How about converting a minivan?
I’ve used a bunch of different cars, trucks and trailers as work/utility vehicles. VW vans were a favorite of mine during the sixties. Then I bought a Chevy pickup which served OK for about six years.
After that I used a small five door wagon with a roof rack for a while, then a hatchback. Did alright with those setups because I bought a small flatbed trailer to haul larger tools and some materials.
I’ve had a ’91 Toyota four banger pickup since new. It’s the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned but pickups have some serious limitations, in my experience. Mainly that the front half of the bed is difficult to use when there’s a cap over head.
I recently became acquainted with minivans, for the first time, when a cycling friend and I used his Toyota Sienna to haul our bikes out of L.A. for a day’s ride in the country.
That experience took me back to the sixties and my three VW vans but only for a moment or two. I soon forgot them as I settled into the very comfortable chair, enjoying the quiet environment and the larger space.
After seeing how both side doors slid open with ease, revealing more than half of the interior floor area, I asked Fernando to open the rear door at the same time. Without the seats, all of which had been removed to accomodate the bicycles, the space and the access were very impressive.
I could imagine loading and unloading tools through any of those three door openings without straining any back muscles. I could also envision putting in a central rack of shelves, to carry smaller tools, tool boxes and materials.
I like the whole idea, for the reasons stated and because the van’s interior can be altered to fit the situation.
Has anyone seen a setup like this? Any objections to it, other than “mommie van” hang ups.
Replies
I could see it ... for some reason the toyota mini vans go pretty cheap around here for some reason... nothing else toyota ever does...
I don't know about the load range but with some better load range tires and maybe helper springs...
btw... i have been working out of my subaru forester for almost 3 year... didn't plan to but i had it and diesel got so high... so i still have my F350 when i need it but for everyday you'd be amazed what you can put on the roof rack of a forester
P
but for everyday you'd be amazed what you can put on the roof rack of a forester
I believe it. The wagon I mentioned was a Toyota from the early seventies, smaller than a Forester. I put an after market roof rack on it and often carried a 4'X6' mixing box up there, loaded with shovels and other tools with handles, all held in with bungees.
Fold down the rear seat, open the doors and load up the rest of it. When I needed to carry something more than that, the trailer worked well.
Great on gas, good transportation.
"you'd be amazed what you can put on the roof racks of a Forester"
You're right. I've seen pics (or read accounts?) of your Forester loaded up. Its amazing!
<G>
I know several people that use them with great success. As far as the load range, DW's seats 7 adults. That's a half ton, easy. That's quite a few tools.
copper p0rn
Glad to hear that they work well in daily use. You're right about the load range of course, nothing to worry about.
For a few years, there was a painting contractor near here who used a mini van.
And he had ALL of his ladders on the roof somehow! (The stack was maybe three feet tall, two ladders wide.)
It was scary to be behind him when he went around corners. But he never rolled.
He finally got a full-size van a couple of years ago.
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
What about the Ford Transit.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I have seen a handful around and thought about it...but w/out the diesel engine it doesn't hold much appeal to me.
Edited 10/26/2009 8:59 pm ET by betterbuiltnyc
What about the Ford Transit.
I imagine that would work but it's new to the U.S. market this year, so full price. I was thinking about finding a used minivan for much less money. Having had excellent service from my 91 Toyota pickup, I'd look for a Toyota Sienna, about ten years old.
I've got a removable shelf setup that goes in one side of my Odyssey. Stepladder (Werner Little Giant knockoff) goes down the middle, and I leave a seat in on the other side (though it's usually piled with luggage).
I put all my cased tools in the side with the shelves, and put the bulk stuff in the back hatch.
Can load the van for a church work trip in about 15 minutes, with more tools than lots of pros carry. And everything stays upright and accessible.
I've got a removable shelf setup that goes in one side of my Odyssey.
That's what I'm talkin' 'bout!
Before you get too far along with your plans you might want to take a look at this:
http://www.americanscientist.org/science/pub/-162
Lots of electricians, cable installers and painters use mini vans here. I haven't seen any carpenters, but several GCs in town do too.
Lots of electricians, cable installers and painters use mini vans here. I haven't seen any carpenters, but several GCs in town do too.
Doesn't surprise me at all. Seemed like such a logical optional use to me, once I looked at it, with those two wide sliding side doors.
I use a minivan. I am a renovation carpenter.
I have the back seats out with the middle left in and pushed forward.
I only have a sliding door on one side. Wish it had sliding doors on both sides. I also sometimes use the van for other things and decided not to remove all the seats. If I removed all the seats I may build in a shelf so that tools could go under and on the shelf.
It has a hatch style back door which I can hit my head on at times. Wish it had barn doors like my safari van had.
I prefer the van as I carry a lot of tools as I do many different things and am not always sure what tools I will need.
I also use a trailer that is 4'-3" wide by 10' long to haul some materials and larger tools like my table saw when needed, or stuff for concrete work such as wheel barrow and extension slide, or my ladders, which may also at times go on the van. I carry up to 4 ladders on top.
I have thought of a 1/2 ton and enclosed trailer but think I prefer this option as it gives me more flexibility.
I use a minivan. I also use a trailer.
Sounds like you've done just what occured to me. Thanks for confirming that it works well.
BTW, I have a folding trailer in the garage. It's 4X8, unfolded and hooked up. Otherwise it rolls on casters and is usually stored against the wall in front of my truck. Takes up about one foot of floor space.
THe folding trailer is nice for storage but can not handle much. Also the 4' by 8' size may make it hard to fit a piece of plywood on as it gives you no extra room. the 8' length is ok for up to about 10 or 12' stuff but not great when hauling 16' stuff. Mine originally was a 4X8 trailer that I rebuilt to be wider and 2' longer.I am in a rural area so the trailer is no problem. I may think different if I was in the city, But then many in the city use enclosed trailers for their tools.
You're right about the size of the folding trailer being a bit small for materials larger than 4X8 but for larger orders I always get them delivered anyway.
A folding trailer in a garage is safe, out of sight and out of the weather. Wheel bearings don't suffer any corrosion in a garage, like they do on vehicles which sit for long periods, outside.
I could tell you a long story about burning up a trailer's wheel bearings and having to replace them, and the frozen-on races, in the middle of some US Forestry land outside of Gallup, NM. That trailer had been left out, unused, for about a year, before that trip.
I have been using a Chevy HHR panel van for my business and it has worked out great. It has two tool boxes built into the floor( where the back seat would be) and it gets 30 mpg. The front passenger seat folds down flat with the cargo floor and I can stack lumber in 8 foot lengths straight in through the rear hatch or 10 footers at an angle, and still close the rear hatch. I love it.
I have been using a Chevy HHR panel van for my business and it has worked out great
Thanks, glad to hear it.
I use a Ford Windstar. My only complaint is that I can't fit a 4x8 sheet inside. The width is fine, but the length can only be around 7'-8" (couldn't they make it 4" longer?)
Access from three sides, low loading height, comfortable, stores a lot.
I can fit 4x8 flat in my Odyssey. It's really tight, and you can only go up to about 2" total thickness because the front edge has to slide under the front seat mounts, but it works.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
I think the Ford Transit would be great except Ford blew it big time on the pricing. While at the dealership last week having my truck fixed, I looked at them. Lots of room, small 2.0l engine, bare bones interior and Ford still wanted $29k Cdn. Since Chevrolet discontinued the Astro/Safari vans I though other manufacturers would be quick to jump into the small commercial vehicle market. Perhaps not so?
Part of the problem is the US trade tarrifs. The Transits that we get in the US are shipped here as passenger vans, at the POE the strip out all the seat and trim, and weld sheetmetal ocver the window openings. I'm not sure if they are prohibited from importing the cargo version, or if the cost is too high, but either way they have determined that bringing in passenger versions is the best plan."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I use a Ford Windstar. My only complaint is that I can't fit a 4x8 sheet inside.
That's why I've had a folding trailer in the garage...for many years. Anything that doesn't fit in the short bed pickup goes on the trailer. It's there in the garage all the time, folded up and out of the way.
The trailer allows me to use almost any type of vehicle I like for work.
I'm not sure how... BUT i've seen a guy around town that has what looks like 2 small receiver hitches about 4ft apart at the bottom of the passenger side of his van... looks like they pull out maybe 6" and have a small lip on each... he carries sheet goods on the side of his van with a strap up each to his roof rack to hold them on in transit... don't think he can carry more than4-5 sheets of anything but looks easy to load & unload.. guess they are bolted welded somehow to the frame under the van... I've seen him a few times and always thought that if I had the need I'd figure out how to do the same...p
I drive a 99 Windstar, two sliding doors. Both seats out.
I built a box 2'Hx2'Wx4'D, which sits behind driver and passenger seats. It has a drawer on either side, and a top storage area. I can fit half my tools inside the box (open on both ends)
I keep fasteners in one drawer, and clamps in the other. (drawers are full width and 22" deep each)
In the back I keep my Bosch TS on wheelie stand, two satchels, vacuum, and other assorted tools. The weight is the only problem because it is riding low with all this stuff.
I have replaced the springs once in the back, can't add leafs, and several mechanics have told me not to put airbags in.
I would love to get a trailer and a pickup being a warm blooded 23 year old carp, but this setup works really really well.
I worry about the trailer in Toronto, parking etc.
The van only has a couple years left in it, at which point depending on cash flow, I would like either truck and trailer or Sprinter and small car/suv. Have to see how business goes.
I drive a 99 Windstar, two sliding doors. Both seats out. I built a box 2'Hx2'Wx4'D, which sits behind driver and passenger seats.
Thanks for that description of your custom tool box. I'm glad to know how well your rig works for you. I hope you decide to find another minivan, something with heavier springs.
Pickup trucks have a lot of drawbacks, most of which can't be fixed. Just the ability to fully adjust the driver's seat makes a minivan or small wagon better to me.
I will take some pics tommorow and post them tommorow night.
I will take some pics tommorow and post them tommorow night.
Please do. I'd like to see how you've organized it all.
An older carpenter around here used a Dodge minivan. He basically retired, but kept doing handyman type jobs for his customers, and worked out of the minivan. He built some storage shelves inside the Dodge along the wall behind the driver's seat. I know he was able to fit plywood inside, but i don't know if it had to be on an angle.
The dodge fit a 4' sheet. Toyota no. I had both."There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."Will Rogers
DW drives a '99 Sienna, soon to have 140k on it. No problems except one mysterious electrical malfunction that "fixed itself".
She loves the car so does the dog, who gets to stand right under her right elbow when she's in the car.
She gets about 20-21 mpg in mostly short drives.
When we got it I thought it was way sloppy on the road, but then we put a tougher higher quality set of tires on it and it made a world of difference.
We also really like the versatility with the four removable seats.
DW drives a '99 Sienna...
Thanks for the brief report. Just the model and year I've had in mind.
BTW, Fernando and I built an open top carrier box for his Sienna so he could take his family on a long trip with camping gear. I used U-bolts to fasten it to the roof racks and gave it an aero shape in front. Worked very well from what he told me.
One warning about those removable seats: It's great that they come out, but they take a lot of space to store!
The guys who use them for painters rigs do OK, but the ones who haul heavier tools and such tend to wear them out too fast, IMO
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I used to use a Plymouth voyager. I built a shelf for the back that was about 6" off the floor. That way I could put my ladders and tools on top and still slide in a 4x8 sheet of plywood underneath. It had a knock down frame that was removable.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
the ones who haul heavier tools and such tend to wear them out too fast, IMO
Is that true of all minivans? Some of the older ones were meant for lighter loads than those built in the last ten years or so. For example, someone mentioned that his family van was rated to carry seven adults, over one half ton.
I remember a friend who owned an early model van that had a transmission failure on a trip, because he was hauling more than the recommended load of people and gear. The tranny probably only needed a small radiator, to cool the fluid under a load but, because it was an American car company, that wasn't included without buying the "special tow package".
I'm pretty certain that Toyota, in particular, does a better job of engineering their vans so that they'll handle a full load without excessive wear.
We've owned several minivans over the years although haven't used them for construction. All of them were Chrysler/dodge except for one Toyota Sienna. We drove them all over 200K miles. Only one (the first one) was new when we got it.
The Toyota felt a little better put-together but I never got the chance to test its long term reliability because I was rear-ended at about 60K miles and it was totaled. After saying that I can't fault the dodge/Chrysler product because they all gave such long trouble-free service.
The first dodge caravan had the trailer towing package and although we rarely towed anything, that seemed to cut down on the sway when cornering with the van fully loaded. The smaller version won't fit 4 x 8 sheets with the back door closed but the "grand" versions will.
Lots of dodge/Chrysler minivans on the used market and they can be had for cheap money if you look around.
Based on my experience, I wouldn't hesitate to give one a try for construction. I'd be careful about overloading though.
I'm glad to hear someone recommend another brand...from personal experience. I've become a fan of Toyotas, based on ownership and observation, but I'd prefer buying from an American company, if their engineering and reliability are equal.
Edit: What model(s) and year(s) have you owned?
Edited 10/27/2009 11:25 am by Hudson Valley Carpenter
'92 Dodge Grand Caravan new with trailer towing package. Drove it to about 220K. Engine and transmission still worked great. Body was looking shabby.
'91 Chrysler Town and Country had 120k on it. Drove it to just over 200K. Gave it away to a friend of wife who used it for her house-cleaning van. As far as I know it's still on the road. This one in particular seemed to sway a bit on cornering.
'95 Chrysler T & C had 130K on it. Drove it to 195K and gave it away to another friend. It is definitely on the road still. Great sounding radio in this one.
'05 Toyota Sienna had 25K on it. Felt very solid. It was totaled after 16 months. I can't recall if a 4 x 8 fit in the back with the back door closed or not.
The insurance money from the Toyota went to an '05 Chrysler T & C nicely equipped. It rides and runs fine. The price was right but I think the Toyota felt a bit more solid. I don't know . . . kind of hard to put my finger on it. This vehicle has the 3.8 L engine, whereas all the other Chrysler/Dodge vans had the 3.3 L. I can't see much of a difference in the performance or the gas mileage. Oh, I almost forgot, this van has that stow 'n go feature where the back seats fold down into the floor. This is very convenient and easy vs. carrying those heavy seats out and finding a place to store them. Another advantage is that with the seats up you've got lots of bins to store stuff in. The downside is that I'm sure it limits the ground clearance a bit.
Good luck with your search.
Edited 10/27/2009 12:39 pm ET by fingers
Thanks for the review of all those vans. I'll have a look at the T&C van series.
I used a minivan for about 4 years, an Odyssey. I started using it as convenience, and sort of fell into using it over time.
The two middle seats were removed, they come out easily. At first I left the rear fold-down seat in, but eventually removed it as well. It its place I built a fold-up door so goods could be stored in the recess that the fold down seat used to hide in.
There is a lug on each sidewall, about 5 or 6 inches off the floor, for the fold-down rear seat to lock on to. I removed those.
The Odyssey can store sheet goods on the flat, both 4' by 8' ply as well as slightly larger (roughly 49" by 97") MDF. The rear hatch can close with maybe an 8" to 10" stack of ply.
Prior to this, we used the van as a family car. I had installed a bolt-on subframe for a bike rack. While I've never towed anything behind the Odyssey, I did use a trailer hitch extension that attached to the bike rack sub-frame. It stuck maybe 2' - 3' out the back of the van and I used to to support long goods, 16' sticks of trim or even 16' pieces of framing lumber if I ever had to do a quick run without waiting for delivery. I always kept a staple gun or a roll of duct tape and a couple of red flags to hang off the rear of long loads.
12' sticks or trim can slide between the front seats under the center console, allowing you to close the rear hatch.
I never put anything on the roof.
When I traded it in, I reinstalled the rear fold-down and the two middle seats. Looked okay, but the carpeting was ragged, and plastic sidewalls were slightly trashed from sheet goods being slid in and out. The salesman looked out the window of the dealership at the van. He sent one of the kids out to check the mileage. He never went outside to take a good look at the van. He gave me a price. We bickered a bit, he added a bit more on, I accepted. A couple of days later the phone rang; "what the heck were you using this van for?"
If you were to really use it as a "work van" and anticipated carrying heavy loads, I'd recommend looking into adding stiffer springs in the rear. Some days I had that thing loaded up and was expecting the rear end to snap off as I was driving around.
If towing regularly, you'd probably want to add a transmission cooler.
Edited 10/27/2009 11:49 am ET by Mongo
I did use a trailer hitch extension that attached to the bike rack sub-frame. It stuck maybe 2' - 3' out the back of the van and I used to to support long goods, 16' sticks of trim or even 16' pieces of framing lumber
Sounds perfect. Thanks for mentioning that device. I imagine that it wouldn't be too difficult to design something of that kind, made to handle specific long loads, like a 20' ladder or scaffold planks. Of course weight and distance from the rear axel do limit that concept.
"Thanks for mentioning that device. I imagine that it wouldn't be too difficult to design something of that kind, made to handle specific long loads, like a 20' ladder or scaffold planks."
Looked like this, but instead of buying I had it welded up with a couple of gusset plates at the 90-degree angles:
View Image
The above graphic is from etrailer.com.
Not sure if it's a factor for you in NY, but in CT there are restrictions as to how much load can be sticking out the back of a vehicle. I think it's something like 2/3rds the length of the vehicles wheelbase. No one (including the police) ever commented with the loads I carried.
He is in California right now. Will be coming home next year, I believe.
As far s I know no restrictions.
Thanks for the photo. That's about what I'd imagined, some square stock ending in a T. I might drill some holes in the top of the T, so that pins could be added to hold the load in the center of the T, to avoid torque loads on the lateral section.
I don't recall what NYS MV code is for over hanging loads, other than the red flag thing. I've never heard of it being enforced on small loads, whatever it may say.
ovet 24" gets a flag ot lights...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
how about maximum overhang?
front, back, both???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
We were talking about stuff sticking out the back of a van.
4' past the door jamb/raised tailgate here...
paid for 5/6'... 390$....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
safty is the main...
rules for the overhang apply as they do the out the back...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
You could add trailer lights to the T.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
You could add trailer lights to the T.
Yes but the load would probably extend well beyond the T so we're back to the red flag...which is fine by me. Been doing it that way for a long time, never had a problem.
put lights om the end of the losd...
tow a lighted pissant trailer and let the load ride above the trailer...
had to get creative moving structural steel...
just can't seem to forget the paid fine...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Hey!
Pics as promised.
I apologize for the mess, it really is a problem nobody cleans up after themselves anymore!!!I should have taken the tools out to illustrate, but I added some brackets to the inside of the unit to stop it from racking, two pieces of 1x6, about 20 inches long with 45ed ends, pocket screwed and glued to the box, it is rock solid now. I was concerned about weight so I used 1/2. but if I could do it again I would use 5/8. The Drawers have key locks on them, to stop them from banging around and self close slides(http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/page.aspx?c=1&p=50508&cat=3,43614,43616&ap=1)
The shelf I have for my van is simpler -- four pieces of plywood held together with loose-pin hinges, so it knocks down easily. The back piece runs up I think about 24 inches, and it's about 4 feet long. The two sides attach to that and sit under the shelf, supporting the shelf about 18 inches up. (I forget the exact dimensions -- I sized it so that most cased tools would fit under the shelf easily.) The shelf is about 18-20 inches wide. There are several small pieces of ply scabbed along the bottom in spots to make the the thing sit level on the uneven floor -- nothing elegant like scribing the bottom to fit.About 2/3rds of this is easily accessible through the open side door, and the rest you have to remove stuff and reach back to access, so I put rarely used stuff towards the back.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
Hahaha. Can't say that I'm feeling inspired by photos of your tool stash but thanks for following through on your commitment to post them.
Ore. has the overhang rule.
Not more than 1/3 distance between wheel base overhanging back axle IIRC. Flagging is immaterial to that rule. Too many years since I paid the fine. Busted hauling 22' timbers home in a 12' bed truck.
Life is Good
Shoulda put a dolly wheel on the timbers and called them a trailer.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
At 6:30 am on a Sunday morning I wasn't expecting a state trooper to be awake yet.
Tore down an old saw mill and was hauling the loot back home. He busted me crossing a 2 lane state highway on a secondary road. I think the fact the truck was a 1953 chev 2 ton loaded 4' high and 7' wide with timbers plus the fact I had hair down past my #### might have had something to do with the situation.
Course he might have noticed day light under the front wheels when I hit the bump in the middle of the highway.
Life is Good
Edited 10/27/2009 8:18 pm by dovetail97128
You can get that hitch extention Mongo mentioned from Harbor Freigh for $20. The only thing you have to watch out for is the canyon steep driveway ramps that are steep due to storm drainage. Everywhere else has belo ground sewers - here we seem to make 45 degree slopes at the curb to bottom out vehicals.
Those devices have enough play that you can scrape them across the high spots and scrape them up the slopes too.
BTW, My KIA minivan has a 48" wide backe door... but it starts about 12" up from the floor, and with both rows out it provides about 6' of space. If i were to dedicate it to being a work vehical, I'd put in a pair of 12" drawers with a middle chennel left up to the fron to sto small amounts of dimensional lumber or conduit. For a few 10' pieces, I can slide 10' pieces of EMT along past the pasenger seat and still get the back hatch closed.
I only ran into problems transporting the 20' long 2x6's... secured and drove Sloooowly.
Tu stultus esRebuilding my home in Cypress, CAAlso a CRX fanatic!
Look, just send me to my drawer. This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.
The hitch/carrier idea is a minor tangent to the basic van conversion concept under discussion but it may deserve a thread of its own because it could work well on pickups too.
I'd certainly prefer it to a permanent overhead rack on my Toyota shortbed for occasionally carrying my extension ladder or lumber over ten feet long.
Thanks for the HF suggestion. I haven't visited their local store in years but I'm going to make a note to stop in there, the next time I'm in the neighborhood. There have been so many positive comments on BT lately about their knock offs, that I want see for myself.
There have been so many positive comments on BT lately about their knock offs, that I want see for myself.
Just keep in mind that a lot of those positive comments (and some made by me)may have been because expectations started out pretty low to begin with.
may have been because expectations started out pretty low to begin with.
Hahaha. And why do you suppose it's been years since I've visited the local HF?
Low expectations? Try NO expectations. LOL.
I'm glad to hear that they're responding to the increasing competition, providing better tools with more agreeable customer service policies.
As many have noted, I wouldn't buy their stuff for every day professional work but there are numerous jobs that come up which don't fit that description but need a special tool. In that case, with some good reviews in mind, I'll be happy to give them a try.
> There is a lug on each sidewall, about 5 or 6 inches off the floor, for the fold-down rear seat to lock on to. I removed those.I have a wrench in one of the side storage compartments so I can quickly remove these if they're in the way.
A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It's a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity. --Jimmy Carter
I remeber reading something in the tips section of FHB about a tripped out Honda Element. The dude had a shelf and a big pull out drawer. Anyone know how to find the at tip? The Element has the doors on both sides that open like a clam shell also have the tailgate with the hatch above.
KaiserRoo
I'd like to see that tip too. I test drove an Element when they first came out, liked it at lot and, as you point out, the access is outstanding.
Only drawback is that they're shorter than a minivan. Other than that, the Element has more options and is more rugged, inside and outside, than a van.
Consider the VW Eurovan (2002 and Newer). It is the only minivan that has a 3/4 ton rating. It holds 4x8 sheets flat or on edge. I've had as many as 30 sheets of drywall in one and it still handles fine. It's V6 tops 200 h.p. and it is nice to drive:
http://jsonline.carsoup.com/research/reviewPage.asp?DynamicNam=make&DynamicVal=volkswagen&MakeName=volkswagen&ResearchID=534&MarketID=46&VehicleTypeID=1&RedirType=InBound
Ah liiiiiike it...but it's probably out of my intended price range right now.
And, unfortunately, it has only one sliding side door. Having two big sliding side doors is important for my concept of easy access to all areas, without straining my old, abused back, reaching and lifting.
Certainly happy to read that review, for future reference if nothing else. It looks like a fine choice for its intended purpose. Thanks for the link.
Edited 10/28/2009 3:11 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Well, they do hold value well and you don't see them go up for sale often.http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2002-Volkswagen-Eurovan-GLS-CALI-CAR_W0QQitemZ180423872342QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item2a0219cf56#ht_2225wt_1167Here is another link to a guy in Nebraska who used garage door track to make sliding ramps for easy loading of a CMS on a stand, etc. into a minivan. Looks good for the back.http://www.contractortalk.com/f13/my-trailer-53992/
That one on Ebay looks like a good deal, reasonable mileage and comparatively low price. Still, the single side door issue is a deal breaker for me...as a work vehicle.
regarding the other link; about moving large tools on stands...I don't do that. I have a SKIL folding table saw stand that I love. Drop in a portable 10" aluminum table saw and it's ready.
The SKIL stand has wide table and a longer fence. The fence is such an improvement that it's worth the price of the stand, by itself. That setup is precise enough for cabinet work.
My chop saw setup works about the same way for transportation.
Anything large and heavy goes on the 4X8 folding trailer, which is much easier to load due to it's low deck, about eight inches off the ground.
In my working world, I need to be able to carry different tools from day to day. So I can't design anything special to accomodate specific tools. That's another reason why access is all important to me.