well i pulled another smooth move by locking my craftsman tool chest and then putting the keys somewhere where i just plumb forgot where. i've almost forgot what's in there, but when i need something at the time i just kick myself knowing that it's locked up. any suggestions other than a locksmith? will another craftsman key work, or possible to pick it, or can we dismantle it somehow? any tips would be appreciated.
help! been locked out
- Thread starter littledog
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Bird
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Littledog, ask the folks at Sears about it. I don't know about Craftsman, but I do know that some of the professional boxes like Matco, Snap-on, etc. have a way to get into them without tearing anything up (but they don't even tell the buyers normally; just the distributors so they can get into one and fix it for a customer if necessary).
Bird
Bird
scruffy
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It is possible to have a key made by a locksmith, or replaced by Sears when you have the numbers stamped on the front of the keylock. Those numbers will coincide with a key pattern.
Bird
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Scruffy, I didn't know about the Craftsman, but I know that won't work with something like Matco; no numbers, no way for a locksmith to make a key (as far as I know), but there is a particular spot in which you can drill a small hole so a tool can be inserted to unlock the lock. Then you change the entire lock and get one with a new key (there are no master keys). They make them darned tough to burglarize.
Bird
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scruffy
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Bird, I've taken a 1/4 inch bit and drilled through the keyhole, (bigger if necessary) it allows the tumblers to drop and essentially 'unlocks' the lock. Done it on gas caps, trunks, tool boxes, etc. Works, most times better than others, but have had a few that 'cussin' seemed to be the order of the day, as one tumbler, maybe two, would get hung up and be a little booger snot to get open.
Not ALL have the numbers, but a locksmith could make the key without the numbers anyway. I've spent the bucks to have them come out and make new keys for my car when I lost the keys for it...twice. OUCH!!! One had to travel 75 miles, and charged a c-note just to come out, PLUS the regular charge of making the keys....another 50. The other just charged $35.00. On a toolbox, I'd rather just drill and install the new lock.
Not ALL have the numbers, but a locksmith could make the key without the numbers anyway. I've spent the bucks to have them come out and make new keys for my car when I lost the keys for it...twice. OUCH!!! One had to travel 75 miles, and charged a c-note just to come out, PLUS the regular charge of making the keys....another 50. The other just charged $35.00. On a toolbox, I'd rather just drill and install the new lock.
Bird
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Yeah, Scruffy, that can work. However, drilling through a lock is much harder than what I'm talking about, and of course if you drill through the lock, then you have to change locks. The method the professional boxes use is a little different. You don't drill through the lock, but instead the back of the box (with a very small drill bit). I said you could then change the lock and all, but only if that's necessary (keys permanently lost). Not even the manufacturer can (or will) supply new keys for those locks. However, the most common problem is that a mechanic will unlock his box and drop the keys in one of the drawers until he's ready to lock it again. But the first time all the drawers are closed completely, it locks automatically and if he has put the keys in the drawer instead of his pocket, then he calls the distributor to come get into it.
Awhile back, I delivered a used box for my brother. I had it unlocked and had the keys in my pocket. The buyer was off that day, but had told me the name of another mechanic to give the keys to. I did, and too quickly for me to stop him, that mechanic dropped the keys in the top drawer and slammed it shut./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
I don't suppose many people, except professional mechanics, know the differences between a Craftsman and boxes like Matco, Mac, and Snap-on, but those differences are considerable (and of course, so is the price)./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
Awhile back, I delivered a used box for my brother. I had it unlocked and had the keys in my pocket. The buyer was off that day, but had told me the name of another mechanic to give the keys to. I did, and too quickly for me to stop him, that mechanic dropped the keys in the top drawer and slammed it shut./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif
I don't suppose many people, except professional mechanics, know the differences between a Craftsman and boxes like Matco, Mac, and Snap-on, but those differences are considerable (and of course, so is the price)./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
scruffy
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Bird, I spent many a years twistin' a wrench for a living, but would never spend the bucks for the boxes you're talking about. Not when I could find a box with the capacity I wanted, at 1/3 the cost (or less). For the most part, the strength of the boxes I had bought were as good, but didn't have the name, some of the touches, OR the PRICE!!! Too many kids to feed. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif
gordon
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On both my craftsman and snap-on boxes the locks are numbered. So for your craftsman box just call up the store and order a key for it. All you need is the key number off of the front of the lock. Just that simple.
That is how I got extra keys for my craftsman box at the house.
Gordon
That is how I got extra keys for my craftsman box at the house.
Gordon
Bird
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Scruffy, I don't blame you a bit. No way I'd pay the kind of prices some of those boxes sell for either. I couldn't believe my ears when my brother once bought a new toolbox for $4,000 (and of course now that's not an expensive box at all). I know mechanics who have $12k to $16k in their toolboxes (and that doesn't include the contents).
And of course, when a Craftsman toolbox is mentioned, I still tend to think of the homeowner boxes you used to see in Sears stores; looked good, cheap, but lightweight, easy to overload and break down. Craftsman does make some "professional" boxes that are pretty darned good, but as far as I know the top of the line is 56" wide and weighs 468 pounds. It's not quite up to the standards of an 800-1100 pound 60" Matco, Snap-on, etc. (but it's better and more expensive than I'd buy). And when you consider a box's capacity, you have to consider both cubic capacity and weight capacity.
When you say <font color=blue>the strength of the boxes I had bought were as good</font color=blue>, was it actually as good, or was it just that it was good enough for your purposes? You know a professional mechanic wants a toolbox that will hold up under the load he's going to put in and on it, but I know (and suspect you do, too) that they are sometimes also buyin' braggin' rights./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif You're probably like me; never could afford them braggin' rights./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
And of course, when a Craftsman toolbox is mentioned, I still tend to think of the homeowner boxes you used to see in Sears stores; looked good, cheap, but lightweight, easy to overload and break down. Craftsman does make some "professional" boxes that are pretty darned good, but as far as I know the top of the line is 56" wide and weighs 468 pounds. It's not quite up to the standards of an 800-1100 pound 60" Matco, Snap-on, etc. (but it's better and more expensive than I'd buy). And when you consider a box's capacity, you have to consider both cubic capacity and weight capacity.
When you say <font color=blue>the strength of the boxes I had bought were as good</font color=blue>, was it actually as good, or was it just that it was good enough for your purposes? You know a professional mechanic wants a toolbox that will hold up under the load he's going to put in and on it, but I know (and suspect you do, too) that they are sometimes also buyin' braggin' rights./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif You're probably like me; never could afford them braggin' rights./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif
Bird
scruffy
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I sure couldn't afford'em Bird. I had one box for 15 years before I quit twistin' wrenches, the oldest boy is 30, and he's had it the past 10 years....with the tools....and last known, it was still in decent scarred up shape! Don't remember the brand on it, but I paid around 900 for it (had a hard time justifying that to myself), and the same size MAC toolbox was $3500 at that time. Weight? All I can say is it was stuffed, (had around 20 grand in tools in it) and never had a problem, except the time I bent a corner when I dropped it out of the back of my pickup.
A ball peen took care of that, plus a 1/8" aluminum sheet on the bottom to support the caster on the corner where it was dinged. (slightly more than a ding though-had something like 1.25X3 bracing down each corner) That was not the boxes fault...just a dodo head who couldn't handle as much as he thought he could.
Yeah, I can go along with that 'braggin' rights' theory. Couldn't justify it myself, it don't put food on the table, nor does it feed and cloth a bunch of hungry teens. My gosh, it was all I could do to keep five vehicles running around there! Heck, half the time, they wouldn't check water/oil/gas/air, or anything else. Cost me a couple of engines. You know how that is. The summer they had all five down at the same time, you needed earplugs to sheild yourself from the whining!
A ball peen took care of that, plus a 1/8" aluminum sheet on the bottom to support the caster on the corner where it was dinged. (slightly more than a ding though-had something like 1.25X3 bracing down each corner) That was not the boxes fault...just a dodo head who couldn't handle as much as he thought he could.
Yeah, I can go along with that 'braggin' rights' theory. Couldn't justify it myself, it don't put food on the table, nor does it feed and cloth a bunch of hungry teens. My gosh, it was all I could do to keep five vehicles running around there! Heck, half the time, they wouldn't check water/oil/gas/air, or anything else. Cost me a couple of engines. You know how that is. The summer they had all five down at the same time, you needed earplugs to sheild yourself from the whining!