US General/ Yukon?

[karoc]

Looking and thinking about these rolling tool cabinets for my woodworking tools. Looking at specs for 42” General and the 48” Yukon. The General weights in at 280lbs and Yukon at 186lbs. I can’t find what gage metal is used for each so just going by weight of each. The Yukon is on sale at 299.00 but I can wait for General go on sale which is usually at 400.00 My plan is to buy two of these and put them together use as work bench. For me guys to buy two of either is lot money for this ole boy, so I want make this count. Thoughts on tool cabinets putting together or putting space between for planer storage, with solid one piece wood top to connect both together. I may or may not put wheels on. Just leave it against wall. Thanks, open for suggestions, pics of your setup welcome

 

[swsman]

I do not own either of them.
That said I have seen and looked over both, US General is better built.

Current US General series 3 boxes I have looked at were 42, 56 and 72 roller cabs. Do not care for latching system on the drawers, fit and finish meet their price point.

For my needs i will look for a used Matco/Cornwell/SnapOn box and be done with it - they are a step up quality wise. Considered an Icon 56, at that price point I still feel used premium US boxes are the way to go, for me.

Till then I will continue to use my Waterloo/Craftsman boxes, they are certainly well used since purchased 27 years ago or so.

 

[rdenney]

I have a large US General mechanics assembly with a bottom box/cart, a top box, and a side box. I'm completely happy with it--it's certainly as good as my vintage Craftsman stack.



The Yukon stuff looks much more price-point to me--probably fine for a garage box for a homeowner but not really built for high duty cycles.

The Icon stuff claims to compare with Snap-On, but I think most of what makes it more expensive is the added features needed by pro mechanics, such as the ability to lock it up, add a closet that can hold clothes, and provide work-top lighting. I don't need any of that stuff, so the US General seems to me the sweet spot in the Harbor Freight pantheon. I've compared US General with the home-store brands (Kobalt, etc.) and they are similar.

Rick "decent professional quality, like vintage Craftsman" Denney

 

[GeoBruin]

Keep in mind the USG will be deeper than the Yukon. The current Gen USG cabinets are 22 inches deep, whereas the Yukon cabinets are only 18 inches deep (Like the Gen 1 USG). For a work bench, I would want the deeper box. I have gen 1, 2, and 3 USG boxes in my shop and they've been great considering what I paid.

 

[finn]

Keep in mind the USG will be deeper than the Yukon. The current Gen USG cabinets are 22 inches deep, whereas the Yukon cabinets are only 18 inches deep (Like the Gen 1 USG). For a work bench, I would want the deeper box. I have gen 1, 2, and 3 USG boxes in my shop and they've been great considering what I paid.

This. My Az garage is shallow, so I ended up with the Shallow Husky equivalent to the Yukon, so I can still walk around the car when parked inside. I wanted the deeper USG, but it just wasn’t practical, given the footprint.

 

[whateg01]

If you can afford the extra and the size is ok, I think the USG is well worth the extra. Especially on wide drawers, a light gauge metal will tend to sag more in the middle if overloaded. I don't know what the drawer slide capacity is on them though.

 

[karoc]

Delete please

 

[M635_Guy]

Yeah - USG is better, beefier and will give you expansion options for the long-term.

 

[karoc]

Thanks guys, good points made, when USG goes on sale again I will pull trigger

 

[mreisner]

We have a Yukon as a kitchen island. Is nice for that, but it is a little light and I would imagine Tippy for what you would want it to do in the shop with two of them together.

 

[ohhimark]

Go see them in person if you can. As someone else mentioned, the USG has a "weird" drawer latch, the Yukon felt more "normal". Maybe grab something heavy in store and see how the drawers open/close with weight in them.

 

[karoc]

I do have HF right down road, I’ve play around little with both. I agree the USG seems it better made. It took awhile before I notice those latches kinda hidden. If I figured surface sq in’s between two there’s only 60 sq in’s difference. Rounding off #’s
Guess it comes down to drawer arrangement. Dang it

 

[GeoBruin]

I do have HF right down road, I’ve play around little with both. I agree the USG seems it better made. It took awhile before I notice those latches kinda hidden. If I figured surface sq in’s between two there’s only 60 sq in’s difference. Rounding off #’s
Guess it comes down to drawer arrangement. Dang it

The US General has true full extension drawer slides. Not sure about the Yukon. I know that was a big upgrade from the gen 1 to gen 2 USG in addition to the additional depth. If a drawer doesn't extend all the way out, it can make a shallow cabinet feel even shallower.

 

[Kscardsfan]

Yukon is lighter duty and the price and construction reflects that. It has thinner sheet metal, lighter slides etc. The USG isn't a professional technician box, but it's adequate for about 90% of what we do as tool hoarders and DIY guys. I'm in the same boat trying to find a used or clearance 27" or whatever the small one is now for the wood working tools so my wife has access to them faster, since she is the one who can do legitimate work with them vs. me who can do adequate repairs if you have enough filler and paint afterwards.

 

[bassJAM]

Yukon is closer in quality to a Craftsman/Husky/Kobalt box, USG is the way to go IMO. Mine is a 2nd gen and I don't know about the latches I've heard people complain about, mine are just detent which I'm happy with.

If you have a Menards nearby look at their Masterforce boxes, they're probably 95% as good as the US generals are and IIRC they had a lift-latch system that worked very well, and used heavier gauge steel than the other big box stores.

 

[Model A Fan]

Make sure the bench height is workable for you. Their new cabinet height is fairly tall compared to their older models. I bought one in 2020 or so and it is maybe 3' tall. The new ones seemed to be at least 6-8" higher than that. I did not measure, but it was noticeable when I was there on Sunday.

You can always check the Facebook Marketplace listings or Craigslist. There may be a couple used options in your area.
I did see Lowe's had their Kobalt boxes and some Craftsman boxes on "clearance", but they're still more than I would pay. I'm quite satisfied with my US General boxes. They slide nicely and are nicely finished. I was quite impressed with the newer/updated US General boxes in store. I'd personally skip the Yukon unless you're on a really tight budget.

Costco also carries tool cabinets, I know nothing about them, but it may be worth a look.

 

[RTM]

Guess it comes down to drawer arrangement. Dang it

As a woodworker, I built my own, based on plane sizes I used a lot. Most mechanics boxes seemed a poor fit for what I used.
I laid them out to determine what space I needed.


Looking at the ad, I don't easily see drawer depth, but I would suggest looking at your biggest (longest and widest and tallest) planes, and seeing how many will fit in a drawer. (I can fit a #8 that fits crosswise, (up to 5) standing upright in my bottom drawer, and up to a #5 will fit nose upright in in middle drawer (up to 8). #4 and smaller fit in a separate wall mount cabinet.)

You can use shallower drawers if you lay them on their sides, but the number per drawer goes way down.

My top wide drawer is chisels, smaller drawers down the left side are marking and measuring tools, and block planes that fit sideways.

 

[mikester]

A couple of years ago I decided to get a rolling box to keep the cased and cordless tools in. Like most people have said, the Yukon is a light duty box. I bought the one with the cabinet doors on the bottom instead of drawers. Cordless stuff fits well in the only drawer. The latches on the cabinet doors are pretty cheesy. Took the first box back the same night due to them not working right but its been a little over two years and the second box has been fine. I keep all my automotive tools that are in blow mold cases stacked up on the shelves. Not a big investment and it works for me.

 

[Aaron_W]

The USG is certainly built better, but beyond price the Yukon and USG are not really going for the same thing.
Look at the drawers in particular.

The Yukon has fewer but taller drawers which may be better for some types of tool storage. The USG has shorter drawers designed more for mechanics tools.

The Yukon is meant to be a work surface and has a wood top. The USG is meant first as a surface for a top box.

You can certainly use the USG as is as a work surface, I do. I have a 26" and a 42" Gen 2 USG boxes which house my machine tools. The tops are home to a small lathe and mill.

The USG boxes are a good deal for a mechanics box or similar. Despite being happy with them I keep giving the Yukon and similar Husky 46" models a look for my wood working needs, for the reasons above.

 

[Aaron_W]

Costco also carries tool cabinets, I know nothing about them, but it may be worth a look.

I was just looking at those last week. They were up off the ground so hard to give them a good look, but pulling a couple drawers open and poking at them a bit, they seemed well worth considering at the $350 or so they are being sold for. At least as good as Husky or Yukon, and stainless steel.

 

[karoc]

Thanks to all for responding. RTM that is awesome looking, good job. I have look at other brands besides HF but I think that Yukon and General is better that all others around that price point. As bad as I hate spending extra money but General is in lead for me. Opening drawers many times is big concern, you know can’t remember which drawer put it in. So I may bite bullet for General

 

[Theronswanson]

The Yukon boxes are prone to tipping over if you put too much in them. We had a "tech" in our shop who had one packed full of ****. If he had more then 2 drawers open at once (even halfway) the box would tip over. It happened to him a couple of times a month.

 

[Jtels85]

We have a Yukon 46" in the entry of our parts department. It's used for our Keurig coffee machine and storage for extra coffee pods, paper cups, sugar and creamer for walk-in customers.

I don't know that I would trust it for anything more than holding coffee supplies. I'm waiting for someone to accidentally bump into it and see if it collapses under its own weight.