Let me introduce y’all to Harbor Freight and Tools. Quality tools at ridiculously low prices. (that’s the slogan that they use)
Brilliant store, but don’t worry if there isn’t one where you live. The website has the exact same awesome things that we saw in the store WITH $6.99 flat rate shipping. I have slight commitment issues and have to touch power tools before I can actually buy them…..but that’s just me.
Our friend Jimmy, you might remember that he connected our dishwasher for us, sent us to Harbor Freight and Tools to buy foldable saw horses.
“Only 12 bucks,” he said.
Up to this point, we had been using Ikea fiberboard saw horses meant for a light weight desk top…..Pretty crappy, but they were free. We started with 4, and we’re down to just 2 because they kept shattering when I tried to use them as actual saw horses.
Anyhoo, my first step into Harbor Freight and Tools, and my head was,
“Spinning right round, Baby, like a record, Baby, right round, round round.”
They have absolutely everything that hardware stores used to have……I seriously didn’t know where to focus……chrome axes, air compressors ($65 range), live bait traps, rolling tool-cabinets, Adirondack chairs (only $25, I might add), $12 saw horses that we were there to get in the first place, a 12 foot greenhouse, (takes breath) I could go on for days…..
But this is what I couldn’t stop myself from buying.
Red powder coated tool cart with locking drawer and wheels. Very Cool…
I just had no idea what to do with it…
Wait a minute, didn’t I just pin an inspiration picture on Pinterest ? Oh yeah, this one…….
And my brain started chanting “Bar Cart, Bar Cart, Bar Cart”. I have always wanted a bar cart. And here was one for only $75 staring me in the face.
We are not big liquor drinkers, I very much prefer beer. But I do enjoy collecting those cool liquor bottles….See…
Now we have something to put all those bottles on..and eaisly roll them from room to room around the abode.
I did have to make a few modifications, just to make it our own.
For starters I installed the bottom shelf upside down , so that it’s not concave like the top.
Ohhh yeah, the top. There are 4 weird nuts that stick up in the tray on top….
So I cut a 30 X 16 MDF piece to insert inside and make a nice flat surface…..
Because the handles for the whole cart take up the corners, I had to jig saw away about an inch and a half of each corner.
Then I was left with this cross shape…
The bolts stick up about 1/4 inch, so I used a router bit on the drill to make holes, but not complete holes. I wanted this piece to fit perfectly on top of the bolts.
Looks like this…..This will be the bottom of the tray top.
We always use adhesive cork shelf liners in our drawers to keep things from sliding around. This stuff is great. It’s not so sticky that you can’t peel it up and adjust it if you didn’t do a perfect job applying it. We buy it at Target, but I think The Container Store sells it too. I covered the top of my cart insert with the cork and trimmed the edges with a sharp exacto knife. (Hint; change blades often, a sharp blade will make a world of difference with all your projects)
Because I measured several times, it fit just perfectly. See
Then I filled her with bottles…and naturally, an orchid.
I know that y’all didn’t think that we forgot to put cork in that drawer, now did you? What a perfect place to keep a bottle opener (shaped like an antler of course), shot glasses, cocktail napkins, a bartenders guide…and the most important things, old-fashioned glasses…
With only 4 1/2 inches of drawer height, I thought it might be difficult to find old-fashioned glasses to fit in there. You know, some that I actually liked. The Crate & Barrel outlet is not far from our house…and these were the first ones I saw…
4 inches tall? Only a buck fifty? Are you kidding me? I took 10.
We could NOT possibly love this cart more.
On the off-chance that someday we do tire of it…..we will just use it in the garage.
You know, to actually hold tools.
But I don’t see that happening anytime soon……
THE CAVENDER DIARY 
Brilliant!!
We think so too, Sue
Look on Harbor Freight’s Facebook site. Every month they post coupons one of which is a 20% off any item one. You can even use it on items that are on sale. You can only use one per visit but you can print it as many times as you want and use one every time you go.
Angie, that is the best thing I have heard all month…We are headed back for a tool cabinet for the garage next….LOVE that store so much!!!
Thanks for the advice….
Dude, you are so cool! Thanks for your creativity and vision. You inspire me to think beyond…
We are so glad that you can find a little inspiration from us….That’s all we are hoping to do
Just love it!!
Aww thanks Anne……It’s my new favorite thing in our house
AWESOME! AWESOME! AWESOME!!!!! Brilliant idea to invert the bottom shelf for now! While I might paint mine a different color, I DEFINITELY believe that one of these nifty little carts is in my immediate future. And yes, I ADORE Harbor Freight….Northern Tool & Equipment, too! Angie’s tip about the 20% off coupon is FABULOUS so you KNOW I will be taking full advantage of THAT!!! I love this blog more every DAY!!!!!
Vicky, you are too sweet. we are both glad that you keep coming back….and there is 20% off a rolling tool cabinet in MY immediate future…
How clever of you — it’s perfect for your house!
Thanks Sally, yeah, it blends right in…you would never know that red is my “least” favorite color…but somehow we keep acquiring red items….Jeesh
That is pretty darn cool. That’s going on my to do list!
Thanks Jerry, keep watching, we hope to inspire you even more…..
Marvelous! What a great idea.
My husband loves HF, he calls it the Cheap Tool store.
I hear that !!! We are going to make it a habit to stop in at least once a month from now on!!!!
James- I can quite honestly say that is one of the best bar carts I have ever seen- way to go!! I love how you placed it in front of that great poster! Awesome colours. That is what I love about you guys-you aren’t afraid of colour!
Thanks Megan, I got that poster JUST to put over that cart. I LOVe Carter the Great! And he Will be framed in the near future (chunky black frame with no mat) AND NO Color Fear in this house…..our closets look like crayon boxes,
James, I’ve been searching for the perfect, UNIQUE, bar cart and I believe I just found it. As I’m not handy at all, I’m sure I’ll leave as is. Love, love the bright red color as I too love bright colors. Thanks so much for sharing. May I ask – the cool floor lamp – where did you find that pretty?
Thanks again for sharing!
Hi Mimi! Welcome aboard, Our bar cart is our favorite thing in the house right now…75$ with 7$ shipping is hard to pass up. We still need to have a party and “break her in”. The lamp is an old Ikea fixture, we keep a few in the gargage for photoshoots and sometimes they wander inside the house, the closest thing they have now is the Basisk….
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I snagged that cart today for $49.99 with a coupon!
Sweet!!!!!!
Awesome! But do tell, kind sir, where is this Crate & Barrel Outlet that you speak of?!
There’s one about a mile from our house. Pretty sure they have them in outlet malls across the country. I’ve been to several.