Chevy High Performance: 13-Drawer Tool Cabinet

Opinions are like hand tools: everybody's got them.  But while they vary when it comes to which Harbor Freight tools customers have on their wish lists, one item seems to make ALL the lists-- the wildly popular US General Pro 44" 13-Drawer Roller Cabinet.

How many times did you have a 'honey-do' fix, or faced a weekend auto project, and didn't know exactly where your needed tools were? They used to be in that drawer... or was it in that one spot on the workbench? I think it's safe to say, I'm not the only one who goes through that hellacious routine from time to time.

In the December 2012 issue of Chevy High Performance, Henry De Los Santos shared that, since his team finally graduated to a "real toolbox" (the 13-drawer cabinet), they now enjoy being able to find any particular tool right away when they need it. And since this tool cabinet is modular, he gushed, it can expand even more, with the industrial-strength US General Pro Top Chest...

...and the super-tough 7-Drawer End Cabinet.

 Whatever your work or hobby, the US General tool cabinets and carts are the best values you're going to find. A lot of folks try saying that about their cabinets, but they don't quite live up to the combination of solid construction and low prices you'll find at Harbor Freight. Of course, you don't have to take my word for it, or even the testimony of a magazine. Just go on the site and read the dozens of reviews given by the customers who use them every day. They pretty much all say the same thing as this owner of the 13-drawer cabinet:

"I have shopped around for a new tool cabinet for quite some time, and this is by far (very far, actually) the best value I have found. The reviews confirmed what I had already seen in the stores, so buying this beauty was a no-brainer.

The cabinet is very well built, and the sheet metal is a much heavier gauge than the competition. The large top drawer and the two deep bottom drawers have a double guide set-up to carry some extra weight, which is a very nice touch when you have to store heavy tools. They'll load it for you at the store, but you better ask a friend to come over and help you unload this sucker or you might get hurt! When I unloaded mine, I had to remove all the drawers to even be able to slide it to the tailgate.

I bought it to put my mini-mill on, and I was a bit worried about how the 44" span above the top drawer would do with a 150 lbs mill on it. I cut a piece of 3/4" plywood as a bench top, put the mill on it, and the cabinet didn't budge one bit. I had planned to bolt the cabinet to the wall to make the setup more rigid, but I didn't have to, it was solid as a rock after locking the casters. However, it does have threaded holes (for the handle) on both sides, so it would be very easy to add wall brackets if I ever decide to do so.

The handles have paper labels with plastic covers, a nice feature for us who want to keep things organized.

I'm pretty picky with everything I buy for my shop, and usually try to stick with the "pro brand" stuff. However, this cabinet blows the competition plumb out of the water. A similar unit from the big brands would run at least three times more, and would still not be the same quality. Granted, I haven't compared with the top-of-the-line professional brands, but it sure beats everything I have found in the department stores and home improvement stores."  TN Gunsmith