Pelican is well known for their protective tool cases, which are typically used to transport and store delicate or valuable equipment. They also make a versatile and configurable mobile tool chest, the 1460Tool.
The 0450 mobile tool chest, shown above with drawers, is quite possibly the toughest and most durable mobile tool storage products ever made.
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This tool box was not designed for DIYers, weekend warriors, tradesmen, or industrial users in mind, it was designed for the U.S. Armed Forces, and so it should be able to endure any extreme conditions or regular abuse you or I could ever expose it to.
Features
- Heavy duty hinges
- Automatic pressure equalization valves
- 2-way handles
- Wide wheel base for greater mobility
- Highly configurable with removable drawers or elastic strap pallets
- Double-throw latches
- Trolley handle and field-serviceable wheel system
- Extra-wide 2-inch polyurethane wheels
- Top lid compartment and work area with removable tray
- Stackable
- Locking holes
The 0450 is available in two configurations – without drawers, and with (7) drawers – (6) shallow, (1) deep.
Each case can be configured with up to (4) 2″ deep drawers, or (8) 1″ shallow drawers, or any of several possible combinations. Horizontal and vertical tool pallets can be swapped in for the shallow drawers. A 4″ drawer is also available.
Drawers are 20″ long x 10.5″ wide.
It is important to note that the drawers are ideally designed to be lined with foam custom-cut for your tools. Pelican or other companies can do this for you – for a fee – or you can buy and cut your own foam (such as from Cascade Tool & Foam). If you plan to change the tools stored in the toolbox, the elastic band pallets might be a more suitable option.
Alternatively, you might be able to get a Cocoon Grid-It Organizer ($21 via Amazon) to work with drawers, but only if you direly need both horizontal and vertical elastic straps. Tool rolls will also work to help keep tools stable and safe in drawers during transport without the need for foam.
The lid was designed to stop at 180° when open, and has been tested to support up to 50 lbs, making it convenient as a work surface.
Configuration Options
Pricing
0450 with (7) drawers: $500
0450 without drawers: $450-470
Drawers: $11-15
Tool Pallets: $25-28
Buy Now(0450 with Drawers via Amazon)
Buy Now(0450 Options via Amazon)
0450 Microsite(via Pelican)
Brochure(PDF via Pelican)
You can also buy the Pelican 0450 fully loaded with an Armstrong general mechanics tool kit for close to $2800 (via Amazon).
Hang Fire
Wow. If I had one of those I’d spend a month carefully arranging and fitting tools to foam and foam to tools.
Since I am a family man, my medium-size tool boxes kept getting banished from the family vehicles. I finally discovered tool bags, which offer almost zero in terms of organization (everything goes in the middle, the pockets are too small to hold much). But they allow me to squeeze tools into the cars without objections.
I’m sure this case will be a boon to service personnel.
My only question is, how well do the locking holes work for locking the entire case to a vehicle? Put another way, what locking device compliments the hole(s)?
Stuart
The locking holes are more for a padlock than for attaching the case to a vehicle. For locking it to a vehicle, tie-downs would probably work best.
I have no idea how I would arrange this either, but I would possibly mix in a combination of tool pallets and drawers until I had a chance to foam-line the full set of drawers.
In regard to tool bags, we wrote about Veto Pro Pac a couple of times – https://toolguyd.com/brand/veto-pro-pac/ . These tool bags are heavy and pricey, but incredibly flexible when it comes to organization. With these bags there is no large middle compartment for tools to get lost in.
John S
I would say this set is almost NOT worth getting unless you get custom foam for all the tools. Otherwise, it is a logistical nightmare 🙂 haha
I have thought about grabbing a case and tool set several times… It is definitely the ‘ultimate’ portable tool ‘chest’
KenZ
Been using these for years with the military, e.g. the GMTK. The real advantage for the military is extremely quick inventory, complete with an NSN list for replacing missing items. Could save hours every quarter off inventory vs tools randomly spread over various toolboxes. Not that the predecessor GMTK was that bad, mind you, but this one is better.
I wouldn’t get one for personal use. It’s REALLY heavy, and the drawers are plastic on plastic, so if you’re a roller bearing person, you’d hate this.