Recommendation for Home Shop Tool Storage (rolling cart)?

[adrenalated]

Aluminum would be way more expensive.

Yep - at least double.

[SnowMachine]

Fair. I did link that $3,500 just as an illustration of the insanity for *home* needs. Does one need a full steel box? No aluminum that is cheaper/lighter/beefy enough for home use?

I see what you are saying about the tabletops, however.... I already have the boards/sawhorses setup — easy to take down if I need to, and a couple turns of the screw makes the boards pretty stable... at least for any basic shop activities (ski tuning, drilling, etc). Don't need something rooted to the earth for that, esp renting/moving.




Thank you! Looks great, but the top-loading top shelf is suboptimal for under-the-workbench storage.

My actual tool box was over $10k a decade ago. EMPTY I've moved it twice using my car trailer and a 3k/lb winch to pull it up the ramps. Then again, I've made over $2m with the tools in that thing. Not a bad return.

Heavy is good if you're actually moving it around. Shitty spot welds will break. If it's stationary you can get away with a lot less. Go to Home Depot or HF. I bet they have something, sub $500, that will work. I still have my 30 year old Craftsman and Husky boxes that I started with. They're in my garage at home now.

[Eluder]

Thanks for the responses!


Can you link to the one you have?


Man... that is $1,200. Also, I'm going to have a tabletop on sawhorses, so I don't want it to be the bench.

Doesn't really qualify as "won't break the bank" (to me).




Checked out the HF ones. They seem to be 175#. Is that not overkill for ski and bike tools? Seems like at that weight (even with rollers) dealing with future moves is annoying, at a minimum.



Yeah.... even $400-500 is pricey. Why are these sooooo heavy?




I think that is 220 pounds. Is that necessary for this purpose? (Sincere question)




I'm not opposed to where it comes from. I'm more focused on getting the right item. Does anyone need something so (heavy/expensive) for ski/bike tools and basic shop stuff (drills, impact wrench, etc)?

Help!

Thank you!

The only way to lighter is to go smaller or spend more money.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Maybe Packout Drawers on wheels is what you want?

There are a lot of ways to store tools, one of them must work for you.

And yes, the "can you help me move my tool chest" in the piano of the greasy hands set.

Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse

[nickwm21]

Maybe Packout Drawers on wheels is what you want?

There are a lot of ways to store tools, one of them must work for you.

And yes, the "can you help me move my tool chest" in the piano of the greasy hands set.

Sent from my Turbo 850 Flatbrimed Highhorse

That’s probably the right answer for him… however he’d easily get beyond the $500 range to get enough storage.


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[nickwm21]

Ryobi has a packout knockoff that would work


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[Core Shot]

I’m thinking of finally getting a roller.
But yeah. Those five and six footers are heavy.
Seen more than a few mechanics change jobs and hire a flatbed tow truck.

This might work for me
https://www.harborfreight.com/26-in-...low-56233.html

[jmills]

As much as I wanted to keep it rolling, having my bench a comfortable working height was more important than having the box on wheels. I removed the casters from my 44” US General box and replaced them with bolts and washers. Sitting on the head of the bolt makes it moveable if I remove some weight from it.
Having the box anywhere else is inconvienient and takes up space where something else would go. The space under the bench is tough to utilize as well.
I also have a 5 drawer US General roller that rarely moves.
My workbench top is 36.5” high.

Edit to add-I bought this used off KSL, I removed the drawers to move it and have done it twice in the last three years. With the drawers removed it is an easy move.

[jm2e]

These days, the plastic modular tool chest things are at least as expensive as a HF/HD/Lowe’s tool chest. So maybe plastic works for a travel unit, but for home shop “cheap” steel cabinet is the clear answer.
Obsess over it for 6 months, then buy the one that seems like the best compromise of utility and price. Then suffer buyers remorse like the rest of us.
I got a 37” Craftsman with that strategy. Saved a few bucks. Wish I’d got a bigger, cheaper, lighter, better made, more compact, shinier one.


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[cat in january]

Someone mentioned it before, fb marketplace has a lot in my area. If you don’t have fb then sure a friend does.

[SnowMachine]

I’m thinking of finally getting a roller.
But yeah. Those five and six footers are heavy.
Seen more than a few mechanics change jobs and hire a flatbed tow truck.

This might work for me
https://www.harborfreight.com/26-in-...low-56233.html

That's exactly what we used to do. The hiring shop would generally hire a tow truck to move a box.

[Conundrum]

I would look on craigslist first. I have two of these that are about 20-25 years old (inherited from my pops).

https://www.lowes.com/collections/CR...ection/GR_2971

Both holding up fine. One rolls around with tools. The other the top half is on my work bench and the bottom is under the bench. If you buy just the bottom, about 100 lbs and $284. Seems like the sweet spot you're talking about.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

I think I have this one.

It holds stuff.

[upallnight]

I would look on craigslist first. I have two of these that are about 20-25 years old (inherited from my pops).

https://www.lowes.com/collections/CR...ection/GR_2971

Both holding up fine. One rolls around with tools. The other the top half is on my work bench and the bottom is under the bench. If you buy just the bottom, about 100 lbs and $284. Seems like the sweet spot you're talking about.

I think I have this one.

It holds stuff.

Amazing.... Thank you both. Ordered!

Thank you to everyone who weighed in. It helped me to refine what I want (and don't want) — and ultimately led to with looks to be exactly what I need. Assuming the listed height *includes* the height of the wheels, it will just barely fit into the intended space.

Delivers Wednesday!

[upallnight]

Also, not sure why I couldn't find something more like this here, but my friend in Switzerland
has this.

Cheaper (~$115US vs $285), lighter (~50# vs 100#), and 7 drawers vs 5 (a preference). That would have been ideal.

Also steel.

[caulfield]

weird thread overall. I searched "7 drawer tool roller cart" and got this as the first result. Which seems like it might be the same thing with a different badge. As for the price, I don't know what to tell you, it's a different country. I wish I could get a plate of momos for $2, but here we are. Also it's smaller than your craftsman by enough that pounds per cubic inches isn't wildly different. Comparing densities of tool chests is probably a new one even for this pedantic forum

this is a sincere recommendation, and I promise I'm not an AI bro--your refinement process would go way faster with chatgpt than a bunch of skiers waiting for winter. I tested it out and the first rec was this, which seems kinda dialed for your preferences. Just gotta ask it for one that can be delivered sooner. Earlier suggestion of Ryobi brand packout also was good. Home depot has a set of dolly + 2 drawer + 3 drawer that is way less volume than anything else mentioned but meets all the criteria except price.

[upallnight]

weird thread overall. I searched "7 drawer tool roller cart" and got this as the first result. Which seems like it might be the same thing with a different badge. As for the price, I don't know what to tell you, it's a different country. I wish I could get a plate of momos for $2, but here we are. Also it's smaller than your craftsman by enough that pounds per cubic inches isn't wildly different. Comparing densities of tool chests is probably a new one even for this pedantic forum

this is a sincere recommendation, and I promise I'm not an AI bro--your refinement process would go way faster with chatgpt than a bunch of skiers waiting for winter. I tested it out and the first rec was this, which seems kinda dialed for your preferences. Just gotta ask it for one that can be delivered sooner. Earlier suggestion of Ryobi brand packout also was good. Home depot has a set of dolly + 2 drawer + 3 drawer that is way less volume than anything else mentioned but meets all the criteria except price.

Thank you.

I'd say it's pretty unusual for things in Switzerland — in my experience — to cost LESS than they do in the US. Different beast than what I used to pay for lunch when I lived in the Middle East.

Thanks for your insights. Perhaps I will use ChatGPT in the future. I figured that this group of skiers has plenty of home mechanics with some similar needs such that their opinions might be more refined than what one might sometimes get with AI-based recommendations.

The one my friend has is 3" shorter and 5" less deep. You're right that it is a non-trivial difference in volume (% terms). Were it available in the US for $115 (what my buddy paid), I definitely would have grabbed it over the larger, $285 version. At $175 for the version you linked (Thank you!) I'll probably just go with the larger one.

No one was really comparing densities... just saying that many of these carts are — to me — shockingly heavy. 200#? People said above that's what they are for steel, but apparently there ARE ones that do weigh less (@ 1/2 and 1/4 that weight) — def not proportional to any change in size.

Thanks!

[Core Shot]

Amazing.... Thank you both. Ordered!

Thank you to everyone who weighed in. It helped me to refine what I want (and don't want) — and ultimately led to with looks to be exactly what I need. Assuming the listed height *includes* the height of the wheels, it will just barely fit into the intended space.

Delivers Wednesday!

Hope it’s not dented. The Lowe’s craftsman one start reviews are for constantly dented items

[upallnight]

Hope it’s not dented. The Lowe’s craftsman one start reviews are for constantly dented items

I just looked at that. 4% of ~1,200 reviews are one star. Seems like pretty good odds to me.

If it's dented in a way that I care about (it's just a tool chest going under a workbench), I'm sure that either Lowe's or my credit card company would take care of it. If not, not much else I can do. I'm nowhere near any store that would carry this stuff, and even if I were that's the better part of a day & associated time.

I'll take the risk — and I did.

[jm2e]

I’d hazard to guess that the one made with lighter gauge steel shipping from a random third party Amazon vendor is more likely to arrive dented.

UPDATE: In Lowes now. 34.5” inches with wheels.

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[upallnight]

Well, the Lowe's unit arrived — thanks for the tip. Fast, free shipping, and no dents or dings. All moving. & assembly was easily done solo.

Fits perfect (1/2" to spare) under the working surface of my bench. I'm very excited to take all my tools that have gotten scattered during my past move and consolidate, organize, etc.

I appreciate everyone who weighed in on this discussion.

I know the drawers don't have the feel (or carrying capacity) of the $3,000 version, but that is OK for my purpose.

[jm2e]

Right on. I think you’ll find that cabinet is a really nice “Cinderella” compromise.
When you see stuff that’s 20-30% less expensive, it’s typically lower gauge steel so it wobbles and the drawers flex with minor use, the drawer sliders feel cheap, and puny wheels remind you it’s cheap every time it’s moved.
When you see nicer cabinets, you’ll definitely notice they’re more solid and the drawer slides are nicer. But that also comes at 3-5x higher price.


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[RShea]

All depends on what is around you. If there are none on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc type of sites for a used but not really abused cart, then the stores. Home Depot has as mentioned Husky, and Milwaukee, and maybe one other line. Lowes has Craftsmen, their own brand Kolbalt, and maybe others. Harbor Freight with the US General, Icon, and Yukon lines are another as mentioned by others. Then you have the Tractor Supply and similar type of stores to check out to see what they have also. Do you have any Menards, or other Tractor or Farm type of stores, check them out also. Walmart for a while handled Hart boxes. They are a sister company to Milwaukee and Ryobi- TTI. They discontinued the ones in the store, but I read they are came back with the Hart tool chests on walmart.com and online only- but free shipping so does not break the bank. Other options like the tool trucks maybe able to supply carts also, but usually at a much higher price and really not something most would consider for home boxes unless they are a Dentist or otherwise independently wealthy and or want to pay $50 weekly for the rest of your life maybe.

[upallnight]

All depends on what is around you. If there are none on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc type of sites for a used but not really abused cart, then the stores. Home Depot has as mentioned Husky, and Milwaukee, and maybe one other line. Lowes has Craftsmen, their own brand Kolbalt, and maybe others. Harbor Freight with the US General, Icon, and Yukon lines are another as mentioned by others. Then you have the Tractor Supply and similar type of stores to check out to see what they have also. Do you have any Menards, or other Tractor or Farm type of stores, check them out also. Walmart for a while handled Hart boxes. They are a sister company to Milwaukee and Ryobi- TTI. They discontinued the ones in the store, but I read they are came back with the Hart tool chests on walmart.com and online only- but free shipping so does not break the bank. Other options like the tool trucks maybe able to supply carts also, but usually at a much higher price and really not something most would consider for home boxes unless they are a Dentist or otherwise independently wealthy and or want to pay $50 weekly for the rest of your life maybe.

Thanks for responding. I did solve the problem (see 10 posts up).

I literally have none of those stores near me — not Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, or any of the others... hence the thread.