Do you use a service cart?

[Kennybill]

I use service carts when working on cars. I try to have everything I will need on the cart. It's nice not having to bend/trip over tools. I have some retro fiber glass high bar chairs that I can sit while under a vehicle while on my 2 post lift with the cart right there. Ahhh, life's good.

 

[hh76]

The plastic ones are probably practical, but I'm rough on stuff. Sooner or later, every plastic thing I've owned has broken in some way. That, and they're ugly. It looks like a plastic factory reject. If I go steel, I could always put plastic bumpers on the corners to protect the car I'm working on.

I think you'd be surprised at how durable the plastic carts are. I don't have one, but see them on construction sites a lot. A shop setting is nothing compared to a construction site for testing durability. Loading in and out of trucks every day, wheeling over cords, hoses, unfinished ground puts a lot of stress on wheeled tools, and the plastic holds up well.

 

[shortykorte]

I'm trying to decide between the black 4 drawer and the red 5 drawer. About a $60 difference when on sale. 1) The red one is significantly heavier, and just feels more solid. 2) The red one would match my two HF 44" rollers and one upper HF tool box. 3) The black one IS less money, though.

1) True and better storage.
2) colors have to match right?
3) Less is not always better.

 

[kbs2244]

I have two homemade 2x4 roll around tables to go with the roll around toolbox.
I rarely use my workbench any more.

 

[CSRPenFab]

Some nice deals on German Schwaben Tool Carts at ECS Tuning. Heck for $69 with free shipping I may pick up another for my shop. You can never have too many carts!

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Schw...um&utmcontent=apasternak&utm_campaign=newpost

 

[taumac]

I'm trying to decide between the black 4 drawer and the red 5 drawer. About a $60 difference when on sale. 1) The red one is significantly heavier, and just feels more solid. 2) The red one would match my two HF 44" rollers and one upper HF tool box. 3) The black one IS less money, though.

Actually, the 5 drawer is slightly taller than the 44 but really think the 5 drawer is great for the price plus it matches the 44. I'm really thinking of adding one myself. First, got to find place to put it. I got no room. LOL

 

[dcjeepman]

The red HF cart is nice for the money, especially after putting swivel casters at all four corners. It holds tools for 90% of my common jobs. Mine is outfitted with it's own set of basic tools so I don't have to transfer from the big box.

 

[G McKay]

Me? Nope. Never have.

 

[BioNerd]

The red HF cart is nice for the money, especially after putting swivel casters at all four corners. It holds tools for 90% of my common jobs. Mine is outfitted with it's own set of basic tools so I don't have to transfer from the big box.

I went to get casters to do that cuz Im sick of lifting the damn thing to get it out the way!!!!!! but, they only had one.... suckers.

 

[MushCreek]

From the pictures, it looks like the HF cart has bolt-on casters; should be easy to change out the two rigid ones.

 

[Dragfluid]

Here's my contribution. A 44 year old Craftsman bottom box. The bottom drawer is out of it at the moment. When you're doing this for a living, the last thing you need is to be running back and forth from under a vehicle to your main box. 95% of everything I use on a daily basis is on the top of it. Some lesser used wrenches in the top drawer, a couple other items in the 2nd drawer. Keep the slides lubed and replace the casters when they start to develop an attitude.
I got a wild hair about 3 years ago and painted it white. It needs something new put on it, and when my build is done and my painting area is constructed, I'll be doing just that. Just have to decide what color.

 

[Lugnut64052]

I have a Snap-On cart identical to the one in post #20. Had it for 30 years, still use it every time I twist wrenches. I have a heavy strip magnet stuck to one long corner with all my impact wobble sockets stuck on it (in order), plus flexible spark plug sockets.

It's a big time saver. Load the tools you need on onto it, roll it up to the car, then it's pretty much twist-and-grab as you're working, the cart right at your elbow, with only occasionally trips back to the tool box for something you may have forgotten. Also works as a light-duty, temporary bench for assembly/disassembly of components.

If I ever get another one it'll be a plastic. You can let a plastic one bump the car a little and it won't scuff the paint.

 

[CSRPenFab]

Some nice deals on German Schwaben Tool Carts at ECS Tuning. Heck for $69 with free shipping I may pick up another for my shop. You can never have too many carts!

https://www.ecstuning.com/News/Schw...um&utmcontent=apasternak&utm_campaign=newpost

Well I need another cart like I need a hole in my head, but I caved and bought the $69 Schwaben professional at ESC Tuning. 41% off and free shipping. I may set this one up for tools/ parts I use in working on vintage Honda trail bikes.

 

[rodsnratfinks]

I have that same old Snap On cart that others mentioned. It's really well built and rolls very smoothly. It's surprisingly difficult to find a sturdy two shelf service cart. Like others have said, I don't stock mine. I just use it to hold tools and supplies while I'm working on something. It keeps me from setting tools and parts on the cowl or shock towers of a car where they could fall in or get forgotten. It also makes a handy project table.

 

[bczygan]

I have the HF 5 drawer red one, but it never moves. Can't even open the top, without pulling it out,since it's under a shelf.

Bill

 

[Lugnut64052]

I have that same old Snap On cart that others mentioned. It's really well built and rolls very smoothly. It's surprisingly difficult to find a sturdy two shelf service cart.

Agreed. The modern offerings from Harbor Freight, etc, are rickety junk compared to my old Snappy cart (yeah, yeah, another Snap-On snob blathering on about Snap-On's wonderfulness). I bought mine from one of the other guys in the shop for $50 bucks, used, back in the early 80s. Best tool investment I ever made. It's very solid, strong, stable, rolls very smoothly and has wheel locks so it'll stand still. I've pulled front-wheel drive manual transmissions down out of cars and set them on the cart while changing the clutch many times. It's plenty strong for things like that.

I zip-tied a stick of 1-inch square tubing to one of the legs, and have used it to hang A/C manifold sets, fuel pressure gauges, and what-not. Keeps those tools hung up, out of the way, and still with me.

I also keep a couple of engine pulling chains on one corner. Just a great shop tool.

View media item 55869

 

[manwithtools]

I'm trying to decide between the black 4 drawer and the red 5 drawer. About a $60 difference when on sale. 1) The red one is significantly heavier, and just feels more solid. 2) The red one would match my two HF 44" rollers and one upper HF tool box. 3) The black one IS less money, though.

Just be careful if you buy one of these and have it shipped from HF. My son bought the black one for me for Christmas and although the outside box looked okay the back top corner of the tool box was pretty banged up. I managed to straighten it enough to use it because I had not noted the damage when it was delivered I would have been out of luck on return or replacement.

The packaging material is not stout enough for the weight of the cart. Otherwise it's a handy cart for rolling to where it's needed in the big shop.

 

[PhantomEB]

Nope but soon I will get one......bolt a couple beer holders on..... Or just make my own, I do got quite a few sheets of porforated stainless sheets to bend up.

But that ikea one can't be beat...wonder what the quality is?

 

[ajchien]

I've got the 3 tiered HF one. Im not sure I'd want to use one with drawers in it. Seems too inconvenient to open and close drawers.

I permanently have my funnels, drain pan, and commonly used tools like filter wrenches, extensions, a ratchet, breaker bar, 3-4 sockets, torque wrenches on it. I keep part of the top shelf clear to put additional tools for the task at hand on top.

 

[AMCguy]

I have a couple. The plastic Harbour Freight one mentioned in this thread and the red metal one pictured on their site as well. I didn't buy from them, I got them from CDN Tire. $59. for the metal one on sale and last week I got the plastic one for $79. on sale. I should have bought two.

Although they have made many jobs easier, I'm most happy about having one with me working under the car when it's on the lift. It sure ***** needing to set down a tool and pick up another one when they're over in the cabinet and you're holding a part in position under the car. Not any more.