Truck Bed Storage Box Advice

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Just returned back from a tour in Afghanistan and picked up a little used Ford Ranger for my son and I to haul our dirt bikes around with.  Being a standard cab short bed, space is a premium and I'm looking for maximum storage for tools, fluids/cleaners, gear, straps, etc.  I my goal is to try and use the dead space behind each wheel well.  Boxes need to be secure and weather tight.I though about using ammo cans like this guy:His setup is nice, especially since ammo cans are well made and usually weather tight if the seal is in good shape.  Once a lock is added they are also pretty secure.  However, those specific ammo cans for grenades can be hard to find locally and if you buy them online you usually pay an arm and a leg for shipping because of the weight.  I am also looking to do a welding project so why not make my own.My first thought is to recess the box into the bed sides by removing some of the inner bed structure and sliding the box outwards towards the outer skin of the bed.  Once the box is in place, weld the inner skin to the box, which should help the bed retain its rigidity.  Any thoughts on this?My next question is whether I want to build an angle iron structure first to make the skeleton of the box, then weld the sheet to the angle, or just make a sheet metal box?  I don't have a brake or shear, but I guess I could head to a local shop and get them to bend up my boxes for me to weld.  Any thoughts?Sheet metal thickness?  I think if I build an angle iron frame I can get away with thinner sheet metal, possibly 14 or 16 gauge with the frame.  Without the frame, maybe 12 or 14 gauge?  Any recommendations on thickness?Door and door placement:  Not sure if I want the door on the top like an ammo can or on the side like a typical side mount truck toolbox:        I also have no clue on how to make the door.  If the door is on the top, I can always access the box with bikes in the truck, but the down side is the door isn't quite as big as the box due to the recessed area.  If the door were on the side, it would be as big as the box, making it easier to store larger items.  Thoughts?Hinge, latch and lock:  I would like to try and mimic the setup on a normal truck bed toolbox.            I guess I can go to the hardware store and check out how everything works and just mirror the setup?  I may even be able to buy replacement parts for a tool box and make them work?I'm sure there is other things I'm forgetting so I'm all ears.  Thanks in advance for any advice.
Reply:Check out Austin Hardware, they are a national company and can take care of your needs.  They sell the latches and hinges you want, they cater to manufacturers of trailers, truck beds, conversions, etc.  I've never had a bad experience with them if twenty years.  The one glitch is you don't walk into a brick and mortar store and browse.  In the old days I would get out the catalog and talk to the sales guy.  Now I go on online and call the sales person.  But the commitment to service has never changed.life is good
Reply:No advice for you, but this ol' vet wants to thank you for your service to our country!!                                                             MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Thanks Harv, I checked out Austin Hardware and they have a ton of stuff!Mike, I also want to really thank you for your service as well, I really appreciate it.-Kevin
Reply:Another thing about Austin hardware, they also handle the seals that make your box weather tight.  What I recommend is looking at boxes to see what their seals look like and then you can figure out what you need.there's something else you might consider, make the locks unique.   I once had a bin on my welding bed that had a slide latch on it.  I used to call it my IQ latch.  I could start at 125 and count down until they figured it out, most everyone tested out as really stupid.  That's because it was obvious the latch was a twist latch.  It worked so good that I never installed a lock on it.  So as you are designing your box consider a way of confusing potential thieves, after all, basically they're lazy and stupid, the thieves.  If you build your box out of aluminum I could see where a hidden steel latch that reacted to a magnet would be a good one.life is good