Help me pick a service cart

[MINIz guy]

I've maxed out my 26" bottom/top/side chest and could use the extra space for future tool expansion. I like the idea of having a service cart I can wheel around the garage or into the driveway with my most used tools. I'm at a standstill on how much service cart I need for my home garage though.

The first one that comes to mind is the HF US General 5-drawer. My biggest gripe about it is that the top drawer isn't big enough to hold my pry bars and close the lid. It's important to me as I will have fab projects where I'm grinding metal or painting. I've made the mistake of not closing my box and dust has gotten everywhere. I also don't like the locking mechanism of the drawers.


I've seen other alternatives such as the Sunex 8054, K Tool 75121, Homak Pro Series, etc. I think they're all rebrands of each other. Pros are that they should be built better and are slightly bigger than the HF 5-drawer. I believe they are more technician friendly with a deeper top drawer for pry bars and punch outs so that a 36" bar can go through the bottom tray. They all retail around $600 plus freight charges though.


Is it worth double HF money for a service cart that is more large-tool friendly? I know I can hack up the HF box to hold taller handles and larger diameter tools. I wouldn't feel bad about modifying the HF cart whereas I would be hesitant taking a drill to a $600+ Sunex cart. I'm hoping you guys can convince me to go one direction so I don't have to flip flop between this choice.

 

[tiredoldironworker]

You can always fab a bar holder on the outside.

 

[racer1735]

I don't store/carry pry bars, but I have the HF US General 4-drawer cart (two small and two wide drawers) and I find it very convenient to load the tools I'm using from my large tool chest and wheel it into my other garage or out into the driveway to do a project. It is constructed solid, the wheels roll nicely and the drawers are not flimsy. I'm not a fan of the 'if the top is down the drawers are locked', but then again, most of the time that its in use the top will be up. And for the price its a no-brainer (esp. if you use one of the post-holiday 15% or 20% off coupons).

 

[isb cornbinder]

Hard to find used. I bought 2 in one afternoon for under $100. ($25 & $40) New these are $1700+ each. These are well designed, I got a great deal on used. I am not so sure I would lay out the big money for a new one of these.
I sold the blue tool cart for close to a grand. I did a restore on the red cart. I think it may becoming into my space, in the house.

 

[MINIz guy]

You can always fab a bar holder on the outside.

I want to keep everything contained within the box. I could add a Sunex pry bar holder to my current box too, but not what I'm going for.

I don't store/carry pry bars, but I have the HF US General 4-drawer cart (two small and two wide drawers) and I find it very convenient to load the tools I'm using from my large tool chest and wheel it into my other garage or out into the driveway to do a project. It is constructed solid, the wheels roll nicely and the drawers are not flimsy. I'm not a fan of the 'if the top is down the drawers are locked', but then again, most of the time that its in use the top will be up. And for the price its a no-brainer (esp. if you use one of the post-holiday 15% or 20% off coupons).

I saw a mod that allows you to open the drawers with the lid down on here and YouTube. I'd definitely be modding the HF cart to allow the drawers to open and adding two swivels casters so it's more maneuverable.

Hard to find used. I bought 2 in one afternoon for under $100. ($25 & $40) New these are $1700+ each. These are well designed, I got a great deal on used. I am not so sure I would lay out the big money for a new one of these.
I sold the blue tool cart for close to a grand. I did a restore on the red cart. I think it may becoming into my space, in the house.

These are neat. I saw Beta tools has a collapsable one like this that is made of plastic. I don't need the space savings of this type though.

 

[Hakeem]

What about another 26” service cart? Keep the top free, maybe put a folding side table (or 2). The downside of the 5 drawer carts is that the empty space on the bottom often ends up wasted or poorly used.

 

[Fedwrench]

Get this one from Harbor Freight when it's on sale.

34 in. x 23 in., 6-Drawer Full-Bank Service Cart, Black

Amazing deals on this Black 34In Full Bank Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Deep top till with internal pry bar storage. Holds quite a bit.

 

[Steve_P]

So, I'm a DIYer and don't have a service cart, so I'm sure I'll get flamed for this; my "service cart" is my welding table that's on casters and sits in front of whatever I'm working on; I've got plenty of surface area to pile tools onto and room to work on typical stuff. But the flip top makes no sense to me on a service cart if it's actually being used commercially - at a lift. Because WTF do you do with your tools when you're working on a vehicle, the lid is open, the top is full of other tools, and you need to set down your tools, and/or have a flat surface to work on? It seems like you need to have another cart with a flat top that you sit your tools on and whatever you're working on?

I realize that you don't need to use that top space on a cart like the HF and can keep the lid closed, but that's just wasted vertical space and extra cost. For home use, sure, you can have another mobile table. Is that what everyone does commercially?

 

[isb cornbinder]

I needed a side cabinet for longer pry-bars, so I built one. There was a demand 25 years ago. I retired 21 years ago.
These are easy to fabricate. Give some thought to the correct order for the folds.

 

[nicks78camaro]

34 in. x 23 in., 6-Drawer Full-Bank Service Cart, Slate Gray

Amazing deals on this Grey 34In Full Bank Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Can get em $100 off on sale pretty frequently. 36" prybars fit with the lid closed.

 

[FigN⋅m]

Is it worth double HF money for a service cart that is more large-tool friendly? I know I can hack up the HF box to hold taller handles and larger diameter tools. I wouldn't feel bad about modifying the HF cart whereas I would be hesitant taking a drill to a $600+ Sunex cart. I'm hoping you guys can convince me to go one direction so I don't have to flip flop between this choice.

Do this.
The 5 drawer is pretty nice after a few tweaks, and I'll bet you can easily open up a few holes and
fab up a lowered mount to allow the larger/longer handles to clear the closed lid.

Half the fun of a cart like this is tuning it to your own preferences and particular needs.

 

[F-22]

Hard to find used. I bought 2 in one afternoon for under $100. ($25 & $40) New these are $1700+ each. These are well designed, I got a great deal on used. I am not so sure I would lay out the big money for a new one of these.
I sold the blue tool cart for close to a grand. I did a restore on the red cart. I think it may becoming into my space, in the house.

Those are knock off Hazet carts?

Good used original Hazet Asistents in Austria go for 100-200€. The price for new is absurd!

 

[MushCreek]

I have a HF 5 drawer, and one screwdriver and two prybars had handles too long to close the lid. I opened up three of the existing holes, and made steel cups to fit down in them with a deep enough recess for the handles to clear. I do have a 36" pry bar, but it would probably drag on the ground, and I don't use it enough to include it on the cart.

 

[Jeff F]

I have a Matco MCS4 and it holds some pretty sizable prybars. The right rear part of the screwdriver holes (there is a row on both sides) is extra deep. Pic below from Matco's website, you can see the extra deep part. The Matco box is made by Sunex. Whatever you get, go for the full-drawer version. You are buying it as a tool cart, and imho it's dumb to give up all that lower space. It will just collect ****, not be easily accessible (like opening a drawer is), and you will quickly run out of drawer space.

 

[MINIz guy]

34 in. x 23 in., 6-Drawer Full-Bank Service Cart, Slate Gray

Amazing deals on this Grey 34In Full Bank Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Can get em $100 off on sale pretty frequently. 36" prybars fit with the lid closed.

Get this one from Harbor Freight when it's on sale.

34 in. x 23 in., 6-Drawer Full-Bank Service Cart, Black

Amazing deals on this Black 34In Full Bank Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Deep top till with internal pry bar storage. Holds quite a bit.

Ah interesting. I read that it holds 31" long items through the top holes but I guess that means 31" from the bottom of the top drawer. I will keep an eye on this then.

I have a Matco MCS4 and it holds some pretty sizable prybars. The right rear part of the screwdriver holes (there is a row on both sides) is extra deep. Pic below from Matco's website, you can see the extra deep part. The Matco box is made by Sunex. Whatever you get, go for the full-drawer version. You are buying it as a tool cart, and imho it's dumb to give up all that lower space. It will just collect ****, not be easily accessible (like opening a drawer is), and you will quickly run out of drawer space.

The Matco carts have been on my radar too. Are there knockouts at the bottom of the box for the pry bar to poke through? I don't think the box has enough height for the pry bar to fit in the deep holes and not hit the bottom shelf.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The problem with those carts is the useless space at the bottom.

 

[MushCreek]

The only thing I find useful on the bottom shelf is a battery charger. You could also keep larger bottles of fluids that won't fit in a can rack, such as oils, brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, etc.

 

[CGarage]

And blow molded plastic boxes / tool cases fit nicely on the bottom shelf as well…

 

[MINIz guy]

So, I'm a DIYer and don't have a service cart, so I'm sure I'll get flamed for this; my "service cart" is my welding table that's on casters and sits in front of whatever I'm working on; I've got plenty of surface area to pile tools onto and room to work on typical stuff. But the flip top makes no sense to me on a service cart if it's actually being used commercially - at a lift. Because WTF do you do with your tools when you're working on a vehicle, the lid is open, the top is full of other tools, and you need to set down your tools, and/or have a flat surface to work on? It seems like you need to have another cart with a flat top that you sit your tools on and whatever you're working on?

I realize that you don't need to use that top space on a cart like the HF and can keep the lid closed, but that's just wasted vertical space and extra cost. For home use, sure, you can have another mobile table. Is that what everyone does commercially?

I plan on leaving part of the top shelf empty so I can place parts and tools that I'll be using there. I expect to place the just the necessary 6pt 3/8 & 1/4 sockets I use frequently on the shelf. Extensions & small ratchets will go on a magnet on the lid. Larger ratchets and screwdrivers go in the holes on the side. My big emphasis on making sure the top shelf will fit everything in the side holes is so I can keep the rest of the top shelf open.

I considered a slide top (Sunex 8035XT), but I think having to slide open the top whenever I need to grab something as a hassle. There will be times where I have the cart sandwiched between things along the wall and I won't be able to slide open the top.

And blow molded plastic boxes / tool cases fit nicely on the bottom shelf as well…

Yep, a 30" wide shelf will fit my blow molded cases well. My Icon 1/2" torque wrench case is huge and won't fit in any 26" drawer

 

[CGarage]

If you are doing general service / maintenance work and are starting out, I imagine many begin with a “comprehensive, 100+ piece set of 1/4 and 3/8 drive, Metric and SAE” that comes in one of these cases. The cases can be a bit difficult to store due to the size.

I have premium, 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive separate sets, but find myself using the blow molded, all-in-one cased sets most frequently due to convenience.

 

[nicks78camaro]

Ah interesting. I read that it holds 31" long items through the top holes but I guess that means 31" from the bottom of the top drawer. I will keep an eye on this then.

The Matco carts have been on my radar too. Are there knockouts at the bottom of the box for the pry bar to poke through? I don't think the box has enough height for the pry bar to fit in the deep holes and not hit the bottom shelf.

Could always double check us at the store as HF sells the cart and a 36" prybar. Could try it out to be sure

 

[lugnut71]

 

[bobg03]

Get this one from Harbor Freight when it's on sale.

34 in. x 23 in., 6-Drawer Full-Bank Service Cart, Black

Amazing deals on this Black 34In Full Bank Cart at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Deep top till with internal pry bar storage. Holds quite a bit.

By all means correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the HF 5 drawer carts had holes like this one in the top compartment where you could drop longer prybars into for storage. ie the handles would be under the top lid but the metal prying part of the tool would be exposed.

 

[Jeff F]

Mine will take a 7" tall handle and just over 24" below the handle before it hits the bottom. Where it would hit is a single wall, so you could put a hole in it to allow it to go further.

Regarding the lower shelf, unless you are really tight for space, just get a cheap 2 shelf cart to go along with it. To me it's a waste of an expensive service cart to not have as many drawers as possible. The bottom drawer is tall enough to fit blow molded cases.

My "service cart" is my main toolbox because I need to roll it into a racecar trailer. Most of the time at home it's stationary in front of a lift and I use the cheap 2 shelf cart to hold parts, fasteners, and whatever tools are out at the time. That is my work surface when I'm next to or under a car. I also keep anti-seize, brakleen, and other "supplies" on it.

 

[MINIz guy]

By all means correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the HF 5 drawer carts had holes like this one in the top compartment where you could drop longer prybars into for storage. ie the handles would be under the top lid but the metal prying part of the tool would be exposed.

It's a 5" deep top which isn't tall enough for many handles. I would need to modify the box to make it work for me