New Husky 52 vs 56...and 60? Workbench?

[Gore]

I am about to pull the trigger on a bigger toolbox and I definitely will be going with the new matte wrinkle finish Husky boxes...and perhaps also the new work bench which I believe is a 60"er.

I'd love to see some pics or mods that anyone has of/for these boxes, or general advice when considering their layouts. I am a bit concerned in regards to the full length drawer height in the 56, as some people have said you can't stand sockets upright in it. The 52 looks like it has 2 deeper drawers, one of which is on the bottom of the top box...so I'm considering it over the 56...and then I'd put the saved 300 into that work bench.

I already have the HF 44, but I've severely outgrown it. Also, I would have put this in the toolbox thread but didn't want it to get lost in the crowd.

Thanks guys.

 

[jnich1977]

I have the 56" and looove it. All I have done to it is build a bracket and bolt it to the wall so it can't tip over.

 

[ishiboo]

The 56" is the one I'm looking at... the main drawer is 4" or over, I measured my 1/2" deep sockets and they will fit. There are a ton of 3" drawers, they seem good for wrenches but won't fit the 1/2" standing up.

 

[DonkeyFluffer]

I recently bought the 52". I could find enough to justify $300 more for the 56" and, like you, I can apply that to the 60" work bench. It really was a no brainer to me.

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[sierradmax]

I purchased the 52" as well. I'm always wiping it down and blowing dust off of it as black shows everything. But I like the color black so I deal with it.

I looked at the 60" workbench but I like to sit on a stool and have leg clearance beneath my benches. Instead, I purchase two 27" boxes and made a 8' wooden top between the two.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-27-in-5-Drawer-Tool-Cabinet-Textured-Black-H5TR2LEC/206635944

However, there is a slight color difference between the 27" boxes and the 52/56" box.

 

[Ign]

The 60" was shorter than I wanted so I added on (Husky, Milwaukee, doesn't matter)

You asked for mods, that's a mod

 

[Ign]

Oh I also replaced the center casters w swivel (one of the new Husky boxes already comes this way IIRC). SOOOO much better

 

[Gore]

I think the 56 has 2000 more sq"...which seems like a small payoff for $300...but I haven't really research much beyond that.

Also, I want a dedicated woodworking bench that I can mount my wood vise to, and perhaps some other stationary tools. Do you think it would be possible to add a top that has a little more overhang to it? Or...would that be a recipe for filling the drawers with sawdust? lol

MORE PICS

 

[Brownsfan]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-66-i...gclid=COOGl8favdMCFdi6wAodMmQDow&gclsrc=aw.ds. I have the 66" that's only available online. It's also 24" deep. It's on sale right now for 599.98.

 

[Gore]

ooooh...we have another contender

 

[ishiboo]

I too looked at the 52" as $300 more for 4" doesn't seem like a good deal. But at least for me, the drawer layout and space of the 56" was way better than the 52".

 

[beast1286]

I have been looking at the 12 drawer 52" and thinking about putting two of them side by side and putting a work surface across the top.


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[Ign]

The drawers will definitely fill w sawdust, if that bothers you. I de-burr large quantities of drilled aluminum on mine and I've got Al chips in my drawers. Doesn't much matter to me. Likewise the boxes at my mill get filled w chips from drilling, milling, fly cutting etc. It's just the nature of the beast IMO

 

[PoorOwner]

Can someone please tell me, on the Milwaukee 60", can you remove the pegboard and frame off the back so it is just 22" from the wall instead of 24"?

 

[Ign]

can someone please tell me, on the milwaukee 60", can you remove the pegboard and frame off the back so it is just 22" from the wall instead of 24"?

YeS.

 

[Brownsfan]

ooooh...we have another contender

It has a ton of tool storage for the money. It holds the tools from the Kobalt top and bottom that came with the radio. Plus my drills and other power tools I didn't have room for before. It being 24" deep really makes a huge difference.

 

[cheechi]

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Husky-66-i...gclid=COOGl8favdMCFdi6wAodMmQDow&gclsrc=aw.ds. I have the 66" that's only available online. It's also 24" deep. It's on sale right now for 599.98.

If I was to buy a Husky box this is the only one I would buy.

 

[Gore]

The original one I posted says it's also 24" deep...but that might not be drawer depth. It also lists as 19g instead of 21g...which might be worth noting if I'm going to be loading it down with heavy tools on top of the bench.

 

[Ign]

None of these can have 24" deep drawers if they're 24" externally. Best case OAW - 2"

The ****** Husky boxes are OAW - 3" (I have an 18" chest w 15" deep drawers - DUMB). The lower box here:

 

[Brownsfan]

I have no issues at all. I considered the 60" you are considering but chose the 66" instead. More usable tool storage for my application. Main difference between them obvious is the width. Second the 60 has the soft close drawers. I don't think you would notice the thickness difference much. Then the kicker. It's $100 cheaper.

 

[Ign]

The soft close drawers are, IMO, nicer than the "snap-shut" drawers, but they get weird/sluggish/borderline non-functional in the cold.

Either way not a HUGE deal, but perhaps a factor to consider

 

[Gore]

Ok, I just swung by The Depot...and the 60" is also $598...not $698...and the drawers are roughly 22" deep. Also, I live in CA so the cold won't really be a factor for me and the slides.

 

[Ign]

My store built up one of the new Husky 60" units and I handled it today. Definitely digging the 24" depth, wish my Milwaukee had that.

The shelf on the pegboard looks very functional, if you're leaving the pegboard in place (I removed mine on my Milwaukee as I need to be able to access the bench from all sides).

The full-width drawer up top is nice but I would definitely be careful to not overload it, ie don't think it's going to house all your wrenches or sockets. I very much believe it will sag or buckle if overloaded. The sticker on the front of the box says the drawers are 100lb rated but it would be very easy to put more than 100 lbs in that top drawer - and even at 100 you'd want it evenly distributed or even biased to the sides.

 

[PoorOwner]

My store built up one of the new Husky 60" units and I handled it today. Definitely digging the 24" depth, wish my Milwaukee had that.

The shelf on the pegboard looks very functional, if you're leaving the pegboard in place (I removed mine on my Milwaukee as I need to be able to access the bench from all sides).

The full-width drawer up top is nice but I would definitely be careful to not overload it, ie don't think it's going to house all your wrenches or sockets. I very much believe it will sag or buckle if overloaded. The sticker on the front of the box says the drawers are 100lb rated but it would be very easy to put more than 100 lbs in that top drawer - and even at 100 you'd want it evenly distributed or even biased to the sides.

So is this one 24" but still include the stowing of the pegboard? Or is it 24+2?


I believe there is a center slider under the top drawer. Maybe that theoretically make it 150 lbs? Either way, I would proceed with caution, just because it looks like it can hold alot, doesn't mean you should. Put in oversized breaker bars, pry bars, sockets you would see the drawer sag down.

 

[Mr_B]

Biggest issue on most of the cheaper boxes is the full length drawers are a bit soft for potential capacity, should be double slides as well as centre bottom one and jumping to thicker gauge steel on large drawers would be massive benefit for small price increase .
As said though if used wisely will last/work well, load it silly or treat it careless and you get problems .

 

[cheechi]

on the 66" they claim 100 lb per drawer. That top drawer NEEDS double slides imo to really be viable as someone's main socket storage. wouldn't hurt to be thicker steel too but between the two I think the slides are the more significant factor there.

the 66" is more than double the sq in of the HF 44" unit, at less cost per sq in. I have a place that can fit 2x 66 or 3x 44 for a steevo bench build and I keep looking at the 66 and keep coming back to that same point. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to stick with the 44's even though I really like the depth and can live with the drawer layout that top drawer is Achilles' entire foot, fine except that one spot.