A travelling tool box

I have a halfords advanced set. Tis ok enough but the major problem is that the box is broken and held to with bungee cord and the moulds aren't tight enough to prevent the little sockets getting all over the place.
I also use my impact set a lot which is another plastic box. On top of that, I use a set of wrenches (1 ring set, 1 box set then keep random imperials in another box).
I then have yet more plastic and metal boxes with different sets and torx/allen bits.
In addition, I have the landrover specialist tools i.e. an array of hammers, stilsons and grips.
I am looking at making a box that I can keep two torque wrenches, all sockets and all wrenches in. Mainly due to working in two different places. At the moment I throw most stuff in cold lay buckets!

SO, I'm thinking finding the correctly sized box and combining it with these:







Has anyone done similar? I'm struggling to find a perfectly sized metal box too!

I have one of those socket trays, they are a good idea if you have the discipline to put stuff back, I start out with good intention but when I'm busy I often end up just chucking stuff in to sort out later. Every now and again I have a big tidy up and vow to keep it that way but never seems to last.

raywin said:

I have one of those socket trays, they are a good idea if you have the discipline to put stuff back, I start out with good intention but when I'm busy I often end up just chucking stuff in to sort out later. Every now and again I have a big tidy up and vow to keep it that way but never seems to last.

Click to expand...

I'm the same, especially in the dark. Why is it always the 10mm that I cant find too??!! I will put everything back all the time if it means I don't search for a 10mm again.

This is the current favourite.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cb3-3-drawer-chest/

resto_d1 said:

I have a halfords advanced set. Tis ok enough but the major problem is that the box is broken and held to with bungee cord and the moulds aren't tight enough to prevent the little sockets getting all over the place.
I also use my impact set a lot which is another plastic box. On top of that, I use a set of wrenches (1 ring set, 1 box set then keep random imperials in another box).
I then have yet more plastic and metal boxes with different sets and torx/allen bits.
In addition, I have the landrover specialist tools i.e. an array of hammers, stilsons and grips.
I am looking at making a box that I can keep two torque wrenches, all sockets and all wrenches in. Mainly due to working in two different places. At the moment I throw most stuff in cold lay buckets!

SO, I'm thinking finding the correctly sized box and combining it with these:

Has anyone done similar? I'm struggling to find a perfectly sized metal box too!

Click to expand...

i use similar to those plus single row strips as well as the 80 pc you have pictured, i like my best tools organised

jamesmartin said:

i use similar to those plus single row strips as well as the 80 pc you have pictured, i like my best tools organised

Click to expand...

The halfords box is junk but the sockets aren't bad. I then have a mismatch of additional sockets and ratchets etc.

I've mentioned to you before I was careless with my tools when younger and now want the ones that cost decent money tidied.

I think I'll make one up with that Clarke box and only fix in with magnets to keep them detachable. for some reason I always end up with toolbox the opposite end of where I'm working lol

Heh, I have a big velcro strap round the Halfords box and a tea-cloth to hold the small sockets in!!

I use a Tesco delivery box for toolboxes, Impact in an aluminium 'briefcase' style, spanners roll, 'general tools' also in an aluminium briefcase, unfortunately they were all bought from Maplins in their closing down sale!! I also use another Tesco box for oils, spares, bottle jack, 'crap' .. They fit side by side in the 90 rear, with just enough room on the passenger side to hold a Hi-lift, shovel and a saw quite tightly, with a torque wrench, breaker bar and 27mm large impact socket fitted, and the jack handle ..

With the main bits in the Tesco box, the Halfords toolkit (quite large) fits nicely over it all ..

Halfords will replace the case for your set if its the advanced/pro

Kev12 said:

Halfords will replace the case for your set if its the advanced/pro

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FYI, I had one changed on warranty.
BUT
On new ones , it is no longer covered.

Cheers

neilly said:

FYI, I had one changed on warranty.
BUT
On new ones , it is no longer covered.

Cheers

Click to expand...

Meh they finally realised how rubbish the catches are then

Kev12 said:

Meh they finally realised how rubbish the catches are then

Click to expand...

Reckon so..

But on the pointof toolboxes, I use a laycorn box or two to hold all the tools etc, not exactly a tool box , but a handy place to lock stuff up. Sits between the wheel arch boxes on a fender quite nicely.

Cheers

Kev12 said:

Meh they finally realised how rubbish the catches are then

Click to expand...

However,

I suppose it depends when you purchased said socket set, as it may be on the older stuff they are still liable for the warranty. Mine was an older set.
When I got the newer set it was listed as not covered on the website.
Has to be worth a try to see if you can get a new one...LOL.

Cheers

Paul D said:

Heh, I have a big velcro strap round the Halfords box and a tea-cloth to hold the small sockets in!!

I use a Tesco delivery box for toolboxes, Impact in an aluminium 'briefcase' style, spanners roll, 'general tools' also in an aluminium briefcase, unfortunately they were all bought from Maplins in their closing down sale!! I also use another Tesco box for oils, spares, bottle jack, 'crap' .. They fit side by side in the 90 rear, with just enough room on the passenger side to hold a Hi-lift, shovel and a saw quite tightly, with a torque wrench, breaker bar and 27mm large impact socket fitted, and the jack handle ..

With the main bits in the Tesco box, the Halfords toolkit (quite large) fits nicely over it all ..


View attachment 160645 View attachment 160646 View attachment 160647 View attachment 160648

Click to expand...

My ignorance is such that I only recognise the 4 pint milk bottle! But it is impressively tidy.

It must be 5 or 6 years. It looks like I've dropped it from the top of the shard though so it would probably class as misuse. I don't really want another one of theirs either as the molds are no good. The socket tray slide things are like springs and if I kick them or box I won't scatter which is a bonus! Halfords actually have a half price 3 drawer chest on at the moment for 25 quid! Not sure if worth the put or spend a tad more n get the Clarke one

derwendolly said:

My ignorance is such that I only recognise the 4 pint milk bottle! But it is impressively tidy.

Click to expand...

Heheheh, thanks.. That's actually a 6 litre cleaning fluids bottle, now used for camping as my night time pee bottle ... It has a wide opening ..

It's only tidy 'cos I ain't used it for a while, getting it MOT'd Monday then let battle commence ..

Paul D said:

That's actually a 6 litre cleaning fluids bottle, now used for camping as my night time pee bottle ... It has a wide opening ..

Click to expand...

See, I can't even get that right!

My back end looks like this---
.

resto_d1 said:

I have a halfords advanced set. Tis ok enough but the major problem is that the box is broken and held to with bungee cord and the moulds aren't tight enough to prevent the little sockets getting all over the place.
I also use my impact set a lot which is another plastic box. On top of that, I use a set of wrenches (1 ring set, 1 box set then keep random imperials in another box).
I then have yet more plastic and metal boxes with different sets and torx/allen bits.
In addition, I have the landrover specialist tools i.e. an array of hammers, stilsons and grips.
I am looking at making a box that I can keep two torque wrenches, all sockets and all wrenches in. Mainly due to working in two different places. At the moment I throw most stuff in cold lay buckets!

SO, I'm thinking finding the correctly sized box and combining it with these:

Has anyone done similar? I'm struggling to find a perfectly sized metal box too!

Click to expand...

One of the old fitters on Pryor's years ago used to have all his tools organized in a home made marine ply tool chest, he has it on massive rubber casters and a ramp that enabled him to wheel it out the back of his van and into the workshop or I actually saw it in the bucket of a Volvo loading shovel being taken down to a stricken dozer where he would never have gotten his van and would have spent half a day trudging back and forth for the tools that he didn't realize he needed, worked really well, it was draws of those socket holders from 1/4" right up to 1" drive, draws full of screw drivers, allen keys, chisels, levers and pry bars, strap and chain wrenches, hammers were clipped to the side as were the stilsons, the spanners were in a draw the full width and they all had a place, he had a separate draw with Whitworth spanners in as they were far less common as time progressed but on some of the older stuff very necessary.

Keep us posted with your construction, need a bit of encouragement and an idea or two to pinch for myself

This is what I'm hoping to achieve although I still need to be able to lift it. I don't want to go over 40kg. I think I'll go with the 3 tier Clarke box. as you mentioned, the bigger stuff can be clipped to the sides/top using the above.

Either that or one of these.