5+ Harbor Freight Tool Cart Mods for the 5 drawer US General Mechanic's Tool Cart
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- Опубліковано 31 лип 2024
- Here are 5 great tips and 2 bonus modifications that you can make on your toolboxes. Mine is a US General 5 drawer 30 inch mechanic's tool cart from Harbor Freight but many will work on any steel tool cart.
The video is lengthy but many great screen shots ant tips. A list of timestamps for each mod and bonus is provided along with links for products and parts used.
Currently my videos use NO ads so please like and subscribe. And if you have input please comment and I will get back to you. click the bell for notifications on my next video. ENJOY!
Timestamps for each mod plus bonus:
#1 @ 00:51
#2 @ 03:41
#3 @ 07:20
#4 @ 14:39
#5 @ 26:44
Bonus #1 @ 32:09
Bonus #2 @ 34:52
MOD #1 PARTS AND VIDEO LINKS:
Harbor Freight 5 in. Rubber Heavy Duty Caster
www.harborfreight.com/5-in-ru...
MOD #2 PARTS AND VIDEO LINKS:
Amazon Workbench Mat
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...
MOD #3 PARTS AND VIDEO LINKS:
Harbor Freight Magnet Tool Strip
www.harborfreight.com/18-in-m...
HFQPDB.COM Magnet Tool Strip Coupon
www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/28_FREE...
Home Depot blue magnet
www.homedepot.com/p/MASTER-MA...
Walmart Magnetic Hook
www.walmart.com/ip/Arrow-Magn...
Back to back magnetic toolbar hack video
• Tool Box Magnet Hack| ...
Use magnet to replace the drawer latch video
• Harbor Freight US Gene...
MOD #5 PARTS AND VIDEO LINKS:
Walmart Rust Oleum Cobalt Blue
www.walmart.com/ip/Rustoleum-...
Harbor Freight US General Magnetic Paper Towel Holder - RED
www.harborfreight.com/magneti...
![FIND a BETTER DEAL!! US General 5-Drawer Mechanic's Cart ToolBox [56429]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eRFyaq0MSE8/mqdefault.jpg)
For anybody interested, if you purchase this box for a maintenance job where you have to roll it around long distances at walking pace, the included wheels are perfect. Four swivel wheels are completely uncontrollable when you’re walking out to a machine, especially when you have hundreds of pounds of tools adding momentum. Four swivel wheels work good in shops and garages, not in a factory environment. Also if you need a durable work surface on the lid, pick up a thick sheet of polycarbonate and bolt it to the lid. Works great for hauling around big AC motors, pipe wrenches, chain, driveshafts ETC.
Thank you for sharing this expert information Mr Reed. I wish more folks read these posts. I will try and remember to pass along your great tips in a video. If you have a picture I can put up along with it please send it to me at BlindGuyCan@gmail.com. thank you for watching.
Thank you sir ,GREAT INFO !!!! 👍👍
If you put the swivel casters on the end opposite of your handle, it will be like a shopping cart and be easier to control
Nice job of describing the usage process of this box. Makes comparisons of the higher dollar boxes to this one easier. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Almost thought it was Scotty kilmer talking 😂 but great video. Thanks for sharing
Never heard of him. I guess the UA-cam guy? I have a better hairline. 😜
Voice is similar lol, but his hands are too stationary and he hasn’t mentioned His Toyota Celica once :D
@@thebigempty_5792 🤣
🤣 could be his brother
@@DaleLucid he is a youtube legend.. check him out!
As someone who works with carts with casters extensively, I can say there is a definitive reason to put two swivels, and two fixed casters. All of my carts for my machine at work have four swivel casters and I hate them. If you think along the lines of a car or a forklift, two wheels turn, the other two do not.this is intended for you to be able to steer the thing, and with all four being swivels, the damn cart just goes wherever it wants and I can't steer it alone. The carts I use are more like six to ten feet long, and whenever I try to push it it steers itself right into everything on the front with no control. The swivels should go on the handle/ push side, and the fixed go on the front. Period. I hate four spinning things that just go stupid anytime I try to push it. Anyone agree?
There actually have been several agreed. The best reason for 4 swivel casters is tight areas. I have had to move mine a couple of times over some distance and it is very unruly but once I have it the garage any hassle is soon forgotten.
@@DaleLucid oh so once it’s inside and you don’t need to move it, it being a pain in the ass to move isn’t a big deal anymore?
Depends on the size of the cart. On a short US General tool cart, I much rather have 4 swivels on it.
On a 72" long chest... 2 swivel & 2 fixed.
@@jerod5636 moving it around in a tight area is a lot easier with the 4 swivel casters. So yes when it’s inside the garage it’s no longer a pain in the ass, because it’s only a 30 inch chest. Not to mention that’s where this type of tool cart would be kept 98% of the time. Smart ass
Couldn't agree more. Two swivels, two fixed for me.
Dale, thanks for taking the time to share your mods. I appreciate the explanations instead of just sharing the idea and making me figure it out. I love my new cart and am like you in not wanting to drill, epoxy, or permanently changing anything on it. I learned a lot from your efforts. Thanks.
Your comments are much appreciated. Just what I had in mind when I made the video. You may like the two videos below on a similar mod I came up with for the drawer latch. I also PlastiDip the trim. PlastiDip is a non permanent paint solution.
Thanks for watching
Drawer latch mod:
ua-cam.com/video/UGncAhSlhaU/v-deo.html
PlastiDip:
ua-cam.com/video/H6qW18VE0U0/v-deo.html
Thanks for the ideas Dale! I'm a machinist's apprentice and have been struggling to find a compact mobile work bench. Your drawer lock mod makes this cart just the ticket!
Love the video Dale! I followed your magnet strip idea. It worked like a charm. Like yourself I hate drilling holes in my cart. I also have the side tray. But I noticed how much the tray rattles and bangs when in the down position and the cart gets moved. So I found a fix for that. I bought a tool magnet strip from the home depot. I then placed the magnet strip on the underside of the side tray. Now when ever I lower the tray the magnet on the tray attaches it self to the cart proper and stops all the clanging. Magnet isn't so strong as to be intrusive. But it is strong enough to secure the tray in the down position.
I just got the cart today and I love your mods especially being able to open the drawers without disabling the ability to lock the drawers. Thank you for the content!
And thank you for watching and leaving your generous comments.
Thanks for the tips especially the paint color and magnet ideas.
Thank you for watching. Did you catch the PlastiDip video? It's holding up much better than expected.
ua-cam.com/video/H6qW18VE0U0/v-deo.html
If you own the HF green tool cart...you can use RAL green 6018 powder coat powder and mix the dry powder with few drops of acetone or MEK and it will turn the powder into a liquid and it’s instant touch up paint with perfect color match. Sorry I don’t know what the blue is!
It has been awhile but someone asked about a color match for the green. I hope they're still watching the comments. In the future I will refer anyone asking the question to this comment.
This is the kind of if information that I really appreciate seeing shared. Thank you.
Just purchased one of these tool cart. Love the lock modification. What a brilliant idea.👍🇨🇦
Congratulations! I think that it's their best tool. Don't forget to check out my "10 assembly tips" video. Thank you for watching.
I'm definitely doing the drawer lock mod to mine. Being able to open the drawers while the top is down is a very important. Having to take tools, parts, and other items off the top to get to a tool inside would get old after awhile. Thanks for the tips Dale.
Thank you for watching @Jeep CV. Take a look at my mod video for the slide latches on the drawers. There is a playlist to.
I have the same cart, I usually open them and then close the lid and they stay open. That’s a good hack as well though.
Excellent modifications I do like the cart quite a bit as a retired Woodworker I’m going to use their design to build one of my own with self closing ball bearing slides to keep the drawers closed when rolling it around my shop mine is going to be modified for wheels and tire work At my lift area all in a private garage I want it to have holders for impact drivers and lug nut sockets to make it easy to perform regular maintenances on my vehicles and equipment plus another nice feature will be a sacrificial work surface that is inexpensive and fast to replace when it’s needed I also believe that the holders for the tools will need to be relocated and modified as my needs and vehicles are bought and sold plus thanks for the tip on Goof Off too I used to build residential homes and I got in the habit of using the heck out of it I found out the hard way by using it to get off some latex paint on a GE microwave oven plastic door handle that it just melted the handle that made me having to replace one all at my cost the funny part of the people that did buy and live in the home became close family friends for many years after I left that company the wife reckonize me from when they did buy the home and she did live in the house for over 20 years Lolits a small world after all the handle was fixed as soon as I received the new one that only took a day or two
I had a VERY good friend that did wood working. He always had a workbench with a sacraficial surface. I love the gifts that he has given me and my family over the years. The things that I purchased from him have endured. I would love to share any pictures of the project that you are going to be building on m videos. If you would like to share them you can email me at blindguycan@gmail.com. thank you for watching the video and sharing your thoughts. BTW I may have a video coming up that will help with your impact holder.
Thank you Dale for sharing the HF tool cart mods. I will be using them on my HF & Snap-On boxes.
I like the idea of adding another fold up table to the handle side, then relocating the handle to the front, using one of those magnetic strips as a back brace. I just bought the 5 drawer series 2 tool cart myself and I am going to do that, plus add the US. General power strip and heavy duty caster wheels.. thank you for the great ideas.
Thank you for watching and commenting. I did a video on the handle relocation idea using the magnetic bar. While it is a great idea it doesn't work very well.
You may be interested in a video that i did recently where I added a Husky power tool hanger wit a power station.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. Informative and detailed example of thinking outside the box.
Thank you for this great post. Now that you have all these great mods check out my other videos. I have a playlist for all the cart videos.
And check out the last 2 videos I posted that show you how to get Harbor Freight's new matching accessories for 30% off!
SO Awesome that you took the time to leave a message. Thanks again.
I just bought this and the same color, this will be very helpful when I get putting it together for use, great video
Was just reviewing it myself for my new video project "Blue Sky" check it out if you'd like. Thank you for watching.
All good ideas Dale. I do like the HF tool carts....and I know eventually I will be picking one up for myself, I just gotta make room for it. :) Thanks for sharing all your upgrade info.
The $169 coupon is good until the end of the year. Thanks for your words of encouragement and thank you for watching
The magnetic bar mod putting two together was worth watching this video, I'll be using that asap 👍
I wish I could take credit for that one. I just didn't want to drill holes in my new tool cart. It was "toolhead 147" all the way. Check out his channel.
ua-cam.com/channels/kZR-4UgOAKWMqxvZfGobNg.html
Not sure if someone already said this but I arranged my locking swivel casters so they were on the front if you are facing the cart. Easier to lock/unlock them when they are right in front of you vs on the side.
First time I've even heard of.it. Great idea.
Keep the great videos coming. I also LOVED your video about coke and rust.
I read both of your comments Mark. Thank you for the sub and kind remarks. Now I'm going to the shop try your idea on my noisy tray.
Thanks for watching.
I liked all of your mods, because like you I don’t like drilling holes in my nice new cart. I especially like mod #3
I am glad that you liked the mods. There is a playlist with others if you'd like. Thank you for taking the time to leave your words of support.
Who gives a shot it’s cheap so send it . If it works
Saw this video just in time for me to avoid drilling out the rivets that hold the whole lid locking mechanism in place. Thanks. Lots of good tips. I have one more of these carts to build, so will look for your assembly tips video next.
So happy that it helps. I am building a new one in white for a project that I am working on to donate. I'm reviewing the assembly tips and mods video. Hope you will watch for it.
@@DaleLucid I subscribed after the assembly tips video so I should see it when you finish it.
Great ideas I liked the lid lock and did and it worked great thanks. there are 7 of these boxes at my work and we have done some other mods like I raised my box 1 1/2" by bolting the 2nd to the top holes on the box to the top holes in the frame then drilled new holes for the bottom brackets we use washers to make the screwdriver holes smaller and one guy used sheetmetal and a lock on the bottom to make more lockable space
Excellent ideas. I was considering modding the bottom and making a sort of slide out tray. If I do I'll put up a video.
I will be using mine as a beginner cart for my sanding blocks, hammers, dollies, and air tools. I’m just starting out this cart is perfect I think.
It sounds like you are going to be doing body work. I doubt that this cart will disappoint. Thank you for watching and good luck.
Great ideas love the drawer lock mod . I been wanting a cart that i can open draws with the lid close so i could use the lid for a work space.
Very smart workaround for the lock bars! Good job!!
Thank you @Matthew Shannon. I was pretty proud of that one. I appreciate your taking the time to leave your thoughts.
Love that idea, too. I would mark the "right" side with something so I didn't have to look inside the dark hole to see which way to turn the top.
Really like Mod #3, will use it on my tool cart...
In Amazon you can obtain magnetic strips glue it the mat, now it's a magmat that can be removed w/o damaging cart...
I thought I answered this last night. Anyway, I was really excited about having come up with that idea. If you liked that check out the video below on my idea on managing the drawer latch.
I was waiting for the update video but I found peel and stick magnetic tape and did that. I was surprised at how well it worked.
Thanks for watching.
ua-cam.com/video/UGncAhSlhaU/v-deo.html
Good job, sir! I love little mods that makes me more efficient. Thanks!
There are more where that came from. I even have a "mods" play list. Thank you for watching and please take a moment to check out my other videos.
Great tips, thanks for sharing!
Thank you for your support. I have a couple of other videos with mods on this cart. Please check them out.
Magnet idea was the best, one I cant believe I didn't think of that before. Thanks!
Hello Dale. Thanks for all the mod hints. As for securing your rubber mat. You can get rolls of half inch magnet tape . I bought mine from Walmart. In the craft section. No holes to drill. And easy off.
That's exactly what I did. Bonus is that I just stick it to the garage door for cleaning and let it dry. When I put it back on the cart it looks new.
Thank you for the support 🙏
This mod is great! Excellent way to disable and re-enable the locking mechanism. I’ll use this mod on my cart. Thanks.
@David McMinn I am glad that this model works for you. I have several others. Please check those videos out. Thank you for comments
Best mod I've done to my hf cart is putting it on a lift table from HF. As a diesel mechanic I'm always going up and down for tools. So I put the cart on the table and no more up and down it's always at the right height. The next mod is to swap the hydraulic cylinder for a electric actuator that works with a remote and 12v Milwaukee batteries
U guess I'll write this again. I don't know what happened to the other reply. It just disappeared. That mod is absolutely brilliant. I would love to show a picture of that if you have one that you would like to share. If so email me at blindguycan@gmail.com. Thank you for watching and sharing that great mod.
Thank You for sharing your tips. Love tip # 3, being able to open the drawers while the top is closed. I may put the magnetic bars on the back, but so far not sure. I have to finish the assembly first, I did watch that video already, it was great. Thanks again.
The magnet bar ideas are from when HF was giving them away free with purchase. They're a bit pricey now for this kind of thing.
Thank you for watching.
Dale your the man I just watched your space ghost vids and you newer coupon vids
Thanks for all your research and hard work
This one of my fav vids of yours so I was checking it out again 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
@banga8080 you are the only one that commented on "Spaaaaaace Ghoooooost". Thanks for the encouragement of my adolescent humor. I was starting think maybe I wasn't appreciated. I'm glad you liked the "5 Mods" video it's a little dry and lengthy but still my most popular video.
Thank you for the detailed explanations bud I liked the work service mod 👍🏼 good ideas
Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it. Thanks for watching.
Top mat adhering:
1) Masking tape on the painted surface
2) Double sided tape between the masking tape & your mat.
3) You could go around the perimeter, or use even more if need be.
It would be "permanently" attached, but yet still easily removable. I think that's kind of your style...
Alternatively, a vinyl wrap could work well also.
I have magnetic tape to try. I will keep this in mind because I don't want to damage the surface. If you don't mind I'd like to pass this idea along in an update video later.
@@DaleLucid I don't mind. Good luck & GOD bless!
to hold mat on lid without damage and make it removable use command strips for picture frames but just the adhesive part
Awesome ideas. I think I will be modifying the lock mechanism this weekend but will put a HF magnet in the plastic piece to attach the to the back of the cart. Also considering getting a piece of C-channel the length of the box and use the existing holes near the corners by using longer bolts and some spacers. I think the double wings on the side is great. The 18 inch magnet ideas are great. I'm considering putting a wood top on the top of the tool cart.
In a newer version of this video I used small rare earth magnets in the lock caps. I drilled a hole in the cut off lock bar and placed the magnet in the hole before inserting it into the plastic cap. It works great. I like your "c" channel front handle idea.
Thanks for watching and leaving your comment
Thanks for the tips! Can’t wait to go get mine!
I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. You missed the extra $5 savings last week but I believe that this is the current best coupon. Thank you for watching.
www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/2976_ITEM_30___5_DRAWER_MECHANIC_S_CARTS__ALL_COLORS__1568233869.5962.png
Excellent video! Thank you Sir!
Thank you very much for your support.
Don’t know why I watched this video in the first place. I know I don’t even need one of these, so I then also won’t need to modify it. Looks so nice though, and your mods look like a lot of fun.
Firstly if you are the Blankenship that I saw subscribe recently thank you for that. Secondly if you are the person playing guitar in the videos on your channel then WOW! you're pretty good.
I use this tool box a lot more than I ever thought I would. It's a fantastic bargain with the coupon. I have had plenty of time to compare and I can tell you that nothing else can touch this value. Thank you for watching.
I have the same box and I just purchased the same drawer liner from HF and cut it to fit. I attached it with 3M double sided tape. it holds great and peels off very easy. If I tear the top I have extra liner to replace it with. I added the the can holder and glove holders. I also cut, painted and attached a piece of sheet metal at the bottom on the side opposite the handle allowing me to place addition magnetic items there.
I actually wound up using sticky back magnetic tape and it worked great. Awesome idea with the sheet metal. I have a video that deals with the drawer latches without ruining them. You may like that one. Thank you for sharing your mods.
Okay. Thanks. Mod 3 is what I was looking for! To use one of their carts for a pellet smoker cart. Thanks for the videos.
Thank you for the support!
Just got the cart for work. Thanks for video. Going to try and fabricate a pry bar holder. Will be doing the lock mod. Although even being a full time euro mechanic my cart will fit under a car on a lift and use a parts cart next to the tool cart for bolts etc as I always do so don't see it being a problem so will be trial and error. Could fabricate a bottom frame with casters and angle iron and a mig or arc welder. and add a small parts cart right next to it on the same cart. Tons of options if you're handy and have access to a welder. Could even weld angle iron together if you don't have a welder and have access to a cutting torch using clothes hangers. Gotta watch ur heat so you don't burn a hole through though.
I'm glad you liked the mods Justin. There is a video on YT of a guy who modded the cart so that the pry bar handles wouldn't keep the top from closing but I believe he had to cut and fab. The last time I tried to learn to weld I was wearing shorts and got a nice 2nd degree sunburn on my thighs while squatting over the work. I'll leave it to the pros. LOL
Hey, don't go nuclear on us!
Mr. Lucid, I just want to say, "Thanks a Lot" for showing us the coupon for $169. I followed it up on the coupon website & printed it out. I took it to HF today and they honored it with no problem at all. Thank you!
That's great news! Now use a 20% coupon for the side tray and save more. And please check out my other mods for your new cart. There's a playlist of all of them. Call me Dale. Thank you for watching
Thanks, Dale; I will.
Where is the coupon? I can't seem to find it...
Check the coupon that Dale shows in the tool cart video. Pause it, then copy the number that's on that coupon. Go to: www.hfqpdb.com/browse and enter the number in the search. The coupon will appear; print it, and you're all set. HF didn't even question me on the coupon; they took it and were nice about it.
Here's Dale's video that shows the 169 coupon: ua-cam.com/video/i7hTjGL9fQs/v-deo.html
great ideas and implementation
Thank you @David Hahn. I have a couple of other things that I did. There is a playlist as well. Enjoy and thanks again for watching.
I love modification #3!! You’re an absolute genius!
I had suggested in my previous comment that you look through the other videos for great mods but you're WAY ahead of me. Thank you for watching!
Great video. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate the encouragement. I have other videos that you might like. Please check out my channel.
Thanks for that mod to let you access drawers while top is closed. Did that right away, love it. For the top I set a plastic bucket on top on the first day and it left a giant circular scratch so I had to cover it. I got a 2' x 4' x 1/8" diamond plate pattern rubber flooring roll from a company called Rubber-Cal from Amazon for $20. Cut it down to size, put some masking tape on the cart top and then on top of that some double sided tape and taped that rubber mat down. The diamond pattern is 3D so it's not flat but that's okay for me. Looks great and I think it will last a long, long time.
Thanks for sharing. My mat is starting to look pretty ragged. I'll check out the one you got.
A Suggestion for attaching the top cover piece-clear silicon spread very thin. It should not damage anything, Thin enough it won’t be lumpy, and you likely could remove a very thin skim of it by just rubbing it with your fingers. It Might need waxed after that, but it should work. However, I haven’t tested that.
Suggestion for stiffing up the front panel-a thin board. A 6’ privacy fence board is thin enough to clear the top where it sticks outward. It does need cut to size.
My box is yellow. I cut a hole out for the lock, drilled the board for longer stainless steel carriage bolts (I polished the top of every bolt on my cart), and you need to cut 2 thin slots for where the lid drops down. Sanding it and Safety Yellow paint matches reasonably well. I also put some exterior, floor grade, polyurethane clear coat on it, so it cleans up better.
That stiffens the front panel. It also allows you to attach things you wouldn’t want to drill into the box itself to attach.
I also left one end long so I could hang a towel, or something else.
Actually you can put wood all around the top, if you want. A friend of mine did exactly that. It looks okay.
I also have a habit of putting my foot on the bottom of the front. Therefore, I put a 2x6 cut to size and attached in the same way. I left it sticking up slightly higher than the sheet metal.
On the top where my foot rests, I put some think rubber that I believe is a mining belt line. It’s black and looks okay, but not super pretty. However, it does protect my cart’s frame very well. And I have a great foot rest!!!
My cart sees heavy and hard use. It still looks very good, but does have a very few nicks. I use the Safety Yellow paint to touch them up. It’s a reasonable match. I’m pretty careful with my cart, but I do use it pretty hard.
I do not like drilling holes into tool boxes, or carts. However, I learned long ago that I’m not a tool box showroom. If a modification is: necessary, saves time, makes it more useful and productive, will make the cart last longer, Or more secure, I will make the modification.
The key to doing modifications is to take your time, get everything as perfect as you can, make everything match, so it will not look like it’s seen use in a war zone, and use good materials for the modification.
Following that rule will make you much happier with your cart modifications. It will also make your life easier.
Just my experiences and thoughts.
@Darvin I hardly know where to start with all of your great mods. I would be happy to share some pictures in one of my videos. I have done so before and viewers seem to really like it. If you want to share email them to BlindGuyCan@gmail.com.
I like all of your great ideas. I made this video a while back. U ended up using sticky back magnetic tape for the pad. It works very well even with the bump on the edge. The silicone would have been better because I could have removed the pad to wash it. I can do that but the tape is more expensive to replace than silicone.
The best idea I heard of for the handle was to extend it and use the front corners for mounting. Unfortunately I am not a "Fab" guy not do I know one.
I always love hearing from other people who have done mods. My intention with the video was mostly to inspire viewers to get out there and do their own mods. There are SO many clever folks out there.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to share your thoughts.
Yup, I'm doing that locking bar mod this week. I don't need it to lock all the time because it's at my home, but I'd like to be able to if my roommates have people I don't know over. 200 IQ move man!
My singular fleeting moment of genius LOL
Like The Mods going to apply it when I buy my new box. Try hot glue to hold the top mat down might work out good let you know when I do mine
Thank you for taking the time to leave your comments. If you will be picking up the Harbor Freight 5 drawer the $169 coupon for the red, blue and black expires at the end of December. You may be able to use it for one of the other colors if you askfof your store manager. I got a white one for a project that I'm working on. You may like those videos as well. Keep me posted on your project.
We’re the coupon for 169 the 5 drawer is 199 with coupon we’re I’m at
Great video. I liked and subscribed.
I will end up doing all of these mods to my cart once I finally pic a color.
Thank you for the sub and welcome! There are a few other videos with mods so check them out or just pull up the play list.
As a reminder the $169.99 coupon for the cart will expire on the 31st. As I've said before I do not believe that we'll ever see it again so HURRY. And if you go on New Years Eve take your smartphone and use the 25% off coupon to get a screaming deal for the matching side tray. Thanks for watching.
The video was amazing! Have you thought about top 5 tips when assembling a toolbox ?
Thank you VERY much for your support Jay. And yes the first video that I made about this tool cart was "10 assembly tips".
ua-cam.com/video/0JIbtO6XzdI/v-deo.html
Loved all your tool cart mods definitely going to do some of those mods when I get my tool cart after Christmas 👍👍👍😁😁😁💰🇬🇧
Better put a rush on. This $189.99 coupon will expire on 12/31. After that I expect the best coupons will be $199.99.
www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/2976_ITEM_30___5_DRAWER_MECHANIC_S_CARTS__ALL_COLORS__1568233869.5962.png
Just saw your video great ideas, and also thank you for sharing my tool magnet back to back video.
That was a great idea.
excellent mods all around! the magnet on the back of the drawer is genius! i love the community behind this tool chest and alot of the us generals tool box's lol
Jeff I just released a "Tour" video of the cart and mentioned the magnet trick. The video is part if a series by another brother's channel. @Powerstroke Jude
I just found this video, I have to say I love the tips and the way you present them.
A thought the front handle mod (that you didn't fit) might be better if you scratch built a handle the full width of the toolbox so it mounts to the original holes. It is just a steel tube welded to some bent plate and a couple of end stoppers so getting the correct size tube and plate should be easy (and possibly free if you use offcuts from a scrap bin)
Alas welding is not a skill I possess. Bad eyes. There's a later fixed where I tried using magnets. I won't ruin the end for you bit probably entertaining. Thank you for watching and leaving the comments.
Only about a 3rd of the way into the video, I had to through a thumbs up at you for the "lock mod". That closed lid is irresistibly a big ole work area and what if I have something laying there in pieces and need a tool from one the drawer! Excellent idea!!!
Thanks very much! I got the idea when I saw guys just hacking off the lock bars and tossing them in the trash. I don't like to loose functionality.
Great video, definitely interested in that lock mod as well as setting it up as a mobile work surface. Keep up the great work man.
Thanks for watching and thank you for the great feedback.
GREAT VIDEO!!!
Thank you very much for the support!
Regarding the magnet hack-HF sells those rectangular magnets which are the exact same as the ones you'd pull from that strip.
A pack of two goes for $.99
I lined up 6 in a row then wrapped in vinyl to use as a rail for my commonly used impact, spark plug, and torx sockets at work.
I was wondering if those were the same ones. I think I got 6 from the magnetic strip. It was a freebie. Thank you very much for contributing. Feel free to share this in the chat thread that I started here on UA-cam.
That was actually very intriguing to watch. Thanks for all the ingenuity ideas. You have been very helpful. Now I’ve got to get going putting together my little blue cabinet.
I have a 10 Assembly Tips video that you might find helpful.
@@DaleLucid I will look for that vid, Dale, thank you for all you do. What is the vid name?
ua-cam.com/video/0JIbtO6XzdI/v-deo.html
Magnet strips come in handy to keep the side shelf from banging around. Also i cut two holes in the top portion 1"1/4 so i can run cords on the backside. I also bought the snap on bumper guards to keep cart from being banged up.
I'm guessing the holes were for chargers or a power strip? I have the Harbor Freight magnetic power strip. It has good magnets and a couple of USB ports. It's like $30 bucks but I think it qualifies for the "20%" and "25%" coupons.
I think I saw a video, maybe "Real Tool Reviews" put the Snap-On bumpers for the Bluepoint cart on a US General tool cart. Did you have to cut them to fit?
Thanks for watching and sharing.
@@DaleLucid exactly, I bought the us gen strip and couldnt figure where to put it. Stuck it on the back and hole sawed two holes. And yeah thats where i got the idea for the bumper guards. Only $30 thats a deal coming from Snappy.
I did have to do some cutting and trimming
WWill Clemons I think it was "Real Tool Reviews" that did it on their US General cart in their compare to Bluepoint. That compare video is now on HF's website with the coupon ads for the 5 drawer.
Great video good ideas some I will use. Very detailed which helped a lot. Thank you for making it.
I really like #3 so the drawers open with the lid closed...thanks for posting
Now if only I can come up with a handy way to store pry bars better. I'm glad you liked the idea. Thank you for watching.
On that top diamond plat pad, You could go to a go to a place.. That makes them magnetic signs like they use for Truck doors for advertising.. Get some of it and some double sided carpet tape to adhere the magnetic sheet to the mat... Then you could still take it off and clean it and lid... Also use it on the shelf and side tray too..... I liked the idea of cutting the draw lock down that works slick thanks...
I did the side tray and later used left over to do the tray. I also found some of the magnetic sheet goods like those signs on Amazon. I'll let the channel know how that turns out. I was VERY proud of the lock hack because I came up with that myself. If those drawer latches bug you but you don't want to cut off the latch then check out the video below.
Thank you for the comments. Keep em' coming.
ua-cam.com/video/UGncAhSlhaU/v-deo.html
Great video, watching to catch up with your videos bro and yes I will watch all the commercials all the way through because you have some of the best tool content out there!
If you can figure out why that one's my "viral" video let me know. I'm all ears.
@@DaleLucid I will ponder why but from what I watched it's the shear ingenuity and DIY nature of the mods, a bunch of people ran out got the cart and I bet the first thing they think of is Mods how and why and you have some really unique how to in there that you just have to do to your cart. If I got a cart this would be the first video I would look for.
Thank you for such great tips! I did everything exactly like you recommended. I love your attention to detail. Keep posting great content.
Thank you so much for the encouraging words. My "attention to detail" is sometimes met with a hearty "Shut up!" Thank you for watching and I'm glad that the mods worked out for you.
Just bought my cart yesterday. I have several mods planned like the magnetic strips under the lid. I plan to drill and countersink my bolt heads so they're flush. Then repaint the top or cut a sheet of stainless and rivet it on. Thanks for the great ideas.
I hope you were able to use the $169 coupon. Don't worry if you forgot. You can take the coupon back within 30 days and get refunded the difference. Maybe get the side tray. I still think that this is the best purchase I've made from Harbor Freight. Thanks for the comments.
@@DaleLucid I didn't see a $169 coupon I had the $199 coupon and used the 20% coupon for the side tray. When I get my kids done I'll send some pictures.
www.hfqpdb.com/coupons/2361_ITEM_30___5_DRAWER_MECHANIC_S_CARTS__RED__BLUE___BLACK__1556966681.0941.png
Tip #3 on the locking mechanism is brilliant, however when discussing the magnetic items you refer to the finish as powder coated and say it was damaged by the acetone in Goof-Off.
True, the acetone does damage the finish but that finish is simply painted, it is NOT powder coated. And while it is a nice sprayed on and probably baked-in paint finish, it is simply painted, like an automobile. Powder coating is a completely different process applied dry by an electrostatic process and baked-on at 400 degrees. You do redeem yourself at the end by suggesting the use of the back side of the interior support bracket to bring as a sample to the paint store and as a test piece for the color match before full use. Perhaps painting over some tape strips which, when dry will reveal the color difference. And being taped out, there'd be no over spray. Generally a good effort, so thank you for passing on your suggestions.
Thank you for your feedback Eric. I did consider painting a piece of tape as well. I decided that the difference in materials may effect the out come so went with a part off the toolbox.
I am posting a quote and link below from the Harbor Freight web site. Hope this clears up the confusion. I was going by their info.
Thank you very much for your feedback. I very much appreciate the comments on my videos. I would like to get much better at making quality content.
'The durable glossy powder coat finish prevents rusting and looks great." - Harbor Freight Web Site
www.harborfreight.com/30-in-5-Drawer-Green-Mechanics-Cart-64721.html
As to Mod #3 - After cutting down the lock bars a pair of replacement plastic caps could be 3D printed in a way which when fitted one way they are short and do not lock the drawers. Rotate them 180° and they sit at the OEM height and do lock the drawers. Either way the plastic caps will always be in position and not subject to being misplaced.
That's a cool idea! I'll pin this. Thanks for sharing.
the modifications look great i really like all the newer colors HF has on these carts and the tool boxes it’s probably best to keep the drawers from opening when moving the cart around besides t having them closed should help keep it from tipping over
Absolutely agree. That's one reason I made sure that both my latch and lock mods can be reversed. Safety should always take president. I have always advised against simply lopping off the lock bars. So I came up with the alternative modification to promote a safer way to bypass the lock without completely disabling it.
I really like all of the new colors and choices in the U.S. General line. I'm considering a project with the new single drawer in the green color.
Thanks for watching and leaving your feedback on the video.
Dale,
Enjoyed your Vjayo.
You can tape the small HF magnets to the down side of your padding to secure the protective top. They will be out of the way and not fall off.
I'm glad you liked it. I ended up using sticky back magnetic tape. It works great and doesn't make a huge bump. You may like some of my other mod videos. I have a playlist too. Thank you for your support.
Love the lid-lock modification. I’ve been trying to figure something out without screwing up the box. That mod works perfectly.
To keep the cushion on the lid, I used double stick masking tape. Peels off easy with no residue, but will hold the mat on fine.
...And I found it. I'll give it a try.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AGY2EHG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=dalelucid-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B01AGY2EHG&linkId=806464f10f03117c0293d5f520cce8ad
Thanks for your video. I completed the install of my unit however, I m having a problem with the gas spring strut. It is installed correctly but, I am not able to close the lid. Do you know if the gas spring strut has a locking mechanism?
It does not lock as far as I know. I do recall that when new they are a bit stiff. But if it won't budge disconnect one end and exorcize it. If that doesn't help call HF customer support for a replacement set. I hope this helps.
To affix your top pad on a temp basis without scratching or messing up your powder coating use double sided carpet tape like they use on area throw rugs and carpet on hardwood floors to keep it from moving or lifting so as to prevent tripping over the edge of the carpets..... Hope this tip helps you out. Take care, Tim Jones
@Tim I used sticky back magnetic tape. It has worked very well. Your tape idea would have spared me the bump. Thank you for the tip and thanks for taking the time to share it.
Great ideas. I use a total of 4 of the bar magnets at the edge of the mats to creat a lip on the outer edge and secure my mat to the top of the box
I sure wish they were a freebie again. They're so handy.
Great idea for the lock mechanism.....I will be doing it first thing Monday morning!!!
There's more where that came from. Please consider checking out some of my other videos. Thanks for watching.
Love the lock modification tip. Thanks a ton!
My favorite as well. You're welcome.
The lock hack was reason enough to subscribe! Thanks for the great idea...
👍🏼👍🏼 from this guy!
Thank you for the sub. I appreciate it. There's a playlist of other mod videos if you like this one.
Awsome mod . thanks Dale
If you liked those @Mark check out what I did with this magnetic spray can holder. Thank you for watching.
ua-cam.com/video/8F-wJZiqgZQ/v-deo.html
Great video-- thanks for sharing Dale.
I'm glad you liked it Shawn. Thank you for the feedback.
Great idea Dale on the drawer lock mechanism. As far as the top. See if you can find some sheet magnet material or see if a company offers it. Probably will have to google it. 1/16” should be the minimum thickness. I will check myself and see if it’s out there. My big mod I want to do is add the 18” side cabinet to mine. I need to find or make a cleat to hang it on, and then not over load it.
It has been a while since I made this video.I did use magnetic sticky back tape. It worked and has held up very well. You can find info in my later videos. I think casters may be the solution to the possible tipping issue of adding the drawer bank. I love the idea I think that a more permanent mount may need to be done for safety. Then the forward casters can be moved to under the drawer bank. I would love to see and share your finished project. Send me a picture if you don't mind. blindguycan@gmail.com.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
These are great tips! Very Helpful.
Here you go Kevin.
ua-cam.com/video/0JIbtO6XzdI/v-deo.html
Nice video thank you! Gorilla double sided tape might be an option for the top...it wouldn’t take much to keep it from moving around. And it’s not permanent if you wanted to replace the top later.
I went with sticky back magnetic tape. It worked perfectly. Thank you for sharing your ideas. And thanks for watching.
Great job sir
Thank you for watching. Check out my other videos on Harbor Freight and the US General tool cart.
Haven’t even seen the whole video, but I’m definitely going to do all this to mine. Nice video.
Thank you for watching. I have a couple of other things you can do on separate video. There is also a playlist. thanks for watching.
Gorilla clear double stick tape is what I'm using to secure a mat to the top of my cart. While it holds this securely it can easily be removed without leaving a sticky residue or removing paint.
That's an excellent idea and thank you for sharing with everyone.
Dave, I thought I would leave a comment in your mod video about the swivel casters you suggest to purchase. I have never heard anyone talk about the major difference in the caster wheels on the stock cart wheels vs the ones you buy as replacements for the mod. There is no comparison between the two as I’m sure you already know but I thought it would be worth mentioning. As soon as I took my caster wheels off the purchased swivel casters the plastic bushing cover fell off. When I took the wheel off the stock cart caster I could immediately see the quality difference between the two. Thanks, by the way for the 169. Tool cart coupon I got off your video, I just used it before Christmas, before it expired.
Thank you for bringing this to my attention @Vaughn. I think. Before I made this video there was a bit of confusion about the other cheaper version of the HF casters which do not fit correctly. I suppose that I was more worried about folks getting the correct one. It definitely deserves noting the difference between the original and new. Thanks for sharing.
Cool video. Thanks. Regarding the magnetic bars...
I understand and share the reluctance to glue to the bar to the top or sides, but rather than bolting 2 back to back just glue the bars together.
Probably can pick 2 that don't repel each other face to face (so won't repel back to back).
Also, regarding drawer/magnet tip, I hope the magnetic bar was attached to back of case (again with glue) and not the back of the drawer;
I'd be concerned about picking up tools from drawer below when pulled out.
Thank you for your interest. I didn't think about gluing the strips together but it is a great suggestion. I actually used dowel pieces to defeat the drawer latches without permanently removing the functionality. Problem was when I move the cart just a bit the drawers would open. I put 1 or 2 magnets from strips that I took apart on the case in back of the drawers. The magnets have just enough pull to keep the drawers closed. The video that I saw where the guy removed the latches and just used magnets did the same but he used stronger magnets. An unexpected effect is that magnetic particals from his shop would gather on the back of the rear panel of his cart where the magnets are.
Great video!
Thank you for watching and leaving your comments. You may like some of my newer videos.
www UA-cam.com/slucid1
Looks like the lock rails that you cut off would be good enough for a paint sample. Mods are worth watching although I fast forward quite a bit. Thanks
Most of my "mods" videos have extra footage to show how it is done. I've gotten better at it since this video but I still try to provide relevant guidance. Thank you for watching.
Great job!
I'm glad you enjoyed it 😁
Nice mods. Like the idea of putting 2 of the magnet strips together, I have a bunch of them, usually my free item choice when I go to HF. Thanks for the video.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for your support. Check out the Plastic Dip video I did on that cart.
Thank u sir, very cool cart. I think ill do the casters and top lid cover
Today through March 3rd you can get 30% off those casters with the coupon below. Take someone with you and have them go through with a second caster to get 2 for 30% off
www.harborfreight.com/promotions
I’m a tech and I use mcguires quik detail to clean my box and it shines it up perfect and keeps dust from sticking to the paint
I'm doing a project with a white version of this cart. I was wondering about how to keep it looking new. Thank you for sharing ttip.
Jake Hanneman shoulda ceramic coated it bud 😁. Try it if you already haven’t.
You could glue the mat permanently to some thin steel sheet metal cut to size and coated with something to keep it from scratching. No lumps and the extra weight + the magnets on the underside of the top would keep it from moving.
Great suggestion... and what if I could get stick-on magnet sheets and cover the entire bottom of the mat? I think I may already have the stuff for your idea. I'll dig around.
Thanks for watching and check out my other tool cart vids. I have on for the drawer latches and I PlastiDiped the trim.
Loved the locking lid hack, mine will get same mod asap!!
Excellent!
Thanks for watching. And consider subscribing for more mods.