HF roller cabinet longevity

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Cuda68Scott

Cuda68Scott

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Doing a FABO search I found a 2015 thread where several of you have the 44 inch Harbor Freight roller tool cabinet: tool box/chest

How are they holding up? I have been looking at both their 44 and 56 inch model, seems like the 56 is more stout with heavier sheet metal but it is also $300 more.
 
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I have the 44" about two months and so far OK. The 44" is 18" deep and the 56" is I believe 22" deep which is why I went with the 44".
 
tonysrt said:
I have the 44" about two months and so far OK. The 44" is 18" deep and the 56" is I believe 22" deep which is why I went with the 44".
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Thanks, the depth of the 44 would probably suit me better unless I rearranged my garage. Do you have any drawers that are really loaded heavy? See any bending, etc?

Yesterday I spent quite a bit of time at my local HF store comparing the 2 boxes. HF shows the drawers in the 56 having about double the weight capacity, but the slides on the two look to be about the same. I could see the difference in the sheet metal - the 56 is definitely thicker. HF says it is 16 gauge, not sure what the 44 is, maybe 20 gauge?

My two small circa 1985 Craftsman boxes have serve me well but are stuffed to the gills and I think putting these on top of a roller chest would better my tool organization significantly.
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There was a comparison done on the craftsman vs the HF and the HF used bigger slides to support the drawers. That was the other reason I went for the HF. I have an old craftsman where the drawers are sloppy and can no longer handle the weight. Try and Google that comparison and you'll see the difference between the two. The other good part is all the drawers are pre lined.
 
I have a 29" Mac top on a MBC roll cab (made boxes for MAC) that I bought when on my first dealership job in 1967... still loaded with tools that I use every time I'm in the shop. $95.00 top box... $133.00 roll cab. 50 years and still working...
 
my 44 HF box is about 3 yrs old. one drawer have loaded with air tools (pretty heavy drawer). reasonable amount of use, still works likes new. I'm really impressed with box.

bought a 44 for our 'shop' at work.. not a huge amount of use, but some heavy handed employees banging on it. it's got 3 years in it as well and still doing fine..
 
Ben Drinkin said:
my 44 HF box is about 3 yrs old. one drawer have loaded with air tools (pretty heavy drawer). reasonable amount of use, still works likes new. I'm really impressed with box.

bought a 44 for our 'shop' at work.. not a huge amount of use, but some heavy handed employees banging on it. it's got 3 years in it as well and still doing fine..
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Thanks Ben, Good to hear that because I tend to overload my drawers (hmm, did I just really say that?!). For $350 I can't see going too wrong with that unit. I see they have some add on side boxes that could come in handy if I continue to have problems with my tool addiction.
 
My 44" HF bottom box is five or six years old and is still going strong. The long top drawer has all my air tools, impact sockets and extensions in it and the bottom drawer has my hammers so both are loaded pretty good.

I still use my craftsman box on top even though it's poor quality but I like the space on it leaves on the end of the bottom box.

IMO for the money these are very good boxes, if I was making my living out of a tool box I might look at a more expensive box. Honestly though a man could wear out a bunch of HF boxes for what one snap on box costs.
 
justinp61 said:
My 44" HF bottom box is five or six years old and is still going strong. The long top drawer has all my air tools, impact sockets and extensions in it and the bottom drawer has my hammers so both are loaded pretty good.

I still use my craftsman box on top even though it's poor quality but I like the space on it leaves on the end of the bottom box.

IMO for the money these are very good boxes, if I was making my living out of a tool box I might look at a more expensive box. Honestly though a man could wear out a bunch of HF boxes for what one snap on box costs.
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Thanks Justin good the hear another amen on the HF 44. I plan to do the same with my old Craftsman and put them on top, but lighten the load. I have so many tools stuffed in those things now that a drawer will often get stuck on another drawer when I open or close it. You know other than not having ball bearing slides, these old USA made Craftsman's are really stout, the metal gauge is pretty heavy.
 
My MAC boxes are 33 years old and going strong.... From my time in the tool business I can tell you if they sit in one place rather than rolled all over the shop they will last longer.
 
383Duster said:
My MAC boxes are 33 years old and going strong.... From my time in the tool business I can tell you if they sit in one place rather than rolled all over the shop they will last longer.
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What brand did you sell. I am just retired from 28 years with Mac. My Mac boxes from 1973 are still loaded and working great. I have a MB1350 Mac that has been overloaded and has ridden around in my tool truck for 7 years. Still doing good.

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I have a mix of boxes (Mac, Snap On, Craftsman, HF, and others). My Mac boxes are by far my favorite, and the Craftsman are by far my least favorite.

I use a HF as my welding cart. I made a bottle rack on one side and have my welders and plasma on top. The drawers are loaded with wire spools, clamps, grinders, disc, and everything else. It is rediculously overloaded and rolled all over the place. No problems.
 
I just traded the 97 Dakota I had on here for a new Matco 4S 25" electric double bay. Retails for 5700.00. This is the only way I could ever afford one of these.
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
I just traded the 97 Dakota I had on here for a new Matco 4S 25" electric double bay. Retails for 5700.00. This is the only way I could ever afford one of these.
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I horse traded, bought and sold used boxes until I traded in on a custom built Matco double bank with 2 full length side lockers. Brick shythouse with the exception of a drawer slide in a locker which are lighter duty. I was between Mac/Matco but Mac didn't have anything with 30" deep drawers at the time. I think the slides on the main cabinet are rated at 250lbs, and I frequently pull the drawers and stand on them to reach the stuff and tools that won't fit. It seems the top has turned into a 9' long 30" deep shelf that tends to accumulate crap that I'm constantly digging through. LOL I've been looking at the HF's maybe and re-organise and move some of my more engine/mechanican related tools out of the bodyshop box. I think they're built a little better then other boxes at the price point.
 
I ended up buying the HF unit and an endbox yesterday. I am pretty pleased with the construction and overall quality - think it will be fine for my home needs.

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44 HF roller cabinet

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18" HF endbox for 44 cabinet

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Both HF units together with my old Craftsman units on top. That old Craftsman 12 inch 10 drawer unit on very top is really heavy for the size, probably 75 lbs. They don't make them like that anymore. I don't remember it being that heavy, but it has been 18 years since I moved it and it is possible that I am not as strong as I used to be.....
 
toolmanmike said:
What brand did you sell. I am just retired from 28 years with Mac. My Mac boxes from 1973 are still loaded and working great. I have a MB1350 Mac that has been overloaded and has ridden around in my tool truck for 7 years. Still doing good.

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I was a Mac dealer from 1984 to 1993 and have a MB9100 and MB9200 IIRC.
I was a Snap On / Sun tech rep from 1993 to 1999.
 
I pulled a hamstring last year from the HF side box. I didn't realize how heavy it was (125lbs or so) and I needed to carry it about 75 feet. When I went to set it back down my left hammy popped as I got the weight of off it. Fortunately it happened at work. I got that box for my work van to get my tools in a better location.
 
Jim Lusk said:
I pulled a hamstring last year from the HF side box. I didn't realize how heavy it was (125lbs or so) and I needed to carry it about 75 feet. When I went to set it back down my left hammy popped as I got the weight of off it. Fortunately it happened at work. I got that box for my work van to get my tools in a better location.
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Ever heard of a shopping cart? lol
 
Jim, Yes you are right on the end box weight, and it took a bit of old man groaning to get it mounted!
 
383Duster said:
I was a Mac dealer from 1984 to 1993 and have a MB9100 and MB9200 IIRC.
I was a Snap On / Sun tech rep from 1993 to 1999.
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I used to wrench, in the late 80's, till the mid 90's... How can you make money, in a tool truck, anymore? ..Not knocking the profession, at all ...Just ,damn....
 
That box you bought is the same one I wheel around in my plant 5 days a week. I even have the small Brown top box from HF on one end of it. It all works out great and have had no problems at all. If I was in a line of work where my tools were extremely heavy which they are not then maybe the box would be a problem..... But it's not and for the price you can't beat it....

JW
 
Abodybomber said:
I used to wrench, in the late 80's, till the mid 90's... How can you make money, in a tool truck, anymore? ..Not knocking the profession, at all ...Just ,damn....
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It was good when I was in it; HF and the internet weren't around when I started....lol.
As the cost to enter the business has escalated to absurd I wouldn't want to start up a new tool route with a heavy debt load now.......
 
383Duster said:
I was a Mac dealer from 1984 to 1993 and have a MB9100 and MB9200 IIRC.
I was a Snap On / Sun tech rep from 1993 to 1999.
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Just retired from the MAC gig after 28 years. Harbor Freight can hurt your business a bit but most professionals don't buy the lesser quality tools anyway. They are in the service business and appreciate the service the tool man provides. I have my old tech school boxes from MAc as well as a Tech 1000 box that I have overgrown and I saved the MB1354 that I used on the tool truck. Those boxes will last a lifetime for daily users and a couple lifetimes longer for me.

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