New tool box for the Droobarn

[drooartz]

The victory of stupidity, or who needs a plan?

So today I went down into the city to have lunch with a friend and swing by Harbor Freight to look at one of the roller tool boxes. These come well recommended for a homeowner-grade box. Naturally I decided to go ahead and buy one.

Keep in mind I drive a Kia Forte hatchback...

So my friend and I drive around back to the loading door. I see the forklift, and the crated up toolbox. This is a seriously big, heavy duty item. There's no way all that's going to fit in my car. Ah well, there's always a way. The very nice HF guy helped us take the crate apart and load the box into the back of my car. Yes, it fits. Just. Maybe 1/8" clearance on each side, maybe. I now know the largest thing that will fit in my car.

So I drop my friend off at his shop and head back up the canyon. Did I mention it snowed quite a bit today? So I'm driving up the canyon in the snow wondering exactly how I'm going get this thing out of my car. Took 3 big guys to get it in. Figured I'd just go with it and hope for the best. Who needs a plan.

So got home and thought it through, realized I would be able to get all the drawers out if I was careful. First off came the castors, then I worked the drawers out.

Once the drawers were out I needed a way to get it out of the car and down onto the ground. Looked around the garage and saw a couple spare plastic tubs and had an idea. Flipped them over and they gave me what I needed so I could pull the box out of the car.

Now it was just a matter of putting it all back together. On go the castors and in go the drawers.

My first impressions are very positive. It's very solid, nice ball-bearing slides, even came with decent drawer liners. Much nicer than the cheap box I've been using for the last 15 years.

This will now sit for a while until things warm up a bit more, then I'll take my existing work bench apart and rebuild it around the box. But for now I have the first new item for the barn.

 

[Bayless]

Nice looking cabinet. Nice work in getting it out of the car too.

 

[3798j]

Drew I think you'll find you really like it...I know I like mine. Plus, it's got to be among the best $$ values out there.

 

[Banjo]

I've moved a few that way. Good lookin box. I bet it serves you well if you treat it good.

 

[drooartz]

I expect it will treat me well for many years -- certainly it's much higher quality than the one I've been using for the last 18 years, and that one is still functioning, if small. The new box will be permanently mounted under a workbench. No room in the new barn for rolling stuff around anyways.

 

[DrEntropy]

Only reason for the casters is to keep it at a useable height! I've a pair of Snap-On roll cabs at the rear of the garage, end-to-end with 1/2" plywood covering the tops as a work surface. No intent to ever roll 'em around again.

 

[drooartz]

The barn is small enough (12'x20') that there's no room to roll a cabinet around anyways. I'm in the process of finishing up the plans for how all this is going to fit in my little space. Should work out nicely, just needs a bit of thought first.