New Harbor Freight 72" Massive Toolbox Review

[warmpancakes]

harbor freight on line said 86.00 shipping (im in michigan) but zero sales tax they also allowed to me use a coupon code while "ordering" so you can use the 20% off online and the sales tax saveing takes care of the shipping

 

[whaler2001]

where do you get the coupons>?

 

[dlc]

where do you get the coupons>?

here
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/html/MagazineLanders/3-general/images/20_c.jpg

 

[whaler2001]

Awesome...thanks

 

[brookscooper]

I'm a little late to this party but am building my new garage shop this summer and starting to look around.

The HF website lists the weight of this box as 881 lbs!!!

anyone have data on that? seems nearly 3 times the weight I'd expect.

That's nearing the limits of the mounts on my truck crane!
help?

 

[chevyboy91188]

well if a 42" chest weighs about 250-300 with all the drawers in it why coulddn't a 72" weight that much?

 

[hedjhawg]

I just went to the Northern Tool website (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200343086_200343086) ... I think it's funny that Norther has posted Tooltrader's picture on their page - complete with teh CRAFTSMAN logo on the box. That's funny!

Can someone please tell me how deep (tall) the "big" top drawer is? Like Joel 67, I also use the hanson socket trays, so I need to know that the drawer is at least 3.5" tall...

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

I just went to the Northern Tool website (http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200343086_200343086) ... I think it's funny that Norther has posted Tooltrader's picture on their page - complete with teh CRAFTSMAN logo on the box. That's funny!

I'm not seeing that....

 

[Shadowdog500]

Can someone please tell me how deep (tall) the "big" top drawer is? Like Joel 67, I also use the hanson socket trays, so I need to know that the drawer is at least 3.5" tall...

Greg smith sells that same box. I saw the complete setup below in their Delaware location a couple months ago. That thing is so big it needs its own zip code. It also appeared to be well made. Here is a photo with some measurements.

Chris

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

I'm not seeing that....

I'm not seeing it either. Could it be a one post wonder trying to start a rumor?

 

[pearl_dude]

I saw it when hedjhawg first posted it, it was pretty funny. I think they just updated their pictures again. It was there.

 

[brian90505]

I'm a little late to this party but am building my new garage shop this summer and starting to look around.

The HF website lists the weight of this box as 881 lbs!!!

anyone have data on that? seems nearly 3 times the weight I'd expect.

That's nearing the limits of the mounts on my truck crane!
help?

The weight seems right. My 1023 weighs 892.
But the capacity is ony 2772 compared to 6000 for the S/O.
But at one-tenth the price, what the heck...

 

[djurgensen]

Well I've been lurking for a while trying to decide on the HF 72 incher. I typically shy away from HF tools but I keep looking at their items and have bought a fair number of them but with my eyes wide open. Nothing very expensive. Lots of small stuff.

Was ready to order the HF72 and try to use the coupon... and then the price bumped up to $1999 in the last day or so.

A sign from heaven? Dunno... but I surely hate to spend that sort of money on a brand name that really gives me the willies.

I'll go back to ebay and look for good used USA made tool chests in my area... in my price range.

**** jurgensen

 

[hedjhawg]

I saw it when hedjhawg first posted it, it was pretty funny. I think they just updated their pictures again. It was there.

It is still there - I just looked at it - click on teh small photo toward the right... It's there!

-Dan

 

[hedjhawg]

Greg smith sells that same box. I saw the complete setup below in their Delaware location a couple months ago. That thing is so big it needs its own zip code. It also appeared to be well made. Here is a photo with some measurements.

Chris

But... How Tall Is the Top Drawer?

 

[Keep]

But... How Tall Is the Top Drawer?

Read the thread its already been posted 4 3/8

 

[dlc]

Well I've been lurking for a while trying to decide on the HF 72 incher. I typically shy away from HF tools but I keep looking at their items and have bought a fair number of them but with my eyes wide open. Nothing very expensive. Lots of small stuff.

Was ready to order the HF72 and try to use the coupon... and then the price bumped up to $1999 in the last day or so.

A sign from heaven? Dunno... but I surely hate to spend that sort of money on a brand name that really gives me the willies.

I'll go back to ebay and look for good used USA made tool chests in my area... in my price range.

**** jurgensen

Got a new catalog in the mail today and they have it for $1599 again.

 

[WSMC633]

Stopped in my Local HF 2 days ago to check something out. They had the new 72" box. Honestly it's pretty stout. Especially for the $$. Can't say it is the sexiest box around. But it's pretty burly. Nice deep drawers, the big top drawer doesn't have much sideways rock when opened, uses a griplatch style drawer retainer. Not bad!

 

[tooltrader]

Sears is now selling the exact same toolbox for $4000.00. The Sears part number is 81345. The picture is not yet up on the Sears website but it is in the catalog mailed out (page S48). They sell the top box, bottom box, and side locker. The same company in china is making this toolbox for all three places HF, Sears, and Northern Tool. It is being sold under the name "WOLF" at Sears, "TORIN" at Northern Tool, and US Generalal at HF. This is becoming a VERY popular toolbox so all the big companies are jumping on the bandawagon to carry this. I think soon someother companies may start to carry it as well. Harbor Freight still has the best price by far and the cheapest shipping. I've had my box for sometime now and I still love it. It's very heavy duty and all my friends are impressed with it. One even bought one for himself.

 

[hedjhawg]

Does the top (big) drawer pull out as far as the other drawers do? On mine, it seems to hit the "bump stop" on the left slide about 3-4" too early (compared to the other drawers)

 

[tooltrader]

Mine pulls out as far as all the other drawers. I seem to recall it may have been a little "stuck" but I just had to pull harder to get it to move the extra couple of inches out. I lubed it and pulled it back and forth a lot of times continuously for a few minutes and it has worked fine ever since. Maybe it's just tight because it is new and needs to be broken in a little.

 

[djurgensen]

Well I've been lurking for a while trying to decide on the HF 72 incher. I typically shy away from HF tools but I keep looking at their items and have bought a fair number of them but with my eyes wide open. Nothing very expensive. Lots of small stuff.

Was ready to order the HF72 and try to use the coupon... and then the price bumped up to $1999 in the last day or so.

A sign from heaven? Dunno... but I surely hate to spend that sort of money on a brand name that really gives me the willies.

I'll go back to ebay and look for good used USA made tool chests in my area... in my price range.

**** jurgensen

Well after obsessing for a couple of months and watching ebay like a hawk waiting for my special toolchest to appear, only to get frustrated with some of the hankey pankey/flimflamming on ebay, I found a used Cranberry S/O KRL761 rollcab on CraigsList that I fell in love with and bought fairly inexpensively in the Atlanta area. I need a matching top box for it at some point but I am really enjoying all the room to put tools.

I bought a 30 by 18 Craftsman BB bottom and a matching 16" slider top about 25 years ago and outgrew it about 24 years ago and just got used to all my tool crammed into such tight space with little organization possible.

I had real difficulty pulling the trigger on the HF72 although it certainly makes sense money wise but I love my tools and need to love my tool chest too. What really sold me on the notion of actually buying a larger chest were the pics you guys did with the immaculately laid out and organized tools which for me would make things so much easier if I could go right to the tools rather than looking for them... and having to spread them out in the middle of my work area.

Thanks guys... you really inspired me to spend some $$$ upgrading my tool storage which was long overdue.

Now if I could actually fix something!

dickjurgensen

 

[tooltrader]

Here is the link to the Sears "Wolf" toolbox (the exact same toolbox as HF and Northern Tool) made by the same factory in China. Sears is selling the same toolbox for around $4000.00. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00981345000P?keyword=wolf+72&prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1[/URL]

 

[hatman]

This a beautiful looking tool box. I am drooling over it. Should I forget about the $299 41" box at Home Depot(top and bottom)?

 

[hedjhawg]

This a beautiful looking tool box. I am drooling over it. Should I forget about the $299 41" box at Home Depot(top and bottom)?

They are two very different boxes. If you need a 41" top/bottom box, get the HD box. If you need (and have room for) a 72" box with an acre of open space on top... I LOVE my HF 67428!

(I own 9 Craftsman boxes, two Snap-On, 1 Cornwell, 1 Master Force, 1 Homak Pro, 1 Kennedy and three ****** little HF boxes, plus the BIG HF box. The HF 67428 is the best box I own, for sure,)

 

[debo75]

What's the advantage of the 72" width? From looking at Harbor Freight, I could buy two 45" boxes for $280 each, after the 20% off coupon. I'd just park them right next to each other against the wall. I never move my toolboxes around. Right now the 72" box is running $2k, so I'd save almost a grand this way.

Why is the 72" attractive enough to pay such a heavy premium?

 

[hatman]

They are two very different boxes. If you need a 41" top/bottom box, get the HD box. If you need (and have room for) a 72" box with an acre of open space on top... I LOVE my HF 67428!

(I own 9 Craftsman boxes, two Snap-On, 1 Cornwell, 1 Master Force, 1 Homak Pro, 1 Kennedy and three ****** little HF boxes, plus the BIG HF box. The HF 67428 is the best box I own, for sure,)

Thanks for that. I just came back from Costco.They have a Homak 56" for $999.
Model #777756. I don't know what website to get a picture from. Bottom cabinet has pretty tall drawers. I rather have shorter drawers. Display model had half the top drawers locked and would not unlock.

I like the acreage of the HF box.

 

[hatman]

What's the advantage of the 72" width? From looking at Harbor Freight, I could buy two 45" boxes for $280 each, after the 20% off coupon. I'd just park them right next to each other against the wall. I never move my toolboxes around. Right now the 72" box is running $2k, so I'd save almost a grand this way.

Why is the 72" attractive enough to pay such a heavy premium?

I think if the Husky box is not overloaded,it will do the job. I like the layout of the HF box. I would consider buying 2 Husky boxes for myself and then will mount them back to back or side by side.

 

[beelsr]

without bothering to look up the actual specs, 72" box is probably deeper. Most "name" boxes get deeper as they go wider. HF's might not.

if your boxes are there just to hold tools and you're not moving them around the shop floor, etc..., you just need to consider 2 primary things:

1. build quality - acceptable is up to you
2. space & layout - both square area and volume. 72" x 24" with 13 drawers is not the same as 72" x 24" with 19 drawers....

 

[hatman]

You can still get 20% off that tool box and any other items from HF.

Here's a link for a printable coupon for 20% off any single item at Harbor freight.
Valid till the December 31,2010. http://www.harborfreightusa.com/html/SingleMagLanders/americanprofile/images/20_c.jpg

Found some other super HF coupons at this link and there is up coming sales that may interest you.
http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2006/07/harbor-freight-coupons.html

 

[bmxr4life87]

its 72"X29" same as a truck branded tool box

 

[hatman]

its 72"X29" same as a truck branded tool box

What's a Truck Branded Tool box?

 

[bmxr4life87]

Snap on, Matco, Mac, Cornwell ETC...

 

[hatman]

$2,395.00 for a 40" Snap-On Tool!
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?store=snapon-store&item_ID=79453&group_ID=17774

I would never buy that. I could buy a pretty nice Riding mower for that price.There is nothing very complicated about tool boxes.

 

[hatman]

Snap on, Matco, Mac, Cornwell ETC...

Thanks

 

[dlc]

$2,395.00 for a 40" Snap-On Tool!
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?store=snapon-store&item_ID=79453&group_ID=17774

I could buy almost buy five Harbor Freight 13 drawer top and bottom for what that one little dinky box sells for. I'm a big fan of Snapon, but dang!! My money doesn't come by that easy.

 

[hatman]

I could buy almost buy five Harbor Freight 13 drawer top and bottom for what that one little dinky box sells for. I'm a big fan of Snapon, but dang!! My money doesn't come by that easy.

That's a nice box. Ad says it can hold 121 pounds per drawer.1573 Total!

Regular Price: $599.99
Sale: $349.99

13 Drawer Red Industrial Quality Roller Cabinet

45" wide, 13 Drawer Roller Tool Cabinet stores your tools and supplies in 11,500 cubic inches of space!

 

[terabyte]

that box is really 42" wide
its 45" with the handle

 

[hedjhawg]

What's the advantage of the 72" width? From looking at Harbor Freight, I could buy two 45" boxes for $280 each, after the 20% off coupon. I'd just park them right next to each other against the wall. I never move my toolboxes around. Right now the 72" box is running $2k, so I'd save almost a grand this way.

Why is the 72" attractive enough to pay such a heavy premium?

The 67428 is a 30" deep box... The drawers on the 13-drawer unit are only 16" deep. The 72" box is completely differnt build quality. It's an apples and oranges conersation.

The real question is why one would pay $4k for the Sears unit versus $2k (minus a 20% coupon = $1,600).

That doesn't make the 67428 better, just different... If you never move them, then a wall of

 

[z28toz06]

I have that same bottom box, and the top. I paid 700.00 (used) for the base. but I swear there was never a tool in it when I got it.

The top was in the same shape. That was $600.00