Tool Chest Drawers Too Shallow? Top Chest, Mid-Box or Portable

Your screwdrivers won’t fit in the drawers, the chest is too heavy to carry, or the roll cab is already full. Check drawer heights against your bulkiest tools, decide whether the chest must travel, then add a mid-box or hang-on chest for more room.

The Tool Chests range at PartsForMachines has 122 products from Sealey, Draper and Clarke, covering portable chests, top chests, mid-boxes and hang-on lockers.

Are Top Chest Drawers Too Shallow for Screwdrivers and Bulky Tools?

They can be: many top chest drawers are only 35–60mm high, sized for spanners, sockets and bits. Measure the inside height against your fattest screwdriver handle and tallest ratchet, and check the front-to-back depth: 220mm on the AP2509B, 410mm on the 35738.

Many chests add a deeper drawer, such as the AP2509B’s 80mm one. For more choice, pick a chest that mixes drawer heights, such as the AP41110 10-drawer topchest, with 45, 70 and 100mm drawers in full and half widths.

Portable Chest or Top Chest: Which Suits Occasional Use?

For occasional jobs away from the bench, choose a portable chest with a top handle. The AP9243BB portable three-drawer tool chest weighs 7.41kg empty and has two hasps that take a padlock.

A top chest holds more and suits a bench or roll cab, but the weight climbs fast: 15.92kg empty for the AP2509B, 32.34kg for the AP26059T. Compare drawer sizes, not counts, as a high count can just mean small split drawers. If a loaded chest gets too heavy, empty it first, and get help with a big one rather than lifting it alone.

What Is a Mid-Box, and Is It Worth Adding One?

A mid-box, or intermediate chest, is a low chest of one to three drawers that sits between the top chest and the roll cab. Our mid-boxes run from 170mm to 275mm tall. The AP41119 one-drawer mid-box, for example, has a single 925 x 385 x 90mm drawer for long tools, trays or organisers.

It is worth adding when one is made for your stack, as the AP28102 is for a matching retro top chest and roll cab. If nothing matches, a bigger top chest may be the simpler buy. A mid-box also lifts the top chest higher, so check you can still see into its top drawer.

Will a Hang-On Chest or Locker Fit My Roll Cab?

Only if your roll cab is one it is made for. Hang-on chests and lockers fit the side of particular roll cabs from the same range, adding storage without taking floor space. The PTB40506 six-drawer hang-on chest, for example, suits heavy-duty Premier roll cabs except the PTB183015.

The AP33519 hang-on locker, with two adjustable shelves and a lockable drawer, suits 12- and 16-drawer roll cabs from its range. Check your roll cab’s model number against the product page. For fitting questions, such as whether the top chest must come off first, check the manual or send our team the model number.

What Should I Check Before I Buy?

• the inside height and front-to-back depth of the drawers, against your bulkiest and longest tools
• the overall width, depth and height against your roll cab top, bench or shelf (a 26in chest is about 660mm wide)
• the empty weight and the handles: a top handle for carrying, side handles for repositioning
• how it locks and keeps the drawers shut on the move: an integral lock, locking bars or padlock hasps
• the model numbers of every unit you want to combine, so they come from the same range

Browse the Tool Chests range, or contact the PartsForMachines team by WhatsApp, telephone or email with your roll cab’s model number and the sizes of your longest and bulkiest tools.

Product options, delivery options and returns terms are shown on each product page. A 30-day return policy applies to eligible items.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a full top chest drawer sag or drag?

Overloading is the first suspect: too much weight can damage a drawer’s slides. Ratings vary: 10kg per drawer on the 26in 30786, for example, and 20kg on the larger 30797. Keep within the rating and spread the weight evenly across the drawer.

What does 26-inch mean, and will the chest sit on my roll cab?

It is the width: a 26in chest is about 660mm wide. Match its width and depth to the roll cab top, and check whether it is made for a named roll cab, as the APPD4O is for the APPD7O.

Can a top chest sit on a workbench instead of a roll cab?

Yes, many suit either. Check that the bench takes the loaded weight and leaves room to lift the lid and pull the drawers right out.

Should I fix the top chest to the roll cab?

Yes, where the maker provides for it. Some stacks come with connectors and screws to fasten the chest once it sits on the cab. Follow the fitting steps in the manual.

Will a top chest fit under a shelf, and can I reach the top drawer?

Check the overall height, plus room for the lid to swing up. The AP2201BB stands 340mm tall and the AP2704BE 635mm. On a roll cab the total climbs fast: a 447mm chest on a 993mm cab stands 1440mm, so check that against your reach.

Where do pry bars and long screwdrivers go if they won’t fit a drawer?

In a side cabinet made for them. The lockable APLHT long-handle tool side cabinet hangs on the side of a roll cab, can be fastened on for extra security, and holds 26 tools in 15, 17 and 25mm holes.

What is the lift-up lid compartment for?

Bulkier items that won’t fit a drawer. Headroom varies: about 80mm under the AP28104’s clam-shell top, 260mm under the AP2704BE’s. On some chests, gas struts hold the lid open hands-free.

Will tool trays and spanner organisers fit the drawers?

Measure the drawer’s inside height and front-to-back depth first, allowing for the liner. Some drawers are sized for the maker’s own tool trays, such as those in the AP26029T and AP3503TB mid-boxes.

Can a mid-box be used on its own?

Yes, some can. The AP28102 is made for a retro stack but can also stand alone, and the 30763 has side handles for moving it between workstations and an EVA-lined top rated at 20kg.

What does a toolbox hutch add to a roll cab?

Overhead storage and somewhere to hang tools. The AP36HBE hutch sits on compatible roll cabs, with a perforated back panel for hanging tools on hooks, and a power strip that fits on either side.