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Tool chests - Making your own middle box

Mr.N

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Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,222
Location
Mpls, MN
Has anyone made their own center tool box for a tool box combo?
I'd love to see some examples and the work you've done or have seen.

My thoughts are more storage is better and I really would like another large drawer or more.
 
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rustyzman

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May 7, 2015
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Chicagoland
I made a center riser for my Matco box to give me a place to store larger boxed items. I would have to measure again to see exactly how high it is, but it is just an open riser. Really helped with storage space.

No reason you can't make a center drawer if you like. It would be a very nice fabrication project.
 

Kent_B

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Jul 4, 2013
Messages
1,406
Location
MI
Do a search for BreeStephany. She made a phenomenal toolbox. Had quite a thread on its construction
 

lilredex

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Apr 29, 2006
Messages
5,956
Location
Toronto
I had a lead on a riser same as shown in the picture, but was a few minutes too late and somebody else got it. Plan to make one from wood in the very near future.

Check out this guy's work making a similar metal one.

 

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Mr.N

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Messages
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Mpls, MN
I had a lead on a riser same as shown in the picture, but was a few minutes too late and somebody else got it. Plan to make one from wood in the very near future.

Check out this guy's work making a similar metal one.

Thanks for posting.

I've done some math and look like I've 6-9" of space to the top box is not above my eye level.
 

lilredex

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I searched and didn't find the right thread. In fact, the second one that popped up was a post where she bought a snap on.
Maybe this one..

 

Monza Harry

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Dec 29, 2018
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Location
Windsor ON
I did build [almost finished no really] an end cabinet and started a 1 drawer mid box . [noticing a trend are we? Well I have a wife to nag me, so leave her a little meat on the bones to chew on PLZ!] It was going to be a 2 drawer but, material was running short and so am I, 2 drawers would be too tall for my intragral step to get my eyes into/on the top of my box! I should have waited until the material I wanted was available. I could only find ecoat galvanized and welding was not very successful and even less pretty. Plain steel would have been finished 20 years ago (except maybe paint), becoming a hotter priority so I may finish it this year(ish), even paint. I have some in progress pic's of the riser, and 1 of the end cab to share. Door and drawer(s) were purchased from sears when that was still an option. Door has an inner skin I built. Harry Edit: appearantly my pic's aren't in chronological order. Sorry
 

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bb29510

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Dec 27, 2022
Messages
1,216
my dad was in the air force (1950) and he was a sheet metal mechanic. he use to build stuff, with all the rivets etc. I wish I had all those tools like the big bender and splitter. I would like to build a tool box one day, just dreaming
 

kerrynzl

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Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
5,054
Location
Tauranga, New Zealand
Has anyone made their own center tool box for a tool box combo?
I'd love to see some examples and the work you've done or have seen.

My thoughts are more storage is better and I really would like another large drawer or more.

I did this with 3 x cabinets to make a stacked tool set AND work bench

Part 1

43.JPG

With the leftover components , I built a work station in the same theme [below]
Part 2

49.JPG
 
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Mr.N

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Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,222
Location
Mpls, MN
I did build [almost finished no really] an end cabinet and started a 1 drawer mid box . [noticing a trend are we? Well I have a wife to nag me, so leave her a little meat on the bones to chew on PLZ!] It was going to be a 2 drawer but, material was running short and so am I, 2 drawers would be too tall for my intragral step to get my eyes into/on the top of my box! I should have waited until the material I wanted was available. I could only find ecoat galvanized and welding was not very successful and even less pretty. Plain steel would have been finished 20 years ago (except maybe paint), becoming a hotter priority so I may finish it this year(ish), even paint. I have some in progress pic's of the riser, and 1 of the end cab to share. Door and drawer(s) were purchased from sears when that was still an option. Door has an inner skin I built. Harry Edit: appearantly my pic's aren't in chronological order. Sorry
Thanks for sharing Harry, and thanks for including the pictures
 
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Mr.N

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Location
Mpls, MN
I did this with 3 x cabinets to make a stacked tool set AND work bench

With the leftover components , I built a work station in the same theme [below]
Part 2
Wow, very nice work! thanks for taking the time to post Kerry
 
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Mr.N

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Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,222
Location
Mpls, MN
After all the help, I started to watch Actions for a damaged box I could use parts off of to save some time.
I paid almost as much for the parts box as I found the top for..
auction_buy_tool_chest.jpg auction_buy_tool_chest_20.jpg

I then started the frame for the center box
20230711_173531.jpg

Then placed the started placing parts

20230718_195739.jpg


Figured might as well try my luck at welding sheet metal. (I kept the .35 wire, which might have been a mistake but so far it's holding)
Now go ahead, I know the weld **** in this thin stuff.

20230720_165009.jpg
20230720_160323.jpg

End result I am happy with. The handel for the top is at 7'7" and I am able to reach it without going to tippy-toes, so it's is build for me by me. Center bottom is for Sockets, middle is wrenches and top is screwdriver and other drivers. Just hoping my welds hold...

20230720_193249.jpg
 

kerrynzl

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 8, 2013
Messages
5,054
Location
Tauranga, New Zealand
After all the help, I started to watch Actions for a damaged box I could use parts off of to save some time.
I paid almost as much for the parts box as I found the top for..
auction_buy_tool_chest.jpg auction_buy_tool_chest_20.jpg

I then started the frame for the center box
20230711_173531.jpg

Then placed the started placing parts

20230718_195739.jpg


Figured might as well try my luck at welding sheet metal. (I kept the .35 wire, which might have been a mistake but so far it's holding)
Now go ahead, I know the weld **** in this thin stuff.

20230720_165009.jpg
20230720_160323.jpg

End result I am happy with. The handel for the top is at 7'7" and I am able to reach it without going to tippy-toes, so it's is build for me by me. Center bottom is for Sockets, middle is wrenches and top is screwdriver and other drivers. Just hoping my welds hold...

20230720_193249.jpg

Good work!
Now the secret is a reasonable standard of paintwork [and most observers will think it is factory made]

Keep everything from your "donor" box [emblems, wheels. sheetmetal etc] You WILL use them later.

Even on mine, the leftover Toolbox caster wheels were donated to my BBQ rebuild

BBQ 11.jpg
[This old dinosaur is 18 years old, I replaced all the rusty legs and end panels with stainless steel]
 
OP
M

Mr.N

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Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,222
Location
Mpls, MN
Good work!
Now the secret is a reasonable standard of paintwork [and most observers will think it is factory made]

Keep everything from your "donor" box [emblems, wheels. sheetmetal etc] You WILL use them later.

Even on mine, the leftover Toolbox caster wheels were donated to my BBQ rebuild

BBQ 11.jpg
[This old dinosaur is 18 years old, I replaced all the rusty legs and end panels with stainless steel]
Thank you Kerry! Yeah, next step is filling in the sides and then paiting.
 

Lambthrax

New member
Joined
Jan 24, 2024
Messages
4
Location
SW Michigan
I made my own 41" intermediate box out of a Craftsman top box, is there any interest in me posting details? Maybe I'll just post it anyway, someone might find it useful. Just so you know, options for a 41" intermediate box are limited. The Westward Intermediate box (49EV14) is slightly longer than the Craftsman box, so you would have to use a sheet of wood to bring it above the lip on the Craftsman lower roller chest and the drawer fronts would have to be painted semi-gloss black if you wanted to match the Craftsman. Also the price on the Westward intermediate box is about $450, compared to the Craftsman top box @ $350 (I got mine on sale for $319). So you not only save some $$ by using a Craftsman top box, the paint and drawer handles will match.

I purchased a 2nd Craftsman top box & cut the top off, just above the inner shelf.

You will need: Sharpie marker, long straight edge, 4" minimum dia. cutoff wheel, Rust-Oleum Toolbox Red spray paint, rust fix spray, small 90° framing square, 1" aluminum T-Bar extrusion 8' long like McMaster-Carr 1668T23, a propane or mapp gas hand torch or even oxy-acetylene which I don't have (I used my mapp torch), and a socket or crescent wrench to remove the nut on the inside for the locking lever. Here are the steps:

1) Remove the drawers on both top boxes for access & weight reduction, there is a plastic finger on each side by the slide rollers that move up/down to release the drawers. Set the top box aside as the following steps will only involve the box that you'll be making into the intermediate box. In other words, don't remove the handles or cut the box you want on top, only remove the drawers!

2) Remove the side handles. Drill the rivets out from the outside, then on the inside, bend the red inner handle down to about 45° so that it can be slid & released from the black outer handle (there's a diamond hole where the red tabs can come out).

3) Remove the L-shaped drawer locking lever by removing a nut on the inside.

4) You can remove the locking racks from the backside of the cabinet, or fix them in the upward position. I found some spare vertical blind weight plates that wedged under the bottom hook perfectly so mine are still there.

5) Measure & mark all around the outside with a Sharpie, my measurement came out @ 14.050". Make sure to measure the shelf from the front as well as the back, mine wasn't flat & that's why I had to add 0.050" all around.

6) Taking great care to cut accurately and straight, I used a large cutoff wheel & walked around the outside of the chest until the top was free & set it aside.

7) I deburred all of the edges & treated with some rust-fix spray. You can paint the edges if you want with Rust-Oleum Toolbox Red spray paint which matches the Craftsman red nicely, I chose not to since it would be covered.

8) Since these boxes get their strength from the outer wall, you should put something between the intermediate & top box to keep the top box's weight from wanting to deform/collapse your new intermediate box. I ordered 8' of 1" aluminum T-Bar extrusion, cut it up, bent & painted it so that it would sit on the middle box's outer walls and support the top box nicely. The box measures 40.5" front and back & 16" on the sides. I made 'V' cuts on the backside (lip side) of the extrusion just over 90° to allow for some bend spring-back while forming, leaving 1/8" extra at the bends and these were my measurements from one end where I put my notches: 11.75", 27.875", 68.5", & 84.625". There will be a gap in the back which I don't mind. You can order a longer piece if you don't want a gap.

9) after making the 'V' notches on the backside of the aluminum, you'll need to anneal it before bending it, otherwise it will crack at the bend. To anneal the aluminum, mark liberally on all sides of the aluminum at the four locations where you're going to bend it. Using the torch, and moving around briskly so as not to create any hot spots that will ruin the aluminum, heat the first bend area on all sides until the Sharpie disappears. Move to the next bend location & repeat. DO NOT QUENCH THE ALUMINUM, let it air cool.

10) Bend the aluminum once it's cool enough to handle & check with a framing square to ensure the bends are at 90°. You will have to over-bend so that once it springs back a little it's at 90°. This is why you need your notches to be more than 90°. Check the fit on the top of your now-cut intermediate box. Mark & cutout the notch for the Craftsman logo - or remove the logo. Just in case there are some differences between boxes, I won't give you the logo location dimensions, please measure your particular box.

11) Sand, clean and paint the aluminum. I has some 320 grit handy & that worked great to get the paint to stick.

12) Set the newly-cut intermediate box on the rolling bottom chest, and place the aluminum on top of that.

13) Finally, place the top box on top of the intermediate box. A friend comes in handy here so that you don't scuff up the aluminum while you set it in place.

14) Put all of the drawers back in

Time to measure & cut the box was 45 minutes. Time to measure, cut, anneal & bend the aluminum took 1hr. Time for the paint to dry 36 hours (gotta love Rust-Oleum). This all could have been completed quicker had I not kept re-measuring and double checking.
 

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Last edited:
OP
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Mr.N

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 13, 2005
Messages
2,222
Location
Mpls, MN
I made my own 41" intermediate box out of a Craftsman top box, is there any interest in me posting details? Maybe I'll just post it anyway, someone might find it useful. Just so you know, options for a 41" intermediate box are limited. The Westward Intermediate box (49EV14) is slightly longer than the Craftsman box, so you would have to use a sheet of wood to bring it above the lip on the Craftsman lower roller chest and the drawer fronts would have to be painted semi-gloss black if you wanted to match the Craftsman. Also the price on the Westward intermediate box is about $450, compared to the Craftsman top box @ $350 (I got mine on sale for $319). So you not only save some $$ by using a Craftsman top box, the paint and drawer handles will match.

I purchased a 2nd Craftsman top box & cut the top off, just above the inner shelf.

You will need: Sharpie marker, long straight edge, 4" minimum dia. cutoff wheel, Rust-Oleum Toolbox Red spray paint, rust fix spray, small 90° framing square, 1" aluminum T-Bar extrusion 8' long like McMaster-Carr 1668T23, a propane or mapp gas hand torch or even oxy-acetylene which I don't have (I used my mapp torch), and a socket or crescent wrench to remove the nut on the inside for the locking lever. Here are the steps:

1) Remove the drawers on both top boxes for access & weight reduction, there is a plastic finger on each side by the slide rollers that move up/down to release the drawers. Set the top box aside as the following steps will only involve the box that you'll be making into the intermediate box. In other words, don't remove the handles or cut the box you want on top, only remove the drawers!

2) Remove the side handles. Drill the rivets out from the outside, then on the inside, bend the red inner handle down to about 45° so that it can be slid & released from the black outer handle (there's a diamond hole where the red tabs can come out).

3) Remove the L-shaped drawer locking lever by removing a nut on the inside.

4) You can remove the locking racks from the backside of the cabinet, or fix them in the upward position. I found some spare vertical blind weight plates that wedged under the bottom hook perfectly so mine are still there.

5) Measure & mark all around the outside with a Sharpie, my measurement came out @ 14.050". Make sure to measure the shelf from the front as well as the back, mine wasn't flat & that's why I had to add 0.050" all around.

6) Taking great care to cut accurately and straight, I used a large cutoff wheel & walked around the outside of the chest until the top was free & set it aside.

7) I deburred all of the edges & treated with some rust-fix spray. You can paint the edges if you want with Rust-Oleum Toolbox Red spray paint which matches the Craftsman red nicely, I chose not to since it would be covered.

8) Since these boxes get their strength from the outer wall, you should put something between the intermediate & top box to keep the top box's weight from wanting to deform/collapse your new intermediate box. I ordered 8' of 1" aluminum T-Bar extrusion, cut it up, bent & painted it so that it would sit on the middle box's outer walls and support the top box nicely. The box measures 40.5" front and back & 16" on the sides. I made 'V' cuts on the backside (lip side) of the extrusion just over 90° to allow for some bend spring-back while forming, leaving 1/8" extra at the bends and these were my measurements from one end where I put my notches: 11.75", 27.875", 68.5", & 84.625". There will be a gap in the back which I don't mind. You can order a longer piece if you don't want a gap.

9) after making the 'V' notches on the backside of the aluminum, you'll need to anneal it before bending it, otherwise it will crack at the bend. To anneal the aluminum, mark liberally on all sides of the aluminum at the four locations where you're going to bend it. Using the torch, and moving around briskly so as not to create any hot spots that will ruin the aluminum, heat the first bend area on all sides until the Sharpie disappears. Move to the next bend location & repeat. DO NOT QUENCH THE ALUMINUM, let it air cool.

10) Bend the aluminum once it's cool enough to handle & check with a framing square to ensure the bends are at 90°. You will have to over-bend so that once it springs back a little it's at 90°. This is why you need your notches to be more than 90°. Check the fit on the top of your now-cut intermediate box. Mark & cutout the notch for the Craftsman logo - or remove the logo. Just in case there are some differences between boxes, I won't give you the logo location dimensions, please measure your particular box.

11) Sand, clean and paint the aluminum. I has some 320 grit handy & that worked great to get the paint to stick.

12) Set the newly-cut intermediate box on the rolling bottom chest, and place the aluminum on top of that.

13) Finally, place the top box on top of the intermediate box. A friend comes in handy here so that you don't scuff up the aluminum while you set it in place.

14) Put all of the drawers back in

Time to measure & cut the box was 45 minutes. Time to measure, cut, anneal & bend the aluminum took 1hr. Time for the paint to dry 36 hours (gotta love Rust-Oleum). This all could have been completed quicker had I not kept re-measuring and double checking.
Awesome wright up! Thanks for taking the time and posting your detials.
 
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