Pickup toolbox

[Agrismith]

I want something like the attached pictures.
Not necessarily secure but don't want things falling out going down the road and want it relatively dry.
The problem is they cost as much as the the truck is worth
I'm wondering if people had any thoughts or suggestions on the cheapest way to achieve this.
Either something pre made or can be modified. Or a suggestion on materials and techniques that could make it as cheaply as possible.
Pricing up a steel frame with Ally paneling doesn't really come in cheap enough over a custom made unit to warrant the effort.
I though about the plastic toolboxes lorry's use for straps but can't find anything quite the right size. And not sure what the best way to modify them would be.

 

[Barking Mat]

Nowadays all my decent tools don't leave the house / workshop.

Unless it's a very specific job.

I just have an old toolbox, with no name spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, etc, etc, etc.

And should it be lost / stolen, I won't cry.

It's nice to work with quality tools, but frankly in my books, anything goes.

Clearly depends what you do, but Facom or a Lidl socket set does the same thing.

Admittedly one over the other is nicer to use, but one I could live with losing, the other would really hurt.

 

[Parm]

Nowadays all my decent tools don't leave the house / workshop.

Unless it's a very specific job.

I just have an old toolbox, with no name spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, etc, etc, etc.

And should it be lost / stolen, I won't cry.

It's nice to work with quality tools, but frankly in my books, anything goes.

Clearly depends what you do, but Facom or a Lidl socket set does the same thing.

Admittedly one over the other is nicer to use, but one I could live with losing, the other would really hurt.

My mates like that, a mechanic

He has a show stopping snap on box full of snap on

His mobile box is full of Halfords pro tools

I always take the ****, what’s the point ?

 

[Barking Mat]

My mates like that, a mechanic

He has a show stopping snap on box full of snap on

His mobile box is full of Halfords pro tools

I always take the ****, what’s the point ?

I rate Halfords Pro, too.

There is a certain amount of snobbery amongst us tool addicts.

At the end of the day if a tool does it's job, it's a winner.

Nice tools, are nicer than basic tools, but.....

 

[Mick Annick]

@Cheesie is the man to talk to

 

[Agrismith]

Nowadays all my decent tools don't leave the house / workshop.

Unless it's a very specific job.

I just have an old toolbox, with no name spanners, screwdrivers, pliers, etc, etc, etc.

And should it be lost / stolen, I won't cry.

It's nice to work with quality tools, but frankly in my books, anything goes.

Clearly depends what you do, but Facom or a Lidl socket set does the same thing.

Admittedly one over the other is nicer to use, but one I could live with losing, the other would really hurt.

That's why I'm not worried about security it won't have anything of value left in it.
Wouldn't even lock it tbh but would like to have a bit more storage capacity than the tub offers without loosing the pickup aspect
It isn't a great photo so Incase it isn't obvious from the pic it isn't a canopy and has a floor. Sits behind the cab but only about 1/3 of the bed length.
the one in the photo is off a single cab so a bit bigger than I want.

 

[Barking Mat]

That's why I'm not worried about security it won't have anything of value left in it.
Wouldn't even lock it tbh but would like to have a bit more storage capacity than the tub offers without loosing the pickup aspect
It isn't a great photo so Incase it isn't obvious from the pic it isn't a canopy and has a floor. Sits behind the cab but only about 1/3 of the bed length.
the one in the photo is off a single cab so a bit bigger than I want.

Needs to live outdoors and be rain proof ?

I can't be doing with rusty spanners / tools.

 

[Agrismith]

Needs to live outdoors and be rain proof ?

I can't be doing with rusty spanners / tools.

Yeah on the back of the pickup permanently.
It will be for groundworks tools so everything is wet and muddy anyway but it would be nice to keep my ratchet straps and lifting straps dry and out the sun

 

[Barking Mat]

Yeah on the back of the pickup permanently.
It will be for groundworks tools so everything is wet and muddy anyway but it would be nice to keep my ratchet straps and lifting straps dry and out the sun

Difficult.

UV will kill plastic eventually, and it's less strong than metal.

Metal, alu, steel, will get damp I'd imagine with condensation eventually.

Disposable / replaceable plastic boxes ?

Dunno.

 

[sako243]

How big do you need it? I've got a plastic box that came off my cherry picker that I currently can't think of a use for. Not sure how watertight it is but heavy duty.

Was bolted to the bed of the cherry picker. Black one in this photo if it's of any use, can get a better picture if it's something you might be interested in? It's probably lockable with a little work since the other metal box that was on it had provision for a lock.

It may be worth speaking to Chris or Andrew at CLH Trailers - they've bent up trays for me from steel or chequer plate for some beer tokens and cost of materials. Think their big press brake (over 5m) wide will do up to about 5mm steel but I think that might be a bit excessive.

 

[Wildefalcon]

Make something from plywood?

 

[GRW]

I have to swap between a van and an Isuzu 4x4 pretty regularly.
I appropriated a half-pallet with the pallet-box drop on sides.
I screwed the sides to the pallet and braced together to make a solid box, then made a ply lid with a raised roof-batten edge so that I could stack other stuff on top, and folded up2 small zintec cubby holes to stash bits in.
This arrangement stops stuff sliding about in the van and makes it easier to access tools.
Also being a pallet box, I can just pick it up with the fork truck in one go and shift it from one to the other as needed.
Cheap as chips!

 

[Cheesie]

Just a couple of pictures I could easily find from my gallery, there's some Chinese ones nocking around that might do you're job for the price it would cost in materials alone I've yet to make anything a standard size I personally wouldn't go for a steel frame with aluminium fixed to it, materials are so expensive now I've switched to making smaller things what have you been quoted so far for what you're after

 

[ukracer]

I rate Halfords Pro, too.

There is a certain amount of snobbery amongst us tool addicts.

At the end of the day if a tool does it's job, it's a winner.

Nice tools, are nicer than basic tools, but.....

Also better than no tools at all....

 

[magnet]

My mates like that, a mechanic

He has a show stopping snap on box full of snap on

His mobile box is full of Halfords pro tools

I always take the ****, what’s the point ?

Id settle for a box of Halfords pro If he wants to see sh**e let him rake through my tools. He wouldn't have to dig deep

 

[jerrytug]

Make a rough-looking but waterproof box from scaffolding planks and 3" nails.
Thieves are attracted to shiny new things.

 

[Agrismith]

How big do you need it? I've got a plastic box that came off my cherry picker that I currently can't think of a use for. Not sure how watertight it is but heavy duty.

Was bolted to the bed of the cherry picker. Black one in this photo if it's of any use, can get a better picture if it's something you might be interested in? It's probably lockable with a little work since the other metal box that was on it had provision for a lock.
View attachment 346695
It may be worth speaking to Chris or Andrew at CLH Trailers - they've bent up trays for me from steel or chequer plate for some beer tokens and cost of materials. Think their big press brake (over 5m) wide will do up to about 5mm steel but I think that might be a bit excessive.

Thanks for offer but I think your a bit far away.
I have looked looked at those boxes on ebay now and they don't seem to make one wide enough to go across the whole body but Im thinking about a pair of small ones facing out and maybe making a way to connect them

Make something from plywood?

I'm not keen on plywood but that's given me the idea of using 6mm stock board. Way cheaper than both ply and Ally and strong and waterproof

Just a couple of pictures I could easily find from my gallery, there's some Chinese ones nocking around that might do you're job for the price it would cost in materials alone I've yet to make anything a standard size I personally wouldn't go for a steel frame with aluminium fixed to it, materials are so expensive now I've switched to making smaller things what have you been quoted so far for what you're after

View attachment 346702 View attachment 346703 View attachment 346704

I haven't had quotes just looked at what various companies offer on ebay and the like. Seems to vary from 700 quid for something of dubious quality to 2k for something decent

As said above I think if I go for stock board at 50 quid a sheet and make an angle iron frame it might be the cheapest route. Won't be to shiny but slightly better looking than ply won't deteriorate and is easily repaired if I where to lock it and someone decides they want in

 

[sako243]

Thanks for offer but I think your a bit far away.

I'm happy to chuck on a pallet if you wanted it. Also @8ob is doing another run down the M4 so could take it back on the lorry towards the South East.

 

[Cheesie]

I ve used stoc board inside dog cabins that stuffs alive, it swells with heat, I'm talking a warm day then contracts in the cold, very strong though, only pictures I could find, you can fold it in half, wack it with a hammer, it won't break, I doubt a dog could scratch through it which is why I used it

 

[Agrismith]

I'm happy to chuck on a pallet if you wanted it. Also @8ob is doing another run down the M4 so could take it back on the lorry towards the South East.

If you are seeing 80b and he's happy to bring it back that would be great I drive past his yard on a regular basis