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My task oriented tool carts

Kail

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Sep 2, 2007
Messages
86
Location
Middle Of Texas
Photo Mar 04, 6 25 13 PM (1).jpg

So for many years I worked out of a Snap On Classic 78 seen in the far right of the above picture, and although I love this box, where you park it is where it stays and you have to gather your tools carry them back and forth to the task you are working on.

Then I started to run out of room, I got a good deal on a briefly used Blue Point Cart. This one soon became my mechanical cart. So All of the basic tools I grab every time I am doing some sort of mechanical work or electrical, minus anything I keep in plastic containers like my power probe.

But I do way more fabrication than I do mechanical and man I love the ability to have the tool I need at arms reach, plus I get frustrated balancing all of my hammers and dollies around me and on the ground, plus its just messy. So after years of procrastination and again after over filling my Snap On Roller I put together this tool cart or as I call it "task cart'.

Photo Mar 24, 8 49 34 AM.jpg

This is the Harbor Freight 100-120 cart that is always on sale. I have to say I am pretty impressed.
Here is the box on the HF Site make sure you use the coupon its always cheaper than the list.

So Top drawer is hammers and related, It has little side compartments where screwdrivers normally go, good place for some small loose items, i keep measuring tapes and rolocs here. (These **** for screwdrivers by the way, since its just a single hole they tend to fall over and not stay upright.
Photo Mar 24, 8 49 38 AM.jpg

On the side I installed some air tool storage racks I got from amazon. I am pretty proud of this. Now I am grabbing different air tools every 10 minutes for 8+ hours a day, so if they stand any chance of making it back to storage it has to be quick and easy. I saw lots of threads where people used air chucks, I think it is to cumbersome to get them in and out plus expensive. I like this setup also because I can slide the latch over at the end of the day and even padlock it. Now if someone wants them they can just undo the fitting but this is more for the the guy who brings his sketchy cousin to a shop party looking for a quick tool grab.
Photo Mar 24, 8 49 43 AM.jpg

The two upper drawers are for the small stuff. I use a lot of small trays I get at target or the like, usually in the kitchen storage section or office supply area. This keeps things categorized and also stops from sliding around and just being a junk drawer. On the right is small vise grips, not a lot of room for the large ones but the small guys are hard to store so.. here they are.
Photo Mar 24, 8 54 31 AM.jpg

Middle drawer I keep files and rulers and stuff..
I had a hard time finding a tray that fit the width and height I needed, so I broke some scrap aluminum I had laying around and made one..
image.jpg

Here is the bottom drawer its hammers and dollies. Now this is the only drawer that pushes the limits of this cart. If you open it by pulling on one corner of the drawer it gets wonky opening but if you pull from the middle it is fine.. and for the money, I will cope.
Photo Mar 24, 8 57 34 AM.jpg

:Homer: So My Review on the HF Cart.

Pros: ******* Cheap, well made, cheap, pretty easy to assemble, sturdy. And rolls really well even with a ton of weight, and doesn't feel like its going to taco as soon as you snag a crack in the concrete.

Cons: If you don't extend the lid hinges it will fall if bumped and cut your fingers clean off. I would like to add gas shocks but probably won't, it is good practice for reflexes and the hand slap game.
The bottom drawer could use 2 sets of sliders to make it more sturdy but it's not a deal breaker.

3 Months of use, nothing is broken 9/10 rating

:D Tip: use spray adhesive when putting drawer liners in
 
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Kail

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Joined
Sep 2, 2007
Messages
86
Location
Middle Of Texas
Here is My Blue Point Mechanical Cart:

This has been the same setup for about 7+ years, running strong

Big fan of these socket holders, I need quick and easy, I want the right socket without having to search, and I want one hand operation. I see them at northern tool. Also notice again my use of plastic trays. By large blue box is full of these puppies. 1/4 and 3/8 drive only because I'm not a diesel mechanic.

Also note the screwdriver storage. This is where the Blue Point prevails and Harbor Freight shits the bed. The screwdrivers storage has two platforms with holes in it, the top hole the screwdriver handle rests on, the second about 1.5" down keeps it from falling over.
Photo Mar 24, 5 40 38 PM.jpg

Electrical hand tools left, hand wrenches and the like right. Got this tray at sears, its awesome.
Photo Mar 24, 5 40 49 PM.jpg

Again this is a quick go to cart, i don't jam it full I only carry what I need the most often. So only a few hand tools, the blue box has the plethora of odd pliers.
Photo Mar 24, 5 40 56 PM.jpg

Photo Mar 24, 5 41 05 PM.jpg
 
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afazz

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Nov 25, 2007
Messages
863
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Very nice setup!

Is that a needle scaler with an air hammer bit mounted in it?? I assume it works well if you've got it in the top of your cart.
 
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Kail

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Sep 2, 2007
Messages
86
Location
Middle Of Texas
Very nice setup!

Is that a needle scaler with an air hammer bit mounted in it?? I assume it works well if you've got it in the top of your cart.

It's an inline impact hammer, it will move aome metal quick. Had to buy the head seperate.
 

sberry

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Jun 18, 2005
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Brethren, Michigan
I need to rack the wrenches here, these are metrics on this cart for auto work. It has all the drive tools on it too. I use a few metrics, not at near the same frequency as sae.
I stripped one out since some pics, one of these days may even place real HF carts there. Over the last couple years have been removing as much as adding, with a few more things on one cart could get rid of another one. If I really don't use it often remove items from work area, keep the hi frequency stuff there.
 

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sberry

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Pros: ******* Cheap, well made, cheap,
This is what I like about a review, one that takes the cost in to consideration as a liability or an asset. If a tool works well being cheap makes it all the better, takes so much stress out of making life a little easier when its 149$ instead of 1499$.
 

Greg85mcss

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Jul 9, 2015
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760
Location
Frederick MD
I used to do that with the same cart for all my steering & suspension tools. It made those jobs much more efficient. No room in the new shop so now just my service cart & main box.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

clubairth

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Dec 24, 2014
Messages
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Great idea!

I also use that method and have my monster Craftsman box as the main unit. Then 3 HF 5 drawer roll a rounds. One dedicated to body work, one for welding and finally one for mechanic work that I can roll right up to the car.

I put a snap-on decal, on the mechanic one. I put the snap-on sticker on slightly crooked so everyone would know it's the Chinese version!

A Lincoln decal on the welding cart. Left the body work box blank. Did not know what sticker to use? Any suggestions?

I put the stickers on the underside of the top cover. So when the covers are open I can tell clear across the shop which box is which.
.
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PeterT

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Jul 31, 2011
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Toledo Ohio
Looks like you take good care of your tools,,, I have one of those HF carts and its pretty good, but with much weight it sort of 'sways' when you first push it.
 

1965gp

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Jul 26, 2011
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I really like this idea- I have a HF cart for standard tools and a HF cart for metric tools. I can easily roll the cart to whichever car I am working on.

The carts are only 'A item' tools- things you use constantly. I have a Craftsman chest full of the tools that are only used occasionally
 

sberry

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The carts are only 'A item' tools- things you use constantly. I have a Craftsman chest full of the tools that are only used occasionally
Yes, I follow the same concept. Have a Cman chest for the less used and remains of sets. I got another old crate that does the same for do-dads, adapters, pullers etc.
 

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sberry

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The sockets we use and all the duplication we need has been stripped to a couple other carts/locations right in the bays where they are used. 2 mechanics bays are socket served from this whirly, the absolute best way here I have ever used.
I tell someone new using this,,, if it isn't here you probably don't need it.

The other one I call my box but it is next to welding and benches as well as side door, cant help but walk past it. I wouldn't mind a new HF44 here, this was worn out when I got it 25 yrs ago and I overloaded a couple drawers. I could even use a bigger one. I don't ever move the thing but for a couple feet.
I am working on a cubby system for sockets here, it could be in a terrace but according to side but had thought with a larger box may be able to sub divide a drawer by size. Throw it full of trays vs pegs or organizers. I saw a couple guys here with wrench drawers like that, so much easier than picking sizes from a set.
That ice cube tray in drawer in pic 3 is all the metrics in this whole box, if I need it bad enough can go to the auto bay and get it but its rare.
 

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TauntDevil

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Mesa, AZ
I have a very similar setup. I have a cart for fabrication, another for electrical, my main one for mechanical/all around, and another cart for body work. Makes life easy pulling out only the one you need. Makes cleaning up also easier.
 

sberry

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I made this thing as a fridgie cart. It slips in behind another bench all out of the way. I was going to spray paint th thing but once its installed and stored it cant be seen.
 

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sberry

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I always figured I would buy something when I figured out what I wanted. 2nd pic is older, been remodeled since a bit.
 

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Kail

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Middle Of Texas
image.jpg

Added picture of the middle drawer, so these drawers are very shallow making it hard to find trays, i have got plastic ones and cut them down but for this one I took scrap aluminum and broke it, no need to weld since it holds it's shape fine.
 
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Kail

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Sep 2, 2007
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Location
Middle Of Texas
image.jpg

Here is the snap on air hammer, this bit is sold seperate all i did was face it. This thing can cause the metal to get away from you so if you go with one don't learn on that special project, practice first.
 

CarsonConcepts

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Jan 27, 2014
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North East, MD
Added picture of the middle drawer, so these drawers are very shallow making it hard to find trays, i have got plastic ones and cut them down but for this one I took scrap aluminum and broke it, no need to weld since it holds it's shape fine.

I have some interlocking bins from Walmart and they fit nicely in the shallower 4-Drawer cart drawers. They are in the office organizing section. Were available in two different assorted packs with 8-9 bins of various sizes. Think they were under $10 a pack.

EDIT: Founds links:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Made-Smart-Bin-Pack-8-Piece/21063180
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Made-Smart-9-Piece-Large-Bin-Pack/24335917

They are showing not available, but I know they have them as I looked last time I was there. I think they changed the name on them or something, as the newer one's were gray.
 
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