Bennington Triumph Bash

Sorry for the repeat from BA.com, but I like to share

So the story goes like this... One of my good friends who I've known since pre-school's father is an engineer for Stanley. Ever since I started college to be an engineer, he's been giving me tools! Lots of knives, a couple tape measures, varous rasps and scrapers, clamps, etc. Even a manual mitre box. Well my buddy called me up last year before I got married and said "I talked to my dad, and we want to give you a Vidmar toolbox as a wedding present. I know it kinda spoils it, but you need to pick one out!" I had been eyeing his dad's toolbox forever (6' tall machinists cabinet, REAL nice) and he knew I wanted one! So I got on the stanleyvidmar website and picked out the size and color. Could have gotten a bigger one, but it wouldn't fit thru my door!!

Fast forward 9 months (his dad works slow...) and I got an email from my friend saying I could expect a call from the shipping company soon. At lunch that day I had a voicemail waiting! That was thursday, friday THIS pulls up to my house...

http://images.fotopic.net/y6pxwa.jpg

The driver hops out and says "Are you Ben?"
"yup"
"I kinda hoped you might have more help. I don't have a lift gate..."
"How heavy is it?"
"Slip says 300 lbs..."
"Oh wow... uh... did they tell you this was a residence?"
"Oh yeah, but I figured we would figure it out"
At that moment I thought I would need to make friends with my neighbors REAL fast, but I raced downstairs to see what I had by way of ramp making material! Meanwhile he backed the truck around so the door was at the mouth of my driveway.

We ended up taking the drawers out which lightened it up considerably. Then he and I stood on the ground and just muscled it out. Almost tipped it, but not quite. Put the drawers back in, and here it is!

http://images.fotopic.net/y6pxwx.jpg
That was Friday, and we had dinner plans, so I rolled it into the shed till I could find time to get it down stairs.

FF to today, hot as all get-out, and I decided it would be a fine time to get it downstairs. So I took the drawers out again.

Like russian dolls, each one smaller than the next.
http://images.fotopic.net/y6pxw9.jpg

This is how you get a 30" wide cabinet down a 32" wide stairwell. I reversed the handle of my hand truck so I didn't have to bend as far...
http://images.fotopic.net/y6pxwe.jpg

Here it is in it's new home. I thought it fitting to put a few of the first tools Fred gave me in first and snap a pic!
http://images.fotopic.net/y6pxwj.jpg

A guy and his tool chest. It's a beautiful thing.

I bet your trying to find things to work on just to open and close the drawers.

Touko

Or just trying to figure out what to find to fill all the new drawers up look out Sears.

Jimmy

Next Craftsman Club member coming up.

Very nice cabinet...300 lbs. ???
That's got to be one well made cabinet.

Bill

Hey Benny, Nice cabinet.....looking into a past job I had as a Saab Parts Manager, I used Vidmars as my high capacity storage for all small and medium high dollar parts. The drawers were said to hold 400lbs of weight. One week I decided to paint the floor, so I painted myself out of the parts room. Standing there all proud that I painted the floor and not myself, I realized I forgot to turn the furnace thermostat back on. The lowest drawer was within reach, Opened one drawer, then the next, so on and so on. walked over the drawers to thermostat. Never failed under my massive 225lbs. 7 years latter they are still working.

Enjoy the new toy Benny

Are you guys having cabinet envy? MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS! (Said in a whining bitch sort of way)

Nope, Mine is a 5 foot long 5.5 feet high tool box. Even has a butcher block top on it. Just love the vidmars security features, that lowered our insuramce on the parts.

Nice Benny - That's like Tool-Time Porn!

JEnfield wrote:Or just trying to figure out what to find to fill all the new drawers up look out Sears.

Jimmy

I heard that. Everytime I go , no matter what Tool Dept , I enter dreamland, kind of a hypnotic state , ya' know ? LMAO. Nice chest Benny !

Thanks guys!! I knew you all would appreciate it. I certainly do!!

Already a craftsman club member

Have a whole file set I plan on making like a silverware drawer insert for. That's part of one drawer... Maybe organize some hardware.

Brett, I believe the 400 lb rating. With mine, I'd have to bolt it down (like I'm sure yours were), but I definitely plan on adding a nice top to it. Maybe I'll go pick up some butcher block, or table top material saturday! Some teak oil finish, maybe a couple coats of wax. Should be REAL nice.

I really like that all the drawers are progressivly bigger and so configurable. So versatile...

Benny I know you will fill it up and wish it was bigger I have a Snap on Kr 1750 bottom and a Kr 750 top with a am/fm CD player in it and its not big enough for all the shit I have got over the last twenty years . I just picked up a tire groover for racing tires (like I needed it) and a Nitro Methane mixing thermometer for mixing fuel for drag cars once again (like I needed it) . Tools are like drugs the more you have the more you need good shopping my northern brother. Fill that mother like it was christmas and you will still not have what you need when you are half way through what your working on.

Jimmy

JEnfield wrote:Benny I know you will fill it up and wish it was bigger I have a Snap on Kr 1750 bottom and a Kr 750 top with a am/fm CD player in it and its not big enough for all the shit I have got over the last twenty years . I just picked up a tire groover for racing tires (like I needed it) and a Nitro Methane mixing thermometer for mixing fuel for drag cars once again (like I needed it) . Tools are like drugs the more you have the more you need good shopping my northern brother. Fill that mother like it was christmas and you will still not have what you need when you are half way through what your working on.

Jimmy

How True...How True. LMAO.

I know dude, I'll get there! Eventually I got a lot of random stuff knowing this was coming, have to go thru my boxes of stuff this weekend and find homes for things. I also have a 2' by 4' bench COVERED in crap that once had a home, or was just dropped there when I brought it home. So now it has a home!

Update....
Finished the wood top a couple weeks ago. Finally got around to bolting it down and taking a couple pics last night. Whacha think?