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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Default Hare and Forbes tooling cabinets

    I am tired of trying to make do with old cupboards etc and was thinking of biting the bullet and buying one or maybe two of there dedicated tooling cupboards. To start with one for the lathe on wheels with a backboard I have boards of tooling and tool holders and thought it’d be a good way to go.

    Anybody have ave them or can advise what there like ?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    No idea on H&F ones, but the Maxim tool boxes are great and have stood up over time for me, and the larger draws have double bearing slides.
    There side cabinets are around 460x460 and 860 high and are only around $300, slightly smaller but under half the price and free delivery most times through ebay.
    There large 42 inch roll chest is only around $600

    They have 4x8mm threads on each corner of the side cabinets for castor wheels (I've just separated one of mine and the castor's where only $20 from Bunnings)

    Years ago when I bought mine I questioned them about the H&F tool chests which look the same, they replied to compare the weight of them to there's. As I found out there made of thicker sheet.
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  3. #3
    BobL is offline Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Perth
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    I had a look at the H&F cabinets when was buying for my electronics workshop.

    One thing I noticed was the same set of drawers on wheels cost ~$100 more. Wheels (especially on line) are not that expensive. I ended up going for a pair of Sidchromes from Bunnings and put my own wheels on for about $25.


    Before you buy anything make sure you work out what depth of drawers you need. Lots of shallow drawers are handy for showing/seeing smaller items but overall a cabinet with many shallow drawers won't store as much as those with deeper drawers.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Sydney
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    A few years ago I purchased one of these red tool trolleys for use as my main tool store (spanners, screwdrivers, hand punches, battery drills, etc.:
    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/T715
    In my opinion it's crap. The drawers have never stayed closed with any certainty, so moving it around is risky unless you lock it because the drawers can slide open and the cabinet will tip over instantly, but the cheap lock mechanism doesn't always lock without some drawer wiggling and massaging of the lock barrel so locking it is not a quick operation. If I didn't need to keep the humidity out of my tools, I'd take the wheels of this cabinet and hide it away as stationary storage somewhere.

    On the other hand, I got one of these grey cabinets to store larger mill tooling, big drills, taps and dies, etc. in:
    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/T764
    It cost a lot more, but is a quality item. The drawers latch closed positively with a loud clunk every time. One day I will buy some more of this style, but a shed extension is needed first.

    Graham.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
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    sydney ( st marys )
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    Default

    You get what you pay for.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by pipeclay View Post
    You get what you pay for.
    I find the Maxim to be top quality tool boxes at reasonable prices. I have had my tool box for 5-7 years and my son just bought 2 for the back of his work van, still the same quality.
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  7. #7
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    Just to add, my son's sidchrome tool box fell apart in his other work van (all the spot welds broke), there's no warranty for road use, it's in the warranty clause
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Athelstone, SA 5076
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    4,255

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    Quote Originally Posted by pipeclay View Post
    You get what you pay for.
    you are right of course... I bought a $96K in may...the GPS sucks..it has on many occasions has shown me to be offroad when I am on road...and also in the water when in fact I was at 500meteres from it...the airconditioning is great tho as are the leather seats...silly sunroof is blocked out by full length Rhino tradies rack...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Perth Western Australia
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    65
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    203

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    I've had one of the grey cabinets for 5 or 6 years now .
    They are a excellent and heavy duty cabinet.
    Expensive but they won't let you down.
    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/T764
    Mark
    I've become a tool of my tools.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Blue Mtns
    Posts
    115

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    Quote Originally Posted by Poloris View Post
    I've had one of the grey cabinets for 5 or 6 years now .
    They are a excellent and heavy duty cabinet.
    Expensive but they won't let you down.
    https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/T764
    Mark

    Thanks Mark yes that’s what I am looking at . I know the maxim tool chests , they are good but still not tooling quality imo . Great toolbox’s not tooling cabinets .

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    NSW
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    For proper heavy duty tooling cabinets you can’t beat the BAC systems gear but you definitely pay for it. We have heaps of BAC tooling cabinets and benches at work and they are sensational. We also have some of the grey hafco tooling ones you have mentioned, they are solid enough to load up with heavy tooling and are by all means adequate, but not BAC quality. I am currently thinking of buying one of the small hafco ones to slide under my workbench.
    Keep an eye on gumtree and graysonline for the BAC cabinets, they will last a lifetime so you won’t go wrong buying secondhand, there was a few on gumtree last time I looked.
    James

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
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    Blue Mtns
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    Quote Originally Posted by jt-precision View Post
    For proper heavy duty tooling cabinets you can’t beat the BAC systems gear but you definitely pay for it. We have heaps of BAC tooling cabinets and benches at work and they are sensational. We also have some of the grey hafco tooling ones you have mentioned, they are solid enough to load up with heavy tooling and are by all means adequate, but not BAC quality. I am currently thinking of buying one of the small hafco ones to slide under my workbench.
    Keep an eye on gumtree and graysonline for the BAC cabinets, they will last a lifetime so you won’t go wrong buying secondhand, there was a few on gumtree last time I looked.
    James
    yeah agree James. BAC are ducks guts, secondhand they either seem to be a zillion dollars or missing bits . This is for a home workshop that will be lucky to get used a day a month sadly so think I’ll give the hafco ones ago

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
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    Sydney
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    I used to work at Tafe and we bought probably 30 of the Hafco TC750s and fitted them out as tooling cabinets for all the machines, mostly as lathe & milling cabinets. They stood up fairly well to the treatment students gave them; to date they're probably six years old and still going ok. We made mdf inserts for the top drawer mostly for measurement tools, stored 2 lathe chucks in the bottom drawer, fastened a 5-ply top to each cabinet to strengthen them as lathe chucks were plonked on them. The drawer runners sit in slots so you could move the different size drawers up or down according to your preference. Had to drill a few locks out when students lost keys but no big deal. Lockable castors worked fine. I've got a Maxxim tool chest at home for spanners etc and they're certainly good quality. Hafco's next sale is probably around Easter 2019 - approx 10% off. Hope this helps. - Peter

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