Sheetmetal question

Sep 19, 2007 4 Replies
L

Sorry to be asking an on-topic question (because of the heart leaps which will occur from it), but I have a question about storage.



I'm considering buying one of these boxes and wondered if anyone here has made one like them. They're weatherproof storage boxes for the bed of a pickup, going on the bed itself at the rear, not between the sides at the front or in the saddlebag wheelwell area. It's for my handyman tools, which are now in 8 of the HF canvas bags ++. Boxes like this would leave room for lumber, etc. around 'em. It'll be going into a 2008 Tundra truck which has a GRFRP composite bed bottom.



Finances are provided by sale of my old '90 F-150 which the Toyonka guys wouldn't even give me a grand for. (Let's see, 17 years of service for $13,770? Not a bad investment.)



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model SA 30B
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JoBox model 666980
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not quite what I want
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another possibility
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Here ya go, Gunner!
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Mamabear fit, #109
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model 334-3



These SOBs run between $600 and $1700 (tool acquisition range, huh? ;) so I'm thinking about making one. I'm also thinking about building a gun safe, so...



I have neither a heavy duty brake to bend steel or AL, nor a good enough welder to TIG the aluminum (MUCH lighter.) But I could TIG up a steel box and have a local fabber bend me up.



Thoughts?


-- Instant Gratification Takes Too Long! -------------------------------------


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L

What, nobody has an opinion?!? That's a first.

On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:18:46 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, Larry Jaques quickly quoth:

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E

So perhaps more GRFRP would be the material of ideal choice (and stick with "much lighter"?)

I'm struck by the apparent inconvenience of these things more than anything. If you're going to clutter up the bottom of the bed with a drawer, then make it a full-length drawer. Otherwise use boxes that DO fit the "saddlebag areas" in front of and behind the wheel wells (top access for the front ones) and leave the bed clear. Or sell the bed and put on a utility body.

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L

On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:38:23 GMT, with neither quill nor qualm, Ecnerwal quickly quoth:

Know anyone who builds graphite boxes? (Better yet, who doesn't want my firstborn and an arm and both legs for it?)

Yeah, I'm weighing even more options now, having forgotten my need to carry bulk goodies like gravel, bark, sand, bricks, etc. on occasion.

1) I can build a full-length frame which would fit over the box so I could fit sheet goods in, flat, over it. But that wouldn't be good enough to fit the LoadHandler on. Half a ton of gravel would need a lot of bracing, adding more weight. That would make it even more of a bear to get the pressure washer up on top of the added height. 2) I could build side frames for ladders which could also brace sheet goods vertically. Still no LoadHandler.
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3) I could go with a dump bed kit and side or saddle boxes, but those would put the COG higher. I'd rather keep it low, but a dump bed would be lots of fun, too. 4)I could rip the lid off that 13' travel trailer and fab it into a flatbed or short-sided pickup bed for the Loadhandler trips.

Decisions, decisions...

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B

Light weight is not a good attribute in a gun safe unless you really bolt it into the house securely!

If I were building one, I would start with 3/8" steel and stick weld it together. TIG at that thickness for steel takes a lot of current and moves pretty slowly. Aluminum would be worse. This seems like the ideal application for stick welding to me.

BobH

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