Toolbox Advice

[MagnumForce]

After 15 years at my current place of employment I am headed to bigger and better things at another factory.

I work in industrial maintenance and currently do capital maintenance. Installing new equipment, fabricating all manner of things, etc etc. My current place is a 100 K square foot facility and my job requires me to have tools at both ends of the plant. To that end back at my work bench I have a really nice bottom cabinet I fabbed myself with a Craftsman stack (top and middle) on top of it and then all my good tools are in my hf 5 drawer with hf side cab attached to the side that goes with me all around the plant.

The job I just got is a reactive maintenance position, waiting around for something to break so I can fix it. I don't think I will enjoy it as much but I can enjoy anything for what they are willing to pay me. Anyway I am not going to have the luxury of as much space to spread out at my new place but I still want a home base. I really like my hf 5 drawer a lot but the side cab is just to much weight to push across expansion joints in a factory and it ends up leaning and I have to square it all back up about once a month.

I am considering an HF 44 and then taking the side cab off my 5 drawer and putting it on the 44 that it was made for and then having my 5 drawer as my crash cart.

Does anyone have any experience putting a butcher block top on the 44 to use it as a more durable work space? I guess half inch plate would even be an option for me.

The other option I have is a guy where I currently am at has a pretty nice Kennedy set, roller, side cab, machinist box. The price is right on it but I just don't know. I really like the US General boxes especially for the price and my overloaded 5 drawer has done a great job.

I have about 500 bucks to spend and both of these are well under that.

Anyway, WWGJD?

 

[Danguitarman]

1/2" plate topping a 44" box? That's a LOT of weight, dude. I have a buddy who got a hold of some old bowling lane material and fashioned it into a top for his box. It is hard as iron, and it looks badass, too. Not sure where you are, but maybe you can scrounge some up with a bit of detective work? Also, there are plenty of guys on here that will tell you to go ahead and get the HF 44". It's certainly a hot item.

 

[MagnumForce]

I have easy access to half inch plate for free. Yes it would be heavy but I am not going to roll the thing and I could mount a vise on it.

 

[Danguitarman]

Yeah, if it isn't gonna move you certainly couldn't beat the durability. Plus, you could weld on it.

 

[pendragon1998]

I bought one of those glued up project panels at lowes to cover my 44 and I really like it. I end up using it a lot.

Here it is while the oil finish was drying, before I layed it down for good, but you get the idea.

 

[1950mercury]

The hf 44 with the use of your side cab sounds like the way to go. Id be leary of the half inch plate,buy time you put all your tools in it. It may be overloaded esp if you mount a heavy vise and use it as a bench with something heavy that you are working on. I have a friend bought a sheet of 4x8 3/4 oak plywood at hd. He polyurethaned it and it looks great and he got enuff out of the 45$ sheet to make 4 tops. After a couple years he puts a new one on.

 

[MagnumForce]

I bought one of those glued up project panels at lowes to cover my 44 and I really like it. I end up using it a lot.

Here it is while the oil finish was drying, before I layed it down for good, but you get the idea.

Looks great

 

[crewchief888]

Ikea butcher block for top.