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Harbor Freight Tool Chest?

105K views 127 replies 41 participants last post by  adamsautoadvice 
#1 ·
Does anyone have this Harbor Freight Tool Chest? How has it held up? Do you like it?

HF Tool Chest

I've been looking around for a nice reasonably priced tool chest, and can't find anything! It would just be for home use. I tried looking for something used, but everything I've seen is really used! I've looked at this in the store and was pretty impressed with the construction. I know it goes on sale a lot.
 
#27 ·
So today I went by Lowes and Homedepot looking for some wood for a project I am working on. I stopped by the tool chests at Lowes and found one of those stainless steel "pro" style ones to be pretty decent. The draws flexed a bit more than my Mac, but pretty darn presentable. For about $250 they had a nice box for your bench.

I then went to Homedepot and saw a "similar" HUSKY brand box. I say "similar" because from a distance it looked "similar". I pulled open the draw and found that it was pop riveted together from VERY thin aluminum, we are talking tin foil thin, paper thin baby. I pushed some weight down, and I don't mean I set out to abuse the thing, just some pressure from my arm extended out in front of my 150lb body, I am not a big man. The friggin thing BENT! I am not kidding, I felt like crap, the friggin thing almost COLLAPSED when I did this!

This box sold for just about as much as the one at Lowes with no comparison what so ever.

Brian
 
#28 ·
my tool box is 1 of the small 2 drawer portable Kobalt tool chests.. I'v had it 4-5 years now and it's more than overweighted, yet still holding up.. best part is, it was a $50 box on sale for $40. they were all dinged up, found the best 1 and complained to the dept manager that they were all bent.. 50% off of any of them so I walked out with a $50 box I paid $20 for.. the dent is on the back and does not effect performance, nor is all that noticeable
 
#29 ·
matt167 said:
my tool box is 1 of the small 2 drawer portable Kobalt tool chests.. I'v had it 4-5 years now and it's more than overweighted, yet still holding up.. best part is, it was a $50 box on sale for $40. they were all dinged up, found the best 1 and complained to the dept manager that they were all bent.. 50% off of any of them so I walked out with a $50 box I paid $20 for.. the dent is on the back and does not effect performance, nor is all that noticeable

Good for you! :thumbup:

I like to see people get deals like that but so many are just afraid to say anything.


We had a new Lowes open locally so I have got the chance to spend some time looking around there and those Kobalt tools seem quite decent even if they are Chinese. Actually as far as China imports go they are not all that cheap but then they seem to be better quality than most so I have been buying a few things. I bought a pliers set that I have been using for about a month now and I have to admit I have been impressed with them, for imports anyway. The teeth seem to be tough enough for most jobs, as good as the Craftsman set I got a few years ago, and they feel really good with that thick hard rubber handle covering. Not sure about sockets, ratchets, etc since I have not tried them but they look decent and are priced about midway between pro tools and the Harbor Freight variety.
 
#32 ·
I have bought two rollaround bases from Menards, a side box and a large top box from Menards and am real well satisfied with it. Made from heavy gage steel, BB drawers, etc. Way better than my Crapsman that I have. The only thing about the MasterForce that Menards sells is the green. If you don't like green, well..........you can always paint it. For home I have the large base, side box, and top box and have right at $1000 in it. For work I have just the base and top box and I thing it was a little under $800 on sale.
 
#33 ·
Because of this thread I took notice of the boxes at our local Sears yesterday and was surprised to discover that the Craftsman boxes seem to be available in three different grades. These things look as if they range from almost junk to some really nice and reasonably heavy duty units, problem is that most of what counts may not be so apparent to someone that is somewhat unfamiliar with tool boxes/cabinets. Just looking at them the cheapest outfits kind of look cheap and are priced accordingly, they would only be good for very light stuff and much weight at all would break them down quickly. The "middle" grade looks nearly as well built as the their "pro" grade but are priced much cheaper and this could cause a problem in a "pro" work environment. My point is just saying "my Craftsman is the best box I ever bought" or my Craftsman box is junk" don't mean much unless it is pointed out WHICH Craftsman box is being discussed. One thing for sure Craftsman still has some nice (the top grade) tool boxes with heavy (heavier :rolleyes: ) metal, ball bearings and decent castors/wheels and the top of the line models are probably as good as a person is likely to find, these days anyway, and for the price they could be a good choice. Personally I would stay away from the cheapest ones because they are really just not good for much of anything.
 
#34 · (Edited)
#41 ·
I have the HF top, bottom and side set. I check Craftsman, HD and Lowes boxes and for the money HF cant be beat. They are made of heavier gauge steel, nice rollers, I lubed mine all before I loaded it down with tools. I seldom move mine but I've never had a problem with moving it. The only thing I would change is the crinkle finish, it doesnt hold stickers that well. If you get them on sale with a %20 off coupons you just cant beat the price, then you have all that extra money for more tools! Why pay for a brand name?
 
#43 ·
with all the layoffs in the trades ( autodealerships going out ) I have ran across a few deals of guys wanting to get out from the paymentson there boxes , I picked up a 3 bay22 drawer 96" roller cab for 2 grand that when new went for 7k , its only 2 years old and has hardly any scratches on it . I wish the thing had a trailer hitch as it was heavy ( almost 1500 pounds ) I have been a long time buyer of sear pro line stuff but when they took the production to Canada from Iowa ,I couldn't see paying the extra price for stuff thats not built as good as it was , I gave my old roller cabs and boxes to my little brother in trade for a 28" 2 stage snowblower .(5k worth of boxes for a 1200 snow blower who made out ( he had to shovel his driveway the other night ) :evil:
 
#44 ·
I know a few guyss who have that US Gen box from Harbor Freight. Like alll their stuff, its hard to beat the price. The box is actually quite good. Sometimes its hard to justify payin all that extra for a name like Snapon or Matco. What I dont get is some of the new boxes Im seein with builtin refrigeraotrs and boomboxes and lighting. I like it simple I guess.
 
#45 ·
zixxer6 said:
What I dont get is some of the new boxes Im seein with builtin refrigerators and boomboxes and lighting. I like it simple I guess.
I don't get that either! If I want a Boombox or Refrigerator, I'll go buy it. I don't want all that in a Tool Chest anyway. It's meant to store tools, not be on the cutting edge of technology.
 
#47 ·
zixxer6 said:
I know a few guyss who have that US Gen box from Harbor Freight. Like alll their stuff, its hard to beat the price. The box is actually quite good. Sometimes its hard to justify payin all that extra for a name like Snapon or Matco. What I dont get is some of the new boxes Im seein with builtin refrigeraotrs and boomboxes and lighting. I like it simple I guess.
I already have a full size fridge and freezer , and a 500w 4 channel stereo in the garage . no need for that stuff and when I worked the trades we had all that stuff available to use in the shop .
 
#48 ·
Harbor Freight

There tools boxes might be ok but the us gerenal tools are junk. I got a vacuum/bleeder pump from them,used it once and it broke so I took it back to exchange it. Used it once and it broke. I also got a fuel pressure tester hooked it up and the hoses leak.
 
#49 ·
If you roll your tool box on your trailer for track days, a radio or even cooler could be cool. My boxes fit at the front of the trailer. No fridge, but I did McGuiver an old CD player in. 6x9's on 25' wires make for cool tunes set up in pits. Took all of 30 minutes to cut one drawer and install. Can run on a battery jumper box I have under the lid, or 120v in the garage or RV.

My first black boxes are the PepBoys version. Same manufacturer as HF. I have the HF in yellow now and the Pep Boy drawers swap in and out. I had the black ones for about 3 years and love them. On and off the trailer too many times to count. Casters are heavy duty and hold well on gravel staging areas.

I look at most tools from HF as "Emergency Tools" mostly buying that tool I'll only use once or twice. Or things I loose a lot, like torx bits. The tool boxes, however are decent. Not pro quality, but for the hobbiest or monthly racer.. they're great.
 

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#50 ·
If you are going to spend 1200 plus tax for a tool box, I bet you can do a little shopping on E-Bay or Craig's list and find a Snap on or Mac or other real quality industrial tool box. I don't know anything about the HF box, but if you go look at it and give it a shake with all the doors and drawers open and you see it flex. YOU don't want it. Snap on claims that the number of welds is the key to a quality box. I don't know about all that but I do know that I have seen some old old Snap-on and Macs. Do some research online and find out what you can get. before you go buy. Let us know what you do, cause I'm in the market for a nice box as well and would enjoy a report on what you find!
 
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