Need some tool box ideas

[GrantCee]

I'm in need of a portable tool box/chest, and don't have any good ideas.

I live on a farm. Though I have a garage, there's not enough room in which to work on a vehicle (too much other junk!) When I need to work on a car/truck/tractor I need to take the tools to the object being repaired, instead of vice-versa.

Ideally, I'd like to figure out a way to cart around my tools. Unlike a lot of you I don't have a huge collection - just 3/8 sockets (metric & SAE, reg. and deep), the same in 1/2, metric and SAE combo wrench sets, some adjustable wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, and misc. stuff.

There's not enough to fill one of those big-roll around cabinets, but way too much for any toolbox that I could comfortable pick up.

I can't use a typical roll-around tool chest, even the small ones, as their casters won't work on anything other than pavement. My grounds are a mix of fine gravel, coarse gravel, grass, and bare dirt, and I need to travel easily over all of them. That means big tires!

Any ideas? Anyone else faced this issue? I'm thinking something along the lines of a handtruck-like tool box with big pneumatic wheels, but I'm sure someone else has come up with something better.

Pics if possible!

 

[treasureseeker]

Get a service cart and put big wheels on it

 

[cooliorz]

Can you rig up a toolbox on a wheelbarrow frame or hand truck?

 

[zer0cell]

How about a cart like this:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002PHLU82?ie=UTF8&tag=hubpages0814-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002PHLU82">Radio Flyer 32S All-Terrain Steel and Wood Wagon</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hubpages0814-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002PHLU82" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />

(seems to have gotten good reviews)

Then you could stick some of your small hand tools in a bag like this and put it in the cart:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00132FD4C?ie=UTF8&tag=hubpages0814-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00132FD4C">Irwin 4402011 Electrician's Tote</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hubpages0814-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00132FD4C" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />

You could also fit one of these in there for your sockets and wrenches:

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G8XIFY?ie=UTF8&tag=hubpages0814-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001G8XIFY">Arsenal 5780 Canvas Tool Roll-Up</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=hubpages0814-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001G8XIFY" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" />


And you should still have plenty of room left for other goodies. The wheels appear to be good enough for most terrain on that cart... unless you are willing to spend the money on a motorized vehicle like a little ATV with a tool basket built on

 

[Stick Figure]

Get a service cart and put big wheels on it

I know there have been others that have done this and posted pics here, i just don't remember where exactly i saw them.

 

[Scout Driver]

You could use something like this as a base to build from:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_211722_211722

By the way....Welcome to the Garage Journal.

Scott

 

[GrantCee]

Thanks for the replies.

My first thought was mounting something to a hand truck. Trouble is I haven't found a suitable candidate. It needs to be somewhat shallow, not too wide, but tall.

One problem is weight. Since I sometimes have to cart this thing up and down some small hills, it's best not to start with something that weighs 150+lbs empty.

Scout Driver, I actually have a couple of those! I'd considered that, and may still, but storage when not in use is a big issue. A hand truck based solution would be a more efficient use of my scarce storage space.

Keep the ideas coming, folks!

 

[JSBriggs]

I'm thinking an oxy acetylene cart modified for a tool box would ft the bill. Something along these lines. http://www.toughweld.com/products/2445-861-16-series-cylinder-cart , but this one seems a bit too pricey. The bigger the wheels the better on rough terrain.

-Jeff

Edit: here is teh HF version.

 

[balrog]

I've seen setups built on a handtruck with pneumatic tires. Wooden box that was tall but had a small footprint, like a school or gym locker. The interior was lined with pegboard to hang stuff and had built in shelves. The back of the box was bolted to the upright of the hand truck and the whole thing wheeled around. Footprint was maybe 18" wide and 12" deep and 3-4 feet tall. Had simple strap hinges for the double doors and drawer pulls for door handles. Looked like it was made with scrap lumber.

 

[mrholeshot]

Just bolt a Craftsman Rally Box to a Hand truck and be done with it. I'll make up something after awhile and show you what I'm talking about

 

[eborcim]

If your repair jobs are not far enough to need something motorized, get a couple inexpensive middle chests which are fairly light weight and a matching top box. Put them on a big wheel dolly like the one pictured above or make a big wheel dolly to fit your boxes. I'd put some kind of flip up stabilizer on it to keep from tipping front to back when using it. When you open loaded drawers on a narrow base it will turn over.

 

[onewaydave]

I am often in the same boat. I have pick ups, garden tractors, a Kawa Mule, and tractors to tote the tools to the broke one. Mostly. Meaning, with my fingers crossed, they aren't all broken at once.

I also have the added problem of mud and there isn't a rolling cart, unless tracked, that would work. I think even the cart with pneumatic fat tires would bog down.

I, personally, don't like the idea of the hand cart/dolly/2 wheeler that is tall and narrow because it would tip over every time I looked at it just to prove it's superiority. Though it is easier to maneuver through narrow aisles.

Craftsman and others are making portable tool sets aimed at the military that might be useful. Gotta tote them by hand though.

Usually, I grab an empty tool box and put the tools I think I need and go to the site. Not take all the tools as most of them won't be used. And yes, I have to make extra trips because the tool(s) I needed is(are) hiding in the big box back at the where ever.

Pay attention to mrholeshot. After his wood box build, he has proven his skills.

Dave.

 

[KEH]

I live on a farm also and I keep a set of tools in the pickup truck. Got a tool box with drawers from TSC and bolted it to the bed at the back right hand side. It dosen't take up much cargo space and is not high enough to interfere with the rear view mirror. Then can drive the truck to the job.

KEH

 

[regguy1]

How about something like this.....


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...&topnav=&cat=28175&hierPath=28175*&lang=en-US

 

[Sparks4184]

How bout a Greenlee (or equiv) small job box with 6" h.d. inflatable rubber tires on the predrilled wheel holders. About as big as a slightly oversize footlocker. Water tight, weather resistant, paintable, portable, rolls on most types of terrain including up ramps with two guys pushing (or pulling), sturdy and will easily hold the tools you've got, leaves plenty of room for expansion for more tools and for bigger items, and securable and lockable. Put your stuff inside organized any way you like. Plus, you can even weld a hitch on it to tow it behind a golf cart or baggage truck and holds a medium sized cooler to boot. :>)
Mark

 

[Jononon]

Just bolt a Craftsman Rally Box to a Hand truck and be done with it.

One of these in one of these and you're done for $150.

The truck is plywood, so you can modify it to your heart's content.

 

[daleeper]

I am currently using a combination of boxes. I keep a portable box in the pickup when we are in the field, and a couple of roll around boxes in the shed that are stationary. When I need more than what the portable box has, I fill a second small box with what I need and take it. If I can, I move the equipment close to the shed, and work there. I keep a full set of 1/2 sockets, two sets of combination wrenches, pliers, punches, chisels and screwdrivers in the portable box. 3/4 drive set and extra large wrenches in a separate box for the occasional needs.

 

[GrantCee]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

As I'm considering the alternatives, I've determined that my original idea of vertical storage attached to a hand cart isn't optimum for my situation. The idea of a wagon with a box bolted in has a lot of merit, and so I'm considering mating these two items:

HF Garden Wagon
HF Top Box

Putting that box on that wagon would give me a small area around the chest to put small parts (with a plywood bottom, of course.) This would help one of my big problems, which is losing parts in the dirt!

I picked that top box because of the good reviews this series of HF products has received here. My only question, which HF's site doesn't answer: how heavy is it? I'm sure someone has one and can give me an idea..