Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

Rock Crawler · Aug 9, 2018

Intersting. When I went there they had a stack of the side shelves in a pile, I did not see any options other than the 1 stack sitting between the 4 and 5 drawer cart.

TMGT · Aug 9, 2018

Rock Crawler said:
Intersting. When I went there they had a stack of the side shelves in a pile, I did not see any options other than the 1 stack sitting between the 4 and 5 drawer cart.

I'm not sure there was a side tray for the 4 drawer originally, there is about a 90sqin difference between the 2 trays.

I believe the 4 drawer "Tech" cart is not as deep if I remeber correctly from when I was comparing them and I know the tray for the tech cart is smaller in both dimensions.

Tractor Seabee · Aug 9, 2018

crazyal said:
Anyone have the 30" 5 drawer tool cart? I was going to make something to put a tool box I have that I cam roll near my wood lathe to hold odds and ends. With a coupon it's only $10 more than their 4 drawer cart but seams a little stronger. I was hoping to put the folding flat side try on it at the height I would like so I could put a grinder on it. If needed I could beef up the side tray and make the base of the cart wider to make it more stable. Next week I could be passing by HF so I was thinking of stopping in and picking up a few things (like the T-handle allen wrenches). The Yukon work bench looks like an option but I think it would be a little too high (37") for the grinder to sit on and it's kind of wide for where it'll sit even without a side tray. I could just not put the casters on it to lower it down but it's not going to be mobile (it weights almost 150 lbs).
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I have one of those. I cannot conceive any way you could successfully mount a vise on it. The optional side shelf is not that strong either except for a small clamp on vise HF also has. All depends on the size and weight of the vise and the end use. Carefully evaluate your end use. The tool cart is pretty good and the drawers work well for what it was intended. I segregate my various tools into boxes by trade; this one houses my mechanic tools. I have a 6" vise on a HF grinder stand that works properly for that use also. Dividing my tool the way I do creates a lot of duplication but HF prices allow like each box to have a set of screw drivers.

Ron

TMGT · Aug 9, 2018

Tractor Seabee said:
I have one of those. I cannot conceive any way you could successfully mount a vise on it. The optional side shelf is not that strong either except for a small clamp on vise HF also has. All depends on the size and weight of the vise and the end use. Carefully evaluate your end use. The tool cart is pretty good and the drawers work well for what it was intended. I segregate my various tools into boxes by trade; this one houses my mechanic tools. I have a 6" vise on a HF grinder stand that works properly for that use also. Dividing my tool the way I do creates a lot of duplication but HF prices allow like each box to have a set of screw drivers.

Ron

I didn't see where he wanted to mount a vise, just a grinder, I assume to sharpen the lathe tooling?

The side shelf might be a little light for a bench grinder unless it's smaller, the shelf says it's rated for 35 lbs, however a lot of the lower priced 6in grinders are about 20-30lbs with wheels so might work for you.

California · Aug 9, 2018

I would want a grinder to be located far enough from my tools that it doesn't throw grit into them. That shelf would be too close. (And likely not strong enough).

crazyal · Aug 9, 2018

thepumpguysc said:
AL, are you saying your GRINDER weights 150lbs??!! I know HF sells a grinder STAND.. I had one before the great fire of 15'.. it was ok for a "normal" grinder.. alittle low.. but manageable.
It liked to walk... until I nailed it to the floor using the provided holes.. but that's more of a grinder balance problem than a stand problem..

The grinder weighs close to 35 lbs, which is at the upper limit of the side shelf. It's a slow speed wet grinder so you don't push hard. The mechanic's carts have 2 locking wheels which should be more than enough to stop it from moving. It doesn't turn fast enough to worry about vibrating or walking.

This is a Tromek grinder. It turns at about 100 rpm, very slow and the wheel sits in a water tray so the wheel is always wet. The wheel has, nor does it need a guard like a regular grinder. You can reshape a tool on it but it would like watching grass grow. You don't push hard on it so the rubber feet are more than enough to keep it from moving. Because there's no guard you can grind on either side of the wheel so either you need to be able to have access to both sides or be able to turn it around easily. With the optional diamond wheel you can even grind on the side of the wheel. The smaller tray would need to have something larger attached to it as it's smaller than the footprint of the grinder.

I did a search but didn't see the coupon for the 4 drawer cart.

Rock Crawler · Aug 9, 2018

crazyal said:
The grinder weighs close to 35 lbs, which is at the upper limit of the side shelf. It's a slow speed wet grinder so you don't push hard. The mechanic's carts have 2 locking wheels which should be more than enough to stop it from moving. It doesn't turn fast enough to worry about vibrating or walking.

This is a Tromek grinder. It turns at about 100 rpm, very slow and the wheel sits in a water tray so the wheel is always wet. The wheel has, nor does it need a guard like a regular grinder. You can reshape a tool on it but it would like watching grass grow. You don't push hard on it so the rubber feet are more than enough to keep it from moving. Because there's no guard you can grind on either side of the wheel so either you need to be able to have access to both sides or be able to turn it around easily. With the optional diamond wheel you can even grind on the side of the wheel. The smaller tray would need to have something larger attached to it as it's smaller than the footprint of the grinder.

I did a search but didn't see the coupon for the 4 drawer cart.

I actually posted the coupon back a few posts. The 4 drawer is $99, just save that image to your phone and take it with you.

Rock Crawler · Aug 9, 2018

crazyal said:
The grinder weighs close to 35 lbs, which is at the upper limit of the side shelf. It's a slow speed wet grinder so you don't push hard. The mechanic's carts have 2 locking wheels which should be more than enough to stop it from moving. It doesn't turn fast enough to worry about vibrating or walking.

This is a Tromek grinder. It turns at about 100 rpm, very slow and the wheel sits in a water tray so the wheel is always wet. The wheel has, nor does it need a guard like a regular grinder. You can reshape a tool on it but it would like watching grass grow. You don't push hard on it so the rubber feet are more than enough to keep it from moving. Because there's no guard you can grind on either side of the wheel so either you need to be able to have access to both sides or be able to turn it around easily. With the optional diamond wheel you can even grind on the side of the wheel. The smaller tray would need to have something larger attached to it as it's smaller than the footprint of the grinder.

I did a search but didn't see the coupon for the 4 drawer cart.

Here, I'll post it again for you.