HF Icon Toolbox

[J.A.F.E.]

I was in HF today to pick up some tarps since I'm still painting. The checkout line was in the isle where the toolboxes are displayed and I had a chance to checkout the Icon box. It is a nice box in many ways - it feels solid, and the drawers and side cabinet door operate very smooth. But in some ways it looks really cheap. While the fit is good the finish is not very impressive. The paint looks thick and is not smooth - not a very impressive display. The Icon badges which were on every piece looked really cheesy as well. They seem to be really going after Snap-on with these boxes like they do with a lot of tools and to me they are apples and oranges.

If I were in the market for a big box like that I might consider the Icon but given the cosmetic issues and other factors I would not pay much more than maybe 2 for it - about half of what they have it listed for. But I doubt I'd ever buy a box like that I like having several smaller boxes better.

The US General boxes they have to be represent a much better value just as an observation.

In general I have to say the Icon line of tools does not impress me at all. They look and feel like every other Taiwan.China offering and I see no value worth the extra cost.

[TexasT]

Sadly, not everyone can judge quality. That being the case is why the walmarts and such can sell on price and not offer anything to have a lasting item.

People look at the cost and base their whole buying decision on that. Then throw it away when it breaks and get another one.

My kids where pretty impressed I had what we needed to repair/replace the screen on a window the cat put a hole in. I doubt any of their friends fathers would have any idea how much less have the materials needed.

[jabberwoki]

Cant polish a turd.

[hickory n Steel]

They do seem overpriced to me, and in general I wouldn't really but a Hf box though I know the current Waterloo offerings are a bit flimsy.

I will say that their 17" hip roof box is great for $20, I got one as a gift 5 years ago or so and it's been excellent.
It's as sturdy as anything I'm sure, and mine has suffered a few falls with little damage.
If I could get a similar box US made that's as sturdy for under $40 I'd probably buy one but this little HF box is still going strong.
The handle doesn't move that smoothly,  but at least it's not plastic.

[Lookin4_67GalaxieConv]

When I saw an Icon box last fall at HF, I was pretty impressed with it.  I guess the one I looked at was finished better, because I don't recall any issues with that.  I thought it was very solid and it felt high quality to me.  However, price wise, it was way more than I'd pay.

I guess I don't really understand the affection for the US General boxes.  I do like the smaller boxes that are 22" deep in the different colors they offer.  If I was going to buy USG, it would be one of these or the cart.

Not all that impressed with the bigger boxes though, the 56" and 72".  While I agree they're priced well for the quality, I still found the quality lacking.

[GNAP]

Cant polish a turd.

But you can spray paint them!!

[goodfellow]

I assume that like anything else they sell on the higher end, the company most likely has multiple vendors manufacturing to the same design. Hence there may be some that have better fit/finish than others.

[J.A.F.E.]

I don't know how HF contracts work with their vendors but vendors usually charge for NRE (non recurring engineering) which includes designing the unit or adapting an existing design to be as built, developing the tooling and assembly line and an initial order that had to meet some minimum number of units. I can't see HF paying NRE to multiple vendors for a toolbox. Something like a ratchet or wrench set it could well be.

I worked for a company that had some things made in Taiwan and Japan notably keyboards, printers and monitors - these were not sold they were leased as part of a service to deliver information to the customers desk. It was a huge pain and these were well established vendors they had had long term relationships with my employer. The vendor making the shells for the monitors for instance was always trying to cut costs and always trying to get the company to pay for the tooling and costs associated with the changes. Probably half of all the shells they made were rejected mostly for fit issues but a lot for finish or color as well. Quality control was always an issue - to the point the company had to have full time employees on site at the vendors to oversee production and QC. And even then many shipments were rejected by receiving or things needed to be reworked.

The issue HF is having with the jack stands is probably a good example. They had a long term contract with some vendor for these and used the same tooling to the point it was worn beyond spec. HF dropped the ball by trusting the vendor or at least not checking the shipments very closely and the vendor tried to squeeze max profit from the contract and no one was looking over their shoulder.

To get the contracts and purchase orders vendors are always on good behavior but once the ink dries and money starts moving things can change.

On the toolboxes the early units when all the HF suits were visiting the vendors and picking at details probably came out great but once the spotlight was off quality may well have slipped.

[bonneyman]

I have not been in HF since the very start of the virus thing. I looked over the ICON ratchets and such but didn't get to the back of the store where the boxes were, as the place was a madhouse.

For me, construction counts for more than appearance. If the box is sturdy then it might be worth buying even if the finish isn't top notch. I figure once you get the box into a shop things are going to get scratched, dinged, dented, and worn anyway, so if the paint is thin or the chrome isn't a mirror I don't care. But I do have a limit on price.

It's sort of how I feel about Snap-On. Yeah they make a good tool, but I think they put way to much time into polishing the tools up like the Hubble telescope and then charging in the stratosphere for it. I understand people expect a nice finish but I'm always weighing the costs. It's one of the things I liked about Bonney wrenches. They offered a satin finish at a lower price than their full polish so those mechanics could still get the quality tool.   

[highland512]

The whole ICON tool box thing is a head scratcher for me. For the same $ you can go get a VERY Gently used Snap On, MAC, or Matco. But I guess some people have to have new stuff when they spend thousands.

As far as comparing Icon to Snap On, its more like comparing apples too potatoes. 

[skfarmer]

The whole ICON tool box thing is a head scratcher for me. For the same $ you can go get a VERY Gently used Snap On, MAC, or Matco. But I guess some people have to have new stuff when they spend thousands.

As far as comparing Icon to Snap On, its more like comparing apples too potatoes.

that is a very broad statement that may be true in your part of the world. i have never and i mean never been able score a used truck box at a reasonable price in my neck of the woods. boxes are regional. ask phil, he would agree.

every box has been next to new priced  used or thrashed out, rusty, half the paint missing, dented pieces of shit at the same price or more than a hf box.

that's why i have a 72 inch us general in my shop. i would love something different but i have the box now and don't have to wait for a unicorn deal. if it comes up i will gladly replace the hf but for now it is just fine.

[highland512]

The whole ICON tool box thing is a head scratcher for me. For the same $ you can go get a VERY Gently used Snap On, MAC, or Matco. But I guess some people have to have new stuff when they spend thousands.

As far as comparing Icon to Snap On, its more like comparing apples too potatoes.

that is a very broad statement that may be true in your part of the world. i have never and i mean never been able score a used truck box at a reasonable price in my neck of the woods. boxes are regional. ask phil, he would agree.

every box has been next to new priced  used or thrashed out, rusty, half the paint missing, dented pieces of shit at the same price or more than a hf box.

that's why i have a 72 inch us general in my shop. i would love something different but i have the box now and don't have to wait for a unicorn deal. if it comes up i will gladly replace the hf but for now it is just fine.

Understandable with the regional thing. I just did a quick search and came up with this:

https://www.harborfreight.com/56-in-x-25-in-professional-roller-cabinet-red-56134.html
https://dayton.craigslist.org/tls/d/dayton-snap-on-krl1022/7129534478.html

When it comes to the US General box's, they are a hands down winner in my book.

[DeadNutz]

I don't need any box like the Icon's which were nice but not for me. The new Craftsman boxes at Lowe's are light flimsy junk to me. The wife asked if she could buy me the HF 72" roller but I said no as I am fine on roller boxes. Some of her employees wanted the HF 72's and the company bought them and take it out of their pay weekly or monthly and they like the boxes.

[fatfillup]

To SK's point, if you live in the boonies, deals are far and few between.  I was in South Dakota for a meeting and couldn't believe how little was for sale on Craigslist.  I am sure North Dakota is no different. 

As to the Icon boxes, I saw them in HF and the ones I saw, likely 4 months ago looked pretty nice, but they were unpriced.  What little pricing I have seen on them, they are too high IMO.  I agree with Highland, a used truck box can be bought for the same money.

As to US General boxes, likely good for a serious DIYer but I don't see them holding up in a pro environment. Certainly a good value to get started with though.

As to the latest CMan boxes, what a POS.  Fine for a homeowner but even a serious DIYer would be disappointed after a few years.  Saw one in the local John Deere shop yesterday and just shook my head. 

[skfarmer]

To SK's point, if you live in the boonies, deals are far and few between.  I was in South Dakota for a meeting and couldn't believe how little was for sale on Craigslist.  I am sure North Dakota is no different.   

gee thanks phil. now everybody knows and will want to come here.

phil has been to my place. he know's it's not the end of the world but he could see it from my screen house!