Downsizing from 44” toolbox to Service Cart

[The Critic]

Please excuse the current mess.

I have limited space in my home garage for a toolbox. The corner you see is the only place where I have room for a toolbox.

The pictured HF Series 2 44” box is stuffed full. I have attached some pictures of some of the drawers to illustrate the volume that the new cart will have to accommodate.

My desire is to replace the box with something more portable that can be rolled around the garage. Ideally, I want something with taller and full length drawers so that I can buy wrench racks and plier racks to make more efficient use of the space.

Some of the items shown are not used regularly and should probably be moved elsewhere. SAE sockets, large metric sockets (24-38mm) and SAE wrenches are top priority.

My main questions are as follows:

1) Will I be able to fit everything in my 44” box into a utility cart? I am looking at a Matco JSC773 or the new HF 34” cart. HF says their 34” cart has more tool storage space than my 44” Series 2 box.

2) What is the best utility cart on the market? I want something with varying drawer heights and good casters. Price is not a concern, but I do want to buy a good value.

3) Any recommendations on how to best organize this new cart?

 

[eljefino]

Who's forcing you out of your garage? Tell them it's a non-starter. Garage is a big money-maker per square foot and you work the land.

Maybe move the air compressor outside and plumb its air in somehow?

 

[The Critic]

Who's forcing you out of your garage? Tell them it's a non-starter. Garage is a big money-maker per square foot and you work the land.

Maybe move the air compressor outside and plumb its air in somehow?

No one is forcing me out of the garage. I just want something that can be pushed onto the driveway if I want to work on a car outside.

 

[Trav]

I use a cart too (an old Hazet Assistant) but no way it can replace the box. I need my boxes.

 

[doitmyself]

In my 70 ft. long workplace office/shop building I have four "bays" connected with walls,doors,and concrete floors. I have 2 small boxes. One holds the tools that I use 80% of the time. The other holds tools that I use 20% of the time. I can move my 80% box around very easy from one end of the building to the other. Tractor work in the east bay one day. Zero turn mower work in the west bay the next. I love it.

Moving a box over 800 +/- lbs. around is tedious. Smaller and lighter makes so much more sense. 41 inch high gives you a portable workbench too. I.E., mine are very old Craftsman boxes (U.S.) similar to 2 of the HF 26 x 22 inch boxes.

Just my 2 cents. Works for my situation (shadetree mechanic) . Maybe not applicable in a more pro oriented situation. How often do you use many of those tools???

 

[The Critic]

Just my 2 cents. Works for my situation (shadetree mechanic) . Maybe not applicable in a more pro oriented situation. How often do you use many of those tools???

This is a shadetree application. But I do like to work on friend/family vehicles on a semi-regular basis.

I would say 50-60% of that box gets used on a regular basis. The issue is that I do not have space anywhere else for more tool storage. I have to park my truck and one passenger car inside.

 

[spasm3]

Here is what I would do.

Buy the top chest for your existing cabinet.
$329

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

Then buy this mobile chest. $249

30 in. 5 Drawer Mechanics Cart, Blue

Amazing deals on this 30In 5 Drawer Mechanics Cart, Blue at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

Now find a way to reduce the wire rack shelves you have, even if you have to use wall mount racks that your cart can fit under.
Your existing racks are eating up space.

Muscle Rack 2-Pack Steel Garage Wall Shelves in Silver Vein (18 in. x 48 in.) HWS4818-2PKSV - The Home Depot

Create storage and organization in your home or business with this Muscle Rack Steel Garage Wall Shelving. The open design makes it easy to see all your items and the 48 in. x 18 in. size gives you plenty

www.homedepot.com

Or maybe something like this. $314.

You can adjust the shelves to fit around your new rolling cart!

ClosetMaid Max Load Garage 6 ft. x 16 in. Satin Chrome Ventilated Wire Shelf System 19600 - The Home Depot

ClosetMaid's heavy-duty Maximum Load ShelfTrack creates the ultimate garage storage solution for heavy and bulky items. Made with industrial-strength extruded steel, Maximum Load products can hold up to 600 lbs. per 6 ft. shelf. Durable. Strong and easy to install, Maximum Load ShelfTrack is...

www.homedepot.com

Now stock your major pliers in the larger tool cart top box with the plier racks you want. The large sockets, sae stuff. Air tools in the larger cart.

Stock the small rolling cart with screwdrivers small wrenches say 10-20mm 1/4 drive and maybe 1/2 drive sockets .
Simple pliers , common types.
Even your diagnostic auto electronic gadgets in the small rolling cart.
Brake tools in the rolling cart.
You get the idea.

The top box gives you a lot more space on the same footprint, the small rolling cart for quick easy movement.

All this for 1 grand or maybe a bit less.

 

[RooflessVW]

Have you considered a Montezuma cart with triangle top box?

36 x 17 in. Steel Triangle® Toolbox and 36 in. 5-Drawer Utility Cart Combo

The steel Triangle toolbox and utility cart combo is perfect for garages or workshops. The Triangle allows you keep your tools organized and see them all at a glance.

www.montezumastorage.com

 

[Rand]

the slides on those HF carts are a crapshoot. we have about 40 in service and some held up well and others were losing their balls.

Have you considered a Montezuma cart with triangle top box?

36 x 17 in. Steel Triangle® Toolbox and 36 in. 5-Drawer Utility Cart Combo

The steel Triangle toolbox and utility cart combo is perfect for garages or workshops. The Triangle allows you keep your tools organized and see them all at a glance.

www.montezumastorage.com

That looks nice but 2k woof!

 

[doitmyself]

Be creative!

 

[spasm3]

Even smaller footprint ( 26 inch vs 30 inch) than the cart i listed above, with more drawers. $319

Harbor Freight Tools – Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977

Harbor Freight buys their top quality tools from the same factories that supply our competitors. We cut out the middleman and pass the savings to you!

www.harborfreight.com

 

[JHZR2]

That HF 34” cart looks great, but I doubt it will be conveniently portable.

I agree with @spasm3 regarding the 5-drawer cart. Can give you a work top, drawers, etc. Keep the other tools elsewhere. At my house since I keep all my tools in my basement, Ive taken to having a few toolboxes that keep similar stuff for certain jobs. It keeps the stuff organized, separate, and easy to bring up,

I don’t know if homes in CA have basements. We have four levels to theoretically exist in, since olde houses here have walk up attics. If you have a basement or other storage space you could put the 44” or 34” cabinet there, and just keep the top 75% of the tools you routinely need nearby.

 

[Trav]

A Hazet 166N or Beta C27 would do wonders for you lack of space issues and mobility requirement. I have an old Hazet 162N that I bought used, I wouldn't part with, it is incredibly versatile. New Hazet is expensive and worth every dime but it may not be everyone's idea of an tool investment, the Beta is Italian made and about half the price but still a good quality and a long lasting piece, if I were buying today this would probably be the one I buy.
This is Amazon just for example.

Amazon.com: Beta Tools C27 S-R Automotive Single Mobile Tool Chest, Red : Tools & Home Improvement

Buy Beta Tools C27 S-R Automotive Single Mobile Tool Chest, Red: Tool Boxes - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Hazet 166C Tool Trolley Assistent - - Amazon.com

Hazet 166C Tool Trolley Assistent - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Folding tool trolley for outdoor jobs C27S – Beta Tools

Beta Tools products are made using the most advanced technologies to ensure a high quality standard over time. Discover Folding tool trolley for outdoor jobs C27S Beta Tools now.

www.beta-tools.com

I would not get rid of the box, you will regret it every time you look for a tool.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’d get a top box and add to it. Those carts they have now that copy the Matco and Snap-on with the drawers all the way down are overpriced in my opinion. And it doesn’t seem they could hold more but maybe they can. I still might get one eventually. I’m probably going to get the top box for mine first.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yeah, I remember my brother pulling out the tools for a specific job and laying them out in order of use on clean rags. Put them on a cart and then tackled the job. Then used 'em starting at one end and finishing where he started. Everything clean...
Musta watched to many surgeon drama tv shows when we were kids...

Roll around carts are the bomb.

 

[RooflessVW]

Yeah, I remember my brother pulling out the tools for a specific job and laying them out in order of use on clean rags. Put them on a cart and then tackled the job. Then used 'em starting at one end and finishing where he started. Everything clean...
Musta watched to many surgeon drama tv shows when we were kids...

Roll around carts are the bomb.

I have a Grypmat and do the same

 

[MattPersman]

KRSC46 snap on. Best I’ve seen but pricey a lot of stuff fits. Jsc750 matco is also good but the having to key lock the drawers to move it is a pain and the detents wear pretty quickly. The pry bar handle height is better in the matco but not an issue if you use snap on bars in the snap on cart

 

[HangFire]

I agree with doitmyself's "be creative," go vertical! And I like spasm3's ideas, rip out existing floor level shelves, put up deeper shelves higher, raise your tool stack, utilize air space better, doesn't necessarily have to be an elevated air compressor... my mantra there is, "less used/bulky stuff goes up high".

Please tell us what you end up doing... I'm always looking for garage organization ideas, too.

 

[ajchien]

I don’t think you’re going to cram all those tools from your toolbox into a service cart. I’m currently doing the two part “service cart” of most-used tools to roll around and the “bigger stationary tool box” of less frequently used tools.

 

[RyanY]

One possible solution is to get a taller box (or add the top box, as suggested above) and place it along the front the garage, just inside the door. My neighbor has two boxes set up this way and it works well when he wrenches in the driveway.

Another option (my current setup) is to put tools into portable storage racks that fit into the drawers but that can be removed easily from the box. For example, all my metric sockets are on a Kobalt rail/rack with handle. When I plan to use them, I just grab the whole thing and take it to the driveway. Of course, I still have to walk back and forth a few times because no job goes exactly as planned, but I'm still young-ish enough that I can do that!