Rolling storage cabinet - suggestions

[Matt Day]

I've been thinking about getting a rolling storage cabinet for a while now, and the thread in D&D got me thinking about it more.

I currently have a wood shop and a bicycle shop in seperate rooms, which is nice, but I'm moving in 6 months and will likely only have one room for my tools. I was thinking of storing most of my bike tools in a rolling cabinet. So I'll be using it for both woodworking tools, general tools, and bicycle tools.

This one from Sears has quiet glides, which I don't think are quite ball bearing. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...000B?adCell=B3 The size is probably about what I'd need though. And there's this one too, with ball bearings: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...000B?adCell=B3 I'd like to have ball bearing slides if possible, but don't want to spend a fortune.

Anyway, I'm sure some of you have a lot more experience with these than me, so I wanted to pick your brains and get some reccommendations.

Thanks!

[harry strasil]

I put everything on casters as I have a small shop and frequently need to move things to access whats behind them. I know not what you asked, but its an option with small shops, I even put casters under my several shorts storage.

[Matt Day]

I was inquiring about which type of storage cabinet to get - craftsman, us general, kobalt, etc. The more inexpensive the better, but nice rolling drawers and good quality is a plus. I'm thinking sears and a coupon would be the best route.

[Caleb Larru]

I was inquiring about which type of storage cabinet to get - craftsman, us general, kobalt, etc. The more inexpensive the better, but nice rolling drawers and good quality is a plus. I'm thinking sears and a coupon would be the best route.

Take a look at Home Depots line of Husky carts. They seem to be pretty reasonable and built better than most. I especially liked their drawer slides.

[Derrell W Sloan]

The big red US General boxes that harbor freight sells are fantastic. I have had one for about a year and couldn't be happier.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90320

I just got a sales add and they are on sale for $399

[Thomas Loftus]

The red HF General tool chest will be on sale for $339.99 on Jan 16, 17 and 18 according to their online flyer. I'm waiting patiently, 20% off coupon in hand! It would come to $272 with the coupon.

[Josh Reet]

I can't get those links to work, so I have no idea what price or size you are looking at. But there is this from HF:

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/common/displayCoupon.do?week=5009&campaign=RetailC&page=5009_retailC.html&r=7066_486453&cust=77958668958&keycode=0000

I have a couple craftsman chests with "quiet glide" which is just okay in my opinion. I would spring for the bearings if I were buying the same thing again.

[Thomas Loftus]

Try http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/tabviewer/start.do and the red HF cabinet is on the first page of the January Sale Flyer. Overall dimensions of the 90320 are given as: 44-3/4'' W x 18-1/2'' D x 40'' H

[Joe Leigh]

Here's the one I'm getting for Christmas:

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_009H0367000B?adCell=W3

It has casters and ball bearing drawer guides. Looks like a nice unit for the price.

[Doug Shepard]

I've got 2 large CMan storage cabinets. The cabs themselves are pretty well made but the casters aren't very good quality. The units dont roll all that smoothly.

[Cary Falk]

I have the red HF top and bottom chest linked above. I think they are great. I did a lot of searching before I bought them. I think I paid around $600 for the set. We have a lot of craftsman, Waterloo, and Snapon here at work. The HF is every bit as good as the Craftsman and Waterloo. The drawer slides aren't quite as beefy as the ones on the Snapon but I didn't pay a gajillion $$$ for it either. You will probably have to pay 2-3x times what I paid to get something of equal quality somewhere else.

[Ben Martin]

I see these constantly on sale at my local Sears Hardware, I would check the B&M stores as well.

[Matt Meiser]

Your Sears links didn't work, but I have a mix of quiet glide and ball bearing slides and I feel they are pretty good. A pro mechanic who opens them dozens of times a day might wear them out but they are fine for a hobbiest.

I recently replaced my middle and upper chest with new, larger ones. Then I found the same lower roller I already had, but in black to match the new uppers. I took the older roller and cut a cutoff of butcher-block I had sitting around to just fit the roller and made a small work surface out of it with room for woodworking stuff below.

I got all my units 40-50% off regular price by watching the searsoutlet.com site.

[Matt Day]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. I don't have to buy this right now, but now I know what to look for. Hopefully I'll come across a good deal and snatch it up.

[Stephen Edwards]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. I don't have to buy this right now, but now I know what to look for. Hopefully I'll come across a good deal and snatch it up.

Remember to check CL in your area if you're willing to go the used route!

[Scott T Smith]

I have both slide and ball bearing tool boxes, Snap-on, Craftsman, and Grizzly.

Ball bearings are obviously the best, and just about mandatory for drawers that will have a lot of weight in them (40 lbs of tools or more).

The key to slides is to keep them cleaned and well lubricated. I used to take my drawers out annually for cleaning the slides and relubricating them, and it helped.

I was quite surprised, and pleased at the quality of the Grizzly boxes that I purchased. The one's that I purchased are heavier duty than the Craftsman, which was a surprise. They are also heavier and stronger than anything that I've seen in the local BORG's. The model that I have is an H8085.

The best deals that I've found for Snap-on boxes is craigslist or e-bay. I've stumbled into a couple of really nice deals for 30 - 45% of new.

[doug faist]

Matt - I just saw this at Lowe's, $1900. Probably well over what someone would spend, but on the other hand it has a refrigerator, built-in stereo, work lights, a power strip, smooth full-extension drawers and nice looking casters.

It looks like it would hold all of my hand tools and a good supply of corded ones, too.

Ah, well... I can dream, can't I?:D

Doug

https://www.kobalttools.com/

[Don Bullock]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. I don't have to buy this right now, but now I know what to look for. Hopefully I'll come across a good deal and snatch it up.

Each Sears store prices these cabinets differently. When I bought mine the price was different in the three different Sears stores I checked plus the "online" price was different as well. It pays to shop around and wait until the chest you want goes on a "special" sale.

[Dan Duperron]

It seems at least in my area professional mechanics are either retiring (probably not) or changing careers at quite a clip. Over a week at least half a dozen quality (Matco, Snap-on, older ball-bearing Craftsman, etc.) rolling tool chests appear.

That won't help if you crave that 'new tool chest smell', but personally I'm a cheapskate and enjoy the hunt.

-Dan