anybody build their own tool box?

[warbird]

I like the monezuma style box as shown here

http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/montezuma-professional-portable-tool-box-large-30-x-19.html

and was thinking about building something similar with a few changes myself.
was wondering if anybody out there has ever built their own box from scratch? I have a few ideas in mind already just looking for input/advice

 

[Kracin]

I like the monezuma style box as shown here

http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/montezuma-professional-portable-tool-box-large-30-x-19.html

and was thinking about building something similar with a few changes myself.
was wondering if anybody out there has ever built their own box from scratch? I have a few ideas in mind already just looking for input/advice

i've built many toolbox, thick and thin gauge, welded and screwed....


none have ever turned out good or great or even ok! lol. all just boxes to store things in the shops i've worked in. and they stay in the shop when you leave because nobody wants to see that junk. i stick to buying prefabbed boxes, there are a lot of things a person doesn't think about that go into making a good box. when doing sheetmetal there are tons of bends in places that doing from scratch just won't get. not to mention the prefered method of spotwelding is difficult unless you have a handheld unit.


you can certainly make one, just make sure to plan it out. if you don't brake the sheetmetal good, you'll have to use a thicker material, and then you start adding tons of weight when you add material.

 

[warbird]

I am in the aerospace machine and sheetmetal field. I'm thinking a light gauge steel tube or aluminum extruded frame with bucked solid rivets on the outer sheetmetal covering with linear guides on the drawers. (if I use drawers. might go the Montezuma "hutch" style)

 

[Gotcha640]

I've built several wooden boxes and my dad built all his boxes and garage storage. If you're looking for little tips, I suggest a slant top, to keep you from piling stuff on top.

 

[altersaddle]

I haven't [yet] built my own toolbox, but I'm really interested to follow this thread.

It seems that every welder must build at least one welding cart. Why then do we never make our own toolboxes? Do they require way more extra tools than a cart?

I would like to make my own machinist's chest, now that I have learned who Gerstner is and how much a wooden chest costs. But that's not very high priority, more of a long term project.

 

[Tim37]

I did some thinking on building my own, the laziness kicked in

 

[zcbauer89]

There was a guy on here that was building his own, I think it was in the fabrication forum, but I lost rack of the thread. It was a pretty good thread where he was showing his progress.

 

[jakemac]

That was toelesswelder. Here's the link to his thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255583

 

[Jere]

I was given a book about how to make wood tool chests very elaborate ones at that. It called the toolbox book by tolpin. I suggest it to anyone thinking about making a wood roll around box. A tablsaw and a tape measure are pretty much all you need for a pretty nice box.

 

[rsanter]

I lust picked up a bunch of lista drawers and my friend and I were planning to build at least some of them into workbenches/toolboxes/cabinets.

I was planning to build my own toolbox at one time as I have access to the brakes and shears. What I figured out was that the drawers were going to be the most amount of work, and also be the area where if you are inaccurate in dimensions it will show up the most.
The frame/cabinet seems to be the earlier part

Bob

 

[mtnwalton]

Built this box out of maple when I was about 20. Just began my apprenticeship and copied (modified) from an older machinist I worked with.

 

[thundermug]

I'm developing a wood machinist box plan, but it is near the end of a long list of things to do.

 

[jonjon1]

I have the montezuma box similar to that one
la400

What would you want to change about that box? I love mine...

I would personally find a used one and change it the way you want, but it wouldn't be hard to make, I could do it, but I have an awesome tig welder, a full sized brake shear, etc. BUT it would take way longer and be much more work than the $500 the box costs is worth. I would have to buy the metal, cut, bend, and weld the structure {lots of measuring and test fitting}, then buy the piston, hinges, and lock assembly, then paint all the parts and assemble it, $500 my la400 cost me was a bargain, lol.. There are 200 properly spaced little pins in that box, I would want $900 to weld them all in there, then another 30-40 pins for the wrenches...

 

[Olafur]

I have been thinking about this since good size toolboxes are hard to get over here and importing one or two is not feasible due to freight cost.

Building a quality box is also quite expensive in materials alone, let alone the work. If I had free access to shares, brakes etc I would probably be tempted to built one from scratch. But I don't.

However, recently I found interesting solution for custom kitchen drawers.
1) You buy the drawer sides with rails made from powder coated steel. Up to 620 mm deep drawers with selection of rails - up to 50 - 70 kg load capacity, soft close, push open etc. You can select 70 or 140 mm deep drawers.

2) You buy a kit for the back wall of the drawer (aluminum) and select drawer width up to 120 cm.

3) you buy a kit for the front - intended for "inside", or "behind" drawers in kitchen cabinets - also aluminum with handle.

So basically you can buy very nice drawers up to 120x62cm - the only thing missing is the bottom plate.

The cost?
Relatively speaking I could buy a semi-decent small too box over here. For the same price I could buy these drawers with 3-4x the storage area and probably 4-8 times the storage volume. What is missing is the drawer bottoms and naturally the frame, enclosure of the box and casters.

The stuff i am looking at is from: http://www.hettich.com

However - My situation is probably very different from you guys. If I could pick up the phone and buy US General or Montezuma boxes for the same you pay for them I would not be considering this. But I assume the US market has similar offerings to kitchens like the EU - and quite likely even cheaper.

Just a food for though.

 

[sk farmer]

i have four montezuma slant front boxes. 2 smaller models i hang on tractors and combines, a larger one mounted on my service pickup and a crossover in the shop. all of them, rock solid. i doubt you could build one better or cheaper. they are designed pretty well and there are a variety of styles, sizes, colors and materials they are made from. they can also be had in a couple different brands.

i doubt you will go wrong purchasing one. if you really need to modify it, find a used one as they can be hammered and welded like no other box can.

as a side note, i have 2 of them over 20 years old. the one has logged over 10,000 hours off road and the other has had over 100,000 miles on the back of a truck(who knows how many miles before i bought it). i will never wear them out and other than painting to match the current vehicles and new weatherstripping they are no worse for wear and have required no maintenance.

 

[Jere]

With ebay ballbearing drawer slides bulk order, and scrounging used materials ie washing machines for sheet, pull apart yards for sheet, struts and bolts, and if with out sheet metal brake hardwood pallets to make hammer forms a very low cost metal box could be made. This is of course at the expense of the builders time. Not everyone has a good job to drop 500 bucks on a new tool box, i know i dont.

 

[sk farmer]

With ebay ballbearing drawer slides bulk order, and scrounging used materials ie washing machines for sheet, pull apart yards for sheet, struts and bolts, and if with out sheet metal brake hardwood pallets to make hammer forms a very low cost metal box could be made. This is of course at the expense of the builders time. Not everyone has a good job to drop 500 bucks on a new tool box, i know i dont.

this is a fairly ridiculous comment. there is always used stuff out there. harbor freight has new stuff for pretty low prices, the 40 inch cabinet and 26 inch stacks are pretty damn nice and are always way less than 500 dollars. same with the service carts. northern tool and sears can even get you in to usable box for far less than 500 dollars. you can't tell me you wouldn't have 100-200 dollars in slides, handle, and misc hardware building your own.

there have been several threads on guys who have pretty extensive shop setups building cabinets. some have been pretty nice but they still lacked a lot of features that even cheap storage units have.

i would be quite interested to watch a pallet wood brake and washing machine sheet metal box build. if it turns out as anything more than a heap of **** i would be surprised.

without access to a decent brake, welder, plasma torch, shears, drill press and a host of other equipment i don't see it happening. if you have all of that stuff, a couple 100 bucks for a box should not be a problem.

 

[jonjon1]

i would be quite interested to watch a pallet wood brake and washing machine sheet metal box build. if it turns out as anything more than a heap of **** i would be surprised. .

+1, I wanna watch too...

 

[Jere]

this is a fairly ridiculous comment. there is always used stuff out there. harbor freight has new stuff for pretty low prices, the 40 inch cabinet and 26 inch stacks are pretty damn nice and are always way less than 500 dollars. same with the service carts. northern tool and sears can even get you in to usable box for far less than 500 dollars. you can't tell me you wouldn't have 100-200 dollars in slides, handle, and misc hardware building your own.

there have been several threads on guys who have pretty extensive shop setups building cabinets. some have been pretty nice but they still lacked a lot of features that even cheap storage units have.

i would be quite interested to watch a pallet wood brake and washing machine sheet metal box build. if it turns out as anything more than a heap of **** i would be surprised.

without access to a decent brake, welder, plasma torch, shears, drill press and a host of other equipment i don't see it happening. if you have all of that stuff, a couple 100 bucks for a box should not be a problem.

Your tool list is pretty silly those items are not NEEDED and you missed my point. Thanks for trying tho.

The possibility is there for one to build their own box to their own requirements for far less than a retail box. Did i say it was necessarily practical to do so....no. go watch YouTube video of sheet metal workers make fenders with a stump a hammer and some sheet metal snips If you want to have your closed mind blown.

 

[countryroad82]

i would be quite interested to watch a pallet wood brake and washing machine sheet metal box build. if it turns out as anything more than a heap of **** i would be surprised.


Oh jeez I just about died reading this!!!! If I had more time on my hands I swear I would do just that. But I have to agree with the cheap easy to be had boxes that are out there it would cost more in time and money than it would make sense to build a box from scratch. Unless of course you're just showing off!!!

 

[sk farmer]

Your tool list is pretty silly those items are not NEEDED and you missed my point. Thanks for trying tho.

The possibility is there for one to build their own box to their own requirements for far less than a retail box. Did i say it was necessarily practical to do so....no. go watch YouTube video of sheet metal workers make fenders with a stump a hammer and some sheet metal snips If you want to have your closed mind blown.

nope i didn't miss the point and don't have a closed mind. i am not claiming to be able do something i can't either. i have seen the videos. even seen some guys do similar stuff in person. old school body work can be done. i knew a guy who made a fender for an s-10 pickup from a refrigerator door. yup it looked like ****.


go ahead, prove us wrong. build a box square enough to install ball bearing slides and a smooth fitting lid from an old washing machine using a tree stump and a hammer. sorry, but i just don't think it will happen.

i will check back in 5 minutes to see how you are coming.

 

[Jere]

nope i didn't miss the point and don't have a closed mind. i am not claiming to be able do something i can't either. i have seen the videos. even seen some guys do similar stuff in person. old school body work can be done. i knew a guy who made a fender for an s-10 pickup from a refrigerator door. yup it looked like ****.


go ahead, prove us wrong. build a box square enough to install ball bearing slides and a smooth fitting lid from an old washing machine using a tree stump and a hammer. sorry, but i just don't think it will happen.

i will check back in 5 minutes to see how you are coming.

Oh so aside from putting words in my mouth again you are making up stories now...
i am starting to understand that dont argue with an ***** quote.

 

[zkling]

OP, 9 times of 10, unless you want some special features or custom size, it is not worth the time, parts, materials, etc. Now if you want to build one for bragging rights, go right ahead.

With ebay ballbearing drawer slides bulk order, and scrounging used materials ie washing machines for sheet, pull apart yards for sheet, struts and bolts, and if with out sheet metal brake hardwood pallets to make hammer forms a very low cost metal box could be made. This is of course at the expense of the builders time. Not everyone has a good job to drop 500 bucks on a new tool box, i know i dont.

And tools to do the proper job. Sometimes the frustration induced is just not worth the savings over a used box or the ever popular ~$400 HF44" bottom. Especially in the long run when you consider usage life span.

 

[rick carpenter]

I like the monezuma style box as shown here

http://www.strictlytoolboxes.com/montezuma-professional-portable-tool-box-large-30-x-19.html

and was thinking about building something similar with a few changes myself.
was wondering if anybody out there has ever built their own box from scratch? I have a few ideas in mind already just looking for input/advice

One word...

 

[bdelmar2]

I painted a kr 660.

Had to straighten a couple things, but not too bad.

Went in figuring it would take a couple days of relaxed puttering and maybe $40 in material.

Ended up being pretty much a week of steady hard work and over $100 (I quit keeping track after that) in material.

Ended up taping off the trim pieces on the drawer fronts because I was afraid by the time I hammered them off and back on they wouldn't survive, which may or may not have taken longer.

Mostly it was just a lot of pieces to disassemble, clean, sand, tape, prime, sand, spray, untape, and assemble. Drawers in particular have a huge amount of surface area to prep.

Also took up a lot of room, drawers eat up space fast when layed out for spraying.


I'll never do it again, just not worth it. Far far more work than justified.

It could be half assed way faster, but I've seen toolboxes painted like that, and they look exactly like that, half assed - especially a couple of years down the road.

The thought of building a box, and then having to paint it makes me shudder.


Pricewise, I'm guessing just the consumables - paint, sandpaper, primer, cleaner, welding wire/rod, grinding/wire wheels, electricity, gas to run around for all this, etc... is going to be as much or more than the hf 44" box.

Materials are going to be that much or more on top, almost certainly more. Probably quite a bit more.

Plus the time and effort.

Assuming you already have all the equipment and tools to do it, yet somehow do not have a toolbox.

 

[Ridwaan Gallow]

OP, you are already busy buiding the box, right?

So just finish it cos i would like to see it when complete so that we may all congratulate you on your project.. allot of the time we do things that others do not understand, but to the person in question, is an achievement to have done..

 

[Adam.C]

Sheet metal is fairly easy to blank, fold, weld, and paint in an industrial setting. But I think few people have the resources to do a good job on their own.

Plywood could be used to make an adequately strong box. Many people have at least basic woodworking tools, tho better tools would produce a better box. I'd be inclined to add extruded al angle for reinforcement and damage protection at the corners. It could be bonded and pop riveted on.

For drawers I'd be inclined to make plywood fronts and backs with al angle sides, and sheet steel bottoms. The angles would have to be screwed to the plywood somehow. I can think of a couple different ways to do that.

FWIW, I built my own version of a Gerstner box some years ago. Toolboxes are time consuming and expensive to build. You really have to build for the love of it, not to get a "free toolbox". In fact, having built a toolbox makes me appreciate the factory made ones more. My box had 14 tiny hand made drawers. I spent 2-3 hours on each drawer (including finish work). That adds up fast. I made my own drawer slides, but full extension accurides are not cheap. You could easily spend more on drawer slides than an entire HF box costs.

View media item 41743

 

[sk farmer]

Oh so aside from putting words in my mouth again you are making up stories now...
i am starting to understand that dont argue with an ***** quote.

you made the claims yourself. just because i doubt your claims there is no reason to call me a *****. people have gotten a timeout for lesser things.

there is plenty of people in this thread doubting your statement beside me. are we to assume they are morons as well?

at least get the story close to right. it is something more like.

"don't argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level and they always win because they have more experience there."

 

[Kracin]

Your tool list is pretty silly those items are not NEEDED and you missed my point. Thanks for trying tho.

The possibility is there for one to build their own box to their own requirements for far less than a retail box. Did i say it was necessarily practical to do so....no. go watch YouTube video of sheet metal workers make fenders with a stump a hammer and some sheet metal snips If you want to have your closed mind blown.

can you make a toolbox with a hammer and scissors?

talking is easy, but making a good quality box that has nice fitment and doesn't look like hammered *** is tough if you don't have the tools skfarmer listed. i've made more than a few, and i gave up trying to make them look nice and settled on square tube frames welded together with sheetmetal skins and shelves instead of drawers for the standard "side cabinet". aside from that, buying a prefabbed sidebox or toolbox is easily something affordable if somebody has the equipment to build one.

if you want to build one even though you have access to all the machinery capable of making one, you probably make enough money to not have to make your own.

i once asked my dad why he would bother paying for a set of prints for a deck off ebay for a hundred bucks when he is a lead drafter for a billion dollar engineering and construction company. he said "why would i spend three to six hour making something that i can buy with an hours worth of work?". pretty simple, but unless it's a passion, why bother if you make any decent money at all?

 

[Jere]

OP, 9 times of 10, unless you want some special features or custom size, it is not worth the time, parts, materials, etc. Now if you want to build one for bragging rights, go right ahead.



And tools to do the proper job. Sometimes the frustration induced is just not worth the savings over a used box or the ever popular ~$400 HF44" bottom. Especially in the long run when you consider usage life span.

The beauty of a hammerform is that tools can be very minimal and affordable. (If I could search YouTube I could come up with some better examples but I will leave that to those whom are interested )https://www.google.com/search?q=hammerform&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Piw4VbbOCcPLsAXC34GIAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AU google image search of some of the shapes that can be made ranging from simple box shapes like tool drawers to extremely complex compound curves like multi runner intake manifolds. So to make a box one could get it done with some paper or posterboard, pencil, straight edge, some straight snips, clamps, hammer, circular saw or saber saw or even some hand saws, and some flat wood or MDF. Note I didn't say welder, soldiering iron, rivets, jb weld expoxy, or anything else like that, but one or many of those things could make a stronger box, but the metal could just be folded.

Once again I can't speak for anyone that would find this method the most practical, but I can't say I know everyone else's circumstances.( like one poster that lives in a not harbor freight country.) Maybe someone that just wants to show off, like you mentioned or develop some skills will use this method. Or maybe someone might want to make their own prototype box to their own standards as old cabinet makers once did. Is that what I have done no as I have other more practical methods and less requirements from a toolbox. I am saying the possiblity exists to make a cheaper box than a 500 dollars box even a free box if one is resourceful.

 

[Jere]

you made the claims yourself. just because i doubt your claims there is no reason to call me a *****. people have gotten a timeout for lesser things.

there is plenty of people in this thread doubting your statement beside me. are we to assume they are morons as well?

at least get the story close to right. it is something more like.

"don't argue with an idiot, they drag you down to their level and they always win because they have more experience there."

First that quote was from another posters signature so tell them

I did not directly call you a *****, like your response to my other posts you made an assumption about or your own interpretation about my message. Its pretty frustrating to have to reply to and try and correct every little inferred detail. Let alone get a message across to many different people in text over the internet. So for example I could simply understand then frustration of the person making the (mis) quote.

Hopefully we can get back on topic now please without further bickering.

 

[Jere]

Sheet metal is fairly easy to blank, fold, weld, and paint in an industrial setting. But I think few people have the resources to do a good job on their own.

Plywood could be used to make an adequately strong box. Many people have at least basic woodworking tools, tho better tools would produce a better box. I'd be inclined to add extruded al angle for reinforcement and damage protection at the corners. It could be bonded and pop riveted on.

For drawers I'd be inclined to make plywood fronts and backs with al angle sides, and sheet steel bottoms. The angles would have to be screwed to the plywood somehow. I can think of a couple different ways to do that.

FWIW, I built my own version of a Gerstner box some years ago. Toolboxes are time consuming and expensive to build. You really have to build for the love of it, not to get a "free toolbox". In fact, having built a toolbox makes me appreciate the factory made ones more. My box had 14 tiny hand made drawers. I spent 2-3 hours on each drawer (including finish work). That adds up fast. I made my own drawer slides, but full extension accurides are not cheap. You could easily spend more on drawer slides than an entire HF box costs.

View media item 41743

Really great work do you have anymore photos?

 

[jonjon1]

I hold a master sheet metal license {part of what we call a master mechanical license} and I have worked with sheet metal A LOT, to make a box IMO I would do it this way..

Make an aluminum sq tube frame, machine a recessed slide on the rear and 2 sides so that you can slide Flat sheet metal side down into them. That will take care of your sides and back, paint them and decal them they will look nice and be easy to replace inces you dent them up...

Now for the top, I would do a 1 1/4" thick hardwood cutting board style top, ontop of the welded tube frame.

NOW the hard part- Drawers-
I would use nice thick aluminum plate and weld the drawer up, bottom, sides, front and back, I would use commercial slides and I would use a push to release system wo I dont need handles, just flat front..

Casters would be commercial and bolted to the aluminum frame.

SO now I am confident I could do this, I can tig weld like the devils fingertip, and I have a nice big shear that cuts straight and strong, I have access to really nice commercial slides, casters, etc. BUT I will almost BET, what I build will not be as nice as what I could buy for the same amount of money from a company like waterloo...

 

[warbird]

everyone on here is right...it probably will take more time and effort than it is worth to try and make a box that looks nice and will do everything I want it to do.i should just go buy one....I am therefore going to assume that none of you build custom cars or motorcycles and don't hot rod engines? obviously I can go buy a new corvette that will spank the **** out of a hot rodded 67 mustang/69 Camaro (take your pik)....surely it makes more sense to buy the vette right?.....which makes me wonder why you all have garages with tools in them to begin with?

 

[Fcvapor05]

The beauty of a hammerform is that tools can be very minimal and affordable. (If I could search YouTube I could come up with some better examples but I will leave that to those whom are interested )https://www.google.com/search?q=hammerform&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=Piw4VbbOCcPLsAXC34GIAQ&ved=0CAkQ_AU google image search of some of the shapes that can be made ranging from simple box shapes like tool drawers to extremely complex compound curves like multi runner intake manifolds. So to make a box one could get it done with some paper or posterboard, pencil, straight edge, some straight snips, clamps, hammer, circular saw or saber saw or even some hand saws, and some flat wood or MDF. Note I didn't say welder, soldiering iron, rivets, jb weld expoxy, or anything else like that, but one or many of those things could make a stronger box, but the metal could just be folded.

Once again I can't speak for anyone that would find this method the most practical, but I can't say I know everyone else's circumstances.( like one poster that lives in a not harbor freight country.) Maybe someone that just wants to show off, like you mentioned or develop some skills will use this method. Or maybe someone might want to make their own prototype box to their own standards as old cabinet makers once did. Is that what I have done no as I have other more practical methods and less requirements from a toolbox. I am saying the possiblity exists to make a cheaper box than a 500 dollars box even a free box if one is resourceful.

Your thought process has a major catch-22.

If I have the (enormous) skill required to hammerform giant pieces of sheet into shapes that are very consistent and very flat, with bends that are straight and even across long lengths, odds are very good that I have a rather large array of sheet metal tools at my disposal.

I'm fairly confident that anyone that can reliably make a hammered steel gas tank or fender that looks good, probably has access to, at minimum, a shear and a box brake.

Is making a big custom tool box that's straight enough for roller slides to work without sticking and jamming, and pretty enough to show off, without using any tools larger than a hammer, possible? Maybe, if you have enough skill. But the skill required is immense. Ask anyone who has ever tried to patch a 1/4 panel well enough that body filler wasn't required before paint. And then add in the fact that making parts with very large straight flat areas can often be more challenging than making parts with compound curves.

On top of all of that, a good tool box has to be STRONG. Tools are heavy. The load you put into your box is a big number, and that number gets multiplied by a surprising amount when you roll your box around and it has to deal with cracks and hoses and pebbles under the wheels. So fabricating a box is hard, and engineering a box that is going to last a long time is also hard.

For 99.999% of people that care about tool boxes, the amount of labor it will take will always be way more expensive than buying a box off the shelf. Unless of course you value your time at $0/hr. I certainly don't, which is why I bought a box even though I have a big brake and a welder and a shear and a plasma cutter and a zillion other tools. I *probably* could have built a box that would keep all my **** off the floor, but I know to a near certainty that it wouldn't be as user friendly or as durable or as maintenance-free as the box I bought out of a catalog.

 

[Jere]

Your thought process has a major catch-22.

If I have the (enormous) skill required to hammerform giant pieces of sheet into shapes that are very consistent and very flat, with bends that are straight and even across long lengths, odds are very good that I have a rather large array of sheet metal tools at my disposal.

I'm fairly confident that anyone that can reliably make a hammered steel gas tank or fender that looks good, probably has access to, at minimum, a shear and a box brake.

Is making a big custom tool box that's straight enough for roller slides to work without sticking and jamming, and pretty enough to show off, without using any tools larger than a hammer, possible? Maybe, if you have enough skill. But the skill required is immense. Ask anyone who has ever tried to patch a 1/4 panel well enough that body filler wasn't required before paint. And then add in the fact that making parts with very large straight flat areas can often be more challenging than making parts with compound curves.

On top of all of that, a good tool box has to be STRONG. Tools are heavy. The load you put into your box is a big number, and that number gets multiplied by a surprising amount when you roll your box around and it has to deal with cracks and hoses and pebbles under the wheels. So fabricating a box is hard, and engineering a box that is going to last a long time is also hard.

For 99.999% of people that care about tool boxes, the amount of labor it will take will always be way more expensive than buying a box off the shelf. Unless of course you value your time at $0/hr. I certainly don't, which is why I bought a box even though I have a big brake and a welder and a shear and a plasma cutter and a zillion other tools. I *probably* could have built a box that would keep all my **** off the floor, but I know to a near certainty that it wouldn't be as user friendly or as durable or as maintenance-free as the box I bought out of a catalog.

I am pretty sure I mentioned building a box might not be practical. Good construction, design , are things that come with experience trying and trying again. Maybe its not worth it to you or someone else its too hard or you make too much money to waste time on trying. These points have merits for some but not for others. While you might be afraid or too busy, or make too much money to climb a mountain doesn't mean it can not be done by anyone else.

 

[rick carpenter]

OP said that he wanted to build his own box, right? Some of the comments look to have been helpful to him, some look to be helpful to the other readers of the thread, and some not helpful. Mine was not, but it was only intended to be funny since OP is a sheetmetal dude. So now I'm looking for the humor in the other not helpful answers... hmmm, still looking...

OP, please post a build thread.

 

[ilovevocs]

I would start by building a few sheet metal cabinets before you dive into a tool box. I built two out of 16 ga. steel for my shop foremen. They were quick and dirty though. I will post some pics when my phone charges. I do have a sheer and a cnc break though. My next cabinets will be all aluminum and from their I have intentions of building some boxes with drawers. Just allot less detailing required for cabinets and they are more accommodating to slight dimensions errors.

Personally I like to fab everything from sheet metal, not using a subframe and cladding it. Spend some time looking at store made boxes, they have the detailing dialed in and its easy to replicate with a sheer and a break. I obviously do a ton of sheet metal work and am proficient at design and execution. I however would not choose to take on a project of this magnitude in the absence of my equipment. Hammer forming while it could be done would sure make the process substantially more time consuming. In the absence of a squaring sheer, you could certainly trim it all by hand but again, the time investment IMHO would not be worth it. I think you would be further ahead to design the pieces you need and find a small HVAC shop that would bend them up some beer or some cash.

My only challenge at this juncture is the lack of a spot welder for aluminum. For the time being I have been using rosette welds but the clean up is much more extensive. Furthermore im building because I want custom built ins not standard size cabinets and boxes. I cant justify the expense to pay someone to build them when I could do it in my beer time and I enjoy the work. That and the material is "free" for me; I wont divulge too deeply into this but it is. If your doing it because you want to, go for it, and don't let anyone discourage you; however is it worth it in terms of time and expense for a roller cab of standard size, certainly not, but building your own stuff is gratifying.

 

[CobraChevelle]

you could build this...

seen this on CL back in feb.

edit: even had a peg board on the back to hang tools

 

[sk farmer]

everyone on here is right...it probably will take more time and effort than it is worth to try and make a box that looks nice and will do everything I want it to do.i should just go buy one....I am therefore going to assume that none of you build custom cars or motorcycles and don't hot rod engines? obviously I can go buy a new corvette that will spank the **** out of a hot rodded 67 mustang/69 Camaro (take your pik)....surely it makes more sense to buy the vette right?.....which makes me wonder why you all have garages with tools in them to begin with?

to the op. i am not against anyone building their own box. have at it, i encourage it. if you want to build a hot rod, a kit car or a jacked up truck, no problem there either. i was just pointing out that building a box without having some skill, the proper equipment or the ability to farm some work out would be very difficult for most people. you need something a little more than a hammer and a few blocks of wood and some scrapped out appliances. a montezuma style slant front box would actually be one of the easier types to make. making a 30 inch cabinet with a stack of drawers is obviously tougher and a double or triple bay is far above that.

your question on garages? i am not really sure how to take that. everyone has their reasons for what they have and what they do. some guys have shops to collect shiny things. some shops are for repair and some are for fabbing and building. they may be a combination of the above or 100 other things. everyone knows the saying about good, fast and cheap, pick two. the same can be said about shop projects whether it be building cars or tool boxes. either project takes, skill, equipment and money. shorting any of them will more than likely leave you with a substandard end result.