4 drawer vs 5 drawer hf tool cart

[wniemann]

Here's a little back story. I had a basic 26" Craftsman top and bottom toolbox that I simply outgrew. Was going to get a nice tool truck box but ran across a 46" Montezuma set that I picked up. I was then going to put the Craftsman box in our van trailer permanently and equip it with basic tools for our pulling tractor and get the 11 drawer black us general box for all of my mill tools and measuring tools. Went to HF and that box is complete garbage. So now my though is to use the Craftsman box for the mill tools and purchase a tool cart and put that in the trailer. My thought is after the pulling season is over I can drag the cart back into the shop and use it the rest of the year in there.

I've searched here and saw everyone LOVES the red box and everybody is still good with the 4 drawer black box. I looked them over last night and initially I HATE the latching mechanism for each drawer on the red box. Does it get easier with time? Is it just a personal thing? (I know some people still hate griplatch drawers, and I've never had a problem with them? The locks will be good sitting in a trailer though.

So my questions, does the 4 drawer cart's drawers stay closed pretty well? It doesn't seem to, at least the one in the store. Will the red cart still take the abuse of bouncing around a trailer all summer?

I'm also open to all suggestions, if someone has a better idea for mill tools/parts storage I have no problem putting the craftsman box in the trailer, although I would like to use the Craftsman box somewhere since I have it and its in really good shape.

Thanks,

 

[Kracin]

both of them lock when the top is down, the 4 drawer is better in that the drawers wont open by themselves unless you push the latch, on the othe rhand the black ones stay shut pretty tight when they are brand new, but i'd hate to see what happens when its just a few years old and you have to roll it around for a minute with something in the top where it wont close and your drawers want to pop open.


depends on what your uses are.

if you plan to use it for rolling around alot, the red one would probably be best. but if you don't plan to roll it around a ton and its going to be a "bring the tools 10 feet closer" kind of thing, the black would most likely suffice.

 

[bcradio]

A tool cart seems a bit 'top-heavy' for putting in a moving vehicle.

 

[jjjrmx5]

1. Once you load the dwrs of both boxes with tools/weight, they act just like a tool cart should. Dwrs slide smooth and retention upon return is tight.

2. Yes, both will last being used professionally or only weekends.
Lower the lid and dwrs on both carts lock shut. Done.
Lock-N-roll on red cart is up to you. It can be disabled. BTDT.
Use on a flat surface and fine. Just like any other box or cart, severe slopes can cause problems. It's gravity. Duh.

3. Space and dwr capacity tend to be the two differences along with hinge types. As well as cost.
$99 or $109 for black. $169 for red.

I personally think the extra $$ for the red is worth it. More storage and sturt lifts that you can always change over to elbow hinges. BTDT too.

It's a cart, not a full dwr storage roll cab of course, but, having several C'man friction and ball bearing slide boxes,are up there on awesome HF quality for the price.

Good luck.

A tool cart seems a bit 'top-heavy' for putting in a moving vehicle.

LOL.
If an enclosed trailer, that's why they make ratcheting straps and gobs of tie-down points in race trailers. Even cargo vans have them. It's not willy-nilly hauling like mom's in minivans going home from Lowes.
Or it shouldn't be. For everyones safety.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

My 44" HF has a problem with the drawers opening when I move it which is pretty often. The detents don't seem to hold really heavey drawers. My HF 56" has the same locks as the red cart. I am used to them and don't mind them now. With that said I really like the red cart. I was contemplating getting one to use as something to work on top of. I think I might need to just get a 72" box at this point. If that doesn't happen financially I will grab a red cart. I have looked them over a bunch of times and really like them. I have a friend who backed his Chevy 1500 into the black cart and smooshed it really bad with a minor bump. I guess most carts with legs would collapse under those circumstances, but the red one seems much better.

 

[ibedayank]

on the 44 inch if you LOCK it the drawers do not come open same with either of the carts

 

[Askme42]

I will be buying one soon and it's a no brainer on the 5 drawer red for me.

 

[larryq]

I will be buying one soon and it's a no brainer on the 5 drawer red for me.

If I were in the market I'd do the same. The black cart is really nice, but the red one is really, really nice and worth the extra $$ IMO.

 

[oldldh]

I vote RED...

Especially "Arrest Me Red"!!!

 

[Cryptic1911]

The red box has a slightly taller top section under the lid, so you could probably fit screwdrivers into the slotted section along the edge. The black box I have is too short, and the handles hit the lid

I'm not sure how much bigger inside the drawers the red one is, but I could use a bit more space at this point

 

[cheechi]

This thread can also help you decide. If you don't plan to modify it, the 5 drawer would be the one I would choose. But there is something about those 4 drawers some guys have stacked that just looks really useful.

 

[tischrocks]

i have the black 4 drawer cart which i have used now for over a year with no problems.I work as a auto technican at a dealership and it gets used a lot. I went with the 4 drawer over the 5 drawer because the 5 drawer was taller, and i wanted something to role around the car as i work on it.

 

[Askme42]

This thread can also help you decide. If you don't plan to modify it, the 5 drawer would be the one I would choose. But there is something about those 4 drawers some guys have stacked that just looks really useful.

That damn thread did me in. Had never thought I needed a tool cart until that thread. By page 3 I had to have one. By page 10 my wife hated me. By page 20 she hated the site. Around page 30 I softened her up to the fact I needed one. By page 40 she agreed to buy it as a vday gift.

This site might directly lead to my eventual divorce. Sure I wouldn't be the first member to claim that.

 

[k1rodeoboater]

I had a 4 drawer that I gave to my neighbor who let me work on my truck in his garage when I had to move. I liked it alright, but the whole tool cart thing doesn't really work for me (it's a mental thing, I used it like a chest/cabinet). I will say this though. I loved the layout of the 4 drawer over the 5 drawer. Just seemed a lot easier to organize to me for whatever reason. The 4 drawer also seemed like if you were going to mod it, was the way to go.

Of course YMMV so take my $0.02 for what it's worth

 

[zkling]

Couple thoughts come to mind. What do you want to do with the cart? If I had to choose between the two I'd definitaly go for the red one, however with that said, I'm not a fan of those types of "carts". My cart at home is an older 12 drawer Waterloo 26" wide bottom tool box with a piece of wood on top for a work surface. IMHO it is much handier than a flip top cart. With the bottom box I can use the top as a work surface yet still able to access all the tools in drawers. This is one of those cases where a friction box really helps. I can have the drawers pointing down the driveway and they still won't open. Heck I've even left the drawer half open downhill and they still won't slide out and top over.

Just something you may want to consider for your trailer. If you went with a bottom box you would get more storage space and a work surface.

For tooling storage, I like thin drawers, lots of thin drawers to lay the cutting tools out.

Another thing to consider, on the road boxes can really take a beating due to road bumps. Some folks say that friction slides are actually better in this application as the ball bearing slides can vibrate, brinell and just plain wear out.

The 5 drawer cart is pretty large, something like 36"x20" it is ~ the same size as the massive snap on KR555/655 bottom box.

 

[stage20]

this is up to you, but those lil drawer locks are plastic. open up, take a cut off wheel and cut them off. if you need to lock the drawers close the lid.

i just about bought a lower 56" and i was set on doing this as soon as i got it home. surfing craigs, i ended up getting an upper and lower ball bearing cm 41" i couldnt turn down.

 

[wniemann]

Thanks for all the replies and tips. I was dead set on the black box awhile ago and after switching my mind a couple times in the past few days I think I will get the red 5 drawer for 160. I have been reading the tool cart mod thread (I'm only on page 13 though lol).

I have a "cart" (basically 4 casters, 4 legs, and a rectangle tray on top, that I stored stuff on all the time last summer when working on the tractor. I also like using the blue poly 24x36" carts from harbor freight at work for storing tools temporaily, hauling parts, doing whatever (picked up one of those for home use last week).

Because of this I think I will really like a tool cart. I initially don't plan on storing any tools in the top (this will be my catch all for the project I'm working on (switches, wire, bolts, nuts, fittings, who knows, etc.)

I don't need a whole lot of storage as the tractor is all SAE and a limited number of fastener sizes (Although I will most likely try to fit a complete set of wrenches and sockets in SAE and Metric in case the Semi has trouble, pretty much a basic set of tools, we got by last year with a 200 some piece cman kit and a small 19"ish 4 drawer portable toolbox).

Yes it will be in a trailer for a few months out of the year, but it will be secured to the wall somehow. A couple of couches have been sitting in there loose and havent moved a whole lot.

 

[4x4gearhead]

I know a few people with the red one. I have been meaning to get one myself for some time but the two hf stores in my state are not places I frequent so I don't make it out to them. I have never seen the black in person but for the money the red cart doesn't leave much to be desired.

 

[Bicyclegarage]

I have the black one and love it for around the garage it has plenty of storage I have two Craftsman boxes i keep most of my tools in. It has held up nice and moves around the garage nice.

Sent from my LG-LS720 using Tapatalk

 

[Shadowdog500]

I also have the black box and love it! It is low enough that it goes under my palate rack bench. It is big enough to hold the most used tools when working on a car, and it is small enough not go be a hassle dragging around my shop. I got mine for $99. It still goes on sale for that price from time to time.

I also put the $20 tooltopia tray on it, and it fits like it was made for it.

Chris