Anyone using a HF 5 drawer cart as their only box?

[Mrmontebuilder]

Looking for ideas on fitting all my tools into a HF Red 5 drawer cart, saw some good stuff in the cart mods thread and was hoping for some drawer pictures.

 

[Roobaix]

What tools do you have?

 

[Boostless]

what are you planning on using it for? in a shop at work or in your home garage?

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

I have 3/8 and 1/2 shallow and deep impacts in SAE and Metric and 1/4,3/8, and 1/2 chrome sockets in SAE and Metric and some of it 12 point as well as 6. And the usual pliers, vise grips etc and a pretty full selection of screwdrivers. For now it is home use but at some point I may go back to wrenching full time for someone else.

 

[jdlong]

The chest should fit the tool collection you describe well. Sockets and ratchets in the top bay on tree style socket racks. Standard combos, screwdrivers, etc. in the drawers. Bottom drawer for torque wrenches and cheater bars. Wheel chalks, rags, and a few blow molded case collections in the bottom bay. Buy more chest(s) as you expand keeping your most used tools in this roll-away. This roll-away is extremely convenient as it rolls up to your vehicle. Ideal for external engine accessories, brakes, and suspension. For big jobs like building up long blocks or rear differentials you really don't need a chest that rolls up to to the vehicle and this chest will roll up to big jobs next to the big chest.

 

[finn]

I'm trying to do it, but the cart is just too small.

The top compartment and the bottom drawer become overloaded, in my case.

It would need at least two or three additional drawers to replace a small, but legitimate tool chest.

Works fine as a roll around for specific projects, though.

 

[jdlong]

The cart is not for a large everything tool collection. It is for most used tools and rolling up to a vehicle for convenience.

 

[Kev442]

I worked out of a HF 4 drawer cart in the pole building for the past 3 years. Wrenches in particular ended up double stacked. Got tired of that two weeks ago and now have 2 HF black carts. They hold a helluva lot of tools for $198.

 

[AnthonyJ124]

I had only the 5 drawer cart for 3 years. Fit most of my general tools and bike tools pretty well. Once we bought the house, I went to the 44" box then loaded all my general tools in that, keeping my bicycle and electrical tools/supplies in the 5 drawer.

Handy cart, with diligent organization it should hold most commonly used tools and still be pretty mobile.

 

[winlinmac]

I'm in the same dilemma--I'm not sure how well I can organize the tools in this cart. It seems this cart will be mostly suitable for the most-used tools. Tools that see occasional use probably belong in the "other" cart.

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

I have a 41" craftsman grip latch bottom and the full width intermediate single drawer and the power riser/hutch also but to be honest some of the drawers are so shallow they are useless for most deep sockets to stand up in and the HF cart drawers are almost 1/2" deeper and I think with clever arrangement I can make it work especially with magnet strips on the lid. My biggest problem is having 10 of some the sockets and I stripping out all the extras and packing them away just in case.

I have arranged both boxes several times and just can't get a combo I am happy with in either one so I am open to ideas from anywhere at this point. I would like to sell both and get a 56" HF bottom but not in the budget right now.

 

[RV8guy]

It's my main box at work. I did slap on a side cabinet though. My big SnapOn sits at home.

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

A side cabinet from HF on the cart has crossed my mind as well. Some in the mods thread were really appealing to me and I could probably fit everything I want to keep out for easy grabbing when I need it in that combo.

 

[by921]

I bought the cart and used it as an only box for a while, then I added the side box to it and that is what I have used for the past year at home and I wish I bought the 44inch box. It makes more sense. The problem with the cart is no really wide drawer.


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[Mrmontebuilder]

That's exactly what I thinking of doing by921 with a frame under the cart and side cabinet. I do get what you are saying about having a bigger box like the 44" though, I need to empty both out and start from scratch and see what works better for me. I may end up selling both when I have a little more cash and buying a 56" and being done with it and have enough room when I get more tools.

 

[jeepboy4life]

I use just the 5 drawer cart at work, Im an industrial mechanic though so I don't need a lot of the specialty tools you need for automotive work. It holds almost everything I need minus a few big items like my 36" pipe wrench and 18" crescent wrench. I am very happy working out of only this cart. I tell everyone at work that my box is like a puzzle, if you have one piece out of its spot the drawers wont close. I will take some pictures Monday to show y'all the layout I use.

 

[Boostless]

I use mine at work and keep all my 3/8" and 1/4" stuff in the top with the couple 1/2" sockets for lug nuts. Bottom drawer for pneumatic and electric tools. Short wide drawer holds my wrenches. Deep thin drawer holds the hammers. Top short drawer holds my oil filter wrenches, 1/4" extensions, and picks. Bottom short drawer is empty right now. Ratchets and some screw drivers go in the top side holes. Lastly I got the Sunex side attachment for my screw drivers, pry bars, and 3/8" extensions. Still working out the kinks with it at the moment but I like this a lot better than having to take all jobs to my bay to work out of my box. I even helps that I can bring the cart to the area of the car I'm working on to save time from walking back and forth to the box.

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

Pictures much appreciated jeepboy4life, visual can get across things so much better at least in my case. At this point I don't have a use for a mobile cart as I have everything in my shed which is about a 60-70 foot walk from the driveway where I sometimes work on my and my relatives vehicles and it is grass and nothing rolls very well on it especially after even a light rain

 

[Greg85mcss]

I try to keep mine light for mobility but honestly could probably work out of it with a separate locker for specialty stuff. To do what you're trying to I would find another place for less used sockets. Other than that you should be ok. I have a 50" drawer full of sockets that I might go into once a week but the rest is in my 5 drawer.


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[kball]

My 5 drawer cart isn't my only box but it's the main one I work out of. 99% of what I usually need. Here's my drawer layout. Top compartment is all metric, the drawer with all sockets and wrenches is all SAE.

 

[jeepboy4life]

Pictures as promised. First pic is the top with my sockets, ratchets, screwdrivers, and impact. Second is the top small drawer with punches, scrapers, strap wrench, welding pliers, snap ring pliers, wire strippers, and razor knives. Third is the bottom small drawer with pliers. Fourth is the small deep drawer with tap and die set, drill, hex impact, extractor set, drill bits, and 100 pc bit set. Fifth is the long shallow drawer with wrenches. Sixth is the long deep drawer with files, big channel locks, hammers, wire brush, clamps, lock out stuff, gloves, tape and other consumables. Also on the side shelf I have WD-40, Degreaser, simple green, ATF + acetone, tap oil, and locktite and primer. On the bottom I keep my 4" grinder and grinder wheels, extension cord, fast orange hand cleaner, and funnels.

 

[djdaredevil]

Pictures much appreciated jeepboy4life, visual can get across things so much better at least in my case. At this point I don't have a use for a mobile cart as I have everything in my shed which is about a 60-70 foot walk from the driveway where I sometimes work on my and my relatives vehicles and it is grass and nothing rolls very well on it especially after even a light rain

Check the cart mod thread its really easy to put 8in pneumatic casters on these carts then they roll over grass real easy.

 

[ihateminimumwage]

I worked out of a HF 4 drawer at a truck shop. Had some of the larger specialty tools in a 26" stacker, but only dug into it a couple times a week depending on the job. I have some pictures around here somewhere. Looking back on it, I could've organized it better (lots of doubles and unused socket sizes).

 

[Mrmontebuilder]

I spent today straightening up my shed and started sorting everything out and the word chaos comes to mind. Found even more tools stashed in boxes with other stuff and I am trying to assess what needs to stay, what needs to be packed away for spares and what needs to go to make it a bit more manageable. Despite believing you can't have too many tools I am thinking no one needs 20 of any socket - except 10mm LOL