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.)

http://adriansteel.com/toyota/toyotastowall.htm model SA 30B
http://tinyurl.com/2axxf3 JoBox model 666980
http://www.extendobed.com/ not quite what I want
http://www.truckcargobed.com/DB_se.html another possibility
http://www.truckcargobed.com/utility.html Here ya go, Gunner!
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/truckbox/115.html Mamabear fit, #109
http://tinyurl.com/yvdvoq 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!
-------------------------------------

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


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

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.)

http://adriansteel.com/toyota/toyotastowall.htm model SA 30B
http://tinyurl.com/2axxf3 JoBox model 666980
http://www.extendobed.com/ not quite what I want
http://www.truckcargobed.com/DB_se.html another possibility
http://www.truckcargobed.com/utility.html Here ya go, Gunner!
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/truckbox/115.html Mamabear fit, #109
http://tinyurl.com/yvdvoq 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?

--

According to our strength of character and our clarity of vision, we will
endure, we will succeed, we will have contributed something to make life
where we were and as we lived it better, brighter, and more beautiful.
-- Frank Lloyd Wright

In article ,
Larry Jaques wrote:

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.

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

enough welder to TIG the aluminum (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.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

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

In article ,
Larry Jaques wrote:

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.

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

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


enough welder to TIG the aluminum (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.

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.
http://www.myladderracks.com/catalog/xmoonblk-650.jpg

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...

--

According to our strength of character and our clarity of vision, we will
endure, we will succeed, we will have contributed something to make life
where we were and as we lived it better, brighter, and more beautiful.
-- Frank Lloyd Wright

Larry Jaques wrote:
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.

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