Features To Look For When Buying A Mechanic's Tool Box
Whether you're a professional mechanic or you just love to work on cars in your spare time, you need a way to organize your tools to keep them handy and safe. There are several types of heavy-duty tool boxes suitable for mechanics. Some are small and ideal for common tools you use every day and others are tall chests that hold all the tools and parts you may need to work on cars. Here's a look at some features of tool boxes.
Portable Tool Boxes
A portable tool box is essential when you carry tools in your truck. They are made of heavy-duty steel yet are small enough to lift from the truck so you can work on a car on the side of the road. These can be chest style or cantilevered with drawers that unfold for the most storage. When choosing a portable tool box, you'll want to buy one with a deep compartment that's able to hold larger tools. Fold-out drawers are an added bonus as these allow you to keep small pieces organized without them rolling around loose in a larger compartment.
Large Tool Boxes
When it comes to a tool box for your garage or shop, you'll probably want one that holds a lot more than a portable tool box can. However, even very large storage systems are built on wheels so you can move them around for easy accessibility. A large tool box is ideal because of the many drawers it has. You'll probably want a box with a large pull-out or pull-down drawer on the bottom for holding large tools you use often. Another handy feature to look for is a tool chest that comes with outlets so you can connect power tools to the box rather than running them from an extension cord that gets in the way.
You may find a mechanic's tool box with drawers of assorted sizes with dividers that help you keep small parts separated, but if not, you'll want to consider additional storage bins for your tool box. Staying organized is important to working efficiently, and you don't want to dig for parts you need. Drawers lined with padded mats are also nice as the mats protect your tools and keep them from sliding around when you move the tool box. Something else you may want to look for is a hanging board with hooks so you can keep tools at arm's reach when you're working.
One other important feature you want to examine when you're shopping for any type of tool box or chest is the lock. The locking system should be sturdy so your tools are protected from theft when you're not around. Heavy duty tool boxes are made from tough steel, so they are difficult to break into, but if the lock is weak, your tools will be vulnerable. Contact a company, like Idaho Tool & Equipment, for more help.