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Modifications to the HF 4 and 5 drawer service carts - what changes have you made?

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kool_BOY8323

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Tucker99 said:
You guys putting magnetic strips on the inside of the lid, are you screwing them to the lid and are you putting a mat on the outside of the lid? If so what are you doing with the pimple from the screw heads coming through the mat?
Click to expand...

i used 1/4-20 carriage bolts so the heads are round. i also used 3m mounting tape so those things are not going anywhere. :lol_hitti

i like the more industrial look of having the bolt heads exposed, and they matched the existing hardware so it looked like they belonged there.:beer:
 
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PelicanPines

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Tucker99 said:
You guys putting magnetic strips on the inside of the lid, are you screwing them to the lid and are you putting a mat on the outside of the lid? If so what are you doing with the pimple from the screw heads coming through the mat?
Click to expand...

1st I used car molding tape... added z brackets attached with 3/16th rivets. I have a foam top on the box... no pimples visible. Probably because when i drilled the hole thru the lid from the inside... it made enough room for the rivet end.

If you roll back a few pages on this thread you can see the images from my cart. Starts on page 52...
 
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Bigtee

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Does anyone know how you can get the Snap On hinge set now? I can't find it on the new website.
 
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skulldrinker

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Tucker99 said:
You guys putting magnetic strips on the inside of the lid, are you screwing them to the lid and are you putting a mat on the outside of the lid? If so what are you doing with the pimple from the screw heads coming through the mat?
Click to expand...


I just drilled the hole and put 1/4" round head screws. I don't care what the lid looks like.

I even put brake fluid on the lid for a demonstration for the tech at Firestone. Dot 3 never took any paint off of my HF cart. Left it on there for an hour.
 
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Tucker99

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Can anyone confirm that the new Instinct screwdrivers will fit with the lid down? Think I've seen a few pics of the previous style but not the newest handles. Is the overall height of the top compartment 4-3/4" as advertised? If so I have 3-prypars that will not fit? There are a few posts about drop bushings on Blue Point carts that lowered the resting height of the handle. Anyone have any luck finding these? Yea, there are other options but just trying to utilize available space.
 
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ihateminimumwage

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Askme42 said:
Anyone use the bottom drawer for impact sockets?
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DSCN2043_zps3c7cc0a7.jpg

1/2"-1/4" drive sockets, swivels, adapters and extensions. 1/2" & 3/8" air impacts, 3/8" & 1/4" air ratchets, and Dewalt impact driver. It was a lot of weight.

Still opened and closed smooth, but popped a rivet when it slammed shut one day. Replaced it with a machine screw and nut, and it never had any more issues.
 
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skulldrinker

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ihateminimumwage said:
DSCN2043_zps3c7cc0a7.jpg

1/2"-1/4" drive sockets, swivels, adapters and extensions. 1/2" & 3/8" air impacts, 3/8" & 1/4" air ratchets, and Dewalt impact driver. It was a lot of weight.

Still opened and closed smooth, but popped a rivet when it slammed shut one day. Replaced it with a machine screw and nut, and it never had any more issues.
Click to expand...


No I use the top tray like the great creator intended it to be used. What do you keep on top then? and why?
 
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ihateminimumwage

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skulldrinker said:
No I use the top tray like the great creator intended it to be used. What do you keep on top then? and why?
Click to expand...

WAY too many chrome sockets, ratchets extensions, etc. That was a couple years back, and had most of everything in the cart. Moved my 3/8" impacts to the top later on, and now don't even use the cart at the current job.
 
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skulldrinker

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ihateminimumwage said:
WAY too many chrome sockets, ratchets extensions, etc. That was a couple years back, and had most of everything in the cart. Moved my 3/8" impacts to the top later on, and now don't even use the cart at the current job.
Click to expand...


Yeah sounds like you were simply looking for more room. I found that Black roller was way to small even for my General Service position. I upgraded to the red one real quick.
 
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ihateminimumwage

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skulldrinker said:
Yeah sounds like you were simply looking for more room. I found that Black roller was way to small even for my General Service position. I upgraded to the red one real quick.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I somehow crammed 90% of my tools into that cart for working in diesel. Now working in a generator shop, and spend some time doing service calls. Most of the tools are now in bags, and the 1/2" stuff sees little to no use anymore. No complaints from me.:bounce:
 
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ml3895

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Finally got around to adding a photo, sunex pry bar holder, hf shelf, have the snap on hinges ordered just waiting for them to show up
 

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Kirbot

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Right now my pry bars are just sitting in the bottom, but I think I'll make some sort of rack on the back. All the space on the sides is already full.
 

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Steve in Louisiana

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I have (2) of these & they stay stationary . . .

Is there an easy way to enable opening of the drawers when the lid is down?

Steve
 
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nine4gmc

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Steve in Louisiana said:
I have (2) of these & they stay stationary . . .

Is there an easy way to enable opening of the drawers when the lid is down?

Steve
Click to expand...

Do you want a permanent solution or reversible? Permanent would be to take a grinder with cutting disc and cut the spring loaded pin off so the lid does not press on it anymore. Reversible would be to take the cart apart and remove the rod, save it for reinstalling later. If you want the best of both worlds, you'd need to fab up a latching pin solution similar to the door latch here:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/0CeBY.jpg
 
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MrGiggles

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The only mod I have done is bolting one of the free magnetic strips to the side to hold screwdrivers and such. I didn't care for the holes in the top because I couldn't see what I was grabbing. You'll have to excuse the mess in the photo, my shop is in transition right now.



Turns out it holds chainsaw chains nicely too. :D
 
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Buckgnarly

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Steve in Louisiana said:
I have (2) of these & they stay stationary . . .

Is there an easy way to enable opening of the drawers when the lid is down?

Steve
Click to expand...

Thought about that today...my solution may be to drill and install a small sheet metal screw to hold the plastic rectangle rod down.
 
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Buckgnarly

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ml3895 said:
Finally got around to adding a photo, sunex pry bar holder, hf shelf, have the snap on hinges ordered just waiting for them to show up
Click to expand...

What was the SO part number? Thought I saw it in here, but cannot find it now...
 
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stage20

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nine4gmc said:
Do you want a permanent solution or reversible? Permanent would be to take a grinder with cutting disc and cut the spring loaded pin off so the lid does not press on it anymore. Reversible would be to take the cart apart and remove the rod, save it for reinstalling later. If you want the best of both worlds, you'd need to fab up a latching pin solution similar to the door latch here:
http://i.stack.imgur.com/0CeBY.jpg
Click to expand...

you just need a couple good self drilling screws or a pin.

on the 5 drawer cart, push the rod down and run a self tapper in it to hold it down. want it to work again, just remove the self tapper.

i sold my 4 drawer. it had a small round rod. i cant remember if it was on a stand or not. you could take a piece of angle metal to keep the rod forced down and just use a self tapper to hold the angle in place.
 
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twinturbogarage

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ex-x-fire said:
Google "tool box side shelf". HF doesn't sell them though.
Or make one, find some folding hinges & visit your local scrape steel yard. I bet the top lid of a washing machine would work good.
Click to expand...
Haven't read through the whole thread yet, and don't know if someone said this already, but i saw the side shelfs at harbor freight, they even had a red cart with one attached. I was very surprised.
 
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jakemac

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Those side shelves are new. They were just released within the month. They're simple, but at $20 who cares. :D
 
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bmxdad

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Puyallup, WA
Bought a side table today. Kind of hidden behind the roll-aways ... good price, when the 20% off is used too.
 

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CobraChevelle

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Found this homark side cabinet at fleet farm for 100$ "floor model". Going to try to do something with the black HF cart
 

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twinturbogarage

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SpeedHoles said:
You never understood because maybe you've never had it work successfully.
Because it works occasionally. Check the harbor freight coupon thread, fairly recent example there, but that instance was a larger sale than I was bargaining, not to mention with the manager and not a reg. sales associate.
I remember years ago working retail in the cycling industry, you were MUCH better off trying to "haggle" than just happily throw down payment on retail.

Not like I'm trying these things at department stores or grocery markets.
Click to expand...
I totally agree, why pay more than you have to. :thumbup:
 
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doan

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Frisco, TX
Not a huge mod, but here's my socket drawer for my cart. 1/4 and 3/8, metric and standard, all easy to find/replace and won't move when moving the cat

0
 
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