A machinist at a tractor shop changed my mind about cheap tool storage.

I always figured a cheap plastic toolbox was fine for my wrenches. Then last fall at a farm equipment repair shop in eastern Washington, the old machinist showed me his 30-year-old metal Craftsman box. He pointed to a dent on the side and said 'that's from a 200-pound tractor weight falling on it, box saved my hand.' After seeing that, I drove straight to a pawn shop and picked up a used heavy duty chest for $80. Has anyone else had a single conversation that made you upgrade something basic?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sandra9d ago

Put a nicer pair of work boots on my feet after a conversation with an electrician who told me "your back will thank you in ten years." It's crazy how one person's real experience can cut through all the marketing noise and just make you pay attention to what actually lasts.

betty_park628d ago

I think about that all the time with my boots actually. My buddy had a pair of Red Wings he swore by and after he told me about the time he stepped on a nail and the sole was thick enough to stop it, I went and got a used pair from a thrift store for 40 bucks. @the_sandra knows what I mean, that kind of real talk cuts through the guesswork.