HF 26" Box...what do you think?

[JSGAuto]

Hi Everyone,

I searched, but no luck...lots of results for the 42" and carts, but not the smaller boxes.

I'd like to get a 26" box for tooling (endmill, drill, ect.) storage. Any feedback to the quality of the newer series 26" boxes at HF? I like the blue ones.

The local store isn't to local. So I'd like to go planning to buy.

Thanks!
Jim

 

[Trucker88]

Hi Everyone,

I searched, but no luck...lots of results for the 42" and carts, but not the smaller boxes.

I'd like to get a 26" box for tooling (endmill, drill, ect.) storage. Any feedback to the quality of the newer series 26" boxes at HF? I like the blue ones.

The local store isn't to local. So I'd like to go planning to buy.

Thanks!
Jim

I purchased a 30” service cart in blue and a few weeks later purchased the 26” chest and I am pleased with both. I have just the base and it is solid. I have seen atleast one review that says if you add the 26” top chest it becomes wobbly. I honestly don’t think that would happen. There are a few YT videos out there. I have Gearwrench reversible wrenches, gearwrench ratcheting wrenches and gearwrench ratcheting stubbies on kobalt wrench rails in the top thinnest drawer with perfect clearance. Nice selection of drawer widths and a nice padded mat for the top to use as a work station. I think there are coupons available for $229

 

[MJD1]

The 26" is a very nice box. The upper drawers are short in height, but for mill or lathe tooling they would work really well. I have a 18" depth 44" box and the 26" is as good or better quality wise.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I am using a blue one for machining items. It works very well for the purpose.

 

[mrvm]

The HF 26" is a good tool cabinet at this price point. Lot of drawers can be good or bad thing depending upon your planned usage. The cabinet has been updated with extra depth drawers but some remain shallow. For example sockets will probably be too tall but flat tools will fit fine. Adding a top cabinet will increase capacity but then you lose the upper work space. Decisions decisions.

 

[Aaron_W]

I use a Husky 27" with a top box for my machine tooling. Because of all the love for the HF 72" boxes here I've looked at the HF boxes as well. The 72" is very nice, but the smaller boxes are not built to the same standard.

I don't think the HF 26" is any better quality than my Husky (which was cheaper), but I do like the additional shallow drawers on the Harbor Freight chest, although honestly almost all of my machine tooling is in the top box, I don't actually have that much in the lower cabinet.

If I were doing it again, I'd seriously consider the HF chest and a top box, but the same set up from HD is almost half the price so it wouldn't be an easy decision.

Kind of funny when HF isn't the cheapest option.

 

[OccupantRJ]

I have a Husky pro sitting right across from the HF box, and I think the HF is a more solid feeling box in usage.

 

[JVB]

They are great boxes for the cash. Check to be sure they have that color in stock. I have owned both and feel the the US general are a bit better quality wise than husky. Not that the husky won’t stand up well but take it as you will. Good luck.

 

[derosa]

I've got the 26 and really like it; drawers roll smooth with a decent amount of weight in it. I don't have mine on wheels as it is in a wood shop but it has been solid. Wish the bottom drawers were shallower and the top a little deeper, not enough room for large wrenches in a holder or deep sockets held upright. But I've got some heavy cast iron in one of the drawers with planes, blades and the like and it has done well.

 

[CJM8515]

I had an older husky box, was ok but metal was thin. I have a 26" older HF box, metal is thick and nice, all drawers work well and best of all since it was open box I got it for 100 bucks.

 

[Ign]

You're probably close to a Home Depot as well and several of the Husky offerings may be acceptable.

I'm using a 34 lower and 36 upper at my Bridgeport. That said the Series 2 HF stuff seems nice

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

I have the series 1 26 inch top and bottom combo. I love it. Good quality, rolls nicely in my garage.

 

[Misfire]

Here's a thread with some comments on the HF 26" box.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390910

 

[ChrisLS8]

I don't like the shallow drawers up top and I'm 6'3 so I'm thinking of mounting it on some platform to raise it up a bit

 

[Lucky13driver]

When it come to tool storage HF for the money dominates the market. There are better out there without a doubt however, they cost hundreds of dollars more.

 

[Revere Cycles]

I have a Husky 26" roller cabinet that I picked up last year for $100 on clearance, regular price was somewhere around $200-250. Not a bad box, especially for the price, but it felt flimsy to me. I use it in my shed for organizing small tools and supplies.

This summer I was at HF and I found a 26" Series 2 bottom cabinet offered as an open box special. Night and day difference, the HF box is much stronger and more durable. I use mine as a mobile work chest for repairing my cars. I like the drawer layout, it suits my needs, but I would need the top chest if it were to be my only tool box. (I have a HF Series 2 56" top and bottom chest)

I like the HF 26" series, and I think as my workshop grows, I can see myself adding 2-3 more bottom cabinets. Strictly looking at new boxes, I don't think you can beat it for the price.

 

[Ditchdigger]

I made a work bench out of two 26's with a 44 side cab in the center for all my machining stuff. I like the 26 boxes quite a bit for what I paid.

The shallow drawers up top are perfect for micrometers and calipers. A full drawer of high speed steel and tungsten is heavy but so far they are still sliding smoothly.

The top is 3/4" plywood with a remnant of stainless restaurant counter on top.

It is hard to resist expanding it further with another side box and cabinet.

 

[unslow1]

Ditchdigger that turned out nice. I have a of of wasted space under mine I've been thinking about something similar.

I have a HF 26" and Kobalt, Craftsman and Husky boxes. The HF is made of thicker metal than any of the others.

 

[1WickedEvo]

I made a work bench out of two 26's with a 44 side cab in the center for all my machining stuff. I like the 26 boxes quite a bit for what I paid.

The shallow drawers up top are perfect for micrometers and calipers. A full drawer of high speed steel and tungsten is heavy but so far they are still sliding smoothly.

The top is 3/4" plywood with a remnant of stainless restaurant counter on top.

It is hard to resist expanding it further with another side box and cabinet.

Love this set up. Thought about the same combo picked up 44’s and 1 side but I may just use the side and add a 26 then add a similar top.

Btw - you now have a 66.5” workbench with narrow top drawers sand easier to move around if needed.

 

[1WickedEvo]

And for the record. This entire series is Heavy. I imagine that the 26 is no different. I thought that the smaller box would be easier to move in and out if my car, wrong!

 

[jb10]

Does anyone know if there's a difference in build between the the model numbers of the 26" series 2 bottom cabinet?

The 44" and 56" boxes seem to have differences in build based on the model number.

PWC Repaid did a great writeup with pictures of differences in the top 26" chest to look for.

 

[RW-7]

Great boxes. Much better than the series one 26”.
These work well with the end cabinets for the 44”. If you need some extra space. I was after more drawers for smaller tools at my work bench.

 

[Chubbz]

Not sure if I have series 1 or 2. Bought new 2 years ago when they only had red. Have both top and bottom in 26". Replaced a Craftsman of the same size and it's so much better. As for metal thickness it's about the same except for the bottom piece. With the Craftsman I suggest adding a sheet of steel or something between the casters and bottom box. I don't roll my boxes around either.. Hopefully this year I'll also be getting a 26" in blue. Red for metal and Blue for wood. Black roller for auto.

I highly recommend the HF boxes. Have a black 4 drawer cart, top and bottom red 26" and a 5 drawer red cart.

 

[Trucker88]

These are mine that I keep side by side and never move. I also have an older 1 drawer HF red cart that I use to roll tools around.


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