Modifications to the HF 4 and 5 drawer service carts - what changes have you made?
- Thread starter ndnchf
- Start date
TalonFE
Well-known member
Not dumb....possibly ill-advised though. I almost did this to my 5-drawer. It will hook over the lip of the cart but then you lose lid operation. So you get some nice stainless 1-inch spacers and bolt that bad boy up, problem is it weighs 140-ish lbs empty and will begin to distort the metal on that cart. Extra holes required, as nothing really linesup that well. Ended up getting an angle iron framework fabbed that surrounded the whole setup to take the weight safely. Several of the fellas have done this with the short version of the side locker and it works waaaaayy better. You can relocate casters as required to prevent tipping, which is a real possibility with that tall locker.
1WickedEvo
Well-known member
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taumac
Well-known member
Damn, how’s that bottom holding up with weight of 2 lockers and cart itself.
mbshop
Well-known member
I understand a few mods on a cart. But turning them into heavy awkward tool boxes is beyond me. That being sayed, it's yer cart, do what you want.
Mowerdoctor
Well-known member
Roadster J
Well-known member
Husky has a similar panel
https://www.homedepot.com/p/12-in-1...PIPHorizontal3_rr-_-300200437-_-204766590-_-N
dodge610
Well-known member
That husky panel is pretty nice i have 2 of them.
1WickedEvo
Well-known member
Btw-I found the pic on HF’s site. I don’t own a cart or a locker...yet
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While some of these are most impressive builds.... I often think the same thing. Somewhere in this thread, I believe there was a discussion of using a small rolling tool box vs these tool carts. Personally.... I am undecided which way to go. IF.... anyone that posted there is able to find those posts, I would be most appreciative.
ptgarcia
Well-known member
I kind of fall in that camp. I love my cart, but I think I would have been better served by a small rolling box. I'll probably add a 26" box to the shop (I use that term loosely, haha) at some point. What I'd really like is a single bay 36" rolling box.
I've owned my cart a few years, long enough to decide the 26" cabinet would have been a better choice for my usage - especially now that the HF cabinets are 22" deep. Eventually I'll probably transition to the 26 cabinet.
I guess it really comes down to how you use it.
taumac
Well-known member
While the 5D cart is good for common use a 26 is a lot more storage in same foot print plus a work surface. Now series 2 box is even better being 22” deep. When it comes down to it it’s all base upon your use. I have a 5D cart but I personally don’t keep much in there. I more of keep tools in main box and just grab what I need for job. If I had choice between HF 26 bottom or the HF 5D cart I would pick HF26. Now you could also get a older 26” bottom roller from whatever brand and use that also.
I thought I needed a mobile box but my space isn't that big so I never used it that way and it just became another stationary tool box. As mentioned above the 26" cabinet makes better use of the footprint.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
I got the 5 drawer cart as a mobile work station and only put the things I need for the job I'm doing in it. I didn't need a 26" box loaded down trying to shove it around. My 5 drawer is perfect for my use, but I didn't need extra storage. I needed a light, easy to maneuver, mobile work station for around the garage and driveway while doing car work.
Thanks guys for the replies, the insights are greatly appreciated. As much as I like the cart, or the idea of it, the HF26 makes more sense for my (limited) space and how it will be used. The comments really helped to confirm that.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
I will say the 5 drawer cart with the smooth lid design makes a great transport tool. I threw a piece of cardboard on the top and transported the 56" top box that finally arrived from the bed of the truck to the 72" base yesterday with ease. The 26" chest would not have worked nearly as well for that.
jfrey123
Well-known member
I bought the cart after seeing the hype and cool things folks do with it, along with a very attractive price for what seems like a big cart.
I’m just a homeowner who thought it would be cool to fill out this cart with the most common tools for tuneups so I could roll it out to my driveway. After almost 3 years, I’ve moved it from it’s home about 20 feet to the opening of my garage a whole two times. Plus, my driveway is too sloped and rough, I have concerns about tipping it.
So since about 98% of what I use it for is a stationary chest, I’d rather have the extra drawers of the HF 26” base versus the wasted open area. Funny thing is I own a three tiered 26” chest that lives right next to it. The base on mine is trash and has cabinets instead of full drawers. I’m fairly confident I can rework the middle and top chest to a new HF base cabinet, off load the cart and still have room to spare.
cderalow
Well-known member
I will say the 5 drawer cart with the smooth lid design makes a great transport tool. I threw a piece of cardboard on the top and transported the 56" top box that finally arrived from the bed of the truck to the 72" base yesterday with ease. The 26" chest would not have worked nearly as well for that.
the left hand placement of that completely screws with my OCD. I would have placed to top to the right to align the smaller drawers.
jakemac
Well-known member
But ......... then it would be off center of the large top drawer.
Your OCD must be different than mine. LOL
Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app
Your OCD must be different than mine. LOL
Sent from my iPad using The Garage Journal mobile app
taumac
Well-known member
My OCD tells me should have gotten a 56 top and bottom. If anything moving it to the right at least lines up all the same drawers.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
That's the more common set-up, but not how I needed it to be in my space. When it's aligned right though the left bar also looks out of place as it is bisected by the long drawer. Either alignment has the larger end bars on top matching up to the slightly smaller middle bars on the 72". Doesn't matter though because the 72" is so much more useful than the 56" bottom.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
The white cart is out. Looks sharp. I might have went that route over the green if they had it and the tool boxes available at the end of June.
Fir2t8lood
New member
Added the side box. About 2 1/2” deeper than the cart but definitely loving it
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TimMiller117
Member
I like this style
fartymarty
Well-known member
It was for me. It'll probably help if you have at least one good fingernail that is a bit longer than the others so baby one along for a couple of weeks before you try it. That's for the decal on the lid, the badging came off easily with a Popsicle stick that had been sanded on the end into a chisel type configuration. The under lid decal may stick differently to the different colors, but I have not heard of anyone having too much of a problem with it. Probably best to try it within a few weeks of purchase rather than let it sit in the garage a few years before you attempt it.
Good luck!
MushCreek
Well-known member
They used to put a safety sticker on the upper right hand drawer. That thing was impossible to get off! Even after I damaged the paint, there were still traces of that thing. They don't seem to put those on there any more.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
Orange? That's red in the picture.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
Slightly? That's bright red in the picture. It also explains why they had them in stock on discount. The orange is creamy, ktm colored and is special order in the tool boxes.
PugetDude
ALLIANCE MEMBER
fartymarty
Well-known member
Don't worry about it CafeTools, red is the better color.
However, you may want to get your eyes checked. My wife is color blind (rare in females) with a red/green deficiency and she fails the online color vision tests as does my son. I purchased the expensive glasses that are supposed to let her see what other's do, but they don't do much for her, they make the reds look a little better but nothing as dramatic as all those online videos of people breaking out in tears the first time they put them on. A waste of money for us.
OK, back on topic, yes Red is the best color and maybe black as well, great classic colors. Years from now when you go to pass those boxes on they will be appreciated. All those other colors will be received as though they were an avocado colored refrigerator from the 70s.
However, you may want to get your eyes checked. My wife is color blind (rare in females) with a red/green deficiency and she fails the online color vision tests as does my son. I purchased the expensive glasses that are supposed to let her see what other's do, but they don't do much for her, they make the reds look a little better but nothing as dramatic as all those online videos of people breaking out in tears the first time they put them on. A waste of money for us.
OK, back on topic, yes Red is the best color and maybe black as well, great classic colors. Years from now when you go to pass those boxes on they will be appreciated. All those other colors will be received as though they were an avocado colored refrigerator from the 70s.
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Haha you guys I didn't buy a red one accidently! And no thier powdercoater didn't mix the paint wrong. It's just the way my phone adjusted the color. Here's a drawer pic of my 44 I bought at the same time.
You gave are funny that gave me a big LOL.
You gave are funny that gave me a big LOL.
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fartymarty
Well-known member
Well OK then, but in a few years it'll have that avocado 70's look to it. I also see that like some others, you've installed the handle and can shelf on the wrong side of the cart.
jmhinkle
Well-known member
I also prefer the handle on that side as well. I'll stick with my avocados though. Red got boring and lime green has been hot since Kawasaki made it a thing.
