Side cabinet ??? Harbor Freight Series 3

[Blackwolfe]

Just ordered a HF US general 15" six drawer side cabinet. Will be here in about a month or so. I plan to use it as a stand alone side cabinet. Is anyone else using a series 3 side cabinet in a stand alone manner? I want to get it off the floor, but don't want to use castors as I link it would be too prone to tipping sideways. I thing I would like to add leveling legs, but don't know if the bottom structure will support the installation as the cabinet is designed to hang. Has anyone built a frame, base, or added leveling legs to one of these? Any tips, suggestions or picture would be helpful and much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Angle steel frame, inverted, with leveling feet applied underneath will work. If you flap wheel the frame before painting to remove mill scale it will have a clean look. Weld a thick gusset in each corner underneath and tap a hole in it for leveling foot attachment. Attachment of the cabinet to the frame is optional, but suggested. I agree that wheels would make it tipsy with that footprint.

 

[crewchief888]

I’d probably set it on a HF square moving dolly

 

[mrvm]

Building a base frame (wood or bed frame steel) larger than the 15" cabinet dimensions will increase stability with or without castors. IMO step up to the 27" (only 12" wider) for more room and stability

 

[NUTTSGT]

Do you plan is sitting in one place or moving ? Do you have or are you capable of welding a frame up ?

 

[Blackwolfe]

Thank you all for some great suggestions. The side cabinet will for the most part be stationary, most likely at the end of a workbench with a narrow space to fill. Would only be moved if layout changed. No welding or heavy metal working equipment, but my first thought was a frame much like OccupantRJ described mrvm suggested. Want to get it off the floor a bit for some airflow, as this will be in the basement that at times is a bit damp and humid. Not sure what the bottom structure of the end cabinets consist off, but was hoping it might support leveling feet as is, but doubt it. I might just temporarily put it on one off the HF furniture dollies, as I might even have one of those around. Also may try to put something together with unistrut.

RJ, I might be able to get someone to weld up a angle iron frame for me. What thickness angle iron and heavy gusset material do you suggest?

When I get the cabinet, I'll try to remember to lay it on its side and post a picture of what the underside looks like.

 

[finn]

I bought a Miller Multimatic welder that came with a HF side cabinet mounted on an angle iron frame long enough for a couple of gas bottles. The larger wheels are outboard so it’s stable.

Don’t know if it’s the latest generation cabinet, but it’s pretty new looking. I suspect it was a close out,though.

 

[NUTTSGT]

1/8" angle should be thick enough as would anything else making a frame. It's thicker than the toolbox steel itself.

Temporarily, I would second or third the HF movers dolly, possibly with a 3/4" piece of plywood screwed to the top of the dolley.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Thank you all for some great suggestions. The side cabinet will for the most part be stationary, most likely at the end of a workbench with a narrow space to fill. Would only be moved if layout changed. No welding or heavy metal working equipment, but my first thought was a frame much like OccupantRJ described mrvm suggested. Want to get it off the floor a bit for some airflow, as this will be in the basement that at times is a bit damp and humid. Not sure what the bottom structure of the end cabinets consist off, but was hoping it might support leveling feet as is, but doubt it. I might just temporarily put it on one off the HF furniture dollies, as I might even have one of those around. Also may try to put something together with unistrut.

RJ, I might be able to get someone to weld up a angle iron frame for me. What thickness angle iron and heavy gusset material do you suggest?

When I get the cabinet, I'll try to remember to lay it on its side and post a picture of what the underside looks like.

I would suggest 3/8” as the gusset material due to being tapped for the leveling feet. Another method is to weld threaded rod coupling nuts in the inside corners of the frame, which is simpler. As far as the angle thickness, 1/8” for that size frame, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2” in width. With that being said, the HF small dolly might be the ticket if the cabinet will normally be trapped between other cabinets. You could also use the wheels from the dolly and fasten them to a custom size piece of 3/4 plywood for the top, or you could resize the larger size HF dolly wood to a custom size. I would bolt or screw the cabinet to the dolly. If the dolly is at least the size of the cabinet base plus a bit the weight would be supported by the cabinet sidewalls. I have a six foot tall heavy Walker Turner drill press that lives on one of the larger dollies.

 

[Blackwolfe]

I think at least temporarily I'll use one of the HF dollies. I might even have one around. I forgot that I have a file cabinet on a HF dolly.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

 

[rharman]

I built a castered plywood base for mine. About 1-1/2" wider all around as I was concerned about tipping - hasn't been an issue but it's not moved very often or far. I used better casters than the HF dolly but they will likely be fine depending on how heavy you load it.

I use it for storage under my drill press. The casters are spaced just wide enough to clear the cast-iron base.