toolboxes

[fredschrom]

Getting close enough to finishing these up I thought I would share some pics, 5 boxes all from scratch, only parts that I had done were the channels for the face frames ( precision bend but I cut and mitered them ) and the tops and doors were bent.

The bottom boxes used standard hinges, the top boxes were all build my own hardware, hinges, latches, handles.

Should have these wrapped up tommorrow or Saturday, then its just paint, and mount on the truck.

First the top boxes:

[fredschrom]

more tops:

[fredschrom]

A couple of the bottoms sorry one is a crummt pic:

[wb4rt]

Hey, Fred.
Great job on the boxes. I'm sure you will make good use out of them.
I wish I had the ability to build tool boxes like that.

[fredschrom]

No pics tonight but welding is all done, sanding tommorrow then paint.

[ironheart_ram]

Originally Posted by fredschrom

No pics tonight but welding is all done, sanding tommorrow then paint.

that is a nice looking box and i need one like that after a marauder broke in last night in the shop and successfully open the makeshift tool storage and took the angle grinder and a pair of electric drill...now i definitely need 1 that...BOLT on the wall thanks for sharing

[fredschrom]

Sorry wrong pics lets try this agian as I can't delete them:

[fredschrom]

All but one installed done deal. Last one waits till I put the welder on as it will be easier to fork lift on there. Anyway heres a couple pics of the almost finished project.











Still needs a final top coat of paint, buts thats the last step.

[WI fire 10]

Looks like some really strong boxes! You will never have to worry about someone breaking into them.

[Welder6013]

Did you make the slides for your drawers or did you buy them somewhere as I need to make a drawer for my welding cart and I was trying to think of a way I could make some. Really nice tool boxes by the way those will last a lifetime.

[aDreamSoReal]

awesome job!

[akpolaris]

Much respect to you Fred, I think I spotted a Purple Heart license plate

[rhunt]

Fred, really nice work on those boxes!! Thanks for your service!! Best Bob

[fredschrom]

I looked over this post and realised these were not the best pics. Here is some updated ones with the boxes installed.

The welder is off the truck right now but it has been installed I just didn't get any photo's of it (yet)

[fredschrom]

Well that didn't work right lets try again:

[zapster]

Looks good!

One thing I would have done different is find another location for the propane tank..
To me it seems to be in "That Place" that will find something/someone to hit it..

...zap!

[Swamp rat]

Very nice and neat looking truck.
Any chance of a picture of how you made the drawer slides?

[TimmyTIG]

From those first few pics I thought you were making a lawn mowing rig truck

Looks good, rig welders are making the bucks since all this shale stuff took off.

[fredschrom]

Zap,
Your comment has some validity. In my defense I originally was going to get a 84 inch cab to axle truck, but other than one Ford f-550 I simply couldn't find one used for a decent price, and I bought the 60 inch. I have struggled getting all of it on the bed, in a clean useful ( from the working aspect ) manner. That said the tank sits back inside the bed about 3-4 inches and although you can't see it closed up there is a lot of frame structure protecting it. Probably wouldn't protect it in a hard straight on side blow, but anything low speed, the 3/8 bottom plate with full penteration welds into the 14" schedule 80 pipe makes it pretty stout, that also has frame on the door. I drive like a grandpa anyway, and a very cautious driver, so being hit from the side is remote, but I guess a remote possibility. In a low speed bumps its very protected, and I am not as young and strong anymore and I simply don't like lifting that big bottle up to the top of the bed, and when I am not using it I take the bottle OFF ( currently ).

Swamp Rat, currently the truck has six inches of snow on it so old pics are just going to have to do for the time being. I used heavy duty accuride slides, the front of the boxes I had the plate bent to form a U groove channel which these pics don't show to well, which was mitered on the corners. From the front of the box ( U channel) I used a piece of 10 guage, and on the rear there is a piece of tube steel to make these sides square. The 10 gauge plate is welded to the U channel on front, and plug welded into the square tubing in the rear. Before welding in the 10 guage plate it was predrilled for the holes for the slides ( caution that is the real trickly layout part to get the slides straight, and square. Once done the slides are bolted into place. Anyway here are some pics, best I have right now:







A note on the slides I used a very heavy duty set of accuride slides. Think they are rated at 400 lbs ( there abouts ) I found them on E-bay and saved a lot of money doing it that way, they are very expensive if you order the new from a store. Mine were new just not form typical supply channels.

[Swamp rat]

thanks for the description - i have used the accuride but they where 150 lbs rated and not nearly as well built as yours.

[fredschrom]

Swamp Rat,

Thanks, as in all projects if I built them again I would do things a bit different, but not much. They are sturdy stout, and I load the hell out of the boxes, and although they are bit on the heavy side my tools are secure as the boxes can't easiely be broken into.

This was my fist time building a set of boxes and they turned out pretty decent. On of my lessons learned would be the type of wire I welded them with, I used esab 71S, but I think an auto body easy grind would have simplified things, and I kind of wish I had used POR 15 as a base undercoat, as paint. And Stainless pins and tubing for the hinges, and either braze or use stainless wire to weld with, that would permanently fix the hinge rust issue., which I have addressed a couple of times, but paint really doesn't get where it needs to or chips (wears ) off as the hinge gets used.