I know there's a HF review thread, but I felt due to the praise found all over the web that a thread dedicated to the 5 drawer service cart by US General would be warranted. So who has one and what's your take? Made any mods to make it even better? I'm looking at buying one myself here soon, as I've been wanting a Snap-on cart for awhile now but can't bring myself to make payments on such a thing. I would rather have good tools and a decent box. Btw I am a diesel service tech for Kenworth so I'll be using this in a shop environment. Which actually, the shop I work in has a HF cart rolling around that has been converted to a computer cart which has stood up quite well for the past 6 months! I should mention too, price is a big factor in this. Snap-on is the only dealer in town so a cart from them would be over $1400. Which would cost me just shy of $150 a month for 10 months. Where as a HF cart would be $170 and may last me 5 years or more? Here's a price list of comparable's for anyone looking into a cart for themselves, US General $169 Snap-On 6 drawer $1400 Blue Point $864 Matco $832 MAC $1849 Cornwell $779 Anyway, point of the thread if I have rambled to much is to post your review of the HF US General 5 drawer roll cart and to show of yours.
Got one as a gift 3 or 4 years ago. My tool box was getting too full and this provided some relief. It's been fine. The only issue is with the folding top. When it's closed it's an easy place to stack stuff. Then you have to move said stuff to get into the cart. I end up just leaving the top open most of the time. That's probably more about my habits than anything to do with the cart.
If I had to choose between the two brands, just based on what I have experienced before with HF products... I'd go with the US General. Sometimes you get lucky and they turn out to be about the same products but I have a tool box right now that I bought from HF and while it does hold tools, my next one will be of better quality, regardless who makes it. I'm thinking my next tool box/chest will be one of the chests that you can put a wood top on (or comes with one) and do things like mount a vice to it and have a rolling work bench/ tool chest. It will go a long way on consolidating my garage clutter.
You may be a redneck if your toolbox or lawnmower payment is more than you car is worth. :eek1 (just kidding....sort of). I know a guy that has a car that worth, maybe 1000$ and makes payments on a 3000$ John Deere mower...yes he is a redneck. Dude! Seriously! A payment on a friggin' toolbox? Get the HF one. You can buy almost 9 HF boxes for the cost of the snap on box. If the HF only last a couple years before you have to replace it, you still come out way better. Damn...I still can not grasps payments on a toolbox. Damn!:eek1 I am sure the other mechanics in your shop that are making payments to snap on for their tools will give you shit for buying a knock-off. Screw them...your HF box will be paid for. Surely you won't have to finance a HF tool. If so then read my first comment. (again....just kidding...sort of).
I just picked up the 4 drawer version for $99 with a coupon. Immediately got tired of having to open the lid to be able to pull open the drawers. A couple 10mm nuts later and the spring loader plunger mechanism was out of the way and the drawers work independently. Only the lid locks now, but I never lock my tool cabs anyhow. Might get some contact paper or something to skin the lid with to keep it from getting scratched up.
After hemming and hawing about whether or not I actually needed something this big to replace my small beat up Craftsman tool bag, I've finally committed to buying one... just not this month, spent too much on toys already. Almost every review I have read has given it good marks, and after looking at a lot of pictures and measurements, I think it'll fit in perfectly in front of my table, and I'll be able to keep everything in it, instead of having to run upstairs to my room to grab some special tool. At 170$, quite the steal compared to SnapOn/etc IMO. Only problem I have now is how I'm going to organize everything. Thus, this thread.
I'd probably go with the harbor freight box over the snap on box also, but you're kinda comparing a chevy to a ferrari. Very different build standards and quality, and that is reflected in the price.
I'm with ya, payments on a toolbox just doesn't make sense. Its true though that Snap-On is the cream of the crop, and sometimes pulling the drawers out on a $300 craftsman box makes you yearn for the smooth operation of a SO box. And you do earn a bit of "respect" from older techs because they have seen hundreds of guys come and go but someone willing to sign up for SO payments tends to make them feel your in it for a career, not for a quick buck till something easier comes up. But we do have techs like me who use snap on to get the special tools you can't get elsewhere and have a $150 balance at most and we have the "rednecks" () who have a 13k balance. You've got a point, but how many 1985 Ferrari's do you see still trucking down the road on a daily commute? My point being, HF may not be as nice but maybe is will last through its "tour of duty" and be cheap to replace or fix? Thanks for everyone's take on the boxes and the pictures! I have a 25% coupon for easter Sunday so going grab a cart then and I'll post up a review of the mods I have planned
I understand the SO, Mac, etc tools come with a very premium price. I too own some specialty tools that only SO or the like offers. Supply and demand drives the price on those types of tools. Yeah, I know the SO and higher end Craftsman boxes have better sliders, maybe heaver gauge steel but damn 10 times the price. No way Jose'. You mention: """And you do earn a bit of "respect" from older techs because they have seen hundreds of guys come and go but someone willing to sign up for SO payments tends to make them feel your in it for a career, not for a quick buck till something easier comes up. """ Is the "respect" really just the fact that the old timers know how stupid they were to finance their tools and see the underlings doing the same? I think the respect is coming from justification mentality. Again...buying things to impress people you don't know or care about with money you don't have. I bet the dip-shit with 13K financed at SO credit central, also have a 40K pickup note, a JD lawnmower on credit and lives in a roach motel single-wide or low rent apartment. :eek1 Priorities....
I went to town yesterday and had a look at the HF boxes. I have Craftsmen, Costco SS, Brown & Sharp and Kennedy machinist boxes (8). I think I know quality when I see it. I was very impressed with the red boxes but not so much the black boxes. The red ones have ball bearing slide and have a smooth action. The gage on the drawers felt sufficient to hold up. That red cart is a bargain for the money. Not the black one though. The coupons do not work on the toolboxes. But they are all on sale. As for the Snap On boxes, you would be foolish to pay the difference. I will bet they are made in China or Taiwan as well.
I used the 4 drawer version on the job building machinery in a very busy shop and it held up fine and was OK with frequent moves...am well aware of how uneven HF quality is but this item is OK and got good reviews online from many who used them daily on the job.
Damn good point you have sir. But problem with being a young-ish guy growing roots in a new shop though, the respect you get from the old techs tends to morph into them bringing you under their wing teaching you things you would never learn in a class. But back on topic right? Glad a machinist has a good take on the red cart! Thanks Ironwood Found this picture online of a cart with a side cab added :eek1
Ditto ^^ Also HF has their inside track club deal for like $30 a year. But if you google say, april 2014 inside track club. There are guys for whatever reason post up videos on youtube of all the coupons you would get being a member! All you need is a print out (of a screen shot) or a coupon #. Cataract2, Apparently it will be money well spent!
