Mobile toolbox options, thoughts, wife...

[nickevetts65]

After 30 years, my wife and I have addressed our 2-car semi-detached garage -- completely scrubbing, patching walls and ceiling, priming and repainting. It's been a huge job but also a chance to fix things that have never been 'right' in terms of organization.

It's been nice having a clean slate, and I turned the back wall into a french cleat system and had a blast building various tool holders for drills, and so forth. But where we're beginning to argue a bit is about the work bench. Previously we had an older free-standing counter with formica top and sticky drawers that was pretty hideous, albeit effective.

What I'd like is a heavy-duty 6' workbench -- probably store-bought -- and stick a couple tool boxes under, with drawers. Something like this:
work table

What she'd like is what Home Depot calls a 'mobile workbench' like this: Husky

This isn't a him/her thing; just two people making compromises. She insists it's important to be able to roll the work surface out into the center of the garage for certain projects. I'm dubious; I don't see rolling a 61" heavy box around, and -- for me -- a pair of heavy duty sawhorses with some thick MDF boards works just fine, when needed.

Anyway, curious what y'alls experience is with these rolling tool boxes with a butcher-block (or other wood) top? Do you move them about? With a $1000 budget, what would you buy if not the Husky? The space I have to work with is about 6'8" wide (depth not a problem).

Oh, and except for a machinist vise, I don't see any tools being bolted to the top, but the vise is non-negotiable. Table saws and such I keep upstairs in the garage, and use there, mostly. Thx!

 

[Citation]

I would do a movable work bench but I wouldn't use the tool box as a mobile work bench.

Edit: corrected a would -> wouldn't

 

[Crabman]

Not sure how old or strong you are but that Husky weighs 426 lb. according to the specs. You add tools and it will be a handful to move around. My wife, who is a small person, likely would struggle to move it empty. With tools (not sure what kind you will store), particularly mechanics tools it will be a lot to manuever.

Maybe a compromise if you have the room would be a fixed work bench like the Kobalt, plus a 5 drawer HF tool cart for a mobile solution to the most commonly used tools.

Good luck finding a solution that works.

 

[nickevetts65]

Thx -- the other issue too is I don't believe these 'mobile toolbox/workbench's have 4 rotating casters; just two. So even empty it won't be as easy to move and maneuver as she thinks.

Thinking the best option is a decent fixed workbench and maybe a 52" or something that will just fit under. I'm taller, so prefer a higher workbench anyway. Or hell, there's a 52" x 25" Husky Heavy Duty with adjustable height top that would probably work fine, even if we never moved it. And I'd continue with sawhorses when needed. I like the extra width -- assuming the specs are accurate -- anyway.

Link -> 52x25 Anyone have experience with this model?

 

[WildBill]

Maybe have her try to move one around in a store and see what she thinks. They are kinda a pain because of the fixed set of wheels, and the weight.

 

[DGersic]

I built my own mobile workbench. Took an old Craftsman sheetmetal workbench/drawers. Built a wood top for it. Then mounted it on hockey puck feet with retractable casters.

The top is a bunch of 2x3 lumber, face glued to form a solid block. This is framed around the sides with 2x4 lumber. Then topped with 3/4” plywood. That’s heavy and solid.

The drawers are full of tools and stuff, adds considerable weight.

The solid feet are hockey pucks, mounted with 3/4” bolts and washers. Adjustable because my floor isn’t perfectly flat. It’s just a garage slab.

The retractable casters allow this to be moved as needed. It spends most of the time against the back wall as a fixed bench. But it can be rolled out and used in the centre. It gets rolled to the side wall for winter, to allow my car to be rolled further forward.

Addressing one of the other comments, all four casters swivel, so it can be pushed in any direction. That seems helpful vs. the two swivel / two fixed wheels of most rolling stuff.

 

[crewchief888]

Boxes in my garage haven’t been moved for at least 10 years all 3 sets have top/ mid boxes on them if/when I need a “workbench” I use a couple of folding sawhorses

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

You have 80 inches, right? Get a 44 inch box from harbor freight. Their Yukon 9 drawer is a nice box for home use. Put that in the space. Fill in the remaining 36 inches or so with a matching height home built workbench using 2x4s and MDF. You will have both options then - If she wants to move the box, she can, and you can mount your bench vice etc, and do the pounding/beating on the 2x4 workbench side.

 

[bobg03]

Link -> 52x25 Anyone have experience with this model?

Lot of wasted draw space IMO. When I was downsizing I looked at that and settled on the Milwaukee Model 48-22-8559. It's worked well for me, it's 52" x 22" deep and 41.3" tall. It's great in place and I can move it to accomplish my needs, not as a mobile per say but if I want to spread out. The storage space is phenominal.

It's on the HD website under that model number as Milwaukee 48-22-8559

 

[nickevetts65]

You have 80 inches, right? Get a 44 inch box from harbor freight. Their Yukon 9 drawer is a nice box for home use. Put that in the space. Fill in the remaining 36 inches or so with a matching height home built workbench using 2x4s and MDF. You will have both options then - If she wants to move the box, she can, and you can mount your bench vice etc, and do the pounding/beating on the 2x4 workbench side.

That is a great idea -- build the 2x4 bench so the top is flush to the Yukon? I like it -- then I don't have to drill into the commercial box for my vise, etc.

 

[CraigStu]

Set it up so the workbench is on the non caster end of the tool box. And the other end of the toolbox has maybe 20" of freespace so one can actually get the box away from the wall. Also tie that 2x4 workbench strongly to the wall studs so you can whale on the vice if needed.

 

[tool_scrounge]

I have done stuff like that with heavy steel rolling tables that was work surplus. Fully loaded it would be hard to move with the stock casters. The solution was to remove the casters and set it up to be moved with a narrow Crown pallet jack. Much easier to move. I park the pallet jack under the table when back inits normal location For storage.

 

[MovingAlong]

Anyway, curious what y'alls experience is with these rolling tool boxes with a butcher-block (or other wood) top?

That they are very heavy and love a very flat/smooth floor...

Do you move them about?

Only if "really" necessary.

With a $1000 budget, what would you buy if not the Husky?

US General from Harbor Freight.

 

[csp]

Fixed casters can be replaced with swivel casters.

 

[kngelv]

You will never want to roll one of the large toolboxes once you load it with tools and especially if it's normally against a wall. What you want for the center of the garage is an assembly table that you can walk all the way around. A toolbox is not good for something like this. The ones in your price range are too narrow. I would do some research and try and build a foldable one. If you are making French cleats then I'm sure you have the necessary skills to make a good work table.

James

 

[Spareparts]

Their is an easy way to have the vise both sturdy yet movable, 2 1/2" X 2 1/2" 3/116" wall thickness box tubing the width
of the box, mounted on both end of box. About 3" in on both ends of the tube drill a 1/2" hole and weld a 1/2" nut. Mount
the vice on a 2"X2" box tube 12" long, slide it in and tighten the 1/2" bolt down that vise will be solid and easly removed
and stored out of the way. You can also mount a 6" or 8" bench grinder the same way. Also the vice/grinder can be placed
on the other side of the box or the other end when needed as a portable bench. I built a 30" X 48" table steel table with heavy
swivel casters on corners for fabrication and small engine work and did it that way, very handy. You can also replace the casters
on the box you are looking at with swivel casters on all corners to ease with moving, just remember the heavier the caster the easier
it will to move, just match the mounting holes with what you have, some of them have brakes on them.

 

[Spareparts]

The husky boxes have some of the worst drawer slides ever made, not so with the General boxes.

 

[LWB]

The work table is more practical. Here's mine right now. I've been using it for 30+ years. It also doubles as a chop saw bench.

 

[Joemctag]

For a lot of projects, a work surface accessible on all sides is a big plus. Look in any commercial shop of any kind.
Doesn’t mean you gotta roll around your bench.
What I do for just about everything is set up a pair of trestles ( sawhorses) and put boards/and/or plywood on them. Can even set them up in the yard or driveway or at a friends’.
I also do this in the metal fabrication shop where I work.
Can be lightweight made of wood or really capable of bearing a lot of weight. You can lay out stuff on plywood, OSB, or paneling with more room than your bench and not put marks on it. When starting, you can put on a fresh new coat of primer to cover all your lines.