Toolbox with a hutch?

[ukvauxtech]

I could really use the input of any board members who have a roll cab with hutch.
I have the chance of purchasing a snap on krl7023 with a hutch.
I've always had a top and bottom box and my current setup (40 inch snap on) also has a locker on one end.
My main question is, do you store tools in the hutch or keep it clear as a work surface?
Any pictures of organisation methods would be appreciated as id hate to buy the box and then not be able to organise it effectively.

 

[lennoxlennox]

you won't be able to store a lot in your hutch as it's meant as a work surface/peg board

you have to look at it as how much stuff could i put on a small pegboard

I wanted access to my air tools/cordless tools, so you can see my setup on post #7802

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466&page=391


also mecpman's matco box shows some other ways to store stuff

http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466&page=396


i've seen many posts by other members putting anything from hammer racks to screwdrivers and wrenches etc.

 

[joedodge]

I work with a guy who's obsesed over having one for me if the right box came with one cool if not I'd rather have a top box or just a flat top box unless you have a higher end box the hitched are to short that's why I never got one for my matco I'm 5'6" and I can see over the top of them

 

[lennoxlennox]

I work with a guy who's obsesed over having one for me if the right box came with one cool if not I'd rather have a top box or just a flat top box unless you have a higher end box the hitched are to short that's why I never got one for my matco I'm 5'6" and I can see over the top of them

i hear ya

i'm short as well and hated my old box as i had to stand in my bottom drawer to reach the top... no joke

i like having the work surface... makes writing on ro's so much easier etc

 

[joedodge]

Exactly hitched look so nice in pics but to me there just not practical is rather have work surface or more tool storage the guy I work with wants one so people can't lean on his box or be near it he won't let anyone back in his bay because it will blow exhaust on his box

 

[FunkyfullWidth]

A guy I worked with made a sliding rack for inside his hutch...very clever...rollers top and bottom. 3 pieces of sheet metal that had screws welded to them to hang the wrenches on..looked clean and they all slid in front of each other

 

[Lowridermig]

Here is an older pic of my hutch set up I've changed it some ever since.

 

[Reality Sucks]

Thinking of buying me a hutch for my 1033 just to keep my co workers from pilling **** on my box when I'm not at. Work

 

[Lowridermig]

It's a time saving and bulk storage area.
Sometimes you just want to leave work in a hurry I just put all my **** in lock it and leave.
If I sometimes have a big job that uses lots of magnet trays I put everything in my hutch.

 

[GeorgiaHybrid]

Wouldn't buy another box without one. It's nice to have a good work area that you can lock up and go to eat or leave your laptop there charging while you are gone. I also have a rubber mat surface (drawer liner) in one area for smaller teardowns.

 

[joedodge]

I guess with a snappy it would be ok, i know with my matco 4s if you put a hutch on it I can look over the top of the hutch and im only 5 foot 6 lol its pointless if you can look over the top. The thought of hutches is cool

 

[ukvauxtech]

Think I'm going to go and see it today. Still not sure but I'll have more of an idea once the box is in front of me. Thanks guys.

 

[dsmnickk90]

I guess with a snappy it would be ok, i know with my matco 4s if you put a hutch on it I can look over the top of the hutch and im only 5 foot 6 lol its pointless if you can look over the top. The thought of hutches is cool

What Macto hutch has the door that slides in pretty car and more of an opening at the top do you know?

 

[fowlwishes]

I have been running one for years. I had to make my own top to mount mine. I did not want to pay the price for a SO top for my box. I have a small krl722 box so drawer spaces is a premium for me. I have always kept my wrenches (up to 1" and up to 23mm) mounted on the back wall. That includes long pattern snap ons, midgets, ratcheting wrenches, and line wrenches. That really spares up drawer space. I also keep[ a few magnetic strips below the wrenches and on the side (where it wont hit the door) so I can keep other small things at hand. Has worked great for me for years. I could not imagine not having it!

 

[Adam0502]

Hi guys. Well its time for an upgrade. Currently have a Mac tech 1080 with a top for a nice workbench and a cabinet. But that is now rather full especially with specialist stuff in boxes. Looking to go for a hutch with the overhead lockers but the hutch hole seems a bit short to me. Can anyone shed some light on how these work centre / hutches are like to live with?

 

[Agentwho]

Seems to me that a hutch is useful for 1) hanging tools on the back wall so they are easy to grab and don't take up drawer space. 2) you can leave what you are working on out and still be able to lock the box up.

Personally I think having an open work top is more useful but we all have different needs. Hopefully someone will chime in with some other pros/cons for you

 

[wagzilla]

Every thing that has been said , also you have more light, well you can order lights everything that is charging is now locked up, you just need to figure out how to use your space.

still working on setting mine up better , cabinet to the left is to lock my scanner up!

James

 

[azhatchback]

Every thing that has been said , also you have more light, well you can order lights everything that is charging is now locked up, you just need to figure out how to use your space.

still working on setting mine up better , cabinet to the left is to lock my scanner up!

James

I really like your set up . What brand or trays are you using to hold all your various drivers?

 

[wagzilla]

It all so

James

 

[crewchief888]

if you have a lot of blow molded boxes taking up space in your box, i'd suggest a locker if you have the space for it.

or an open type side box like a SO KR 274. it has 3 small drawers at the top, and 2 open shelves.

pictured are 2 kr274's stacked up. holds my welding hoods, gloves/hats,face shield, drawers have spare cover plates and filter plates for the hoods.

large cab on the wall is storage for electric grinders, wheels & supplies

 

[drabe7]

I was wondering ow many of you have a top box on your tool box. I'm debating whether to get a top box for my HF 44" or to upgrade to a classic 78 through my school discount. Obviously there is a huge price difference(about $2200) and I wondering which way to go.

 

[1950mercury]

I have 2 mac boxes both have tops. I put my most used tools in the tops love them

 

[jjjrmx5]

Topbox?

I''ve got a topbox on TOP of a topbox on top of a roll cab 26" C'man in my basement. And I have an empty 3 dwr C'man lift lid rally box on top of the top top box.
Did ya get that?

Yes. It renders the middle top box's lid space unusable.

Now you know why I am always pissed off.
LOLZ

If you really want a pic, I can take it. Ugh.

 

[1nterceptor]

I have the matching top for my rollcab. Thinking of getting another rollcab; probably won't get the top.

CRAFTSMAN STAINLESS STEEL 40IN. by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

 

[drabe7]

Topbox?

I''ve got a topbox on TOP of a topbox on top of a roll cab 26" C'man in my basement. And I have an empty 3 dwr C'man lift lid rally box on top of the top top box.
Did ya get that?

Yes. It renders the middle top box's lid space unusable.

Now you know why I am always pissed off.
LOLZ

If you really want a pic, I can take it. Ugh.

No pics needed. I'm asking more about your opinions on having adding one to a roll cab. If i want to drool over setups I'll go to the "Lets see your toolbox thread"

 

[zkling]

Depends on your workbench setup. I have a pretty stout general work bench so all my bottom boxes have a top, barring the shop cart which is a 26" bottom box. I have a 33" top box on my 44" HF bottom and the ~9" shelf is handy for setting things on and writing.

The Classic 78 has roughly the same storage capacity as the Harbor Freight top/bottom combo. Again it depends on what you would rather have floor space or work surface space.

 

[Palmer812]

I personally don't have a top box. Mainly because I use my box as a workbench. I had a Harbor Freight 56" that was full. The cheapest route would have been to buy the matching top but I would have lost my work area and I also knew if I got the top I would eventually fill it up too and be in the same situation. I went ahead and got a Mac Tech 1000 triple bay. I now have tons of room and I can always add a top to it if needed.

 

[RedneckWelder]

I have a top box, 26" and a 40" bottom box. I like the space around it to write notes and lay tools while I'm working.

We have plenty of large sturdy work tables so I don't need the work surface on the toolbox.

When I get my big dream box in a couple of years it'll have a hutch on it with a monitor and a laptop dock inside of it.

 

[jjjrmx5]

No pics needed. I'm asking more about your opinions on having adding one to a roll cab. If i want to drool over setups I'll go to the "Lets see your toolbox thread"

LOL.

I knew that.

Top boxes are a function of space over work surface.

If you have a readily available work surfave, than go vertical.
If your box also serves as a work/rebbuild surface, then you cannot go up.

Industrial and mfg. folks need a surface to work on if on the move.
If in a small shop, then you likely have a workbench nearby.

It's a function of what ya need vs. what ya got. BTDT.
If you have to push a big ole double stacker box around all day and not have any work surface to work on, then there would be a problem to me.

YMMV. LOL

 

[toddacimer]

I had a top box and a side cab and I couldn't get over not having the bench space on top of my box so I switched to a triple bank. New in green krl1032, old stacked krl7022/krl1201. I love the bigger drawers and huge work area on top.

 

[drabe7]

LOL.

I knew that.

Top boxes are a function of space over work surface.

If you have a readily available work surfave, than go vertical.
If your box also serves as a work/rebbuild surface, then you cannot go up.

Industrial and mfg. folks need a surface to work on if on the move.
If in a small shop, then you likely have a workbench nearby.

It's a function of what ya need vs. what ya got. BTDT.
If you have to push a big ole double stacker box around all day and not have any work surface to work on, then there would be a problem to me.

YMMV. LOL

Well where it sits in my garage right now, the work surface is a junk collector. I have a bench in there. The CAT dealership where I plan to work in May when I graduate from college, most of guys there have roll cabs with no top box so they can have their lap top on there and use as tool staging area for jobs. They mostly use the work tables for working on parts. I know its a personal preference thing but I was just curious because I need more storage soon.

 

[hayhauler71]

I kinda have both the top box is now all blow molded cases

 

[dr_clyde]

I have one on my toolbox. I have many workbenches in my shop, so my toolbox's floor real estate is better spent having as many tools in it as I can. Looking for a midsection to go with it as well.

There is a half inch thick steel plate between the top and bottom from when I didn't have a top chest and used the box as a bench. I should probably sell that or something.

 

[PelicanPines]

Do it all again....? I would do only bottoms with a hutch. Oh... and 2 carts. As it is I have 3 towers with middle boxes too.

 

[Loudpipes66]

I like a top box, both of mine have one. Mine are at home, but if I worked in a shop environment I can understand the need for a top work surface.

 

[Buster21]

I have top boxes on all four of mine !!!

 

[Parrothead]

I am a fan of top boxes, and a separate work bench for such things.

 

[kxlexus]

I have a top box on my 26" Craftsman. My other setup is a HF 44 on one end, a HF 18" side box on the other end and a Dewalt box between them, painted red of course. This is topped with an 8' butcher block work surface. This is mostly for reloading. Although I do some light mechanical work on it. Anything dirty or greasy goes onto a work table I built

 

[Super Sport]

I have a triple bank 72" with a couple of small Craftsman boxes on it, but it has more than enough room to be used as a work surface as well. This is my setup because my garage really doesn't have the room for a separate work bench. I'd really prefer to have a smaller top/bottom combo along with a dedicated work bench.

 

[Vantastic]

I was wondering ow many of you have a top box on your tool box. I'm debating whether to get a top box for my HF 44" or to upgrade to a classic 78 through my school discount. Obviously there is a huge price difference(about $2200) and I wondering which way to go.

If you are going to be a pro get the deepest box you can afford. My 18" deep drawers drive me nuts but I couldn't really fit a deep box in my garage so I had to build up.