Mods to small stand-alone toolchests

[rick carpenter]

I don't have an HF 4 or 5 drawer chest but I sub to that mods thread because of the interesting stuff done to them. What about mods done to smaller stand-alone chests? I have this no longer offered Husky unit that has served me fairly well. It is 26.6" wide (called either 26" or 27") with a base unit that is two drawers over cabinet doors that is 16.6" deep and a four-drawer + flip up well lid top chest that is 12" deep. The only mods I've done so far was add an intermediate two-drawer chest that is 12" deep, a better handle on the well lid, and plywood between the bottom and intermediate chests.

The close up shows the crappy factory hinge that opens up grudgingly to less than 90*. I'd like to replace that with one that is built sturdier and goes to 90* or preferably just a little more. It really doesn't need two hinges.

The cabinet space is not used because I have other larger cabinets I use. Anything useful to insert there? Take the doors off and try to use it?

 

[ARFLY]

For the lid, you might try a gas piston strut like the HF carts have. You might be able to fit one of the HF side trays on it. You could also put some magnet strip in the lid to hold stuff that is small and frequently used like screwdrivers or common wrench sizes. For the bottom you could put some aluminum angle in it and use it to store parts bins like these https://www.lowes.com/pd/CRAFTSMAN-...ment-Plastic-Small-Parts-Organizer/1000578353
Unless you have a sentimental attachment to this box, I would not put a lot of money into it.

 

[rick carpenter]

Unless you have a sentimental attachment to this box, I would not put a lot of money into it.

Thanks for the thoughts, keep 'em coming if you have more. No, it's not sentimental, it's small but it's as big as my space allows so cheap mods make the most sense. It's shoe-horned in between the long benches you can see to the left and the electrical panel on the right. I've got a mini side tray on the left side, it's more cute than useful but a full size tray won't fit. I've got my drivers, wrenches, pliers-type tools, and pipe wrenches in the four top drawers. Just cleaned out the top well so nothing in there yet. I've got my 1/2" sockets & ratchets in one intermediate drawer and my 3/8" and 1/4" in the other. The base unit drawers are catch-alls right now, but I want to put them and the top well to good use. Maybe I could store my fluids in a drawer in the cabinet space. Most everything else I have mounted on slatwall and shallow shelves above my 16' double benches or tucked into my electric pouch, impact bag, drill bag, 5-gal buckets, etc.

 

[bobemmerich]

You could try to add drawers in the bottom "storage" area. I did that to a C-Man I had years ago. It's since been sold, so unfortunately I don't have any pics.

 

[rick carpenter]

Well, this is where I stand...

First pic is the small side tray, and above the lid (added handle) are my guns mounted on a piece of plywood on the wall that swings away in the second pic when I want to open the lid. Third pic is the ply I put between the base and intermediate cabinet that I added. It keeps the paint from getting scuffed when I'm pulling tools out and isn't slick like the metal. Fourth pic is the drawer I installed to hold my fluids. I had to put in a bottom piece of ply to raise it all above the front ledge, remove it and fit the drawer, disassemble and paint, stuff it all back in pieces, and fasten together in place.

I could paint and mount the little metal Sears socket set box where it is for delicate little stuff since the drawer pulls out with no interference, but I need to figure if I'd be doing it based on need or just because I can.