Replies

1. 
   dieselpig | Mar 24, 2007 02:56am | #1

   Try American Van and/or Adrian Steel for shelving and organizers and what-not.  Just google them, both have very good websites.

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1. 
   ckorto | Mar 24, 2007 04:15am | #2

   Try the Weatherguard website, the stuffs great.  A bit pricy but great.  I've had the pack-rat pull out drawers for 5 years now, thing works like new.

    

   Chuck

2. 
   JeffBuck | Mar 24, 2007 09:32am | #7

   american van and adrian steel have very nice stuff for plumbers and/or electricians ...

   but have absolutely noting for carpenter and remodeling contractors.

    

   kills me ... as I get their catalogs all the time ... and all that stuff looks so pretty ...

   but my last van can factory equiped ... and nothing fit.

    

   like the guy before me ... I left it in ... 'cause it looked so damn nice ...

   but notning fit!

    

   at the most generous ... their biggest, most wide open shelves ... "may" ... be made to work.

   Jeff    Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

2. 
   EricPaulson | Mar 24, 2007 04:24am | #3

   I may get smacked here but..............I don't think that a lot of what is being manufactured out there is suitable to a carpenters needs.

   And I have talked to several guys here and there in the parking lot of the lumber yard driving vans with the typical steel shelving and they tend to agree.

   I just bought a van and in doing so I am facing the indentical challenge as you.

   My beef is a decent bulhead divider. I want to seal off the cargo area from the people end of the van completly. A door for sure, but I don't want all that dust and crap coming up front in my space.

   I'll build out some shelves and probably figure out better what I need after having lived in it for a while.

   Eric

   [email protected]

    

    

   WHICH content will be free, of course; WHICH content will require registration; but WHICH content will be available only to members of FineHomebuilding.com.???

    

    

    

1. 
   ChicagoMike | Mar 24, 2007 07:45am | #5

   I used the American Van bulkhead divider and screwed Plexiglass over the vent hole windows. It protects you well and keeps the heat and ac up front and the dust in the back.

2. 
   JeffBuck | Mar 24, 2007 09:33am | #8

   the one thing I do think the premade's offer is a good bulkhead door.

   Jeff    Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

1. 
   andybuildz | Mar 24, 2007 05:34pm | #11

   American Van and all those companies we get the catalogues from are good only to rip off ideas from. The prices are astronomical to me..for what you get ... other than roof racks and stuff you're not gonna make yourself.
   we're BUILDERS fer cryin' out loud!!! And gigs like making custom cabinetry for our trucks should be held near and dear to our hearts.. Its the chance to use all those cabinet tools we all use so infrequently.
   I'm real guilty of this for sure. I keep thinkin' about doin' it but that's as far as I get. I keep thinkin' of making some nice solid carcasses and then fabricate some awesome front frames all sprayed with lacquer from my $800 Fuji...but have I? Noooooooooo.I keep thinkin' how cool and impressive that looks when a customer sees you open your van doors and sees custom cabs in there nicer than what's in their kitchen. But have I done it? Noooooooooooooo.I also keep saying its all or nothin'. Not willing to just put up some ply shelving and call it a day..that'd depress me more looking at that than all the tool filled spackle buckets. Its one of those things that as you're cleaning up your shop and then you start doing the carcasses or whatever...and you don't stop..I swear I'll do it....ugh.
   After I'm done with the bathroom..and the shelf unit in the bonus room,and the three custom doors to the storage area and the hidden bookcase in the new bathroom, and the caps on the fence posts and...I gotta get offa this computer...ugh..heyyyyyyy...its Saturday!

    

    

    

   http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                   

    

3. 
   woody1777 | Mar 24, 2007 07:25am | #4

   Got two Adrian steel shelving units for a full size van I'll sell ya, ladder rack with a clamp as well.

   I can e mail some pics if ya want.

4. 
   ChicagoMike | Mar 24, 2007 07:48am | #6

   I have a Chevy express with the American Van set up for shelves. It doesn't hold any of my tool cases very well and  bags aren't much better. I will soon tear that out and make my own plywood shelves custom to the tools I own.

5. 
   dustinf | Mar 24, 2007 02:39pm | #9

   Before I did anything with my van, I used it for a couple weeks to see what I wanted first.

   I couldn't find anything I liked in steel, so I ended up building shelving to suit my needs.  I really only have one shelf, and area under it to store most of my smaller tools in their cases.

   I'm with Eric on the bulkhead.  I wish I would have built one.  Mainly for heating/cooling reasons, but the thought of an accident without one is pretty scary, if you think about it.   I don't want to be clubbed in the head with my 12lb Skil saw if my van ever rolled over.

   I wish I had a reason;
   my flaws are open season

6. 
   peteduffy | Mar 24, 2007 03:47pm | #10

   Like Dustin, I wanted to use the van for a while without spending hundreds of dollars on steel shelving that might not meet my needs.  So I built my own out of plywood.

   I liked looking at the catalogs for ideas, though.  But you can get a lot of 3/4" plywood for what those steel units cost.

   I started out just scribing panels to fit the contour of the sides.  That was time consuming, but once I got a template made, a router and pattern bit made it easy to make duplicates.  Then just add shelf supports (scrap 1x glued and screwed to the panels) and shelves.

   Making everything fit flush with the sides uses a lot of space wasted by the steel units.  Plus, nothing can slip down behind if it's all fit tight together.

   I also made a bulkhead for the driver's side out of plywood.  I have the same fear of flying objects in a crash or quick stop.  The plywood bulkhead should give plenty of protection.  But I also wanted access from the cab to the back, so I have that too.

   After using it for a few months, now I know what modifications I want to make.  I need more cubbyholes for smaller stuff.  Having everything on one big shelf usually means moving 2 things to get to the thing you need.  I also want dedicated slots for certain tools, parts cases, etc.

   Since I saved so much money not buying the steel units, I might go with a nicer grade of plywood for round 2.  Maybe stain or paint it, add hardwood edging.

   Just looking for a nice day or two to get on this.

   Pete Duffy, Handyman