I've been planning this project for several years, and finally, I got motivated last week and here's a few photos of the results. It's not much, but I'm pretty happy with it so far. The slide uses bearings from roller skate wheels. I found them at a surplus store for about .50 each. I used 6 bearings total. The rest is made out of 1" angle iron and some 1 1/4" angle and strap. It's bolted through the floor and provides about 90% full extension and supports the weight of the toolbox and tools well. The toolbox fits in the tray angle iron, and the tray can be removed without any disassembly, though I don't see any reason to.
Over the last several years, when I'd find a good deal on hand tools, I'd buy two - one for the garage tool box, and one for the bus. They've been sitting on the shelf waiting for this project to get done. Last year, I bought a large rollaround toolbox for the garage, and moved from this trusty old craftsman box, and realized it was the perfect size for the bus bay. I can't get all my large wrenches and sockets in it, but I now have a collection of smaller hand tools in it that don't have to be packed and unpacked for every trip, as I've been doing. They live in the bus full time now.
The storage bins on the back wall were planned for another location, but because I had to set the toolbox out about 6 inches to clear the bay door hinge arms and latches, I realized this would be a great location for the storage bins.
The only down side to this project is I've lost the location where I carried a case of engine oil. Will have to find someplace else for that.
craig
Another photo...
Another photo...
And yet another...
Very nice!
Nice, very nice! But save some thing to demonstrate at the bus bash! ;D
Wow, nice job Gumpy! Looks sweet.
Can I copy your idea!!! ;D
Paul
Quote from: Dreamscape on July 05, 2007, 02:44:44 PM
Can I copy your idea!!! ;D
Absolutely. And if you want more details, just ask. It actually turned out to be very easy to build and
seems to work quite well. I was a bit concerned about hanging a lot of weight on it wien it's extended, but it seems to be holding it well. I suppose I've only got about 200 lbs on it, though, even with the hand tools in the chest.
craig
Craig,
As soon as I finish with the breastplate, dashboard, rear wheel seals and everything else I want to do before the Sep Texas Bus Roundup I might have the time. By then I might forget what to do with my toolbox slide thingy! ;D
None the less I will contact you and pick your brain a bit.
Paul
Hey Craig,
I'll be by to pick mine up before the trip west!! ;D
No really, it looks nice. Great use of the space.
How did you mount those storage bins on the bay wall? Will they stay during travel? I probably will use that idea for sure.
Devin
Quote from: Devin & Amy on July 05, 2007, 04:04:04 PM
How did you mount those storage bins on the bay wall? Will they stay during travel? I probably will use that idea for sure.
They have a plastic track that is bolted through the aluminum wall. The bins hang on the top lip of the track with a hook that's molded to the top of the bin. I don't think they'll go anywhere. There's not much weight in any of them, and the ride of the bus is so smooth they probably won't even wiggle. It's possible they might slide a bit and work their way off the end of the track, but if it becomes a problem, I'll attach something to make a stop to keep them from sliding off.
I bought these from either Menards, Northern, or Harbor Freight (doin't recall where, it's was several years ago) when they were on sale for next to nothing. They have about 24 inches of track, and 5 bins in a package.
I can always count on Craig to come up with some great idea for the 9. I too am trying to gather a good bunch of tools for the bus. For some reason I cannot get the wife to agree to a whole new set for the shop ??? What is up with that?
Thanks Craig for all your efforts to document your projects. Really helps me!
Grant
Sacramento
Craig -
Is your coach by chance an ex-hound?
Reason I ask is that they're the only one's I've seen with that quarter-circle storage rack in the front bay next to the aux fuel tank.
Guess what they used to store there. . .
Nice job on the toolbox slider, too.
;)
Quote from: Russ on July 05, 2007, 09:37:33 PM
Craig -
Is your coach by chance an ex-hound?
Reason I ask is that they're the only one's I've seen with that quarter-circle storage rack in the front bay next to the aux fuel tank.
Guess what they used to store there. . .
Nice job on the toolbox slider, too.
;)
I Know, I know! Uh pick me I lnow! Uh I know, pick me pllleeeasse pick me! I know! Oh please! I know!
Tire Chains!
Quote from: grantgoold on July 05, 2007, 09:25:49 PM
I too am trying to gather a good bunch of tools for the bus. For some reason I cannot get the wife to agree to a whole new set for the shop ??? What is up with that?
Well, my first question would be, "Why are you asking her?" ;) Just tell her you need such-and-such for the bus. ::)
The bus project is the best excuse I've ever found for buying new tools.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but my wife is very good about supporting my hobbies.
Quote from: Russ on July 05, 2007, 09:37:33 PM
Craig -
Is your coach by chance an ex-hound?
Yes, it is an ex-hound.
Quote
Reason I ask is that they're the only one's I've seen with that quarter-circle storage rack in the front bay next to the aux fuel tank.
Guess what they used to store there. . .
Oil?
Quote
Nice job on the toolbox slider, too.
;)
Thanks.
Looks great Craig.
Nice to see you're back on the job. :-) What's next?
Quote from: Brian Diehl on July 06, 2007, 06:09:08 AM
Looks great Craig.
Nice to see you're back on the job. :-) What's next?
Already done the next item... installed the bathroom window yesterday, and cut some holes in the a/c duct in the bedroom :)
I've mapped out my kitchen cabinets, and might start that when we get back from our summer trip.
My wife also, she bought me a sander at Sears for Fathers Day. Pretty cool of her. She says what do want, my reply is stuff for the bus. Smiles and goes gets it.
Can't beat that!
Paul
Looks good Craig but - if I do say so myself - mine is nicer (and bigger too). ::)
I don't have any pictures to post to prove it though. I do like the hanging bin idea - might have to steal that one.
And Grant, buying tools is the easiest sell possible. I just tell her that I'm building this wonderful thing - bed, couch, bookshelf, whatever - that would cost us gazillions of dollars to buy but I can't quite finish it without a new bandsaw or power planer or cordless thing. Works every time.
Quote from: bobofthenorth on July 06, 2007, 12:51:02 PM
Looks good Craig but - if I do say so myself - mine is nicer (and bigger too). ::)
I don't have any pictures to post to prove it though. I do like the hanging bin idea - might have to steal that one.
Ok Bob, but now you have to put up (not shut up) ;) and get some photos posted. I want to redo my battery rack and am
still looking for ideas to support 250 plus pounds of batteries. I could probably adapt this idea, but there might be a better
way.
So, get cracking!! Let's see your better and bigger slide. Maybe this is the time you get to tell the wife you just can't finish your
bragging without a new digital camera! ::)
craig
Knuckle gave it away. . . that quarter-round shelf is where 'Hound stored the tire chains.
Seemed to be a good idea, but you should have heard the driver's bit*h about trying to pull them out w/o damaging passenger's luggage in the bin.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Quote from: Russ on July 06, 2007, 09:17:02 PM
Knuckle gave it away. . . that quarter-round shelf is where 'Hound stored the tire chains.
Seemed to be a good idea, but you should have heard the driver's bit*h about trying to pull them out w/o damaging passenger's luggage in the bin.
FWIW & HTH. . .
;)
Russ,
I just can't imagine hound drivers worrying about damaging suit cases and packages. I have ridden a lot of buses over the years and it seems if the property wasn't damaged as it went in, it would be when it came out! ;D
I would be more likely to believe the drivers were bittching from having to get the chains out at all! I know I would.
Well, I can tell you there are no chains in this driver's round bin! :D
I may clean it out and put my oil up there. I carry 6 gallons in a case. Not sure they'll fit up there,
but if they don't, at least it will get cleaned out. That bin seems to get neglected.
Craig,
Looking good!
Man, you really squeezed that box in there.......No wasted space for you.......
Nothing like a nice organized tool box when you need at o-dark thirty.... :o
Cliff
Quote from: FloridaCliff on July 08, 2007, 05:10:32 AM
Nothing like a nice organized tool box when you need at o-dark thirty.... :o
Good point. I need to install some lights in the bays so I can see what's in there at o-dark thirty. 8)
Craig, nice box setup! I know you saw my tool setup at our mini-bus rally a few weeks ago, but for the back bay light I use a coil worklight I picked up on sale at Sears/ K-mart for about $15. I put a 13w CFL lamp in there (seems more bump-tolerant than a tungsten bulb, and uses a lot less watts when 'inverting'). I can pull the lamp anywhere around the back of the bus now or through the bay to the other side. It also has a 2-prong plug on it for low-wattage elec. items (7A or less, IIRC). You can see the worklight in the pic below.
So here's a pic of my tool-bay setup, folks. The toolbox is on some industrial slides. The file drawers are a Sterlite 4-drawer that houses workclothes, air tools/ parts, elec., plumbing, sealants, 12v drills, etc. There's a big trunk behind it (accessible from the other side) that houses my 1" impact, sockets, bottle jacks, hoses, tow chains, etc. Like Craig, I pretty much follow the "Boy Scout motto" when traveling. I'd rather not rely on others to get me back on the road... if I can help it.
Brian B.