Mobile Toolbox
Besides carpenter (my main bread-and-butter occupation) and amateur PC geek, I have also dabbled quite a bit with bicycles...enough to become licensed by USA Cycling as a race mechanic. Call it a tinkering disease.
I've made do with a Craftsman rally toolbox for years, but the true pros (the guys that actually work for race teams) seem to have all gravitated toward CH Ellis blowmolded toolboxes or similar clamshell designs. Since I'm less concerned with shipping weight than durability, I wanted a box that says more about who I am...in true modder's spirit.
Some research led me to several sites that offer hardware to make road cases, the type that musicians use to transport their instruments safely from gig to gig. These are typically built custom for each piece of equipment, then padded internally for air shipment if needed. The hardware is designed to take the abuse of Sampsonite gorillas (AKA airline baggage handlers) and is a very cool niche product.
Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me for the early building stage, though I'd be more than happy to answer any construction questions you may have.
Starting the same way I would building a PC case, I needed to find out how the hardware would fit, in this scenario, the CH Ellis tool pallets.
All the clamshell boxes use these pallets for organizing the tools and keeping them from shifting in transit. I wanted mine to stand out from the crowd, yet remain replaceable once worn or damaged, so pulling from my PC modding background...I vinyl dyed them.
It took a couple coats of white then red to get the color I wanted. Amazingly, it didn't stiffen the vinyl that much and won't crack like paint.
The case itself is made from 1/2" and 1/4" baltic birch plywood and put together with screws. It may have arguably been stronger to glue it together, but I wanted the option to replace a broken panel if needed.
No, you're not seeing double. I made a matched set: one for me, one for my very good friend and founder of the amateur bike team I provide support for.
The locking twist latches are flush-mounted, requiring them to be recessed in with a router. The outside skin is colored ABS plastic that doesn't lose color when scratched like some other laminates. Durable stuff. It was applied with 3M Heavy Duty spray adhesive, then trimmed with a laminate trimmer.
The edging is a specific aluminum extrusion for the purpose, including a tongue and groove interface for the case halves. The corner reinforcements, hinges, handles and latches are chromed steel. Once closed and full of tools, I'd wager this box could survive a trip down a flight of stairs!
The lower section of the case under the pallets was designed to accommodate a pair of small parts boxes sitting on top of some large tool storage dividers. I wanted these to be custom adjustable, so a series of holes was drilled inside the box and shelf pins were applied with tee-nuts and can be removed with screws.
Not being able to leave well enough alone, I added a racing stripe masked out and vinyl dyed to match the team logos.
Sadly, this is not a 100% completed project. I have some dyed vinyl to line the inside and wrap the dividers in...and just didn't have the will to pull them apart again. Removing roughly 200 screws per box takes some time!
I really do need to finish these before the next bike season is upon us. I could use to be a bit more organized in my workshop and one of the points of this whole exercise was to condense all my bike tools (other than shop-specific stuff) so they take up less room. Sure, the box will be heavy, but I can always use a wheeled cart to bring it to race venues. At least I'll have everything needed in just a couple trips.
Oh, yes, I certainly have looked at this hardware for mod potential. It would make for a hella stout LAN rig.
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Originally Posted by altec
