I finally convinced the boss to buy me a tool chest. I picked out a nice shiny PROTO and ordered it from Zoro. When it came in every single corner was dented, the whole thing was tweaked and the center drawer has a broken lock.
How does one order one of these without getting a damaged one? These forums are awash with reports of dented corners and dropped chests.
Any ideas? I’m still waiting for Zoro to email me back about how to send this back. Thanks.
Large items like tool chests are shipped freight and it’s kind of luck of the draw. I’d say make sure that you specify that you have to be there for delivery and be able to inspect it before they take it off the truck.
When I got the Husky workbench sample, the driver made a big fuss about letting me up in the truck, but I wouldn’t let them deliver it before I inspected. I was very adamant after the Sears fiasco where they couldn’t even get me an undamaged sample of their tool cabinet and chest without having Waterloo hand deliver the thing.
I’m sure Stuart would tell you a tale or two of damaged freight shipments.
I had similar personal problems with Gladiator cabinets. On a Toolguyd post back in January 2015 I said:
"I bought a pair of GAGB272DRG rolling cabinets at the end of 2011 … I like them very much – but had a back-and-forth delivery and return issue – with pretty severe damage to the doors – until Amazon finally shipped me ones via a delivery company – rather than UPS/FedEx. I’m not sure the issue was with the delivery folks as much as flimsy packaging for such a heavy item. You would think that Gladiator (a division of Whirlpool) would have known how to package to avoid damage – and maybe they’ve improved things. "
On much sturdier Knaack boxes we had problems with one delivered to our workout center - arriving damaged. It looked like it had been dropped on a corner. The next one we ordered - we had delivered to a Home Depot store for pickup - so that we could inspect it. We had a crew with one of our box trucks with a lift gate go and inspect it and bring it back…
I think that if I were buying more Gladiator cabinets - I would use the same strategy - and tip the HD guys to help me load them into my pickup truck - once unpacked and inspected. Unfortunately, I don’t think HD sells Proto tool chests
I finally got a replacement that fas fine. Zoro shipped it via the same freight company but requested “extra packing.” The extra packing consisted of laying the box on its back.
Since it was on its back it was far easier to attach the wheels - unlocked the drawers, pulled out the wheels and the instructions and saw that the instructions are completely wrong.
While the instructions said to remove the bottom drawer, insert bolts and attach wheels, this chest had the threaded posts already attached to the bottom, so it was a breeze to attach the wheels.
Once upright (and half loaded), I found two steel reinforcements that I initially thought were drawer dividers seem to be drilled for the wheel posts - so a reinforcement.
Do I need to empty the chest, remove the wheels and add the reinforcements or should I be OK as is - the chest probably won’t be moved much.
Why not do it right?
A big nuisance - but it may help prevent damage down the road
Yeah… I know…
After the holidays…