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Toolchests and mobile workbenches: high or wide? Login/Join 
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
posted
I've got a bunch of tools, both power and hand, mostly carpentry/woodworking + usual wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers; measuring tools; test instruments. A bunch of mostly Festool portable power tools now stored in their great factory stacking cases.

I brought one Craftsman 3-part chest/cabinet from Hawaii, one 2-part Craftsman down from northern California. The 3-part chest has ball bearings so works better than the other.

I am looking at a couple of "mobile workbenches" at HD, mostly the 60 inch long ones with pegboard on the back, butcher-block wood work surface, and a door on the left side, each about $700 regular price (hoping for a Black Friday sale).

I am going to be consolidating my tool collection, getting rid of duplicates and unused tools, but will still have need for a lot of tool storage. So if I get one of these long wide mobile workbenches it will replace the existing Craftsman chests. Either one of the existing chests seems to be too small to conveniently hold all my tools in an accessible manner.

BTW recently got some tool drawer organizers based on recent threads on SF.

I am looking for advice on what style tool chest/cabinet/mobile workbench you use; particularly if you like me are not a professional and more a woodworker than car mechanic.


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Posts: 18626 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Mobile, it’s the red drawer Craftsman 2 piece, such as you are familiar with. The rest of the woodworking storage is cabinets scrounged from previous job, where they were in the mailroom and were going to be tossed. All lowers. Above that is slotted walls taken from a Linens and Things closing. A top shelf above it all holds the rarely used items.

So, not much of the woodworking side is mobile. I use a mobile Husky chest with wood top in the garage and it performs very well, and I don’t think I would object to its use as a woodworking table.


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Posts: 2427 | Location: Roswell, GA | Registered: March 10, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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due to cost & availability, I installed a series of slightly used state agency filing cabinets, both in lateral drawer form and other handy shapes, such as low credenza & old metal desk.

They all have locks and it works good for the limited power tools & building space available.

I like they are rather a subtle/stealth 'not tool' looking appearance and were so economical (>$40/each). Some under home built wood work bench, 2 large sliding drawers hold amazingly well oraganized wood working stuff, another holds saws/drills/air tools etc; each drawer is 48" wide x 5 drawers high. The red Craftsman 2 piece fits right in, same gauge metal.


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Posts: 9880 | Location: sunny Orygun | Registered: September 27, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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I'll 2nd the idea of a lateral file cabinet. Plenty of room for electric hand tools.
 
Posts: 12064 | Location: Near Hooker Oklahoma, closer to Slapout Oklahoma | Registered: October 26, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
Picture of sjtill
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quote:
I'll 2nd the idea of a lateral file cabinet. Plenty of room for electric hand tools.


An interesting thought. They certainly open and close easily, and the lateral ones make access easier. Right now, though, we have an empty 2-drawer standard type file cabinet on casters, so that would help out with power tools.

I went to HD to look at their wide "mobile workbenches". Unfortunately the models I'm most interested in were not there--would have to drive 45 minutes each way to Temecula.


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Posts: 18626 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Do you have a Harbor Freight near by???
https://www.harborfreight.com/...r-cabinet-69395.html

I have the 44" model.
I also have Craftsman nonmobile work bench like this

And a Craftsman tool chest.

The US General mobile bench I have from Harbor Freight is superior to Craftsman in every way. The metal is much thicker, the drawers slide smoother especially the larger drawers that have a lot of weight with my electrics in them.
I have had the HF model for almost 8 years now. Drawers still slide nicely, close properly, and don't sag.


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Posts: 25845 | Registered: September 06, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of Sig2340
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The correct answer is high and wide.

More tool box space = reason to buy more tools.

Is there a problem with that? I think not!

As much as people denigrate it, Craigslist offers some good deals if you aren't in a hurry.





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Posts: 32372 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
goodheart
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quote:
The correct answer is high and wide.


You may be right. I'm now looking at a 52 inch, 15-drawer Husky tool cabinet and chest that looks like it has the right combination of drawer depths and sizes. Many combo units have too many short (2 inch) drawers, not enough 3.5 to 4 inch drawers. This one also has a top shelf with a cover and a power strip, particularly nice for charging power tools.

Husky 52 inch tool chest and cabinet


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Posts: 18626 | Location: One hop from Paradise | Registered: July 27, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Stangosaurus Rex
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I have that red 60 inch tool box bench with the peg board you speak of. I have it in my gun room slash weight room. I use it to work on guns and store gun parts. It is solidly outstanding! Out in the garage, I have the same series tool box combo that is around 6 foot all and has the outlet center. The quality of all three pieces are great, better than my late 90s Craftsman set. I looked at the offerings at Lowe's and Harbor freight, but settled on the red set from HD as the sizes and quality was perfect. I hung a LED shop light from a wall mounted shelf above the bench, perfect!


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Posts: 7848 | Location: South Florida | Registered: January 09, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
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Find a used Vidmar or Lista online and you'll never consider a Craftsman or even Snap-on box again.
Shop around and you should find something in your price range.


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Posts: 9986 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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