Harbor Freight at SEMA - US General Series 3 and other Updates

[RPS1030]

72” Roll Cab and Hutch were in store when we wandered in late this week.

Slides weren’t as smooth as the Icon next to it. Hutch opens and closes nicely. But door is at neck level and i’m 6’ even.

Amount of space for the price seems reasonable.

 

[bgaidan]

It looks like they're selling the display models.

Earlier in the week the website showed the gray roll cab and hutch available at my local store (see above image) - and three other stores "nearby" with them. Was in the area this morning, so stopped in. Empty floor along the cabinet lineup. The store was busy, so I didn't ask anyone and just figured they didn't have it unpacked yet - which I thought was odd given the excitement over them.

Came home and checked the website. Only one store with a 72" roll cab - a gray one - "nearby" at 145 miles from me. No other colors "nearby." Four "nearby" stores - from 100 to 145 miles away - show gray hutches available. No other colors. Five "nearby" - 100 to 200 miles away - stores show gray top boxes available. No other colors.

Some of them (roll cab, top box, hutch) and some of the colors say in store order only while others say available online later in May.

For as much as they were saying "available May 1st" and making a big deal about the release of Series 3, it seems kind of strange that they're not even keeping them in the stores for you to look at. I'm not in the market for any of it since I bought my roll cab a year ago, but I'd want to see one in person before I placed my order.

I saw something on FB that stores were saying they can't sell them until the 9th or something like that.

 

[PAToyota]

Typically they don't sell the display models of something unless it is being discontinued or they're refreshing the displays. I can't say for sure that they're selling the display models since I didn't talk to anyone, but there are stores that showed online they had them in stock that now don't show any stock.

 

[bgaidan]

Typically they don't sell the display models of something unless it is being discontinued or they're refreshing the displays. I can't say for sure that they're selling the display models since I didn't talk to anyone, but there are stores that showed online they had them in stock that now don't show any stock.

They may be pulling them from "visible" inventory until they can sell them or something.


I've also been told that HF's display items don't show up in inventory like a lot of store. At least not at a consumer visible level like the website.

 

[PAToyota]

So, if it showed up on the website you'd think there were ones in stock to sell - in addition to the display model. I don't know about the other stores, but the one I went into had nothing on display after showing they had inventory.

 

[Twankie]

When I bought a bandsaw years ago the only one showed in stock was the display and they wouldn't sell it. Had to drive across town to another store.

 

[NDCjeepsmith]

^ this, was in yesterday and guy called about something as I was at checkout. She said we show one in stock but can't sell it since it's display.

Then had to explain why and Yadav Yada... just say you don't have any if that's the case woman

 

[PAToyota]

So I was in the area and stopped in on Sunday. There was a grey roller and hutch on the floor for display. When I got home, I checked the website and for the hutch it says there none available nearby and the roller says there is limited supply at a store 20 miles away. None show as available for the store I was at. So no idea how their inventory works...

I do really like the grey. If I knew a year ago that it was coming, I might have considered waiting instead of getting the black one. Other than that, I don't think that the roller itself makes a significant difference over what I have. I did note that the latches on two of the drawers were already broken. I've seen the "one side" latches broken on other display models while I've never broken one on the 5-drawer carts I've had for years, though.

The top of the hutch is right about forehead level for me. I don't really have a use for one at the home shop, but if I was considering one that would be annoying. I'd likely clock myself in the forehead with some regularity.

 

[barrelroll]

So I was in the area and stopped in on Sunday. There was a grey roller and hutch on the floor for display. When I got home, I checked the website and for the hutch it says there none available nearby and the roller says there is limited supply at a store 20 miles away. None show as available for the store I was at. So no idea how their inventory works...

I do really like the grey. If I knew a year ago that it was coming, I might have considered waiting instead of getting the black one. Other than that, I don't think that the roller itself makes a significant difference over what I have. I did note that the latches on two of the drawers were already broken. I've seen the "one side" latches broken on other display models while I've never broken one on the 5-drawer carts I've had for years, though.

The top of the hutch is right about forehead level for me. I don't really have a use for one at the home shop, but if I was considering one that would be annoying. I'd likely clock myself in the forehead with some regularity.

The new drawer layout and power drawer brought them up with the times. Does all the new stuff have black trim? If so I wonder how many people are going to end up buying a top and bottom box because the black trimmed hutches, top boxes, and lockers don't match their chrome trimmed bottom boxes.

I think harbor freight trying to keep stuff backwards compatible has caused some of the issues with things such as hutch height. I really wish they would have made them deeper than 22", even husky is making 24" deep boxes though it would kill backwards compatibility. It's the same with the icon boxes only being 25" deep, a 30" deep box takes up a lot of space for a home jobber though it awesome if you work out of one daily. I'm guessing the hutch will be a big hit with entry level mechanics working in shops, kinda worthless for people with a box in their home garage. I know I really like being able to throw a bunch of junk in my hutch, lock it up, and go home, I have 0 desire for one at home.

For years snapon master series hutches were low and people would hit their heads. Last year they discontinued most master series top boxes and redesigned the hutches and lockers to make them taller, people order lockers and they end up sticking up past their older hutches. My epiq at work is stupid tall, like 6'2" tall with most of the hutch face retracted into the hutch, my short ass is nowhere near close to hitting my head on my hutch.

 

[PAToyota]

The new drawer layout and power drawer brought them up with the times.

I've got my power tools and batteries stored elsewhere, so the power drawer doesn't offer many advantages to me at home. I'll agree that the layout does seem to be better.

Does all the new stuff have black trim?

They will come with black trim and then you can get either chrome or titanium trim replacements if you want to dress that up. I also saw that they had the black trim for the 5-drawer cart available for about $9 (LINK). I don't see any of the other trim kits yet, though.

a 30" deep box takes up a lot of space for a home jobber though it awesome if you work out of one daily.

That's the thing. By the time you have the box and an open drawer at 30", you need five feet of space. I think that's a premium in most home shops. I know it is in mine. I think people are going to go wider (72" rather than 56") rather than deeper.

Keeping the depth for backwards compatibility is one part. From what they're saying, the other part is compatibility across the line - like you'll be able to add the side cabinet or locker to anything from a 26" to a 72" roller. I know that sounds silly on a 26" setup, but I actually have a side cabinet (drawers) on a 5-drawer tool cart that works well for me. You'd also be able to put a smaller top chest on a larger roller (like a 26" top chest on a 56" or 72" roller) so you still have some "workbench" space on the roller.

I'm guessing the hutch will be a big hit with entry level mechanics working in shops, kinda worthless for people with a box in their home garage. I know I really like being able to throw a bunch of junk in my hutch, lock it up, and go home

I do think they're mixing their target audience a bit. Make the ICON stuff taller and deeper and go for the entry level shop mechanics and make the USGeneral stuff more compact and offer home shop features. As you say, the hutch has benefits in a shop, but not so much at home and the depth and height is more a home garage setup. I'm sure that there will be a lot of "poser" purchases of the hutch for home shops, though.