HF tool cabinets or cart

[rambler]

been thinking of getting a better tool cabinet, been using cheap old units now and sick of them,,cannot afford nice roller cabinets,, but the HF ones, seem OK,, they have two styles,, standard and industrial ..

I am considering this one to start with,, $169 with coupon,, so I can roll it next too where I am working..

http://www.harborfreight.com/tool-ca...ity-69397.html


but may save up for just a roller cabinet.. anyone use these carts/cabinets ??

some HF stuff is good, some is so so.. lol, but that is almost anywhere now.

[61_FL_Apache]

I love HF for a lot of things.. Tools is not usually one of them.. Hammers, pry bars and things you don't mind breaking are fine..

Something like this tool cabinet may be fine. If you have a store nearby check it out..

If you don't have a store close by and cant look at one let me know.. If you want to find out if there is one at the store by me. Give them a call. I will stop by and check it out for you and give you my opinion of it. This is a new store to my area and have not been in there yet so this will give me an excuse to check it out. Its located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL zip 33410.

[rambler]

well let me know what you think ! I hope to stop by this weekend, if the wife will let me..





depends if she likes her Valentine day stuff.

[61_FL_Apache]

Will do! I will stop by there tomorrow on the way home.

[61_FL_Apache]

I stopped by HF and checked out this cart. The one they had on display looked like it fell of a truck.. The drawers were a little jacked up, but over all the quality of their boxes look as good as something from Sears..

For the price, I would get one.

Butter up the wife!!

[eldogg]

I've had a H/F roll cart for 3 years now and its better than $1200 Snap-On that it replaced when my shop was broken into.

[slowcpe]

I've heard pretty decent things about HF tool boxes. I need a lower just for power and air tools and have been looking heavily on getting on. Haven't pulled the trigger yet as I'm also considering getting a wider one like a 41" for my main box.

I like the one rambler posted but don't think the drawers will be deep enough.

[donut]

Ones I checked out were actually better quality than the stuff Sears was selling. A few guys at work have these, and like them. Personally, I have the smaller black one and it doesn't seem as rugged, but it works.

This cart and one of their 44" boxes are on my list. I can't justify the $$ of the "truck" boxes.

[ca90ss]

I have two of the carts and a 44" box, wouldn't hesitate to buy any of them again. I would open them and check for shipping damage and check the finish to make sure it's not flaking off anywhere before leaving the store though as their quality control isn't that great.

[65Gregg]

I have the 5 drawer cart, it's quality is much better than my Craftsman cart. I keep everything I use frequently in it and roll it around. My only complaint is the shocks for the lid. I changed them out for hinges from Snap On. I would buy another one in a heartbeat. There are some good threads on Garage Journal about these carts.

[aggie91]

I have that exact HF cart. I have had it a little over 2 years and love it. Best cart for the money that I have seen. My son worked at a car dealler ship one summer, some of the mechanics had them to use as their mobile cart away from their main box. Most got the HF one over the snap on or mac ones because of cost and all of them liked them and the quality was as good as the over priced ones...

[BossHogg69]

I have the HF US General Pro 44" tool box and I really like it. Definitely worth WAY more than the $369 I paid for it on sale! Even the paint job is pretty nice and it even came with labels for the drawers. I have a Crafstman Top/Bottom set that cost more money, and the HF General Pro is nicer in my opinion.

[rambler]

Originally Posted by 61_FL_Apache

I stopped by HF and checked out this cart. The one they had on display looked like it fell of a truck.. The drawers were a little jacked up, but over all the quality of their boxes look as good as something from Sears..

For the price, I would get one.

Butter up the wife!!

thank you sir ! I am hoping to stop by tomorrow to look, picking up my driveshaft , if its finally done... and HF is on the way !

[61_FL_Apache]

no problem!!

[ETsC10]

The mechanic I share the building with bought one of these a couple years ago.
Then bought one for his son. Then bought one for home.
He has a MAC 42" top & bottom box with a 7 drawer extension he hardly uses
now (and paid a mint for).
All of his active shop working tools are in the Harbor Freight and it's holding up well.
Quite stout & deep enough drawers to even hold deep-well sockets in (upright).
I wouldn't worry about the rated capacity as his is loaded and
is surely comparable to the Sears models.

[donut]

That's the cart I ended up with, the intention was something to hold me over...
A year later, and it's still holding up well, and it gets used daily.

[ERASER5]

I have the red cart. My two "real" tool boxes are so loaded that rolling them on my rough floor is not a good thing. The HF cart only holds so much so it stays lighter by default. I just put the most used tools in it. The built in spay can holder is a great asset. I enven make point of closing the lid! Money well spent.

[BarryB]

I have the tool cabinet from Harbor freight. When I first bought it, I parked it next to a mac box, of same size and such. other than the finish they were made the same.He paid 3000 for his, I barely have a grand in my complete set up.. I've had mine for several years now. other than being dirty it has held up very nicely. here is a pic before I add the side cabinet. Also if you'll notice. When I bought the top and bottom boxes. The top had 3 short drawers, and one taller one. I modified mine. I put all the taller drawers in the bottom. BUT doing this I lost the ability to lock the drawers with keys. since its locked up in my garage I wasn't worried about locking my boxes.

[62step]

I have had one of these Harbor Freight tool carts for about 3 years now. It works great! Still is working great! The new ones I see now are like a glossy finish which I'm not a fan of, but they are still great boxes. I also have their 72" toolbox I got for $1100 when it was on sale. Very, very stout box as well, weighed 600 something pounds EMPTY!

I would recommend their tool boxes to anyone.

[seattle gmc]

I also have one of these red HF tool boxes, its supper solid. I was going to buy a craftsman but they cost 2x as much and seem very flimsy. I have a HF store in town so i was looking at the their tool boxes for quite awhile before i finaily bought one. One thing you have to look out for or be aware of is that these big bulky items are not handeld gently durring the shipping and lots of the stuff is dented and diged up. I asked to open the box mine came in, in the store before i would buy it.

[BR3W CITY]

The "better" HF stuff is every bit as good as the "mid" level craftsman stuff, and better than most other store brand products (like Husky etc). The low end HF tool boxes don't have ball bearing drawers, don't have "heavy duty" sliders (Which is REALLY nice) and don't have good locking mechanisms.

The mid level HF boxes have better sliders, some are ball bearing. They get better locks/locking systems, and the casters are a better quality.

[Cash3481]

Sorry for the mess, my garage didn't know I was gonna take this pic! Lol
I've used mine for 10 yrs. I don't use it for a living but daily for sure. All 3 are loaded up with lots of hand tools (craftsman).
I compared them to the craftsman boxes and found the quality of these boxes compare to the more expensive craftsman ball bearing ones. Last summer, I added the shinnier bottom box. I like all these so far and would buy another one if I needed it.
Definitely good usable boxs but probably won't last to give to my kids when I die.

[rambler]

never got the chance to get it... had two other projects and a move planned and my "coupon" expired so now $30 higher... I sure could use it now with the new place, not as much room in the garage,, to work and all my tools are scattered in different boxes from the move...

have to wait for another coupon to come out..

[Cash3481]

Originally Posted by rambler

never got the chance to get it... had two other projects and a move planned and my "coupon" expired so now $30 higher... I sure could use it now with the new place, not as much room in the garage,, to work and all my tools are scattered in different boxes from the move...

have to wait for another coupon to come out..

Keep in mind their 10 and 20% coupons cannot be used on carts and boxes. Read the small print on the coupon. They go on sale all the time though.

[bs46488]

HF is hit or miss with their stuff.

I would say the red tool box is a HIT! The black one doesn't feel as nice.

I've had mine for about 2 years and its still like the day I bought it.

I live real close to a HF, last tool I broke they just said grab another one off the shelf...and off I went.