Material I am carring around is always sliding around in the van as I go around corners and apply the brakes.
Just had a major scare. Skid full of Tile came crashing forward, luckly it hit the passenger seat and not mine.
How does everyone secure their tools & materials.
From building boxes and fitting face frames to installing doors and drawers, these techniques could be used for lots of cabinet projects.
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Replies
I cut some t&g plywood to fit snugly around the wheel wells, etc. and then cut a piece of thick commercial carpeting to lay on top of that.
Not only does it help to keep things from sliding around, but it also makes for a floor that I can crawl around on.
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I did the same but used the floor mats from Pepboys. Works well but I would like something more solid but still non-slip.
I don't know, maybe if you got enough of those sticky mouse traps? :pI have CDO.
It's like OCD, only the letters are in alphabetical order like they're supposed to be.
http://www.truenorthcarpentry.net
You clearly don't have enough stuff in your van, if there's any room for stuff to slide around.
First off, if you're carrying tools and/ or equipment that you wouldn't want to get hit in the head with, get a crash fence....Divider that goes between cargo area and passenger compt. Can save you if you hit something, keeps heavy stuff from hitting you/ your passengers.
I work out of a trailer now, but I had a van for a few years. I had vinyl wire shelving combined with plywood dividers. Put the Vinyl shelves upside down, gave a lip so that stuff wouldn't slide off shelf on turns. One wall I had ply screwed to, had bolts to hang cords and hoses. Long thin stuff, brooms, levels, etc. I put short pieces of pvc screwed to the ply, with velcro over the end. On a couple of the shelves, where I had plastic cases, (guns, drill, sabre saw, etc) I had a couple short bungees that went from shelf to shelf to keep em in place. If I had it to do over, I would have used another piece of vinyl wire, hinged with a few wire ties, to swing down and create a "door" to keep stuff on shelves.
I find it's far worse with the trailer. Anything that is past the wheels gets bounced around something awful. The hold down pin on my Makita slide sheared off, I'm quite sure it was from bouncing up and down in the trailer, so now it has a bungee on it to hold it completely snug.....no bounce.
Good luck.
Bing
Edited 11/28/2009 4:43 pm ET by Bing187
Side shelving for always needed tools, all have lips and the taller ones held in place with bungee cords. Tools on the floor are in boxes, store bought or ply.
I have a heavy rubber truck mat that stops stuff from siding around, trouble is, the mat needs to be rolled up to slide in a load. I don't haul around tile, but I would consider bolting rings into the floor to strap that kind of weight in place.
Also driving around with loads that can slide or fall over changes my driving habits. Long stops and slow cornering.
I take corners at less than 45MPH.
In my pickup, I slide in a sheet of OSB (rough side up). Works great, and CHEAP.
In all seriousness, I like the rubber mats that you can buy from farm supply stores, like this:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/equine/horse-stalls-accessories/rubber-matting/flexgard-multi-use-utility-mat-60-in-x-96-in-x-1-4-in-5040835
It's what I use, and it has a nice tacky surface.
You can cut it to fit around your wheel wells and so on with a pair of metal snips.
It's sobering to realize that the stuff lying around in a van can become projectiles with a sudden stop or swerve.
------------------------------------------------------------------
I have CDO.
It's like OCD, only the letters are in alphabetical order like they're supposed to be.
http://www.truenorthcarpentry.net
Edited 11/28/2009 11:05 pm by True North
There is a type of grid-work carpet underlayment designed to keep area rugs from sliding around on hardwood floors. It's cheap and tough. Get some of that and contact-cement it to the brown side of a sheet of white Masonite. If you want to slide tools in and out, flip the sheet white side up and bungee or strap things in place that you don't want moving while you're driving. If you just want everything to stay put and don't need to slide it in, flip the rubberised side up.
In a van, especially one without a cargo barrier, any large, heavy item should always be strapped or wedged in place so that it cannot become a projectile in the event of a panic stop or accident. That's basic, because you never know what's gonna happen between here and the corner.
Yeah, it's a PITA. So is spending the rest of your life as a quadraplegic 'cuz a 30-lb. toolbox slammed into your neck at 40 miles an hour when you piled on the brakes to avoid hitting a child....
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
We move alot of stuff on wheeled dollies. First a van that is lined with 3/4" plywood makes it very easy to connect to. We use a combination of connections the most typical is taking a length of "whaler " which is a screwed and glued L section made with 1x3 pine and screwing to the ply floor to block casters from rolling. We also fasten to the walls and directly to the cargo. Now that I think about it, it would be very simple to make up some units with eyebolts mounted that could be quickly screwed to the plywood to facilitate ratchet straps.
We even have a glazing dolly that has an angled unit to strap glass to that is then screwed to the wall through a flange on the side.
On a hill by the harbour
These look pretty cool.
http://www.coremg.com/products/coretrax.html
They do look very cool but I like the versatility of just setting one where I want. That being said they would probably get in the way if they were permanently installed. Not to mention the fact that they even look expensive!
Maybe in a dedicated cube van........
On a hill by the harbour
2 rails 5' long and a couple of rings $30.
Might work in a dbl ply floor with slots for the tracks.
Can't imagine what those slots would collect after 6 mths.
The price sounds right. Where do you get them. I could make that work with our system.
The debris build up would only be an issue if you installed them permanently.
I have to go cook.....
On a hill by the harbour
quit driving so damn fast!
Don't have anything loose in a work van without a bulkhead.
rubber pad floor
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I don't know whre to get them. I found them online.
Do I have to do everythin???
you certainly do...
take a look at the "E" tracks....
http://www.macscustomtiedowns.com/category/All
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"
I like it but it's not cheap.
On a hill by the harbour
shop...
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"
That's the well-known, best feature of an open van.
Any time you need something out of the back, just stomp the brake and the item hits you in the back of the head.
Forrest
I have unloaded pick up trucks that way but in reverse.
On a hill by the harbour
>>Material I am carring around is always sliding around in the van as I go around corners and apply the brakes.
>>Just had a major scare. Skid full of Tile came crashing forward, luckly it hit the passenger seat and not mine.
>>How does everyone secure their tools & materials.
Ahhh, that suggests that maybe, perhaps, just possibly, you're a bit, er, sort of maybe a tad heavy on the accelerator, and brake and maybe corner a bit too fast.....?
Or maybe not.....
Maybe you're putting too much lubricant on the floor of the van and making it too slippery?
"Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary."
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< Maybe you're putting too much lubricant on the floor of the van and making it too slippery?>
"She'll know you ain't messin' when you whip out the Wesson"
Forrest
"How does everyone secure their tools & materials."
umm..learn to drive a van?
My van came with a bulkhead divider/door, racks/shelving, and a rubber mat on the floor. The bulkhead serves two purposes: might save your life as you experienced, and it will keep the idiots who don't belong there out of your tools in the back. If by chance your van has electric locks I suggest that you install a hidden disconnect switch for those locks.
Whatever you do, start with a commercially made bulkhead or switch to a pickup truck. Don't carry anything in front of the bulkhead that you wouldn't mind taking a shot to the face from. Second, tie anything heavy down that can shift.
Several years ago, while driving up an interstate, first dusting of snow for the year, I knew that eventually the bridges would be ice, wind gust, wasn't enough to slow down, 270* spin, 1 1/2 rolls down an embankment. The inside of the van looked like it had been in a mixer. There were more dents going out than in. The roof of the van had a new taper from the bulkhead to the front of the hood. I walked away with a lot of bruises from "stuff" in the front that will never be in front again. I am absolutely convinced, (you would be too if you saw the van), the bulkhead kept be from serious injury at the very least.
Thanks for all the various input
I am going to spring for rails & tiedowns and a bulkhead.
Even for a pickup the best thing I ever did was installed ten tie downs rated to bookoo so a pallet of tile wont shift and odd shaped things are now easily and firmly held in place. they also serve as great lock points so things don't grow legs and walk away.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.