Originally, field service technician Korey Wong wasn’t looking for a new toolbox when he went to help a friend load up their new Mac Tools box. When distributor Serge Polish noticed Wong eyeing an orange 75” 14-Drawer Macsimizer, he unwrapped it and rolled it out into the morning sun. Wong already had a smaller Mac Tools box, but once he saw that larger version gleaming in the sun, he knew that he was going to have to switch it up. At first, he used it as his cart, but it eventually became his main stationary box after Polish had a deal on a green Macsimizer cart. His smaller, original Mac Tools box got traded to another technician, and the green and orange duo became his go-tos.
Since first buying the big box, he’s added lockers and a hutch, all of which are black to match the accents of the orange box. He’s added shelves he made himself to the sides of both boxes. He also tweaked the ‘S’ on the Mac Tools logo on the 14-drawer's front for a little extra customization, but it’s the color that’s his favorite feature.
“The orange is that bright orange, so it really pops in the shop. It definitely catches eyes,” he says.
Finding the right box
With a little over 13 years of experience in the industry, Wong’s learned that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to boxes. Though he primarily keeps his work tools and equipment in his service truck nowadays, he knows what he’s talking about when it comes to toolboxes.
“I always tell people that ask me [my opinion] when they’re setting up their box or their service truck that it’s really not meant for me. It’s meant for you and how it flows for you,” he says. “If you’re going to be putting the stuff you use most at the bottom, that may not flow that good for you.”
For newer technicians looking for their first box, Wong has one major piece of advice – do your research. In the past, he says, he’s gone through countless boxes and setups to find one that works for him. Upgrading isn’t cheap, and moving all your equipment and tools back and forth gets old quickly.
“If you know you’re going to be a wrench hand the rest of your working career, go with the bigger box right off the bat,” he says. “It’ll save you a lot of money in the long run. That way, you can start putting in the tools that you want, the tools you can get, [and] get it organized the way that you want.”
Making the most of an investment
Although his setup and needs have changed over the years, he’s still happy with his orange and black box. If he were to ever return to using it as his primary workstation, he’d consider adding a smaller hutch and some organizers, but for now, it’s perfect as it is.
“I think it was just, you know, the one that felt right,” Wong says. “I felt that, as long as I’ve been in the industry, I’ve spent so much money on different boxes, and the amount of investment that I have into this one alone, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m not moving out.’”
