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US General 56" box - Harbor Freight FAIL

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Brownsfan

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Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
5,974
Location
Cleveland Ohio
They are doing something right. The stores near me are ALWAYS busy. There are always some sort of trades people there. Mechanics, electricians, AV guys etc. Maybe its just because they are so cheap. On thing I noticed they are not that cheap on is their ratcheting wrenches. Better pricing can be found in gearwrench stuff.
 

housedad

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Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
80
I would really like pics of how well the side drawer works with the 56" cabinet. I may do that if it hangs on there well.
 

unslow1

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Mar 3, 2012
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7,879
Location
Illinois
I bought the same setup a couple of years ago. I really like it. About two weeks ago I added the top when it went on sale.

 
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spotco2

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Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
1,050
Location
NW Georgia
those boxes are $1500? :confused: a 56" Extreme is $1399.

Of course not. The roll cabinet can be purchased with the correct codes for $699 and the side cabinet for $169. Add some sales tax and you will be in the low $900's. Add on a bunch of other mindless **** that you tossed in the buggy while walking around impulse shopping and you can hit $1500.

I compared it to the Extreme, Montezuma, Tool Vault, Craftsman, KRL722, KRA2411 "Classic 78", KRA5318, and several others that are similar (without the end cab).

All of the boxes that I compared were 52"-56" long 20"-24" deep and 39"-42" tall. The KRL722 weighs 489 lbs and lists for $5,565. This box weighs in at a petite 440 lbs and list for $800. All of the rest were more expensive and weighed at least 70 lbs LESS than this box and cost at least $1,000. Most were also only 20 inches deep where this box is 22 inches deep. Only the KRL and KRA Classics were deeper at 24 inches.

The weight alone tells us that it's built heavier than most similar sized boxes and I did not find any hidden concrete or bricks inside when I had the drawers out.

I also compared the weight vs cubic inches of storage for each of the boxes I looked at (yeah, I over research to much). First of all, this box has more cubic inches of storage than ANY of the rest and the only box that had a higher weight to cubic inches of storage was actually the Extreme EX5611, but it had 6,200 cubic inches LESS storage space, weighed 110 lbs less, was 2" shallower and still cost $600 MORE.

Now, I know that nobody can fully utilize all of the cubic inches of storage space in any box unless they are filling it with marbles. I also know that things can be built heavier than others but poorly engineered so that its actually a weaker design, but I figured the worst thing that could happen is I would hate it and use it for general storage of **** and buy something else.

I had a KR1001 with a KR1201 top box when I was a dealer tech and loved it. It had a ton of room for everything but still had wasted space. I just didn't need anything that large for the house though.
 

DTB

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Joined
Jun 12, 2011
Messages
541
I just wished it had one full length drawer.Still considering one tho.
 

cinco

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Joined
Jul 25, 2013
Messages
51
Location
Northern CO
My local HF has an appallingly bad manager (and consequently bad everything else) so I can relate to the nonsense. Before heading to mine I often consider just hitting my thumb with a hammer and staying home.

Glad to hear it only cost you a bit of extra gas and I hope it lives up to the research you did.
 

Canoe50

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Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
234
Location
Rochester, NY
there was a 56 box in my local store marked down to 259! missing a caster and no keys. drawers were locked. no big deal. i could drill the lock and get a matching set of casters. went to pull the ticket off of it to take it to the register and this guy ripped it out from my hand and run to the counter with it. im sitting there looking at a gaggle of people in line, surely someone wasnt going to check this guy out. oh well. it wasnt meant for me to have it. ended up getting a deal on a open box 44 a few weeks later for only 259 and i have been very pleased with it.

Things would have definitely gotten a little redneck if that happened to me.
Thanks spotco2....what a great line. :beer:
 

oldldh

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Joined
May 22, 2012
Messages
3,700
Location
Fairhope, AL
I'm glad you finally got yours....:thumbup:

As far as I'm concerned , the HF 56" Roller is the MOSTEST FOR THE LEASTEST!!!:beer:

I'm happy with mine, and with the money saved versus another box, I'll be buying tools to fill that big sucker up!!!:evil:

I do like the top box, HF just released, but I don't think I'll ever need one...want one, maybe, but need---not so much...
 
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stage20

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Nov 5, 2013
Messages
3,722
Location
pcola FL
ive got a hf 2 miles from me. i stop in every other day if i have time and just look what they have at the counter on clearance or marked down. a good friend of mines cousin worked there and had been there a few years. said pay was good, hours were flexible and they offered health care of some type. everyone in my local store was friendly, polite, do anything they could to help. he quit and moved on because he said they were working everybody part time in shifts and he was cut to 28-30hrs and couldnt make it. now the store is filled with new people all the time and its not like it was. sounds like its not the employees, its the company itself.
 

Lookin4'67Galaxieconv

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Jul 2, 2008
Messages
16,585
Location
Atlanta, GA
he quit and moved on because he said they were working everybody part time in shifts and he was cut to 28-30hrs and couldnt make it. now the store is filled with new people all the time and its not like it was. sounds like its not the employees, its the company itself.

Doesn't have anything to do with the company. Read the newspaper, watch the news. :sad:
 

Requin6

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Jul 24, 2011
Messages
280
Location
Frederick, MD
To the OP, I'm looking for the same setup with the side box. Is it possible to get a measurement of the total width of the 2 boxes together? Thanks!
 

Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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11,713
Location
Boston
Doesn't have anything to do with the company. Read the newspaper, watch the news. :sad:

Has nothing to do with obamacare, HF corporate starting killing off benefits and full time employment opportunities 2 years ago. Anyone who was working full time they basically put an end to it and then actively went out and hired part timers to fill in the gaps. People can **** on HF products all they want but by all accounts they were treating their employees very well for a basic retail job. Pretty much all ended last year though. Considering the family lawsuits at the top of HF and the hundreds of millions in borrowing and frivolous spending by the current CEO, and son of the original founder, you can pretty much blame the change on plain old greed. When management either wants more money or screws up its always the guys on the bottom who ultimately pay for it.
 
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Lookin4'67Galaxieconv

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Atlanta, GA
Has nothing to do with obamacare, HF corporate starting killing off benefits and full time employment opportunities 2 years ago. Anyone who was working full time they basically put an end to it and then actively went out and hired part timers to fill in the gaps. People can **** on HF products all they want but by all accounts they were treating their employees very well for a basic retail job. Pretty much all ended last year though. Considering the family lawsuits at the top of HF and the hundreds of millions in borrowing and frivolous spending by the current CEO, and son of the original founder, you can pretty much blame the change on plain old greed. When management either wants more money or screws up its always the guys on the bottom who ultimately pay for it.

Yep, doesn't have anything to do with Obamacare. I'm sure all those companies cutting hours down to under thirty a week is just a fantastic coincidence. :wtf:

Blame it all on greed if it helps you sleep better at night.
 

Skin

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Feb 24, 2010
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Yep, doesn't have anything to do with Obamacare. I'm sure all those companies cutting hours down to under thirty a week is just a fantastic coincidence. :wtf:

Blame it all on greed if it helps you sleep better at night.

Like I said it started 2 years ago right after a stint of lawsuits involving spending/borrowing of HUNDREDS of millions of dollars. It wasn't a recent change. But you believe whatever you want. Im sure greed had nothing to do with the countless other retailers who have done the same thing to their employees all through-out the 90s. Must of been obamacare back then too. Don your tinfoil hats! :lol:

Simple fact is some bean counter did the math and decided to put a lot more money into the companies pockets.
 
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8nford

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
35
Location
Northern Wisconsin
SKIN got it right, i personally went through a planned bankruptcy in 2005, at the company i work for and there were no two ways about it ,it was simply GREED
 

NWphotog

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Joined
Nov 13, 2008
Messages
1,471
Has nothing to do with obamacare, HF corporate starting killing off benefits and full time employment opportunities 2 years ago. Anyone who was working full time they basically put an end to it and then actively went out and hired part timers to fill in the gaps. People can **** on HF products all they want but by all accounts they were treating their employees very well for a basic retail job. Pretty much all ended last year though. Considering the family lawsuits at the top of HF and the hundreds of millions in borrowing and frivolous spending by the current CEO, and son of the original founder, you can pretty much blame the change on plain old greed. When management either wants more money or screws up its always the guys on the bottom who ultimately pay for it.


Nailed it.
 
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spotco2

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Joined
May 18, 2012
Messages
1,050
Location
NW Georgia
Started loading up the new box this evening. The drawers are large and hold quiet a bit, but you can feel the weight on the slides when you open and close the drawers. I might have to rearrange a little but not sure it's really going to help.

I'm happy at this point but have a full box and another box that really needs to go inside. If rearranging again and again does not solve the space issue, I'll either have to have a "garage sale" or buy another box to park next to this one.

I'll probably just buy another box.
 

stage20

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Nov 5, 2013
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3,722
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pcola FL
I'll probably just buy another box.
baby_fist_success_full_1_.jpg
 

thebeekeeper1

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Joined
Sep 5, 2012
Messages
1,011
Location
Illinois
Harbor Freight is about two blocks from my house. Every time I've been there the staff has been knowledgeable and most helpful. So I wouldn't think the issues some of you are describing - are a "Harbor Freight" problem. Sounds more like a specific store, or perhaps Regional Management issue. If the Manager is doing a bad job of hiring and training - if he doesn't know how to motivate employees or actually "LEAD"… then that is a Personnel Issue at the Store.

When you get service that ***** - ALWAYS - list the Store Location/Address.

The only store I've ever been to is in Springfield, Illinois and the employees have always been great. I almost always can't find something specific I'm seeking, and there always seems to be someone handy, and they always know where stuff is. I'm not there to make friends, but they have been at least helpful, and occasionally friendly. I'm always amazed how stuff is so cheap, yet well supplied, in stock, and helpful staff to boot. I'd say I've always been served better than expected for a place with cheap stuff. :)
 

Matt M PA

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Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
3,174
Location
SE PA
Glad you got your new toolbox..enjoy.

The last couple times I went to my HF I had bizarre issues.

One time, I was in line...probably three people back...the cashier was having problems with the register tape. He kept opening the top of the register and moving the tape around. When it was my turn he asked, "do you need a receipt?". There were more people in line behind me and I figured he wanted to clear the line before replacing the tape. In many registers there are two tape reels, so I assumed the customer copy tape ran out and that he was trying to help get folks rung up and then he'd replace the tape.
I told him I didn't need a receipt....he rang me up...took my coupon, etc and sent me on my way. As I was leaving, I looked over my shoulder and saw him frantically typing into the register.

When I got home, I realized I was undercharged by about $8. Then it hit me. This SOB was ringing sales up...then deleting the transaction from the register and taking the money. It happened to a friend of mine's store awhile ago. (I know how it works as I transferred the security camera footage for the Police.)

I called the store and asked for the Manager. I explained the situation...and that I wanted to come back to pay what the store was shorted. The manager argued that this could never happen.... I suggested they check the actual register tape.

Last time I was there, I bought some consumables that were on sale...plus I had the coupon. I checked out, paid, and left. After getting home...I realized there was no sales tax on the receipt. I just tossed the receipt in the trash...no sense in calling the store...they don't care.
 
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