Husky tool chests

[KEH]

In Home Depot, I saw 41 inch tool chest and roller cab, $495 for the combo. Looked to be more or less equal in quality to HF. They also had similar boxes with Milwaukee paint and name. All made in China AFIK, in fact I finally found
the made in China label in an obscure place on the Husky packing box. They had a good supply of both brands of boxes. Milwaukee prices were similar to Husky prices.

KEH

 

[TNBurban]

The Husky is spec'd for 1,200lbs total load. The Harbor Freight 44" can handle over 3,000lbs (top and bottom). That's a big difference for only $110 more. Plus with the HF box you can add side cabinets later and not worry if it can handle them, or have to make any mods.

The 44" HF and the 56" HF boxes are tough to be for what you get for the price.

 

[EchoOfGecko]

I'm really not a huge fan of my 52" Husky combo (HTC5206/HMT5212)... I originally bought it because it fit in my budget (was actually a little cheaper than the HF box) and I liked the black over the red.

But it really isn't as nice as the HF boxes. The drawers are difficult to open and close. I think they have some rubber grommets on the slides that keep the drawers from opening on their own, but they make it hard to open and close, especially with the flimsy feeling drawer handles. Since I never move my box, I think I may remove them.

Also, the supplied locks are garbage... it's difficult to even insert and remove the keys (it feels notchy and rough), and the keys don't match top to bottom.

The finish quality is fine so far, but they put paper stickers on these boxes and it took me an hour to remove all the residue... just points to the general lack of quality and attention to detail these boxes seem to have.

If I were to do it again, I'd get the HF box.

 

[PelicanPines]

The Husky is spec'd for 1,200lbs total load. The Harbor Freight 44" can handle over 3,000lbs (top and bottom). That's a big difference for only $110 more. Plus with the HF box you can add side cabinets later and not worry if it can handle them, or have to make any mods.

The 44" HF and the 56" HF boxes are tough to be for what you get for the price.

Agree with this.

 

[PJNJ]

I'd be leery of those weight ratings. HF does have good boxes for the price but I would bet those ratings are a "little" high.

As for Husky, they have been upping their game for the last few years. I have the 52 inch combo and for the money (I paid $498 post Christmas), it has been fine for me for the last two years.

As a comparison to HF though, you should look at these new Husky boxes -
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-56...cmwr39-ltAX0UjMIZJzF0xoCodbw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[Ign]

If you're just wanting a basic 41" lower this would be hard to beat at $199 right now:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-41-in-W-5-Drawer-Tool-Cabinet-HMT405BDLX16/202033759

The only better deal would be the BF special which is a 52? is it? with the wooden "workbench" top for $199. If you can wait 'til Thanksgiving......

 

[KEH]

Not really in the market for a tool box now, but I will comment that HF seems to be causing the nontool truck box makers to up their game.

KEH

 

[WWheeler]

Husky's newer all-textured-black line of boxes are a pretty big improvement over their earlier gloss black with chrome drawer handles line of boxes. Thicker gauge steel, heavier drawer slide ratings w/ soft close, etc. They look to be a pretty good balance of quality, size and price for a homeowner DIY box. Their 52"W 20"D combo or 56"W x 20"D combo boxes or the 60"W 24"D wood-top workbench are definitely worth checking out.

They also have a blue line of boxes that are bigger and a bit more heavy duty. They came up in a recent "Anyone notice the blue husky tool boxes on the HD site" thread:

Yeah I noticed. Saw a video review from some guy checking one out in a Home Depot.

https://youtu.be/9nIHd1qWps4?t=254



Husky's 56" wide box is 24" deep vs 22" deep for HF's 56" box with same 18 gauge steel but 100 lb drawer slide rating vs HFs 80 lbs. Also, the Husky is made in Canada, eh? (looks to be a rebadged 'International') and the HF is made in China.

Husky top
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-56-in-6-Drawer-Top-Chest-Blue-VRT-5606BUHU/206266495
Bottom
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-56-in-10-Drawer-Cabinet-Tool-Chest-Blue-VRB-5610BUHU/206266485

HF top
http://www.harborfreight.com/56-in-8-drawer-glossy-red-roller-cabinet-top-chest-61370.html
Bottom
http://www.harborfreight.com/56-in-11-drawer-glossy-red-industrial-roller-cabinet-69395.html

 

[sierradmax]

I thought I saw a post where someone measured the metal thickness of the husky boxes and it was nowhere near what they claim.

I have the Husky 52" H52CH6TR9. Nice toolbox.

 

[BK13]

I can't say I've checked them all out, but my biggest problem with the Husky boxes is the drawer layout.... I want to be able to store 1/2" drive deep sockets in a Hansen rack or vertically on a VIM Magrail in the top (hopefully full width) drawer. Nobody at HD could tell me if the drawers could be rearranged, either.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[dumper]

If you're just wanting a basic 41" lower this would be hard to beat at $199 right now:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-41-in-W-5-Drawer-Tool-Cabinet-HMT405BDLX16/202033759

not really. That Husky only has 50lb rated drawers, and since they are wide drawers, they will eventually probably sag to the point of rubbing on the drawer below when opening and closing. No easy fix for that.

 

[WWheeler]

I can't say I've checked them all out, but my biggest problem with the Husky boxes is the drawer layout.... I want to be able to store 1/2" drive deep sockets in a Hansen rack or vertically on a VIM Magrail in the top (hopefully full width) drawer. Nobody at HD could tell me if the drawers could be rearranged, either.

Husky has several different oems for their boxes, but none I know of are capable of rearranging drawers. That capability is not typical of any homeowner boxes, not like they often are with a pro box off the truck that costs more than twice the price per cu in (often >3x). Then again, almost anything is possible with a little fabricating, welding, painting.

 

[WWheeler]

I thought I saw a post where someone measured the metal thickness of the husky boxes and it was nowhere near what they claim.

I have the Husky 52" H52CH6TR9. Nice toolbox.

I don't know of any post showing Husky's boxes aren't the metal thickness they claim (kind of hard to believe since they don't claim to be all that thick - even their newer improved boxes are advertised as 20ga or 19ga & many of their older 21ga) though there was this post by kngelv where he measured his 56" Harbor Freight box and found it surely wasn't the 14ga several reviews and commenters here at GJ were claiming they were. HF itself doesn't advertise any certain thickness but many of their reviewers/fans were apparently convinced they were more heavy-duty than they are. His box looked to be 18ga.

 

[PJNJ]

I don't know of any post showing Husky's boxes aren't the metal thickness they claim (kind of hard to believe since they don't claim to be all that thick - even their newer improved boxes are 20ga or 19ga & many of their older 21ga) though there was this post by kngelv where he measured his 56" Harbor Freight box and found it surely wasn't the 14ga several reviews and commenters here at GJ were claiming they were. HF itself doesn't advertise any certain thickness but many of their reviewers/fans were convinced they were more heavy-duty than they are. His box looked to be 18ga.

Yeah you're right it was the HF boxes that were measured and coming up thinner than the claims.

 

[WWheeler]

I'd be leery of those weight ratings. HF does have good boxes for the price but I would bet those ratings are a "little" high.

[...]

Yeah something seems a bit off when HF's advertised total capacity weight ratings so far exceed their advertised 80lb drawer limit ratings x the number of drawers. I guess they are saying you could fill it to capacity and let a fat chick sit on top.

Even if you were to double the drawer capacity to 160lbs for the two tall drawers w/ dual slides (even though it doesn't say that) you still get nowhere near the total advertised weight rating.

In HF's defense I believe they are also factoring in the weight for the top box sitting on it but even there it far exceeds HF's top box's total 559lb weight rating which likewise exceeds the total max 59lb weight rating per drawer x 8 drawers. Something just doesn't seem to add up. HF's bottom chests would need to be reinforced heavier though as all their rolling chests have just 4 casters and the Husky's wider chests have 6.

Plus, HF's 59lb drawer weight limit for 44" the top chest seems a bit weak. Heck, Husky's 52" box drawers are rated at 125lbs and to prove it has a video showing a little mountain climber guy climbing up the box & hanging by one hand using only the drawer pulls. lol

 

[fastbike02]

Husky's newer all-textured-black line of boxes are a pretty big improvement over their earlier gloss black with chrome drawer handles line of boxes. Thicker gauge steel, heavier drawer slide ratings w/ soft close, etc. They look to be a pretty good balance of quality, size and price for a homeowner DIY box. Their 52"W 20"D combo or 56"W x 20"D combo boxes or the 60"W 24"D wood-top workbench are definitely worth checking out.

They also have a blue line of boxes that are bigger and a bit more heavy duty. They came up in a recent "Anyone notice the blue husky tool boxes on the HD site" thread:

I have that exact box in red and it is made by international, I got mine 2 years ago for 300 buck (clearance) and my only regret is I didn't buy both of them