The quest for the best tool box continues. But with a happy ending.
If you’ve visited the site before, you may have read my article “Tool Boxes, Quest for the Best” about a great DIY tool box and it’s untimely demise.
If not, here’s the scoop.
I had been using this great Workforce 26 tool box for a long time,and started recommending it to friends and family as well as all my readers and clients. Then, out of nowhere, I began receiving emails that no one could find or buy these tool boxes anywhere.
Sure enough, I went to Home Depot’s website and attempted to order the Stanley tool box. When I got to the checkout portion of the process, a pop-up message said, “this Stanley tool box is no longer available“.
I contacted Stanley directly and was told,
“Unfortunately, this item has been discontinued and is no longer available.”
I wrote Stanley back and asked if the tool box was going to be replaced with a new item and their response was,
“There are comparable items on our website, please look under organizers.”
As I had already reviewed their website for available products and found none, this was of no help.
So I went to Home Depot (the only vendor that sold the Workforce 26 and attempted to locate the tool box. And sure enough, the plastic Workforce 26 organizers were no longer available—and there was no replacement.
The Search Continued
Over the next few weeks, I kept searching for a replacement box online and whenever I was at Home Depot. Then one lucky day, a new tool box showed up on the shelves.
As it turns out, this new tool box, from Stanley, was the same design as the Workforce 26 tool box. The only real difference was the black color and a slight change in size (the new box was larger).
Compared Dimensions:
Original Workforce 26: 18″ W x 12.5″ D x 3″ H
New Stanley: 18-1/8″ W x 13-3/16″ D x 3-7/8″ H
The other (and much bigger) problem was that even though this “new” box wasn’t exactly the same, Home Depot gave it the same SKU (product ID number) as the old tool box. So, even if you wanted to track down any of the remaining older boxes, you couldn’t because they both have the same SKU number. Genius!
OK, stay with me on this because what happened next was unbelievable. Stanley discontinued the new box even before they stocked the shelves!
So the “quest for the best continued once again.”
Not The Same Tool Box
So once again I returned to Home Depot. I wanted to see if I could find any of the old Stanley tool boxes they might have left in stock. When I inquired at the counter I was told they had plenty. Plenty?
Well they did have lots of boxes, but it wasn’t the same tool box!
This new organizer has fixed center compartments, making it unsuitable as a tool box or as a truly customizable parts organizer.
Dead end.
So, the mission for the last six weeks or so has been to find a suitable replacement for the original Workforce 26 tool box/organizer, and
Great news, I’ve succeeded!
You can find my full recommendation and a direct link to order your DIY tool box or organizers here at New-DIY-Tool-Box-Sighted-and-Captured
If you have a minute, please let me know what questions, problems or suggestions you might have, as well as your DIY successes.
Continuing to help you succeed with speed.
Just a quick 9/20/09 UPDATE:
Stanley has been in contact in the last couple of months and told me that the Workforce toolbox/organizer with be re-released in October of this year. I’ll let you all know when and where just a soon as Stanley let me know.
Hang in there, and thanks for your patience.
10/21/09 UPDATE
I have just been advised, by the Stanley product manager, that the original Workforce tool box/organizers (14006) have been re-released and will be available at Target stores to start. Stanley promised to advise me of other locations that the box will be available at ASAP.
Note that the boxes you see on Lowes and Home Depots site are not the original boxes. They are the new ones with the fixed center section.
Thanks for your patience and please let me know if you have any questions.