Does anyone else find Kennedy Machinist boxes to be overpriced junk?

most of the new boxes now day have full bearing slides. the main dif is metal thickness....to me this only comes into play if your box is at a site that needs security. thick metal that other can't just bend open. for home and your own shop any of the newer boxes are just fine..i still have my snap on tank from my aviation days, craftsman , kennedy (just because the are small for measuring instruments)..never cared for the stupid little drawer pulls...just recently bought one from home depo to put my computer on and keep daily needed stuff in...stationary ,meds, other stuff. for 125 it is great. 6 drawer.
 
I have been using a Kobalt from Lowes "roll around" box for a number of years now and it's been a good value for the money. I didn't find any other boxes in that price range that had the build quality or features and it was available locally.

-Ron
 
I have one Kennedy, two Craftsman top chests, one of which sits on a wide bottom unit and intermediate box, plus I have an old Stak-On three unit roll away.

The Stak-on isn't bad for the money, but is small, and the drawer slides are just that: slides. Kinda sticky from time to time. Yes, it's a cheap set up.

The Craftsman stuff all has ball bearing slides, and they are great. No complaints from me. The big unit stands just six feet high. It is stuffed with my standard mechanic tools, I could easily use another one just like it.

All of my precision tools are in drawers in my lathe stand, but I hope to change that soon with a new wooden box that I plan to build myself as time allows.

My Kennedy?? It was my grandfather's. His tools are still in it just as he left them. Every once in a while I will use one of those tools, just so they aren't sitting there totally useless as he would say. Would I buy a new one? Probably not. Craftsman, Kobalt, and a few others are just as good.

Snap-On or Mac??? They are nice boxes, but my son paid more for his toolbox (just the box, mind you) than I paid for all of my machines, tooling, precision tools and tool boxes put together.
 
ScrapMetal said:
I have been using a Kobalt from Lowes "roll around" box for a number of years now and it's been a good value for the money. I didn't find any other boxes in that price range that had the build quality or features and it was available locally.

-Ron
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THE Kobalts are nice too.

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Senna said:
I'm looking at this one from HF for $360 minus whatever Inside Track (bogus program really) discount and with whatever coupons I may find.

It isn't set up like the Kennedy but it has ball bearing slides which my Kennedy didn't have. It also has metal pulls unlike the too small and too weak plastic things on my Kennedy.

Same price as the 52611 too.
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Ken, I don't think you can go wrong with that box. I have a HF roll around that I bought at a very competitive price point that is superior to the almost identical Snappy box that one of my hands paid almost 3 times more for. It's sturdier, rolls smoother and is all around beefier. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Pull the trigger. You'll be more than pleased. (at least I was/am).
 
I don't own a Kennedy, but I've seen quite a few of them. The older tool list at the school I attend had a basic three-drawer Kennedy top box on it... a few guys now have an 11-drawer. And even they say they aren't that good of a box! Well, it's true. No ball bearings, which is something I love. I don't think any toolbox is worth $300 for a small top, or $500 for a large one, though...

My toolbox setup at school is, on top, a basic Waterloo three-drawer which is fine, but it has no ball-bearings, so to me it may as well be on par with a Kennedy. Fit and finish isn't as good, but I really don't care about that. Guess what - for a bit less fit and finish, I saved a bit over 200 bucks over a three-drawer Kennedy...

Middle is a Kodiak three-drawer I got off of Amazon because it was cheap - $75 or so. Though it was shipped dented, I was able to fix it, and it has ball-bearing drawers.

The bottom is a WorkSmart five-drawer, which I absolutely love. Nice fitting, ball bearing drawers which close easily. Only thing I don't like is that they come open if I move the box, but I can lock it to fix that. A Kennedy of the same size, without ball bearing drawers which are most important in the bottom, where heavier items should be kept, would be... heck, I don't even know. The WorkSmart was $285 from MSC.

So... I think, if I were to buy an entire toolbox setup, I'd probably go with WorkSmart. The tops I've seen have ball-bearing drawers, and the bottom I have is fantastic. Some guys like Kennedy, that's great, they do look nice... but, I just love them ball bearings!
 
Speaking of the price being right, I built this one out of pine. Should be around for my grandson.
I might try a bottom roll around next.
Jack C.

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drs23 said:
Ken, I don't think you can go wrong with that box. I have a HF roll around that I bought at a very competitive price point that is superior to the almost identical Snappy box that one of my hands paid almost 3 times more for. It's sturdier, rolls smoother and is all around beefier. I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Pull the trigger. You'll be more than pleased. (at least I was/am).
Click to expand...

lathe 007.jpg lathe 006.jpg lathe 004.jpg
 
All of my Kennedy boxes are at least 40 years old or older. I have 5 chests, four are the 11 drawer and one is the 7 drawer unit. One 11 drawer and the 7 drawer unit is mine, bought in 1974. The other units belonged to my late father and brother and are at least 46 years old and older. I have zero complaints with the units.

Due to wear and tear, I have re-felted the drawers, but other than that, the boxes work as new.

Before you buy the HF toolbox, read some reviews on the unit. The drawer sliders are made mostly of plastic and take a crap when there is weight in them.
 
I am just a hobby machinist but I had to get a kennedy but it had to be cheap. I got the 8 drawer and the 2 drawer riser for $75 and it included a variety of end mills, hss tooling and 2 sets of transfer screws. It was very musty smelling so I dried it out with kitty litter, I took the felt out of the riser and put cork in.

I think kennedy is to a machinist/tool maker as a snapon is to a car guy. It's a piece of what makes you who you are and its almost expected. Just like having starrett.

In the end you really just need a place to put things, find the box that has the drawers for what you need.
 
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