HF Toolboxes Workbench - Phase 3

[jonesg]

Dental floss works extremely well also.

Ray

and guitar string.

 

[HogDude]

I've ,mentioned this before, but I built in a machinist's cabinet with shallow doors in my wife's bathroom behind the decorative doors. She keeps trays of this and that organized and can lock it. It's bolted down without the casters so it would not be an easy ****** and grab. It has 9 drawers in a 42" height. I mean this was really economical compared to filling that space with lots of custom shallow drawers. And the lock!

Pictures?

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks Steevo!

Very nicely done.

 

[Zeke]

Pictures?

It's just the lower unit of this. Fits in a typical bathroom cabinet 24" deep.

I put a regular drawer below so the base CM is 18" off the floor. Top drawer in the CM is about her eye level.

 

[banjopete]

Thanks Steevo!

The metal top is the way to finish these things. Nicely done it turned out great.

 

[PhilR1957]

I find this amusing. Especially since it is only your second posting here at GJ. I wonder what the first one was?

If you peruse the tools section, you will find that many, many GJ members own tool boxes that cost them many times what I spent making a steel workbench that also holds my tools. I had to do that because I don't have room to spare and need to make the most of what I have.

Look at the garages in the gallery, at the beautiful "operating rooms" that some of the obviously well-off members have built. Walls full of Lista or Vidmar cabinets, multiple hoists, beautiful and desirable vehicles of all kinds displayed on the garage floor and on the hoists.

I think it is funny that you picked my workbench build, done entirely by the owner, using basic readily-available and affordable (some even salvaged) materials and no paid labor, to make your point.

Anyway, welcome to Ga

I find this amusing. Especially since it is only your second posting here at GJ. I wonder what the first one was?

If you peruse the tools section, you will find that many, many GJ members own tool boxes that cost them many times what I spent making a steel workbench that also holds my tools. I had to do that because I don't have room to spare and need to make the most of what I have.

Look at the garages in the gallery, at the beautiful "operating rooms" that some of the obviously well-off members have built. Walls full of Lista or Vidmar cabinets, multiple hoists, beautiful and desirable vehicles of all kinds displayed on the garage floor and on the hoists.

I think it is funny that you picked my workbench build, done entirely by the owner, using basic readily-available and affordable (some even salvaged) materials and no paid labor, to make your point.

Anyway, welcome to Garage Journal, newbie. Enjoy.

I Have Been a Lurker Here For Years. This Is One of My Favorite Builds To Read Through. I Appreciate You Sharing Cost Near The Beginning of The Thread, and Its Non of My Business How Much and Why. My Question is What Do and or Did For a Living? Did it Contribute To Your Skill Set, or Are You Just Like Most People Here, and it's Natural Talent and Something You Enjoy Doing? Either way. Awesome Build an Skills...

 

[PhilR1957]

Ok, I have been moving stuff in and organizing things, so here are some pics:




























Obviously, that isn't all 52 drawers, some are either empty or just stuff waiting to be organized.
I also moved all my precision tools into my old Snap-On chest and box, along with lathe and mill tooling:

This Is What I've Been Waiting For... 3 Thumbs Up

 

[PhilR1957]

I first read this last night and thought about it all day. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion and to ask reasonable quesitons; although its a question I would not ask.

Then I thought about Steevo ... what kind of a guy is he, what kind of a guy does the kinds of stuff he does.

I don't know Steevo ... but think that Steevo probably has always been a bit of a tinkerer. He almost invariably finished high school, likely has formal and/or informal education beyond high school. He has worked (likely subconsciously) to keep learning new things all his life because he enjoys learning new things.

I suspect that Steevo has always worked hard, strived to do a good job at most everything he tackled. Rarely cut corners, especially when doing things right really counted.

I think that Steevo likely gets along with most people, has a tendency to not burn bridges, and is reasonably thought of by his peers, coworkers, friends, and relatives alike.

Through life Steevo has had a tendency to make good decisions when the decision counted. He most likely has lived within his means, paid his bills on time, and tried not to over extend himself financially or personally.

Steevo is like many of us. Neither a rocket scientist nor an heir to a tech fortune. Just regular guys and gals who want to get ahead, enjoy the fruits of our labor, and leave the world a little bit better as we move through life.

So you see Mr. Fire&Steel it really doesn't make that much difference what someone does for a living or how much he or she makes. What matters is how he lives his life, how hard he works, and the decisions he makes.

My Curiosity as to what Steevo Does For a Living is More To Do With, Does it add to hia skillset?

 

[Outlawmws]

what Steevo Does For a Living is More To Do With, Does it add to his skillset?

Unqualified yes.

 

[Steevo]

My Curiosity as to what Steevo Does For a Living is More To Do With, Does it add to hia skillset?

When I was still working (retired in 2013 at age 58), I was in IT for 25 years. Prior to that I was in mechanical trades from motorcycle tech to equipment maintenance for much of my early years. Any "skillset" I may have is nothing more than trying things and learning from my mistakes for a lot of years.

 

[larry4406]

When I was still working (retired in 2013 at age 58), I was in IT for 25 years. Prior to that I was in mechanical trades from motorcycle tech to equipment maintenance for much of my early years. Any "skillset" I may have is nothing more than trying things and learning from my mistakes for a lot of years.

School of hard knocks is an excellent teacher when one pays attention and follows the lessons learned.

 

[PugetDude]

School of hard knocks is an excellent teacher when one pays attention and follows the lessons learned.

"Experience is what you got when you didn't get what you wanted"

 

[Jagmandave]

Shortly after reading your first thread I did a 2 HF44 box/stainless top 8ft long workbench and it's been terrific. I used wood for the frame because my floor slopes 1/8" per foot towards the garage door and I didn't want the counter top too tall......wood was easier for me to cut so that the counter top remained level.

I've been super happy with it except it's difficult to keep it uncluttered on top - it's too easy to park stuff there that never moves again making the bench top less useful. Still, I like the look and usefulness.

The stainless top cost $200 - well worth it. It has a 6" tall backsplash that keeps me from dropping things down behind it never to be found or even seen again, a front return that fits an MDF core - I bought a 4X8 sheet of 3/4" MDF, sliced it down the middle to make 2 2x8 sheets, stacked them one on the other and I have a 1.5" thick support for the bench top. All the corners are welded and finished.

 

[zmotorsports]

"Experience is what you got when you didn't get what you wanted"

Agreed Scott. I tell my coworkers that you have to look at it in terms as there are not "wins" and "losses", there are "wins" and "lessons" because each failure can be made into a lesson if you choose to look at it that way. Many times those things that don't go the way you wanted them to are the most important lessons in life. The real loss is when they are not recognized and then repeated. Some people seem to repeat them over and over again and can't figure out what they're doing wrong.

 

[Scuderia-F1]

Agreed Scott. I tell my coworkers that you have to look at it in terms as there are not "wins" and "losses", there are "wins" and "lessons" because each failure can be made into a lesson if you choose to look at it that way. Many times those things that don't go the way you wanted them to are the most important lessons in life. The real loss is when they are not recognized and then repeated. Some people seem to repeat them over and over again and can't figure out what they're doing wrong.

You're a wise man Mike, wins & lessons, as equally great motto as Overkill Is Underrated.

 

[C.L S2000]

Shortly after reading your first thread I did a 2 HF44 box/stainless top 8ft long workbench and it's been terrific. I used wood for the frame because my floor slopes 1/8" per foot towards the garage door and I didn't want the counter top too tall......wood was easier for me to cut so that the counter top remained level.

I've been super happy with it except it's difficult to keep it uncluttered on top - it's too easy to park stuff there that never moves again making the bench top less useful. Still, I like the look and usefulness.

The stainless top cost $200 - well worth it. It has a 6" tall backsplash that keeps me from dropping things down behind it never to be found or even seen again, a front return that fits an MDF core - I bought a 4X8 sheet of 3/4" MDF, sliced it down the middle to make 2 2x8 sheets, stacked them one on the other and I have a 1.5" thick support for the bench top. All the corners are welded and finished.

that stainless top looks great, i have been looking for that exact same thing for my 2 USG boxes. Can i ask where you purchased it from and it came with fully welded clean corners already?

 

[Jagmandave]

I went to a local sheet metal shop that I have used in the past for company related work, they bent it up and welded the corners and all. I'm sure you can't get it done for that price anymore, but that wasn't a discounted deal - but everything is more money these days.....

 

[zanyad]

I went to a local sheet metal shop that I have used in the past for company related work, they bent it up and welded the corners and all. I'm sure you can't get it done for that price anymore, but that wasn't a discounted deal - but everything is more money these days.....

Do you recall what gage you used?

 

[cosmokenney]

Finished the workbench today (except for a minor trim piece I want to add).

Set the frame in place and leveled it, dropped in a couple boxes.

Then a couple more

Then came the wood tops.

Then I put the steel tops in place, and welded the seams, corners, etc., and ground everyhting smooth.

I want to add a trim cap along the top of the backsplash, then screw the backsplash to the studs in the wall.

I am happy with it. It turned out just like I designed it on the computer.


Next project: A rolling workbench.

Well done sir. Well done. I wish I had gone this route. I ended up buying one big 56" wide US General base box and the top box that bolts onto it. I really should have bought several of the 42" boxes and worked them into a bench. It is just way more practical and gives you more drawers for better tool organization. Now I have the 56" drawers with lots of dead space.

 

[Jagmandave]

Do you recall what gage you used?

No, sorry......seems fairly thick, maybe 16 ga? it was damn heavy, I couldn't lift it - I had to slide it off the bench and into the bed of my pickup, then when I got it home I backed the truck in and slid it out of the bed right onto the bench!

 

[Tunajoe]

Now that the HF 44” boxes aren’t available any longer, what are folks using for there Steevo work bench builds?

 

[mike93lx]

Now that the HF 44” boxes aren’t available any longer, what are folks using for there Steevo work bench builds?

Not available?

https://www.harborfreight.com/tool-...-in-x-22-in-roll-cab-series-3-blue-70368.html

They were never actually 44" cabinets. This is the new version

 

[Jagmandave]

$600 now? I paid $350 each for my two......glad I bought them when I did.

 

[C.L S2000]

$600 now? I paid $350 each for my two......glad I bought them when I did.

yup, same. You can say that again huh.. lol

 

[Kiwi 007]

Looking at the new style, the series 3 box, the draws aren't as well thought out as the earlier boxes, there are now 4 x 6" drawers at the bottom and only 10 draws compared to the 13 in the previous style.
Personally, I would rather have the draw layout of the previous box. but if they turned the top row of 2 draws into a single draw that would still give a 12 draw box.
I'm working on the area to put the Steevo inspired workbench into, my workbench will be a corner bench with 2 x different makes/style toolboxes and they aren't even the same colour.

I won an auction for a 56" roll cab and top chest, then I altered the draw configuration and added a number of shallower draws to the roll cab and deeper draws to the top chest, the roll cab is going to be used in the bench build.
I'm now looking at a locally sold 56" rollcab and top chest and doing the same thing to it and using the roll cab in the bench build.

I got some ideas from the HF 4 & 5 draw service carts to purchase and alter a 5 draw service cart available locally to end up with a frankenstein 8 draw service cart.

 

[zanyad]

@Kiwi 007 looking forward to seeing the process and finished result!

 

[njk4o5]

i just grabbed 2 of the yukon 46" boxes on this weekends sale, $299 each

Does anyone make the metal surround for them yet that can be purchased or is everyone welding them up themselves?