Anyone Use These "Husky" Brand Cabinets & Benches?

[Old Moparz]

I saw these in Home Depot in the storage shelving section & thought they were reasonably priced & fairly strong. My basement is due to get a mild makeover for my wood shop & I was thinking about building a new work bench, some cabinets, & thought that buying something already done might be better if I can do it under a certain amount of money.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?storeId=10051&N=502362+985+90401&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&cm_sp=StorageOrg-_-Garage_Storage-_-Frag1-_-img#/?c=1&rd=rd

The ones on display locally are not at floor level, they're up about 5 feet so I can't get a good, hands on feel for the overall quality. The bottom drawer that I can reach & open feels sturdy, not flimsy, & the storage cabinet doors feel rigid. They have what looks like a stainless steel top. Does anyone have these type of cabinets, & can you comment on the quality?   

[Patronus]

Husky sux 
I've heard of cabinets avail. online that you put together yourself, saving 2/3 the cost..

[Old Moparz]

Husky sux 
I've heard of cabinets avail. online that you put together yourself, saving 2/3 the cost..

Any idea what brand or where?   


I've seen a few bottom end Husky boxes, benches, & cabinets that are flimsy & unimpressive, but the ones I saw at Home Depot pictured in my 1st post look like a better grade.

[bull]

I can't speak to the quality of these benches (although every Husky tool I've owned has been great) but what struck me was how small they are. When I looked at the Home Depot and Lowes work benches I decided they were too short, too shallow, too narrow, too flimsy, etc., so I built my own work bench out of wood for tons less than what they wanted for one of those rinky-dink Playskool benches. Later I got some nice kitchen cabinets for free from a guy who was remodeling. Most guys seem to gravitate toward a hodge-podge collection of cabinets and benches to save money and customize. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,36940.0.html

Here's mine:

[RallyeMike]

I looked at those and chose Gladiator instead. They seem a little more heavy duty. The 28x28 Husky weighs only 32lbs and the 30x30 Gladiator weighs 48lbs. Sears is still having a big sale on Gladiator. I also like them because of the silver diamond plate doors which keep the room from getting too dark.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00959036000P?prdNo=6&blockNo=6&blockType=G6

Suggest don't pay for the crappy mounting system of any brand - just screw them to the studs. The Gladiator wall cabinets are nice. I don't like the drawer slides on the floor units though - somewhat flimsy. They call them ball bearing, but it's not tool chest grade.

I agree with Bull - always build your own work bench. There are no work benches worth a crap. It's not that much work, and you can custom size the width, length and height to match what you want.

[bill440rt]

x2 

A good friend of mine is a carpenter who helped me build my workbench in my garage. It's about 9ft long or so, and about 2-1/2ft deep (about kitchen counter size). It's 1/2 covered in stainless for a bench top for working on grungy or heavy stuff, and the other half is masonite. Home Depot & Lowes have cheap, white pressboard type bottom kitchen cabinets that you can assemble. I used one of those bottom units on one end, so there's a cabinet on the bottom with a drawer on top for storing miscellaneous things. The whole thing is anchored directly to the wall, and is sturdy as hell. I dread the day I may have to move, because I'd love to take it with me somehow.
I've mounted a bench vise & grinder on it as well. With all these projects I've got going on it's covered in crap right now end to end, cleaning it up is gonna be my New Year's resolution! 

[bull]

I agree with Bull - always build your own work bench. There are no work benches worth a crap. It's not that much work, and you can custom size the width, length and height to match what you want.

Exactly. I used six 2x4s, two 4x4s, a couple of 4'x2' ready-made table tops, a box of wood screws and then I also bought a pair of shop lights and bulbs, all for $80. I think I only cutting I did was on a 10-foot 2x4 and the 4x4s and then I roughed it out and used about 25 screws to put it together. The whole project took about 45 minues with no plans. What I got was a much stronger/tougher work bench that was 2' longer, a foot deeper, about a foot taller and $110 less than Lowe's "big" and fancy bench for $189. It was only about $20 cheaper than the dinky 18x36 Lowe's bench but what was I going to do with that tinker toy? Buy three? It was a no brainer.

[Old Moparz]

Thanks for the input. 

I built the workbench in my garage, as well as at the packing & shipping places I used to work, so I know you can usually make a better one for a lot less than buying it. The reason I was considering the Husky, mostly the smaller modules, is that having drawers & small cabinets already done would be a big plus.

The Husky work bench I can easily pass on, but the modules with the drawers might be nice parked under a bench I make.

[bull]

You can still use them but don't feel roped in to using their bench just to get the cabinets.

[bill440rt]

Bob, go over to the kitchen cabinet area in Lowe's or HD next time you're there. Check out some of the lower-priced bottom cabinets (usually the plain white press-board ones).
They are just the right height for a work bench, and you'll get the drawers & storage space you need. They also sell smaller wall mounted cabinets, too. 

[Brock Lee]

For similar money you can buy the high end stuff used at auctions.

[Old Moparz]

By combining some ideas from here & the Garage Journal site, I think I have a plan for a work bench. Someone else just built steel frames with legs, then set some base cabinet tool boxes into them. He's using solid door slabs as a top which is something I have handy. It looks great & probably something I will do, but with wood framing instead.

Check out this great set up.....
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126086

[Neal_J]

Playschool....Tinker Toys

Damn, I enjoy your posts, Bull



Neal

[bull]

Playschool....Tinker Toys

Damn, I enjoy your posts, Bull



Neal

I'm glad someone does.

[DonC1]

I have three Husky Rollaways just like the picture...at 1st I couldn't believe the price at just $200. ea here at the depot...thought for sure it would be a pos....turns out not to be the case...very strong..decently made..and equivalent or better than my craftsman boxes...so bought two more...and only assembly needed is wheels put on.