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I'm out of room for small hand tools, so I'm looking around for a machinist-type tool chest to go on the bench top. I'd like a Gerstner, but they're out of my price range. Anybody have any experience with this chest from Grizzly?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/26-Oak-10-Drawer-Chest/H7716

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I was at Grizzly on the way to Blues Creek and looked at the boxes, they are worth what they are asking but they had none in stock. Check Craigs list for Kennedy boxes, they are metal but often have good prices.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Fred,

That's what I was wondering, if they looked like they were worth the sale price. I sure couldn't build one for Grizzly's price. I know they're not Gerstner quality, but I just need something with drawers that work decently and won't fall apart in a year. Were you able to look at them up close, work the drawers and so on?

I've had a Kennedy machinists chest for years, and like it a lot. This wooden chest would be for small hand tools, and the wood would keep me from dinging up edges on chisels.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

"beautiful face veneer over stable center core construction"

Pat,
I would find out what this means. Sounds like gobble-le-gok.
I would suspect some kind of mdf core especially because it seems to be really heavy. If it were a muti-ply plywood I might be interested but I say might.
Make them tell you in plain English and in terms that have been used for the last 100 years what the construction actually is. This kind of deliberately misleading language irks me.
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Link,

I noticed that too, but a review I found said it was wood, but didn't mention ply or mdf.

Filippo, that is the case with some of their stuff, though some of it's decent.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

They are what they are, for that price of course they would be from the east, the drawers did not seem to bad, I have seen made in China wood boxes at Harbor freight and our Princess auto here in Canada that were lesser quality than these. For me I will stick with my purchased used Kennedy boxes I have 3 now and am watching for another, they are made for a life time of use in industry.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Fred,
I'm with you on the Kennedy boxes. I have two.

I have no problem with the Griz boxes if they are veneered over solid wood on both sides or if they are plywood but not if they are mdf or particle board. I don't have a problem with mdf or particle board other than I don't think it will hold up for a tool box and it is heavy. And.... why not just say in plain language what the construction is.

Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I like the Kennedys too, had mine for about 20 years, bought well-used, and it will likely outlast me.

As for the vague language, probably marketing lingo, not wanting to use some overused boring descriptor like "wood" . or maybe they want to leave open the option of switching to some other kind of "stable core construction" like mdf at some later date.I did wonder about the weights on the the Grizzly boxes- they do seem heavy. Maybe it's because they're shipping weights? Dunno.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Pat,
I called them and they did say the panels were mdf but that the frames were solid wood. However I didn't put a lot of stock in what the guy said as even though he was a tech he was just reading a product description and he didn't know what to call any of the parts of the box. He kept saying corner braces and braces and some other things. and I said " corner braces ? could that be a frame and the mdf part the panel ?" to which he said yes.
He didn't know what the drawers were made of.
If it were me I would look for a used Gershwin or similar or make one. If you really like the classic look of the prototypical machinist chest like a Gerstner then it is more involved to make one but there are plans available. The tray that pulls out to cover the draws and locks and things make the project more involved. If it will be stationary it is pretty easy to build a cool chest with mostly scraps. Make the drawers long for function and so you don't pull them out on the floor. Little stops are really the ticket. Nothing like dumping a drawer of precision tools on the floor to ruin your day. Local cabinet shops are a good source and have lots of off cuts and scrap that would yield pieces big enough for the mostly small parts of a chest. What ever you decide let us know what you end up with and if a Grizz tell us how it is constructed.
Good luck,
Link

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Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

It's true that ya gets what ya pays for... But what the hey! It's not like you're gonna throw this box in the back of a truck & bash it around at a job site. It's going to sit on a bench in a heated shop & hold some precious hand tools. If it didn't cost so darned much for cross border shipping, I'd be tempted to take a chance on it.

Hey Pat, this looks familiar, and it's cheaper. It says it's a wood chest. Probably the same one Griz sells. I have seen many similarities on other items. "Satisfaction Guaranteed!"

http://www.harborfreight.com/eight-draw ... 94538.html

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Waddy

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Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Daniel

Busy Bee was carrying these Grizzly boxes last fall. They may still have them.

Bob

Link,

Thanks for the info. I think I could live with mdf panels as long as the structural stuff is wood.

I'd love to build one, if I had the time. But if I did, I'd go with quality hardware, about $150, plus wood and time. Might as well buy a Gerstner! But building one would give me the drawer size I need, which is met only by an out-of-production Gerstner, and the 6-drawer Grizzly, unless I went with a monster 11-drawer Gerstner that wouldn't fit on my bench.

Waddy, thanks, but I've seen the HF one and it's just not up to snuff.

Daniel, true it won't be banging around in the back of a truck, since I don't have one.

Thanks,

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

I just stopped at Harbor Freight to look at theirs. It looks great from about three feet away, but when I picked it up, it felt like it was hanging from a helium balloon. Finish was good, joints were good, but the drawers fit loosely. The wood was very soft, and homogeneous, with no discernible grain. I don't think the drawer slides would have lasted six months, even with the light use it would have gotten in my shop.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Thanks for posting the info Bob. I appreciate it. But... After reading Pat's post, think I'll give it a pass. Pity.

Since you've ruled that out, Sears, now seems to have a pretty good selection of the Gerstner boxes of various sizes, both the hobby sizes and the tool sizes. They aren't cheap, but they look nice. I just got their new tool catalog, and saw them as I was thumbing through.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars