawer so buy a cheaper one and spend the difference on more tools with a quality ratchet being the priority, a reasonable set of sockets and quality 7/16, 1/2 and 9/16" sockets as they are the ones you will use the most on the TR.

 

Even amongst the grease monkey world it is recognised that having the biggest Snap On box is a bling thing unlike the tools themselves which really make a difference to your work. Snap On and Facom being very highly rated.

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Coming from a commercial background of truck mechanics and observing what the tools were was a little surprising. As you may expect a preponderance of Snap On, BritTool, Facom King Dick and then coming up on the outside Halfords and especially their professional range.

The mechanics put them all to the sword, breaking all the makes with gay abandon, when it's a question of come off you b*****d or the job stops sometimes it's the tool that cries enough. When I questioned them many said there wasn't enough quality difference between the heavily priced "diamond range **** on or Bitchtool" (their choice of names) against the more reasonably priced HalFrauds (neat) tools.

Especially liked was the idea of breaking a Halfords tool and sending out to the nearest store (during the shift) of one of our parts vans complete with the invoice for the bought parts and having them replaced FOC within a matter of an hour within their normal 9-8pm openings, especially important where the workshops are open 24/7. Meaning a broken tool only takes a maximum of 13 hours to replace, the Halfords branches willingly take tools from complete sets or from their displays to replace items.The normal retailing Snap on or Britool vans would call weekly to our workshops making it a long wait for a mechanic who's broken a tool, the Halfords brand is making inroads into the commercial world because of it.

 

Mick Richards

Edited by Motorsport Mickey
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I have the halfords red one with black drawers (i think the middle in their range). Their 'vague closure lock annoys me. I also find the deep drawers just fill with stuff that should be thrown away or put back on ebay !

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Halfords also supp!y giant socket rack that fills zha!low drawer, leaving space for wrenches extensions etc. Good value

 

Their spanner racks for in drawer use ate less good, foam strips with notches that stick to the floor or liner. Mine will fall apart soon. I'm lookin g for so ethi g else any ideas?

 

John

 

E&OE. I'm fed up with correct ting my fat fingered faults ontbnis s teen keyboard!

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I have the halfords red one with black drawers... I also find the deep drawers just fill with stuff that should be thrown away or put back on ebay !

 

 

 

Hi Mick

 

Halford sets ... and secondly the drawers are not deep enough,

 

Regards

 

Kevin

Good example of different features appealing to different people.

 

Mick Richards

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Halfords have the Industrial Cabinet and Chest Bundle on offer at the moment for

£399

 

 

Just noticed that this bundle includes the centre-box, so it is actually 3-pieces, i have rarely seen that offer before.

....... Andy

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I got a Halfords Trade Card and they offer the floor Cab for £200 that is 6 drawer, the mid box for £100 that is 3 drawer and the larger top box for £100 that is 6 drawer.

 

Therefore the Trade card is no cheaper than the offer price to punters but you do not have to buy the three boxes at once.

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Yes, if they have the right offers on they can be cheaper than using a trade card - it is always asking the cashier to check both options (regular price Less trade discount or offer price, shame you can't get both!) before paying

....... Andy

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I have the black industrial set (upgraded from a red cabinet last year) I think it's great. Lots of room, the drawers slide in and out even with some heavy(ish) tools loaded in.

Have used it for around a year rebuilding a Zodiac and now a TR4 and its been perfect, no hesitation in recommending it.

The pro range of tools seem good too, got a ratchet spanner set (only in metric) and a socket set and they've been abused a little but looking and using like new still.

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  • 4 weeks later...

In Feb for my birthday the Duchess and the family treated me to this bad boy.

OMG my first flat wasn't that big !!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol::lol:

http://www.costco.co.uk/view/p/kirkland-signature-42-106-cm-6-drawer-1-cabinet-top-chest-42-106-cm-10-drawer-bottom-tool-chest-803353

 

IMG_1297_zpsa7watk0l.jpg

seams very well made you need two people to place the top chest on the lower chest V happy ;):D

Edited by Clarkey
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Bought my Snap- On KRA 58 C box in 1975 and have it still, doing sterling service. An excellent if expensive option at the time as an impecunious engineer (IE)

.

 

http://www.collectingsnapon.com/index.php?page=Tool%20Storage/Tool%20Storage%20KRA%20series

 

 

Peter W

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