We finally built a new truck organizer box for the truck. The old one was failing and wasn't working well for us anyway. It had a bed depth central box (we called it the central well) in the front center with shelves at gunnel height on both sides.
We pulled that box out and built a new one out of plywood:
The gray on top is gray carpet runner held down with contact cement, we got both from Home Depot.
This is the port side with the fold down desk stowed:
Desk deployed:
Here is the drawer open (it has 1/4x3/4 screen door trim for runners underneath):
The drawer is a bit heavy but it is well organized and it works. I have a better design in mind now that we have built this one. Glue and screw a 1x2 on each side of the drawer about in the center vertically and running the length. Get fixed castor wheels from the hardware store and mount those top and bottom at some reasonable spacing so that the drawer rolls out and can't tip down (due to the top castors). Better include a stop with that design to keep it from shooting out onto your toe.
Oh my golly. Is it wrong that I am a little bit turned on by this?
Really nice touch with that flip-down desk top on the port side.
We were eating lunch at a boundary survey site. I said I need a desk and I have a piece of scrap 1/2" plywood for it. Then Dan said he had a piano hinge. Then we brainstormed various ideas. I said I have an old wood towel rack I removed from a bathroom, maybe we could use that somehow. From that Dan figured out the idea to attach the conduit to the desk and have it turn in conduit clips which cost only a few bucks. We provided the desk ourselves.
What are the bags on the left? Tripods?
> What are the bags on the left? Tripods?
Prisms, I think. The tripods are likely behind the bags.
What keeps the shovel in place? Will it even come out of there?
Might I suggest a clip board clip at the top of the folding desk? Nice job, may I hire you to do my truck, when I get one of my own?
yes, the bags have prisms, tripods behind the prisms. The other Chief got long prism bags which fit the prism and tribrach. His tripods are on the bottom and go full length (so they can be left extended). He has the smaller more standard tripods. I have Trimaxes, they won't all fit across the bottom between the wheel wells. We chose to stack them all on one side which has worked out really well. That gives us good access to the lower deck from the side and back.
The bottom two tripod boxes go full length. The top 4 go back about 5'. There is a deck in front of the mid level for the instrument and personal stuff (not shown well in the photos.
The shovel is behind that piece of conduit which is crushed a little with a hammer. It fits snug but the conduit can be loosened and slid to the right so the sledge and shovel come out.
Very impressive!
I don't see your portable barbeque gear anywhere.
We've been staying in hotels the past 6 months or so, so it has been living on my back patio.
That is a good idea.
Maybe we should go in the organizer business.
Nice looking rig. Those prism bags make excellent camera bags too. I can carry the camera, extra batteries, cables etc. and keep it all together. Search the internet for the "Freedom Grill", it fits into the receiver for your hitch and swings out the way of your tailgate.
Andy
Nice Job!
You should hang your first aid kit right next to the shovel rack on the right side.
Joeb
Dave,
That is just awesome. That is very similar to something that I have been considering.
With some of the work I have been doing lately, I need to carry my two extra tripods.
How did you connect the shelves to the vertical pieces? Do the instruments slide around on the carpet?
I may have a few more questions the closer I get to redoing my box.
Thank you for sharing
Good job Dave!
Did you use Baltic Birch, marine grade ply,
or just run of the mill?
13 ply sanded pine we got on sale at HD. I could build decent cabinets from it. The veneer is very thin and soft but it hasn't been a problem except on the edges so we covered the rear edges with 1/4x3/4 screen door trim.
We can put the C10 HDS scanner on the lower deck (starboard) sideways. The old SS2 fits on there too.
