I am tickled pink.
After cracking a rib a week ago by over-reaching for a tool in my pick-up truck bed and slipping, I finally came up with a way to get to tools without having to crawl (on my sore knees) around the truck bed. I took my regular old broom and attached a hook to the end of the broom stick – just screwed it straight into the endgrain – just a small brass one not much bigger than a cupholder. I then attached medium size screw hooks into the ends of my tool containers ( I have 2 carpenter style wood tool carriers, a plastic square container for power tools, a wood box for miscellaneous items, and a miter saw).
You probably get the idea…just turn the broom around, hook-end facing into the bed, and hook onto the item, box, whatever you need. Works best on a typical plastic ribbed slippery truck bed. A grippy type rubber mat would not be so great.
No need to attach a hook to my miter saw as there are multiple safe spots to snag the saw without damaging it.
This works sooo well! I’m sure I’m not the first to dream it up, but I’m glad I gave it a try. Oh, and I love the synergy of my broom doing double duty!!!
Just had to share this folks…but my ribs still hurt!
David of Rochester.
Replies
I hear ya..
I've been using a boat hook for over a decade.... my father in law saw me use it one time.... now just about the entire fleet of pickup owners around the neighborhood have invested in a "hook".
that drywall T square works just fine for me. Suppose now I'll be using a hook.
Thanks for the idea
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"he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
I built drawers for my work van based on your design. I'll take some pics and post them this week.Thank you for sharing your good ideas.
Are you using full extension drawer slides, or some kind of slider? I want to build some shelving/flooring for my Safari van.Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Funny...all the posts with all the threads about why a pickup is better than a van. The most postive thing everyone said about a pick up to my disagreement was that its easier to access tools in a pickup rather than a van. I never agreed with that. And here we have this thread now...lol
Be organized and inventive
andy
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I did the van thing for a year and didn't like it. Bought my current rig (Chevy 2500HD) off the US Geological Survey for $1500. Did a total rehab,engine,tranny,brakes,paint. Runs like a top and has a covered utility bed. Check out the bed drawer. My first prototype. Can't bring myself to drop $2000 for an extendo-bed. It rides on two full length aluminum angles with whhels underneath. It's a mess. I usually clean it up on Sundays but today I'm firing up the smoker and getting ready for a SuperBowl party.
Scott
I'm still convinced that a van is the way to go for me. However, your truck makes a lot of sense were I to switch to trucks - lockable bins accessible from o/s, longer storage in the middle, and sheets goods on top. Excellent idea.All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.
My design uses no hardware whatsoever. The key to making it work is the tailgate. When the drawers are partially extended, the carcase supports them. The carcase is weighted down by the adjacent drawers (full), and doesn't budge. But when fully extended, the lion's share of the weight rests on the tailgate.
For advice on drawer extension guides, talk to GDCarpenter, a.k.a. Garfield J. Karpiak. He volunteered to do a write up on his custom tool trailer for FHB, and they're crazy if they don't take him up on it! Here's a picture of his rig, posted in an earlier thread. My guess is everything he's done is applicable to a van-drawer application.
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"he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
Edited 2/5/2006 2:34 pm by Huck
Yep...that thing rocks but no way I'd leave that unattended in a HD parking lot! What a score that'd be as they wave bye bye hooked to the back of some A-holes pickup...
That thing really is cool. Someone here or somewhere...I forget where I saw it...someone sells something like that out of metal where the entire thing folds apart but that thing one could make for a lot less than the metal one I saw........all you need is time or money!
edit: That thing is sitting on the tailgate of a "trailer"? Not a pickup tailgate...Right?
Be using other peoples money
andy
Edited 2/5/2006 1:50 pm ET by andybuildz
My pickup truck drawers rest on the tailgate when fully extended. GDCarpenter's (a.k.a. Garfield J. Karpiak) trailer setup is built on a flatbed utility trailer chassis.
"he...never charged nothing for his preaching, and it was worth it, too" - Mark Twain
Edited 2/5/2006 2:33 pm by Huck
I don't know if it would work in your case but my truck is pretty high up off the ground(no mods by me just the way it came from the factory) so I bought a tire step from JC Whitney.
Hook it over the tire and step up. It works pretty well for working in the engine compartment too.
Drop the tailgate and floor it.
Ugha Chaka! Ugha Chaka! Ugha, Ugha, Ugha, Chaka!
vans rule allright -- I just re-loaded this one. (I'd used it for years but fuel was killing me) I work the table saw and miter saw off the extended ramp. it's a good work truck -- one plug fires up the whole truck, compressor mounted way up front but can be drained from outside.
let me try again
I use a outfitter grade carlise raft paddle.
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1515&src=champ
works like a charm, stays flat, makes a great cricket bat, and a snow shovel in a pinch. I have found it is even marginally usefull as a paddle too.