Tool Box Delemma - more drawers or wider/deeper drawers

[c5greg]

Hi All,

I have outgrown my current 41" Rollcab and top box combo, and after spending too much of my free time on this site and others, I have narrowed it down to the HF US General offerings.

I did look into other brands such as Husky and used tool truck boxes, but HF offers the best bang for the buck especially for me, the non-pro. I am planning to keep my current box, a 19 drawer stainless steel Hammerhead.

I have narrowed it down to two options: The 72" or (2) 44" with an end locker and end cabinet - 4 total pieces.

Obviously the 4pc set gives me a lot more drawers (33 drawers + Locker) but the 72" has 5 wide drawers and 1 extra wide top drawer (18 total drawers). Because I am keeping my current box, the 4 pc. set would give me a whopping 52 drawers and more flexibility on the configuration. The 72" would still give me 39 drawers, possibly better sized.

Price remains the same for both options. The 72" is ~1300 delivered (no pick up option at my local stores) and the 2 44" with an end locker and end cabinet would come to ~1350 if i pick it up.

Final though, if i went with only the 2 44" units, i would still gain 26 drawers and save $400 over the 72" box. I could always add on later if needed

Thoughts? Wider and deeper drawers or more drawers.

 

[TailGunner3000]

Personally I vote for more drawers, but that's just the way I like my shop. I try to limit cabinets and shelves to the least amount possible. I find drawers allow for better organization and access. And as a naturally disorganized person, I try to limit the clutter of shelves and other flat areas.

But the answer for you will really be based on what you plan on storing. The types of tools and equipment and how you want them organized will better dictate your choice.

 

[m6z]

Personally, I'd sell the 41" combo you've outgrown and put that towards a 72" combo, but it doesn't look like HF offers a 72" top box and a Homak RS Pro 73" combo is $3,700 now.

I like everything in one place, so 72" I guess.

 

[Dave455]

It depends where and how you work.

If you work with other people, a lot of guys want just one box with all of their stuff in, so if you need more space you need a bigger box?

Personally, with my own workshop, I find “more drawers” is the way to go. I’ve got a very nice Snap On top box that I love, a Beach roll cab, and a variety of other industrial and repurposed office cabinets. Generally I’ve got the right size drawers for every job, they all take the weight, and none of it has cost me much money!

Keeping the box you’ve got and adding to it is probably the cheapest option too!

 

[Mr_B]

i'm not a big fan of deep drawers, burying stuff in drawers is never good.
All down to what you got put in them and how you personally like organise.
2 44" is hell of a lot of storage and 84" of countertop space .
44" boxes also easier logistics and shop layout options over a 72" box .
What ever you do use/wait coupons .

 

[c5greg]

It looks like more draws is what most people are recommending.

M6Z - I don't think ill get much for my box so ill keep it even if it winds up in the basement as a storage box for my wood shop. As far as the upper box goes, i need the counter space.

Dave- It's only me myself and I in my shop multiple boxes is not a problem.

Mr B. - Agreed, the main attraction to the 72" was the wide drawers. I could keep all my sockets in just the top drawer, but the more i think of it the less important that seems to be.

Here is a pic of the 4 pc setup im considering (except i wont get a top box):

 

[seber]

I'm not a fan of deep drawers. Things get lost in the bottom. On the other hand, I am currently getting rid of a KRA because the drawers are too shallow. Less than two inches is hard to use.

 

[sberry]

I dont want to open big drawers full of heavy stuu giving every socket I own a free ride back and forth every time I need one. Smaller would help.

 

[ssdave]

I'll be the odd man out. I'd opt for less drawers, especially if you keep your old box.

I detest having stuff drag and the drawer not being deep enough to store things. Deep sockets in big sizes? Many socket drawers you have to lay some down on their sides. Blow molded cases? 1/4 or 1/2" too thick for a drawer. Big wrenches? Have to put in 1/3 as many to lay them on their sides instead of on edge in nice racks. Pliers? Half of them have to be flat, instead in racks on edge.

I specifically didn't buy HF 44's, and bought Menards Masterforce instead because of the deeper drawers. Every time I look at the 44's, I come to the same conclusion. Really, really like my Shure cabinets and my KRL because of the deep drawers.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

It comes down to what you're storing. Lots of thin drawers are good for screwdrivers, measuring devices, laying out ratchets, etc. Deep drawers are required for basically anything else.

That's my setup, I like my deeper drawers. The 1032 on the left is so easy to organize with those wide 4inch deep drawer. Just fill 'er up, basically anything fits. The 1033 on the right has too many small drawers, but I've had it a while and accept that limitation.

IMO the HF72 is a better layout; but neither are great mechanic layouts. Plan on storing a circular saw in there? 72" is the only one doing that.

 

[Max]

I’m going to have to be a contrarian as well. I’ve still got an empty HF 44” gen2 box just because I have not sold it yet. It’s empty because it didn’t meet my needs.

Anyway, what works much better for me is the two used Lista boxes that I bought to replace the HF box. Both boxes are around 40” wide, each drawer holds up to 200 lbs, and all of the drawers go all the way across the box.

Boxes with good depth (28-30”) are not a problem as long as you have room in front of them, as the drawers open all of the way so you can see and get to the back of the box. And for me, lots of little drawers **** because they never quite hold what you want to put in them. What do you do when a drawer holds 95% of your socket set, or 90% of your screwdrivers? Use two drawers - that gets messy and confusing quick...

Whereas with large drawers you can divide them as you like, and change the divisions when you need to. On a box like the HF boxes the divisions are always fixed. And if you get better boxes with ball bearing slides it’s not hard to open or close them - my 3/4” socket set fits in one drawer and it’s no problem to open or close it despite the weight.

What works for me may not work for you, and I’m not trying to convert you. But for me, I’ll never go back to a tool box with lots of little drawers...

- Max

 

[Mr_B]

only the guy buying the box going know what drawer layout works for him.
wrenches don't need deep drawers, even air and battery tools not that bulky
Just work out your preferred needs from measuring your tools and planned layout methods .

 

[SeisMec]

If you are going the HF route, you should at least consider a three piece setup = 56" + 44" + Locker.

 

[Mr_B]

If you are going the HF route, you should at least consider a three piece setup = 56" + 44" + Locker.

yes that a good idea and gives better range of drawer sizes

 

[Cryptic1911]

check strictlytoolboxes.com and get a 30" deep box. waaaay more usable storage that way

 

[crewchief888]

i'm in the multiple boxes crowd.

i dont have a box over 36" wide, i use multiple side boxes for bulk storage.

in the garage, 1 set of SO 36" wide boxes, 2 sets of SO 33" wide boxes, mid box, multiple side boxes. in my basement reloading/ work room, 1 SO 26" roller cab, CM top, and a PLVMB top for my machinist tools.

more drawers "work" for me.

most of my tools are in my service truck, CM top box, lyons mid, and a mac side box.

 

[username2]

I dont want to open big drawers full of heavy stuu giving every socket I own a free ride back and forth every time I need one. Smaller would help.

That makes a lot of sense, it would be cool if HF boxes had skinnier drawers. At some point I don't think my brain could handle remembering which one is which though.

One thing I'm tempted to do is to take a nice hand tool box, got plenty, and put individual tools in them as I actually need them. I wonder how full (or not) it would be in a year. I'd probably end up with a 5 piece 3/8" socket set, a few pliers, two screwdrivers and a pry bar, and a half dozen wrenches.

 

[sberry]

I wanted a new 44. My old one was dragging *** and then I simply cleaned a bunch out and lightened some worn drawers, moved a coupkle around and orgaized some more well used higher up and it made it feel like it was so much better I skipped getting a new box.
I dont mind opening a drawer for stuff I need sometimes but I aint opening drawers all fuggin day. The wrench rack needs a little work and should simply erase it and start over with a different number of pegs. I missed it on a couple other racks I did and on a lazy susan type deal for sockets when I missed getting a couple sizes side by side. It would reduce the turning just a bit. Not enough to motivate me a few minutes.

 

[sberry]

On the phone they call it the favorites. I got a whole nuther box for the 3/4, all the **** I stripped out of the service carts. The second pic is for collection and stripped out stuff, a few drawers for so occasional and the one in pic 3 I really dont work out of it, the top is a collection of some specialty stuff, I can walk for it, I aint fussy about being hyper organized as long as it hits the right type drawer,, so its there.
Gauges in a drawer, some 3/4, some big wrenches, a bunch of dupe, anything stripped from service carts we dont want in the way. Got a drawer full of sockets and wrenches I simply dont use,,, how many 11MM a guy use?
It has a drawer with a tubing wrench collection, some special, set of ratchet wrenches, just dont use them daily. In box, out of work area next to the wall.
My neighbor since gave me a way better bottom for the middle than that old aftermarket type thing. Quality there doesnt matter much due to the fact I am not working and pulling on them dozens of times a day.

 

[sberry]

I got hammers adjustable and prybars with clamps on the bench goes along with the cart in post 18 above. Its kind of there on the way to the benches and there is a side door with apron for seasonal work and traffic flows out in to the compound. Its the tool cart for that work area and there is another one in another zone so to speak. It serves the hoist bay and the tractor bay in tandem. Pic 3 and 4 show the general location and I rid of the middle cart can be seen in 4 and have since given the right hand tool cart a revision. It has all the drive tools, box for extensions, tray for ratchets, tray for some metric wrenches and a board for them thru 18 I think. Vise grips, razor knife, some scrapers and a hammer pry bar rack under.

 

[sberry]

There is a piece of light beam laying down in tray fashion I clamped on the brace to the aframe with a couple 3 inch muffler clamps and it holds the socket style and the wrench style.
This kind of shows a little evolution, maybe a minor rev since deals with a little ergonomics but the general locations are still relatively the same.
I need to rev the wire spool wrench rack and change, add 2 more pegs and label the sizes. Those are all sae and on the bottom want 3/8 thru 9/16 x 2 180 degrees from each other. The whole thing is now random and its not bad but could avoid a little rotation. Its minor and a guy gets used to it. I had a master bud use the hoist a bit a whoile back to r&r a clutch and said,,, easier than working out of my own tool box.

 

[p00p]

A lot of narrow deeper than the normal shallow drawers. That's not an option tho...

 

[sberry]

Most all hat was found rather than truly build. I kind of set most of it up in an evening maybe a bit more. Since have moved and added but the rack was about 1/2 hr, maybe hr by the time I worked the work out of it. Handfull of finish nails wedged in with a spot tack a flat washer, a pc of 3/4 pipe I doubt I had to even cut and left the thred on for option,,, ha and the screwdriver/nut driver thingy was a plate from a cutout I tacked a drop of 2 inch emt maybe on it and a washer tacked up to hold a 10# wire spool I attacked with a unibit like a crazed man.

 

[ianguilly]

I just recently condensed my toolboxes, went from 6 boxes to 3 and like not having to open 4 drawers for the tools I need. Ive also always been more particular for wider and taller drawers also once you have 28"+ deep drawers its hard to be happy in 22-25" drawers again.

 

[p00p]

Werds

 

[sberry]

I like deeper better too. That cman in one of the pics had a box they set up with the set and that was a change I made cost an extra hundred or so.

 

[Cryptic1911]

Yuuup. We had looked at getting a us general box back when we built the garage, but I got an international that was 24" deep instead. It was cool for a while til I realized I had longer length stuff that just screwed up the flow of the box. This last one I got was 30" deep and there's no going back now

I just recently condensed my toolboxes, went from 6 boxes to 3 and like not having to open 4 drawers for the tools I need. Ive also always been more particular for wider and taller drawers also once you have 28"+ deep drawers its hard to be happy in 22-25" drawers again.

 

[c5greg]

Ok, so I did my homework and took a look at the tools that would be stored in the new box(es). Keep in mind my old box has 6 deep drawers and 1 12" deep drawer which is used as a junk drawer (basically useless) Almost everything including wrenches sockets and screwdrivers fit well in the shallow drawers. Even my hammers and air tools except for impact wrenches fit. The biggest outlier is pliers which i have in a rack and need a deeper drawer, no big deal i have enough. So the issue is width not depth.

I very much like the idea of a wide drawer for all of a certain group of tools such as sockets or wrenches, but is that really that big of a deal? Although the 56" HF box does strike a good compromise, i am leaning towards the two 44" option.

 

[ssdave]

I like the wider drawers, and 30" depth also for the reason I can put all the same stuff in one drawer. I have a 54" wide x 30" deep box.

Top drawer, 52" x 30", holds all my sockets, organized and in one place.
I could live with two 32" drawers, one for metric and one for SAE.

32" wide drawer for ratchets and extensions.
32" wide drawer for screwdrivers.
32" wide drawer for pliers.
32" wide drawer for metric wrenches
32" wide drawer for SAE wrenches
32" wide drawer for big SAE wrenches and adjustables.
32" wide x deep drawer for impact tools, 3/4" drive sockets and ratchets, etc.

If I didn't have the 30" depth, none of this would work, I'd have to divide things up into two drawers for each class of stuff.

 

[Cleave]

Here's what I do, in my own home shop.
I prefer to hang things on the wall from pegs or magnet strips whenever possible. Wrenches, pliers, clamps, screwdrivers, files, hammers, punches, woodworking hand tools (chisels, planes, hand saws, etc).
The toolboxes I prefer to have shallow drawers most of the time. In these go the things harder to hang on the wall like taps, drill bits and drill index, bike mechanic specialty tools, machinist measuring tools, some less used woodworking tools. The handheld power tools mostly go in an extra truck tool box for now.
I've never bought a new tool box, but rather keep my eye out at yard sales and antique shops. To each their own!

 

[m6z]

A 30" deep box would be nice if you've got the room for it.

 

[c5greg]

SSDAVE - Which box do you have? I like the idea of a 30" deep drawer, l just have to see if it will fit.

 

[ianguilly]

Depending on your budget 30" deep will be hard to find store wise. Strictlytoolboxes.com has a nice selection of 30" in various widths. Used boxes on facebook market place is a great place to fine big name boxes with tons of storage for not terrible prices. Usually to get 30" depth it will cost you at least $1k

 

[c5greg]

If you are going the HF route, you should at least consider a three piece setup = 56" + 44" + Locker.

So I went and checked out the 56" box as a few folks suggested. Originally i was thinking "more is better" so it was a 72 or 2 44's, but after i looked at what i needed to store, the 56" actually made a lot of sense. Since i already have the 41" box, which has the narrow drawers, the 56" box now gives me a good mix of both the wider/deeper and multiple narrow drawers. I would like to find a good power/air tool insert for the deep drawer, which would make it much more useful.

I ordered it today, my store will call me when they receive it.

Thanks everyone for your guidance.

 

[Mr_B]

Sounds sensible choice ...
you look into factory sku code differences .
Hope you got a coupon as don't want be paying HF full prices ...

 

[c5greg]

Yup, HF is running a 20% off sale on everything this weekend if you join their inside track, so I got it for $630 plus the $30 membership.

 

[Paul_The_Builder]

I'm firmly in camp "lots of shallow drawers". The only reason to get deeper drawers, IMO, is if you have a specific need for them, or to store hardware or endmills or something (think Lista cabinets). For tool storage, shallow drawers are almost always more efficient.

Check your local craigslist and facebook market place. Here in DFW, I found several people who had a bunch of Husky tool chests that were usually slightly damaged but still very usable (most common issue was broken swivel casters).

I ended up picking up some of these 72" Husky tool boxes for about $300 off retail price. They have a bunch of shallow drawers and I love them. If you have space for a 72x24 box, these Husky boxes are a great deal, even at retail price.

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

More drawers and shallow for me. The only thing that goes in deep drawers is sockets or power or air tools usually


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