I am posting this a second time. Hope I get at least one response.
I was just curious about how some of you store your equipment on your pick-ups. I have a cap on the back of mine and it would have been difficult to mount metal boxes on the side walls of the bed. So…, I built in some storage bays, pull out drawers and small shelves. The “bays” are basically sectioned off areas that are covered with pieces of plywood. The drawers are removable so I can bring them on site, and the shelves hold coffee cans filled with nails, screws, etc.. I can still haul stuff because with all of the built in cabinetry I have basically raised the height of the bed. Sure, in doing so I lowered the headroom but now at least all of my tools and stuff doesn’t go sliding around the back. I do have to climb into the bed to access the front area but, I think its a small price to pay for good storage.
I am sure this is not a new idea, but I just wanted to know what other people have found to be useful.
Replies
In FHB they have an ad for a full pull out rack that can hold quite a bit. I don't know if it's in this issue, but if you look back in sure you can find it.
Found it on page 48. http://www.rollout.net
I dodn't know what this rollout thing looks like but in mine I have a beaver bed, basically a tray that slides out, last truck I had had an aluminum cap, ladders,lumber,etc beat the crap out of it, get steel, which fits inside of ladder rack, truck is always packed to the gills, plywood gets delivered.no turn left unstoned
Wanna know MY pickup storage solution? Two words- CHEVY VAN.
Ken Hill
The only answer I have found around here that works are gang boxes.
And that includes inside vans. But then again I live in Chicago where they love to steal anything even if it is nailed down.
I keep two in the truck and it has been the only way that I have seen where they can't get into them.
And yes I realize the question was about storage but anything else you do gets broken into and that makes storage secondary to security.
WELL!......
EXCUUUUUUUUUUUSSE MEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!no turn left unstoned
Your set up sounds interesting. I have a trailer which needs to be replaced. Im a small operation and I am debating on going with a cap and interior shelves. Any suggestions.
I guess it depends on the size of your truck bed, but I think the pull out drawers are the best. With shelves you have to use bungee cords or something to keep everything in place while you drive. Or you could probably make some type of sliding doors. My only shelves are at the rear of the bed right behind the tailgate. The shelves are sort of L shaped to fit in that corner. Once I close the tailgate, it keeps everything from falling off. I'll use bungee cords to keep the smaller items held in place though. I just can't justify the cost of buying a commercial storage system when I can make one out of wood for a lot cheaper and a lot more fun too.
Tell you what's worked for me, if I can explain it in words sufficiently.
I have a small Nissan pickup with a Leer 'Tradesmans' truck cap with rear and full length side doors on the cap. I've made a roughly 4' x 4' box that sits on two 2x4's that in turn sit in reliefs built into the bed liner, keeping the box off the bed of the truck so I can slide items under the box. The top of the box is level with the sides of the pickup bed so I can carry sheetgoods on top of the box. This makes the box about 8" deep, deep enough to carry most all my boxed tools from nail guns to jig saws to battery drills, etc..
Since the box is shorter than the bed I can carry my compressor, vacuum or other larger single items between the tailgate and the box. Each side of the box has its own lid on a piano hinge and I mount thin items that would get lost or be hard to get at in the bottom of the box on the underside of the lid; ie. framing square, hand saws, drill bits, levels, coping saw, etc.. Roof racks on the camper shell allow me to carry dimensional lumber.
I like it because of the 'security' of the camper shell, the side panel doors are all metal and I've installed screen on the inside of the shells rear window. Open the side camper shell door, lift the lid on the box and get what you need.
I'm now tinkering with the idea of a custom built tailer box. I would start with a a 6'x12' flatbed tailer, build a custom box on it with lots of drawers and room up front for semi-permanent mounting of a compressor. The top of the box could be a worksurface and/or an outfed table for a porable table saw. What do you think of that idea, and what do you think the market and cost threshold would be for something like taht?