The Workshop
Craftsman 2000 Series
26" Wide x 36.5" High
Model #CMST98268RB
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After decades with a Popular Mechanics chest and a repurposed hospital crash cart, I finally had a reason to buy the Craftsman tool chest I'd always wanted.
This is a somewhat exciting day for me. Not as exciting as the birth of a child or grandchild, or anything like that, but exciting nonetheless! For today, I bought my first Craftsman tool chest. Because of my sentimental attachment to Craftsman tools, I've always wanted one of their rolling tool boxes, the problem was - I already had two tool chests and in my mind I could never justify a third.
Craftsman was one of those names that was just always around when I was growing up. Dad had Craftsman tools, Sears had Craftsman tools, and somewhere along the way I guess the name became connected in my mind with working on things yourself. I've got better tools now, cheaper tools, older tools and probably tools Dad wouldn't recognize, but seeing that Craftsman name still takes me back a little. So yeah, I've wanted one of their red rolling tool chests for a long time. I just couldn't come up with a good enough excuse to buy one.
Why It Took Me So Long to Buy One
One of the things that got in the way of me getting a Craftsman tool chest was my Popular Mechanics tool chest. That's right - Popular Mechanics! A buddy of mine got it for me as a Christmas gift back in 1998 or '99. I've taken really good care of this tool chest, even waxing it once or twice a year, so it's in near-mint condition!
The Hospital Crash Cart That Became a Tool Chest
The other thing that inhibited an earlier Craftsman purchase was this beast:
It began its life as a crash cart in the hospital I worked at. For years it carried all kinds of equipment for managing Code Blues - IV fluids, needles, medications, defibrillator, all kinds of stuff. Then one day, as I was leaving work, I went out the back way, past the loading dock and they had maybe a dozen of these lined up. I asked the facilities chief what was going on. He said they were all being replaced. Dear lord! My mind soared! I asked if I could take one and he said take as many as you want! So I got my old pickup truck...
After Decades of Service, It Was Done
In the summer of 2021, I hauled the old tools chest out to the back yard. I thought I'd restore it and I wanted to paint it red, you know - to match my Popular Mechanics tool chest.
I didn't get very far before I noticed that most of the drawer slides had rusted out, explaining why I was have a little difficulty aligning and closing the drawers in the past couple years. I knew right then that the gig was up. I closed up shop and hauled it back to the workshop. From there it was just a matter of time. I should probably mention - I found what appeared to be a date code on this tool chest, and if it was, the chest was made in August 1973!
If that date is right, I can't complain. This thing spent who knows how many years rolling around a hospital carrying equipment for Code Blues, then somehow escaped the scrap heap and spent a couple more decades here at 173 holding tools. That's a pretty respectable working life for something that was literally sitting on a loading dock waiting to disappear when I found it.
The Craftsman 2000 Series Tool Chest
So today, it was finally time. Off to Lowes I went! From Lowes' website: Taller than most comparable tool cabinets, the high-endurance S2000 26-in 5-Drawer Rolling Tool Cabinet packs plenty of storage space without using much floor space. The cabinet's soft-close drawers gently close and will not slam shut, helping preserve it's life and keeping your tools in place. Each heavy-duty drawer can support up to 100-lbs and glides smoothly on ball-bearing slides while the 5-in x 2-in casters support up to 1500-lbs total.
- FULL EXTENSION DRAWER SLIDES: Support 100-lbs of product
- EMBOSSED TOP MAT FOR SURFACE PROTECTION with drawer liners under the lid and in every drawer
- EXPANSIVE STOWING SPACE: 9,266 cubic inches of storage
- SAFEGUARD YOUR TOOLS with over-mold key and internal locking system
- HIGH DURABILITY AND STRENGTH: 1,500-lb load rating with 5-in x 2-in casters with toe-locking brakes and reinforced mounting casters
- BUILT TO LAST: 18-20 Ga. steel I-Frame® construction and top bumpers
- PROFESSIONAL-GRADE MOBILITY: Full-grip, tubular side handle
- MADE IN THE USA WITH GLOBAL MATERIALS: Forged in Sedalia, Missouri
- (5) Drawer Liners for every drawer(1) Top Mat for the Tool Cabinet Surface(1) Set of Keys(1) Caster Set
A Little Assembly and a Little History
It only took maybe 15 minutes to get the new tool assembled - I only need to install the casters, I decided to use a Craftsman driver I inherited from my father. Moments of poignancy.
Its Natural Habitat
The workshop at 173 isn't real big so there weren't a lot of options for placement of the new tool chest. But I like where the old one was anyway, so it kind of works out!
I remember the cool, varnished smoothness of the rake's wooden handle -- always a Craftsman brand rake, bought at Sears. Always buy Craftsman tools, Dad said, because if it ever broke -- ever -- you could take it back and they'd replace it. Guaranteed for life. That was a profound thought, to a 12-year-old. - Frank Ahrens in The Washington Post, October 29, 1995
And here she is, in her natural habitat at 173! And there's the old Gerstner, a perfect pairing!
I remember the cool, varnished smoothness of the rake's wooden handle -- always a Craftsman brand rake, bought at Sears. Always buy Craftsman tools, Dad said, because if it ever broke -- ever -- you could take it back and they'd replace it. Guaranteed for life. That was a profound thought, to a 12-year-old. - Frank Ahrens in The Washington Post, October 29, 1995
Thanks for stopping by - see you next time!
Okay, I'll admit it. At first I thought, 'You're getting rid of the crash cart for THAT?'
Then I did the math. The thing probably started life in a hospital in the '70s, spent years hauling emergency equipment, and somehow ended up doing another tour of duty in your workshop. Yeah...I guess it's earned a rest.
What made me smile, though, was using your dad's old Craftsman driver to put the new Craftsman chest together. Out of every tool you could've grabbed, somehow that was the one.
That's how a real workshop gets built anyway. Not all at once and not because everything matches. One tool, one gift, one rescued piece of junk at a time.
Although I'd hang onto that crash cart.
You know...just in case. - The Guy Who Saves Everything
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Craftsman CMST98268RB?
The CMST98268RB is a Craftsman 2000 Series 26-inch rolling tool cabinet designed for workshop and garage tool storage. It has five drawers, locking casters and a relatively narrow footprint.
How much storage does the Craftsman 2000 Series 26-inch cabinet provide?
According to the manufacturer's specifications quoted in this post, the cabinet provides 9,266 cubic inches of storage across five drawers.
How much weight can the Craftsman tool cabinet drawers hold?
Each full-extension drawer is rated to support up to 100 pounds, according to the listed specifications.
How much weight can the rolling cabinet support?
The Craftsman cabinet featured here has a stated overall load rating of 1,500 pounds when used with its 5-by-2-inch casters.
Is a 26-inch rolling tool chest big enough for a home workshop?
For many home workshops, yes. A 26-inch cabinet provides useful drawer storage without consuming the floor space required by much larger professional cabinets. That's particularly useful in smaller workshops.
Can an old medical cart be used for tool storage?
Absolutely. Heavy-duty medical and industrial carts can make excellent workshop storage because they're generally designed for frequent use and substantial loads. Condition matters, particularly the casters and drawer slides.
When should an old tool cabinet be replaced?
Difficulty opening or aligning drawers, badly corroded slides, structural deterioration or failing casters can eventually make replacement more practical than repair.
Why use a rolling tool cabinet in a small workshop?
A rolling cabinet concentrates a substantial amount of storage into a relatively small footprint while allowing the entire cabinet to be moved when necessary.
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