Small Service Cart/Tray

[hancock1701]

Hi guys,

I'm searching for a small service cart that I can place by the car I'm working on. After tools falling down scratching the car or falling into the engine bay, I need to stop putting tools around the engine bay. My box sits in the corner, so I'd like to not have to walk back and forth to put tools down.

I'm just a DIYer, so I won't use this daily. A service cart like ETCG uses is a little too big for me when I need to put it away. HF has some 16" by 30" carts that might work, but still a little too big for my purpose.

http://www.harborfreight.com/30-in-x-16-in-two-shelf-steel-service-cart-60390.html

I'm hoping to find something about the size of a surgeon's tray or a little bigger. Any suggestions?

 

[sberry]

Mock something up and see what fits. Set a simple bench there and see if it helps. Toss a few items on it as needed and a place to set stuff, I have 3 small rolling benches just for this.
Some of this has since been tailored a bit and I am still not quite done. I havnt spent a dime on cosmetic but all the effort on the placement and organization so its all right where it "should be". In other words,,, what are you looking for, stop and look around, its probably right there.
I could possibly do a 2 for 1 combination using a cart and some drawers and should have a metric wrench board on the tool cart which I seem to keep forgetting. All the drive stuff is reachable from the hoist bay and in passing to the tractor bay. The sae wrenches and the sockets are on rotators with a general peg deal with easy sight etc.
The sockets serve either bay with lazy susan deal and a general toss in compartment for sizes. The metric wrenches kind of fell there due to the fact most our use for them is in automotive. The hammers need work, they tend to be hidden and I chase them some, we can usually find them, there should be something on the carts

 

[zkling]

There's the ikea cart

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30216536/

Or, a suggestion, and what I did, is to put wheels on a side box such as the HF side box. Unfortunately the HF side box doesn't have a deep bottom drawer for fluid bottles unlike mine, but you get quite a bit more storage space for tools and a nice work surface.

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-7-drawer-glossy-red-end-cabinet-for-roller-tool-chest-68785.html

 

[CJ7VFR]

How about buying a plastic tool box that big box stores or Sears sells, and then attaching some inexpensive wheels/casters on the bottom of it?

You could go and pick out the exact size tool box you wanted to fit your needs. You could even make a very simple pedestal out of some 2x4's and put the tool box on top and the wheels/casters on the bottom.

By making it yourself, you will be able to make it the exact height/size you need!

I did this with a cheapo small HD tool box. I bought one that has a removable tray inside and I built a 2 foot high pedestal out of some old 2x4's I had laying around. I bolted the tool box to the top and put some old casters I had saved on the bottom for the wheels.

It works great, it's not too big, I can roll it around to wherever I need it. I initially made it to hold my tools when I worked on my old Jeep so that I would not keep putting tools on the flat front fenders and marking up the paint!

I also screwed some pieces of strip magnet material to the sides of two of the 2x4's so that I could easily attach metal hardware to the magnets for easy access/holding while working. Some lighter weight tools will hold there also, like some smaller wrenches and stuff like that.

Jim

 

[vertguy]

Another vote for the Ikea cart. I picked up a dark gray one and use it all the time... especially useful when detailing.

 

[KraftwerkMk1Jetta]

I made one for that same purpose. I still need to add to it and figure out the second shelf.

Untitled by Joe, on Flickr

 

[guyinthe64]

I've got the Ikea cart mentioned above as well. I love it. It's big enough to hold whatever tools and small parts I am using, but still doesn't take up much room in my garage.

 

[Zeke]

I've got the Ikea cart mentioned above as well. I love it. It's big enough to hold whatever tools and small parts I am using, but still doesn't take up much room in my garage.

And at $29 it's a steel.

 

[bcradio]

And at $29 it's a steel.

I wish I had an Ikea closer, that looks nice.

 

[flying eyeball]

I got one from sams club.

 

[ecally]

I have the HF cart you pictured. It is a nice size, not too big, especially if you need a place to put a few parts next to your tools.


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[ibedayank]

started out as that cheap HF cart you linked to. Sure beats trying to wheel around the big box in a 84x56 shop

 

[captain14]

Someone here suggested to cruise on Craigslist looking for used hospital surgical trays that are about the height of the operating table or your car. They may have wheels or just a stand

 

[hancock1701]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I might need to start cruising on Craigslist as well as going to HF to have a second look at the cart. The IKEA car seems pretty handy.

 

[ex-x-fire]

I used this for years, its height adjustable so you can keep it close to the car/truck.

 

[captain14]

I used this for years, its height adjustable so you can keep it close to the car/truck.

That's what the hospital tray looks like too i mentioned above. Usually stainless ?

 

[Outlander]

And at $29 it's a steel.

I see what you did there

 

[hancock1701]

I used this for years, its height adjustable so you can keep it close to the car/truck.

What is the official name for that "thing"? For searching purposes of course . And where can one acquire such a thing?

 

[ex-x-fire]

I just googled "adjustable tool cart" to find one.

 

[panknuckshovel]

I had this for a while, worked really well and dual purposed as a cocktail/bar cart for garage parties. Called an underhood cart or rolling service tray, sorry for stock photos.

 

[619DioFan]

I used this for years, its height adjustable so you can keep it close to the car/truck.

I also have this one. very handy .

 

[AJO]

I used this for years, its height adjustable so you can keep it close to the car/truck.

I have one of these with the drawer under the tray. Really handy and also doubles as mobile bar for shop parties.

 

[kctyphoon]

I had this for a while, worked really well and dual purposed as a cocktail/bar cart for garage parties. Called an underhood cart or rolling service tray, sorry for stock photos.

I like that.. If I were a mechanic that would be a must have

 

[kctyphoon]

If you have the room, that black HF tool cart really is a great buy.. They have a huge following here.. I bought the husky one, and honestly the HF model is better for a few reasons.

 

[Mastermind]

My buddy has a couple napa ones that use the plastic tray from the bottom of the rolling stool. Handiest thing ever but I can't find it on the website. Its about 12 inches square. Adjustable height and casters on it.

 

[Mastermind]

Here's another brand I found with google-fu

 

[sberry]

I like the icky cart, at 29$ a guy is stealing it.

 

[kctyphoon]

Here's that red adjustable tray - $62

Larin PTT-1 Portable Tool Tray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007PNMNA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Smaller grizzly - $48 (pictured above)
Grizzly H6333 Rolling Too Length Tray https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FSDV97W/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Sunex - $100
Sunex 8019 Adjustable Heavy Duty Work Table with Drawer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XW2YJA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Atd - same as Sunex - $94
ATD Tools (7012) Heavy-Duty Mobile Work Table with Drawer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00J6C1PES/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[martin666]

Repurposed analyzer carts, pick them up fairly cheap. I work on motorcycles so they're perfect size

 

[bobcatdan]

If you are not looking for bulit in tool storage, a small hydraulic lift cart is the ultimate service cart. The adjustable height is great if you do a lot of work on an *** buggy. Lower the cart to a comfortable work height. Also if working on something on top of the cart, you can adjust it. I have torn down a few 3 banger Perkins which are pretty tall engines. When working on the head, I can have the cart low. As I move down the engine, up the table comes. Plus there is the utility of moving heavy stuff with it.

 

[Fordriver6]

Resurrecting a couple month old thread here. I have a small 11"x16" x24.5" tall table that has a cheap clamp on vise and three of the sides have a lip to keep stuff from rolling off. I mostly use it when doing brakes or similar jobs because it's the perfect height when sitting on a rolling stool. I also use it to tear down small engine carbs.

I considered putting this Japanese no. 5177 4" vise that my dad has had since before I was born. Haven't made up my mind yet.

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[ex-x-fire]

Hopefully that's not too top heavy.

 

[Fordriver6]

Hopefully that's not too top heavy.

That's the main reason I haven't done it. Even though I wouldn't be doing any serious beating or putting pressure on it, even something as simple as trying to get a stubborn screw out of a small engine carb could tip it. I'm probably going to leave well enough alone.

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