HF Toolbox / Workbench Build - Unistrut, 80/20 vs. welding, etc.

[Brian]

Hoping this may be the year when I get my act together, get the garage wired up with outlets and drywall/insulation done. Then I want to put in some better tool cabinets to be a bit more organized and I've been browsing around on GJ for ideas.

If you haven't already run into it, this conversion by "Steevo" of the really popular harbor freight 44" to a more built-in look is pretty awesome.
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126086

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I especially like that one above with the NewAge cabinets on top, but I know those get pretty darn expensive pretty quick too...
There are tons of examples on GJ of similar-inspired builds, including a few built on unistrut or 80/20

80/20:
https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158342&highlight=workbench&page=5
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Anybody local built anything similar? I don't weld (yet?) so was debating if I should find someone to give me a hand, and if so whether it is a big deal or not, or if I should try to mess with unistrut/superstrut or 80/20, neither of which I have messed with yet.
Just looking for ideas or thoughts from anyone who has built something like this or was thinking about it...

[Bailey Guns]

I haven't built anything like that, but...DAMN! That's a nice workbench.

I'm curious if he was able to save money doing that himself or if something "off the shelf" would've been less expensive. But, it's probably not about the money. It's about what he wanted so he got exactly that without having to compromise on a pre-fab setup.

[ray1970]

I’m no help. My garage is like one of those countries Trump was talking about recently.

[Grant H.]

I haven't built anything like that, but...DAMN! That's a nice workbench.

I'm curious if he was able to save money doing that himself or if something "off the shelf" would've been less expensive. But, it's probably not about the money. It's about what he wanted so he got exactly that without having to compromise on a pre-fab setup.

Probably both, honestly. If you watch the adds/coupons, you can get those tool boxes for really quite cheap.


I’m no help. My garage is like one of those countries Trump was talking about recently.

As several on here can attest, I'm in the same boat.

[Grant H.]

For reference from the thread:


I have had a couple of PM's asking about the cost.
I have no secrets, so here are the numbers:

Steel - Bench Frame $359
Steel - Bench Tops $387
Leveling Feet $121
Wood Tops (doors) $87
Welding Supplies $100
Spray Paint $22
Tool Boxes $1500

Total Cost $2576


The boxes are normally $400, but paying normal price at HF is dumb. 20% off Coupons are everywhere, and 25% is not that infrequent.

Wait for them to be on sale, use a 20% off coupon, and you could get 4 of them down to less than $1200 pretty easily.

[Bailey Guns]

Yeah, that's pretty pricey. Especially when you figure the time it took. But it's still nice. Between work and other stuff, though, that would take me about a year to pull off.

I have one of the big HF 72" tool chests on wheels (US General). That's one of the best built pieces of equipment I've ever seen. As nice as any other tool box for a fraction of the price.

[Great-Kazoo]

I'd build frames from unistrut, which is easier for those with a chopsaw, instead of buying, borrowing or asking for a welder.

Unistrut cost + strut hardware + chopsaw + square, grinder to clean up edges versus welder, consumables, gas, gauges, learning how to weld.

You can get away with not using a grinder, if you're comfortable cleaning up cut ends on the chopsaw.

I've build a few unistrut work benches, they're still standing and haven't gotten loose from the years i've worked on them. I would do some serious CL browsing for used toolboxes.

[DenverGP]

The boxes are normally $400, but paying normal price at HF is dumb. 20% off Coupons are everywhere, and 25% is not that infrequent.

Unfortunately all the 20% and 25% coupons I've seen have fine print that excludes a bunch of items, including their tool boxes.

Harbor now sells a wood topped toolbox, but they call it a "workbench" and at least the older 20/25% coupons didn't exclude workbenches. The product name was changed from workbench to storage cabinet, which are excluded on the coupon.

[Grant H.]

Unfortunately all the 20% and 25% coupons I've seen have fine print that excludes a bunch of items, including their tool boxes.

Harbor now sells a wood topped toolbox, but they call it a "workbench" and at least the older 20/25% coupons didn't exclude workbenches. The product name was changed from workbench to storage cabinet, which are excluded on the coupon.

Interesting, you are correct on the exclusion.

We have a couple of their boxes at our shop, and I used the 20% off coupons for both.

Now you have me wondering if those were "special" coupons, or apathetic/stupid clerks.

[gta_spec]

I have built alot of custom device enclosures out of 80/20 for customers. It's expensive, but if done right it can look great. But it does physically loosen up over time, and I don't like that.

If I was building for myself, I would buy a cheap harbor freight dc tig welder, a chop saw and square steel tubing. 1" x 16ga tubing is under a buck a foot. You can't beat that.

[Irving]

Interesting, you are correct on the exclusion.

We have a couple of their boxes at our shop, and I used the 20% off coupons for both.

Now you have me wondering if those were "special" coupons, or apathetic/stupid clerks.

I think he's talking about the same thing as this Buyer Intel thread I posted a while ago. Not because of my thread, just a coincidence.

https://www.ar-15.co/threads/166374-Yukon-Workbench-for-20-off-at-Harbor-Freight-maybe

[Wolfshoon]

Holy wow that is a lot of work! I do occasional welding for work with 4" angle iron and 1/4 steel plate with all the nice precision angle cut off saws and level welding tables. Couldn't imagine doing that at home without the support equipment and tooling.

Looks nice, but personally I want EVERYTHING in the garage to be mobile with wheels. All my upright cabinets and tool boxes are on wheels and that has proved to be a lifesaver a couple times for re-arranging workspace to fit stuff into the garage. I do have a couple of workbenches that are fixed floor pads, but they are not fastened to the wall or floor and can be relocated with some effort. It's nice to just roll the tool box up to the car and not have to walk back and forth across the entire garage for that one tool you forgot to grab the first time.

**** EDIT to add: if you ever move, that frame would be a bitch to get out, load and move. When I moved 8 years ago half my garage shop was wheel mounted which made life much easier just rolling stuff up into the storage pods and wheeled out to their new home.

[Wulf202]

Why not just bolt the boxes together and skip the frame?