A new truck for RMW

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Many of you will remember my other thread where I built my first welding rig. Well last night I finally sat down and started designing a new one. It is going to be quite the setup I think. I designed it to fit an 84" C2A 3500HD GMCStill not done, but so far I am loving the new design. 72 Chevy Cummins Project94 3500HD Welding Rig build Sold NOV 2011
Reply:Personally I've never been a big fan of "L-pac" style bodies. There's too much room in the front boxes as far as depth is concerned and stuff always gets jammed in the middle where you can't easily reach it and it gets "lost". That's especially true of the upper box where you'd need a ladder to get to much past the 1st foot to 18". The only one I saw that was semi decent, the guy had long custom drawers in the front box. The problem was you needed almost 5 to 6' of space to open up the drawer fully, and that's not always possible on some sites.Not sure what you have planned for the front boxes..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWPersonally I've never been a big fan of "L-pac" style bodies. There's too much room in the front boxes as far as depth is concerned and stuff always gets jammed in the middle where you can't easily reach it and it gets "lost". That's especially true of the upper box where you'd need a ladder to get to much past the 1st foot to 18". The only one I saw that was semi decent, the guy had long custom drawers in the front box. The problem was you needed almost 5 to 6' of space to open up the drawer fully, and that's not always possible on some sites.Not sure what you have planned for the front boxes.
Reply:Thanks I'll have to try and talk to a guy I know who's one of the local Vol firemen..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWPersonally I've never been a big fan of "L-pac" style bodies. There's too much room in the front boxes as far as depth is concerned and stuff always gets jammed in the middle where you can't easily reach it and it gets "lost". That's especially true of the upper box where you'd need a ladder to get to much past the 1st foot to 18". The only one I saw that was semi decent, the guy had long custom drawers in the front box. The problem was you needed almost 5 to 6' of space to open up the drawer fully, and that's not always possible on some sites.Not sure what you have planned for the front boxes.
Reply:I like a fire truck inspired design. Hood, leathers, gloves on, leads deployed and strike an arc in under 2 min.
Reply:Originally Posted by GjertsonI like a fire truck inspired design. Hood, leathers, gloves on, leads deployed and strike an arc in under 2 min.
Reply:Did some more tonight, got the reels figured out, going to go with ECO reels. I had looked at getting the self retracting ones, but they are bulky and very expensive. I still have to get the reel for my extension cord on there, will probably knock that out tonight. Then I have to get the rear tool boxes drawn, I did not want to do them until I had the reel situation figured out because I had considered putting them under the bed in the back, but I like the setup I have now so I am going to roll with it. So now it is tool boxes, tail  lights and the trailer hitch. Then I can get into some of the fine detail work, then start breaking it down into a DXF. There is a 3500HD over here at the wrecker shop I am going to look at Monday, I am guessing I could own it for 2500 - 3 grand, it has 230K on the clock, needs some tender love and care, I am considering grabbing it and going straight for a Cummins but we will see how it runs.72 Chevy Cummins Project94 3500HD Welding Rig build Sold NOV 2011
Reply:Originally Posted by MrBeastI am setting up a strap system by in which a pair of ratchet straps will wrap around the bottles, and the ratchet its self will be inside of the tool box next to the rack, thus with the door closed and locked with the strap tight, it would make it very difficult to steal the bottles.
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmUnless you carry a knife....
Reply:My personal experience with Craftsman toolboxes used in a compartment of a truck is that you will wind up with a stack of drawers that will not pull out. the drawer slides don't hold up to the weight and the pounding they take going down the road and on job sites. YMMV
Reply:Originally Posted by rnrfabMy personal experience with Craftsman toolboxes used in a compartment of a truck is that you will wind up with a stack of drawers that will not pull out. the drawer slides don't hold up to the weight and the pounding they take going down the road and on job sites. YMMV
Reply:I too have been dreaming up a welding rig. My main idea is lots of drawers, seeing pictures of people using hi side tool boxes leaves everything in them cluttered. I also like the idea of adding drawer space below the welder. Something like this mounted underneath the welder on both side http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...7940_200337940Then build a low profile sub frame so that the welder isnt resting on the drawer unit itself. Downside is that the welder sits higher, but you gain a lot more storage space.
Reply:Issue I've always had with "stock" tool boxes is that if you park on a hill sideways, the drawers all want to open at once when you unlock the box. Sears and Lowes years ago used to have boxes where each drawer would unlatch as you pulled out on the drawer, but they were too deep to fit the side box on my truck. They might have been called "grip latch" or something like that.Most commercial drawers that are built in to utility bodies have some sort of individual drawer latch to avoid this issue..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:All great ideas, and the cabinet I am looking at does have the individual drawer stays.72 Chevy Cummins Project94 3500HD Welding Rig build Sold NOV 2011