Homemade toolbox?

[MateoBx]

This may be a dumb question but how difficult would it be to make a toolbox/ tool chest? Has any one done it?

[87JeepWrangler]

if you have to ask, then its probably too difficult.

if you don't have a sheet metal brake, decent metal cutting equipment (perhaps even cnc tables), etc, then its probably not going to come out very nice anyway. you'll probably need a TIG machine as well.

go to this thread (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=655024&highlight=koh+toolbox) and take just a few minutes to look at the detail work that goes into making a NICE toolbox. do you have the tools and skills on hand to make one of these?

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=351705&stc=1&d=1202331882

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=351706&stc=1&d=1202332083

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=351708&stc=1&d=1202332083

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=353305&stc=1&d=1202961479

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=354512&stc=1&d=1203525092

[hitech_hick]

Damn, that is sweeeet... :grinpimp:

I could see throwing together a parts cart, but a tool box would be a lot of work. If you trying to make something cheaper than a production box, it isn't going to happen. If you are trying to make something stronger or for a special application, then go for it.


hick

[PAToyota]

Back in high school a number of kids made boxes as projects. I'd say that unless you want something different from what is out there, have all the tools, and have time on your hands you don't know what to do with you are not going to come out ahead of just purchasing one. The custom part would be the clincher for me doing my own. If I could buy one that suited my needs I wouldn't bother taking the time to fab one.

[Todd W]

One of those things that if you have free time and are bored or really really want to make one go for it... cuz you are probably not going to save much/any money.

[Sapper]

I wish I had the tools to build the one above I have been drooling over them for a while now on thier site.

This was going to only be a chop saw table and it has become a rolling workstation. It now has my grinder and a vise also attached to it and it sees a lot more use than I had ever intended it to be.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/sapper043/Picture033.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/sapper043/Picture034.jpg

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i265/sapper043/Picture036.jpg

Since those pictures I have added another set of wheels to the other side as once I filled it up it weighed too much but I have them on drop down pins to lower to the ground. It is 38" high and uses a 3/8 Aluminum countersunk top threaded to accept various clamps that I have with a 1.5" channel sub frame on 10" centres. The cabinet was a recovery unit that needed a lot of work and it now welded to the frame to keep it strait but this was all scrap material I got for pennies on the pound.


I am building another one using 2 5 drawer units for each end of a 8 foot table with metal peg board backing and a overhead light and air chuck dropdown. I am putting it on Airbags so that I can lower it to the ground when working and raise it when I need to move it. This one will not be moved as often but I want it to be portable as I move often with the military and everything needs to be moved easily or I lose it.

[1wook]

I am building another one using 2 5 drawer units for each end of a 8 foot table with metal peg board backing and a overhead light and air chuck dropdown. I am putting it on Airbags so that I can lower it to the ground when working and raise it when I need to move it. This one will not be moved as often but I want it to be portable as I move often with the military and everything needs to be moved easily or I lose it.

Sapper, airbags just to lift it up, or air floater pallets to actually move it? Just curious, we use the air pallets to move large stuff at work but I think they'd be overkill for a bench. http://www.solvinginc.com/air_film_technology.htm

I thought about putting my large steel bench on levelers with casters beside them, that way when I wanted to move it easily I could, then adjust the levelers down to lift the casters off the floor.

[Sapper]

The bench above now has a setup like what your planning and it is a pain to pin in the casters once you raise it unless you raise it with a floor jack.

I am actually going to be using a pair or air leveling springs I got from a kit new for $20 for the pair with all the fittings and lines.

http://www.sporttruckdirect.com/Pics/ALC/AL_SlamAir_Inst_Big.jpg

I have already made an air manifold from 1"x2" aluminum bar that will supply the air bags via a valve and the hose reel, as well as the cooler/drier for the plasma. The air will be there when I am working so it will be easy to raise with just a turn of the valve and to drain/lower disconnect the air line and reopen the valve. The casters are attached to 2" .25wall square stock, and slide into 2.55" reciever stock with a tie in between the 2 casters. One air bag per side. I want to be able to let it sit on the ground when I am working with the 8" vise I don't want it following me around.

[BumpyDodge]

I don't have a picture of it, but I've seen a few shop tables where one set of wheels is regular casters and the other end of the table has an axle you can lower.
The axle is set on a pivot and you use an over-center toggle linkage to lower the wheels and lock them down. It works like the toggle clamps that machinists use for jigs, or like an old toolbox lid support if that's easier to picture.
The axle only has to move down about an inch to raise the table off it's feet and there is a pedal you can step on to drop the axle/lift the table.
After you move the table you just lift the pedal and the table is back on it's feet the wheels just rest on the ground.

Two table legs keep the table from moving around, but if you wanted to you could put lowering axles at both ends of the table/toolbox. It's a lot simpler than air bags and all you need is 1/4" x 1" bar stock and some bolts to make the toggle links.

[BMB]

These are nice.

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?t=15905&highlight=tool+box


BMB

[willam]

http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z58/willam288/DSC00029.jpg

I made the bottom box out of scrap wood, a few things I picked up at home depot and other stuff that was hanging around. It roll's, I can pin it to lock up and is good storage. The upper box is a Craftsman unit. I like it, works for my buget to.