Harbor Freight 13 drawer tool boxes $271.99

[rsanter]

Yep HF box, just pop the US General badge and added a small Craftsmen badge I had laying around. Fooled my buddy and he did not believe me until I showed him the HF badge...

I did the same thing, took off the original badge and installed a spare craftsman badge.
the original US general is actually a much nicer badge, the craftsman badge is cheap plastic.
I figure I did sears a favor, that box makes them look better than they are.
what I would really like is to get a different badge like a proto and put that on there. thought about a snap on badge but I dont want to insult SO

bob

 

[Stevedore]

I picked up the roller cabinet this afternoon; have NO idea how I'm going to unload it from my car. (Jeep Grand Cherokee) The staff at HF were very helpful, loaded it up carefully, etc., but weren't interested in following me home to unload it.

I have a Bendpak lowrise lift, and I'm thinking of raising it up to the height of the bed of the Jeep & seeing if I can back up close enough to slide the cabinet out onto the lift. Just a thought. Or I can wait for one of my sons to show up & help.

HF didn't have the matching top box, so I'll have to watch for that to be available. They would have sold me the display box, but couldn't find the key(s) for it, or the side handles, which hadn't been installed.

So at 64 yrs old, maybe I'll finally start to get my tools organized in 1 place.

One note: They took the $349 coupon that someone here posted, or posted a link to. So thanks to whoever it was, saved me some $$.

 

[Tool Time]

I just picked up the top to match the bottom yesterday. I am only a home wrencher so it's more than I will ever need. Very nice and holds most of my tools, well that is if I stay away from this site. Thanks guys for pulling me into the dark side of orderly tools.

 

[Daniel Dudley]

I just picked up the top to match the bottom yesterday. I am only a home wrencher so it's more than I will ever need. Very nice and holds most of my tools, well that is if I stay away from this site. Thanks guys for pulling me into the dark side of orderly tools.

HF cabinets are like the Junior Mints of the dark side.

 

[digdug18]

I found something interesting when looking closely at the wording of their 20% off coupons, tey say that they cannot be used on "tool cabinets". Which means to me you can buy the 13 drawer cabinet with the coupon, because of the wording on their website. The 13 drawer cabinet is listed as "13 Drawer Red Industrial Quality Roller Cabinet" so its not a tool cabinet, its a roller cabinet. I'll be there this week arguing this fact. I'll let you guys know how far I get. I like that the chest that goes on top is label by them as a chest as well, which is also not a tool cabinet. The fact you can hold tools in it is besides the point.

In fact the only actual "tool cabinet" that they have on their site is the black "hanging tool cabinet"

 

[PAToyota]

Not that I think you're going to win your argument, but you have a point.

They will let you use the 20% coupon on the 4 and 5-drawer tool carts because they are "carts" and not "cabinets." If you go to their website, to hand tools, you have categories for tool carts, top cabinets, rolling cabinets, cabinets, and end cabinets. The hanging one is the only one designated as a "tool cabinet" anywhere.

My guess is that their argument will be that they are listed under "hand tools" and listed as various "cabinets" so they are all therefore "tool cabinets" by inference.

 

[fatboyf150]

Not that I think you're going to win your argument, but you have a point.

They will let you use the 20% coupon on the 4 and 5-drawer tool carts because they are "carts" and not "cabinets." If you go to their website, to hand tools, you have categories for tool carts, top cabinets, rolling cabinets, cabinets, and end cabinets. The hanging one is the only one designated as a "tool cabinet" anywhere.

My guess is that their argument will be that they are listed under "hand tools" and listed as various "cabinets" so they are all therefore "tool cabinets" by inference.

No, the argument is that any toolbox that can not be lifted with one hand is classified as a large toolbox and is not allowed to be bought with the use of a 20% off coupon. I think it's bs that customers can't use the 20% off anymore on everything, but it is what it is. Make friends with a HFT employee and you probable can get hooked up. As far as the store breaking the rules and allowing the coupons, in time, will be figured out and fixed.

 

[PAToyota]

No, the argument is that any toolbox that can not be lifted with one hand is classified as a large toolbox and is not allowed to be bought with the use of a 20% off coupon.

I cannot lift my 5-drawer tool cart with both hands and cannot lift my single drawer tool cart with one hand, but they let me use a 20% off coupon on both of them...

 

[mad57]

I'd like to buy this roller cabinet & the top box to go with it, but the top box appears to be unavailable, at least in stores within 50 miles of me.

Does anyone have any insight as to when (or if) the top box will become available again? One store offered to sell me the top box from the display on the floor, but I couldn't get there last weekend. Probably gone by now.

try the hf by hamilton, egg harbor twp they have both there last week i went.

 

[nflfreak43]

you wont win that arguement.....

 

[tdkkart]

Thanks for the review. Did you by chance notice if you would have any problems swapping drawers around in the roll cab? I know someone did it with the older design and I was wondering if it was still possible with the new design.

Sorry for the late reply on this, but yes you can, which I did inadvertently today.

Actually, I just realized today that there is an "old" vs "new", only realized it when I was half done swapping drawers, I stood back and looked at it and said HEY WTF??

Yep, the top/bottom and side cabinets I bought last fall are mixed styles. I have an old style top and side cabinet, and a new style lower.
And now I have drawers intermingled between the 2 styles.

Anyway, there's no issues with swapping drawers around in the new cabinet just like the old ones, and you can swap between the top and bottom cabinets if you swap the slides also. All you have to do is drill out the one pop-rivet from the front of the slides and move them with the drawer.

You gotta look close to see the difference, I'm leaving them as is.

 

[bursty]

Sorry for the late reply on this, but yes you can, which I did inadvertently today.

Actually, I just realized today that there is an "old" vs "new", only realized it when I was half done swapping drawers, I stood back and looked at it and said HEY WTF??

Yep, the top/bottom and side cabinets I bought last fall are mixed styles. I have an old style top and side cabinet, and a new style lower.
And now I have drawers intermingled between the 2 styles.

Anyway, there's no issues with swapping drawers around in the new cabinet just like the old ones, and you can swap between the top and bottom cabinets if you swap the slides also. All you have to do is drill out the one pop-rivet from the front of the slides and move them with the drawer.

You gotta look close to see the difference, I'm leaving them as is.

post pics of your setup

 

[digdug18]

I like the new style crinkle finish myself, but I'm planning on repainting the drawer fronts. I have already found a MAC label for the front, and MAC ID plate with model information for the back.

 

[tdkkart]

I just realized today that there is an "old" vs "new", only realized it when I was half done swapping drawers, I stood back and looked at it and said HEY WTF??

Yep, the top/bottom and side cabinets I bought last fall are mixed styles. I have an old style top and side cabinet, and a new style lower.
And now I have drawers intermingled between the 2 styles.

Anyway, there's no issues with swapping drawers around in the new cabinet just like the old ones, and you can swap between the top and bottom cabinets if you swap the slides also. All you have to do is drill out the one pop-rivet from the front of the slides and move them with the drawer.

You gotta look close to see the difference, I'm leaving them as is.

A couple people asked for pics of the swapped drawers, so here we go.......

Here's new style lower with the large drawers from the old style upper cabinet. Both the wide and narrow deep drawers were swapped. The drawers swap fine except that you have to move the slides with the drawers because the slides are slightly different. Involves just drillin the single pop-rivet out of each slide and then re-riveting after moving. As you can see, you gotta look at it to see the odd drawers.

The one possible issue with the drawer move is that the old and new style locks differently, and in order to make the new drawers fit the old cabinet you have to remove the catch finger from the back of the drawer. So, if you care about locking the drawers you'll have to swap the lock hardware between the drawers. If you have the new style top and bottom this may not be an issue.
Here's the latch removed from the drawer:

 

[35mastr]

Whats the difference between new style and old?

 

[nflfreak43]

the bottom 2 drawers on the top box, used to be on the bottom box where the next to bottom drawer is. that one was the bottom drawer on the top box...

 

[Djstorm100]

What are the difference in locking mechism? The old style had the slider on the drawer

 

[mrstang69]

No, the argument is that any toolbox that can not be lifted with one hand is classified as a large toolbox and is not allowed to be bought with the use of a 20% off coupon. I think it's bs that customers can't use the 20% off anymore on everything, but it is what it is. Make friends with a HFT employee and you probable can get hooked up. As far as the store breaking the rules and allowing the coupons, in time, will be figured out and fixed.

Glad you think its BS because so do I. With the way gas prices and economy being what it is, you would think HF would do what it can to keep customers happy and coming back to spend more $$ in their stores.

 

[spg]

Does anyone have a 20% coupon to try it out?

 

[Techniker]

Does anyone have a 20% coupon to try it out?

Pick up any Popular Mechanics or Family Handyman magazine. There is always a HF ad toward the back with a 20% off coupon (and usually some free item like a cheap multimeter).

-Techniker

 

[nflfreak43]

Does anyone have a 20% coupon to try it out?

IT WONT WORK........

believe me and fatboyf150... we both work at harbor freights....

Im the assistant head cashier at my store.. everytime someone makes the mistake and scans it on a tool box, compressor, gas engine, generator, welder, or sidewalk sale item etc... well it pops up a block in the system...

 

[bursty]

IT WONT WORK........

believe me and fatboyf150... we both work at harbor freights....

Im the assistant head cashier at my store.. everytime someone makes the mistake and scans it on a tool box, compressor, gas engine, generator, welder, or sidewalk sale item etc... well it pops up a block in the system...

Just curious, what kinda discount do they give their employees?

 

[fatboyf150]

it wont work........

Believe me and fatboyf150... We both work at harbor freights....

Im the assistant head cashier at my store.. Everytime someone makes the mistake and scans it on a tool box, compressor, gas engine, generator, welder, or sidewalk sale item etc... Well it pops up a block in the system...

this!

 

[nflfreak43]

this!

truf mudda fawka's!!!!!

 

[spg]

20% didnt work but thr $350 did..thanks

 

[Boost Creep]

Whats the difference between new style and old?

old style - the pull for the drawer is about 1/4 way down the drawer front
new style - the pull for the drawer is at the top of the drawer

look close at the pics and you can see the difference

 

[Stevedore]

try the hf by hamilton, egg harbor twp they have both there last week i went.

I thought about it, but the closest store for me (Woodbridge) got ONE in on Monday, and I went & snagged it yesterday.

 

[tdkkart]

old style - the pull for the drawer is about 1/4 way down the drawer front
new style - the pull for the drawer is at the top of the drawer
look close at the pics and you can see the difference

Old style, the drawer fronts are flat
New style, the front of the drawer has a kick-out at the bottom

 

[cdseven95]

IT WONT WORK........

believe me and fatboyf150... we both work at harbor freights....

Im the assistant head cashier at my store.. everytime someone makes the mistake and scans it on a tool box, compressor, gas engine, generator, welder, or sidewalk sale item etc... well it pops up a block in the system...

gas engines now (coupons I see don't say that.... Is that new..)

 

[nflfreak43]

gas engines now (coupons I see don't say that.... Is that new..)

no.. that was one of the original conditions..

 

[Pug}{maN]

nice !

 

[SQ is the SQUAD]

i counted at lease 12 roller cabinets in stock at my store on sat, so store who dont have them must not have been moving them because we are def getting fresh shipments.

we are not allowed to tell what our employee discount, take a wild guess, its prob ur first guess.

 

[REAL HOT SCHITT]

i bought a bunch of the boxes today!

Pretty psyched 20% off all the sale prices. So cheap!

hi, i couldnt help but noticed the bride,....is she chinese,koreon,japanesse, eskimo,indian,thai, malaysin,singaporian.
Or non of the above?....jj

 

[williaty]

Here's new style lower with the large drawers from the old style upper cabinet. Both the wide and narrow deep drawers were swapped. The drawers swap fine except that you have to move the slides with the drawers because the slides are slightly different. Involves just drillin the single pop-rivet out of each slide and then re-riveting after moving.

So the old and new style slides aren't compatible? If you call in to order replacement parts, how in the hell are you supposed to get the right slides then?

 

[tdkkart]

So the old and new style slides aren't compatible? If you call in to order replacement parts, how in the hell are you supposed to get the right slides then?

Well...........
Here's the thing I'm not sure of. Are the slides different between the top and bottom cabinets, or are they different between old and new style??


But, if you order a complete slide you should get both halves, the part that attaches to the cabinet, and the part that attaches to the drawer, at which point the difference between old and new would be null.
Both styles fit in the same holes in the cabinet.

I could have swapped the slides on drawers rather than taking the rails out of the cabinet.

 

[cdseven95]

no.. that was one of the original conditions..

 

[ramtuff]

The one possible issue with the drawer move is that the old and new style locks differently, and in order to make the new drawers fit the old cabinet you have to remove the catch finger from the back of the drawer. So, if you care about locking the drawers you'll have to swap the lock hardware between the drawers. If you have the new style top and bottom this may not be an issue.
Here's the latch removed from the drawer:

Nope, it's still an issue. I bought the new style top and bottom a few weeks ago and went to swap drawers between them...nothing played well together. lol. I have nothing planned for over the weekend, so maybe I'll take some time and tinker with it again.

 

[SQ is the SQUAD]

i might be getting my first of two bottom rollers soon. i put my old craftsman box on craigslist for $400 and i got like 10 emails the first hour.

making moves

 

[durallymax]

just picked up the top chest today to complete my US General box. They were on backorder for forever and they just got them in, I got the last one.

You know, for as cheap as they are, they really are great. But the packaging sure has cut up my hands. My god I cant believe it stays together in shipping.

 

[BEAVO]

just picked up one yesterday as well i just got the bottom this is my first toolbox well i gues you can consider my little hand held craftsman box with lift out trey my first lol!!! im sure with all the tools laying around i can fill it what would you guys recommend for my next addition to the box?top or side cabinets? this just gives me a reason to buy more tools im thinking about the side cabinets but not sure and they are very sturdy peices it said 700+lbs on the packaging i had to back truck into garage and use a come along and 2in strap to unload it since only had my 6yr old for help lol also looking for a cheap socket and wrench orgnizers