Harbor freight 56" vs menards masterforce 56" box

[Deafautotech]

Which would you chose?

I only need full wide drawers but like to have a second bay to keep all my craps in and locked as I could make it to bet personal bench and workstation at my work.

Right now I has work on 41" older craftsman bottom box as I love it but full! And I has locker mounted on it and mostly it keep **** inside.. I just want get clean and make look better. I would like to bring mine to home and get one with more large box to use... I tried a Craigslist. No luck and mostly they want too much or already sold.

I do like masterforce as lifetime warranty on slides which I like it.. But it do give extra wide top drawer. But I like the harbor freight as double slides on almost all drawers and latch on drawers..

 

[Snapped-off]

I don't like the drawer layout of the new Masterforce 56", but between your two choices, I would go with the Masterforce since you can get a wood/stainless top for it now. They also have the griplatch style drawer pulls so it would be a choice between that or detents on the HF.

If that doesn't matter to you, just pick up the cheaper one. Menards occasionally has rebates on boxes, and you can combine a rebate with the sale price. I got my original Masterforce for 32% off with a rebate and a labor day sale two years ago.

 

[worknhard]

I'm shopping for a 54"/56" cabinet myself... I've seen the Masterforce and Harbor Freight cabinets and both are pretty nice. I like the fact that Masterforce comes in a blue or black color which I prefer and the finish and trim look a little nicer than HF. It also has the grip latch. On the other hand, the HF box may have a bit more volume and a better drawer layout. For myself, however, I plan to go with the International 56" box. I like that it is 24" deep -- the only decent quality 24" deep box under a grand. Reviews are favorable, and the load rating for drawers, and max. total are very good.

 

[Deafautotech]

Oh ****.. I am guess masterforce had changed the drawers layouts.. It has not wide enough to storage my big hammers and prybars..

 

[kngelv]

Very interested in this thread. I have the HF 56". I'm getting ready to incorporate it into a workbench build with another 56". I really like the blue color on the Masterforce. I've been debating whether to buy another HF, or sell the one I have and buy two of the Masterforce.

James

 

[Deafautotech]

I prefer to stay with red color as similar with my krl1203 and krl1003... The snap on KRL are keep all tools and speciality things only.. That why I want little large and cheap box to keep all parts and bulk things to keep in as so I can lock it because techs will just open and use it as I am only tech who has mostly common tools to do anythings.. My service director told me just keep lock it if don't want other techs to use..


Also I am plan to stop by harbor freight to do more closer looking to see if I want to use it as my workstation..

 

[Snapped-off]

Oh ****.. I am guess masterforce had changed the drawers layouts.. It has not wide enough to storage my big hammers and prybars..

I don't know how the shopping is down in Indy, but up here those are the the only two cheap boxes I would consider. If the MasterForce layout doesn't work out for your tool selection, sounds like HF is the way to go on this one.

 

[NUTTSGT]

A freind checked out the HF box and decided to go with the Menard's box. He already has one in his GN enclosed trailer. Before he bought it, he checked out Rural King's boxes. He ended up buying a Frontier (IIRC) box from them.

 

[Deafautotech]

I don't need other more depth drawers as my snap on but I need more extra wide drawers..

 

[kngelv]

I finally drove down to Toledo to check out the Masterforce boxes in person. I think the HF box is better built all the way around. The HF definitely has better attention to detail and seemed less flimsy. Not sure why there is so much love for the Masterforce.

James

 

[Subyroo651]

Not sure why there is so much love for the Masterforce.

James

I think the new Masterforce boxes are not of the same build quality that the old non-griplatch ones were.

 

[joedodge]

I like the 56" Hf box. Do you have that much trouble keeping the other techs out of your stuff?

 

[TwoInch]

I think the new Masterforce boxes are not of the same build quality that the old non-griplatch ones were.

i believe this to be true. i compared them side by side at menards not long ago, they had one of the older models on clearance. to me, it does not seem like its just the lack of a solid drawer pull that makes it feel different. the older models seemed overbuilt, tank like. the new ones dont seem bad, just not as rock solid.

if it were me, i would get the HF box over the new style MF box. one thing the MF box has goin for it, is that its got color options now.

i would probably take the older MF box style over the HF box though, especially if i could get it something other than baby **** green... that is what they call that right?

 

[jvitez]

Forest green, you uncouth Visigoth you.........

Just wait a minute, let me think back to when......Gaaaak! You're right!!

But I bought one anyway, a roller cabinet, right before they switched to the new models. The colour is very close to my Dad's old Beach machinist's chest which will sit on top. These are for my basement wood shop.

 

[BajaBound]

I have had the HF 56" for nearly two years and the only I don't like is that I don't have two. I wish there was a top box option but aside from that it is some of the best money I have ever spent. HF gets my vote!

 

[Deafautotech]

i got the harbor freight AD mail today and found out it has new price as on sale 699.99 dollars.

i did bought it when it was on sale but for 799.99 dollars on Dec 9, 2012... so i went back to store for ask a price adjustment which they took care of it... i was happy about it.. i am still work out on my harbor freight bottom box... it still little stiff on ball bearing slides as need to break down to work better...