Kitchen Kit/Chuck Box
- Thread starter jim65wagon
- Start date
pyrate
Rollin' along
Nice and love that they provided (and you as well provided) the cut sheet. One recommendation would be to cut some elongated holes for carrying handles at the top (so nothing protrudes out the sides) or handles attached somehow to help carry it.
Arctic_Farmer
New member
Happy with size of REI Chuck Box?
The plans of the REI Chuck Box indicate that it is 28" wide, 21" high and 16.5" deep. For those of you that have made one, after using it for a while, what do you think of the size? Too big? Not big enough? How does it well does it work for you? I'm still designing a chuck box that will meet airline checked baggage requirements so the Length + Width + Height combined dimensions must be less than 63". The REI box is just a few inches over the 63" limit so I was wondering how the size is working out for you?
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I'm leaning towards making the chuck box out of aluminum to keep the weight down. My local sheet metal fabricator looked at my plans and told me that for $120 per hour he could make it happen. I've looked at the aluminum toolboxes like the one that 0210 posted previously (post #769). They have a great weather seal to keep out the rain but I think the long-term inconvenience of those lips in the front would drive me nuts.
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So, those of you that have used a chuck box similar to the REI plans: Are you happy with the size?
The plans of the REI Chuck Box indicate that it is 28" wide, 21" high and 16.5" deep. For those of you that have made one, after using it for a while, what do you think of the size? Too big? Not big enough? How does it well does it work for you? I'm still designing a chuck box that will meet airline checked baggage requirements so the Length + Width + Height combined dimensions must be less than 63". The REI box is just a few inches over the 63" limit so I was wondering how the size is working out for you?
.
I'm leaning towards making the chuck box out of aluminum to keep the weight down. My local sheet metal fabricator looked at my plans and told me that for $120 per hour he could make it happen. I've looked at the aluminum toolboxes like the one that 0210 posted previously (post #769). They have a great weather seal to keep out the rain but I think the long-term inconvenience of those lips in the front would drive me nuts.
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So, those of you that have used a chuck box similar to the REI plans: Are you happy with the size?
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lqdchkn
:)
In how many hours?
Arctic_Farmer
New member
That's the gamble we take when we work with craftsmen that charge by the hour.
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I'm estimating 15 min to set up the sheet metal shear and 15 min for the bending break and another 30 min to aluminum weld the shell together and install 1 divider inside the box. I'll install the front hinge and decide where the rest of the dividers will go for future welding. So, for this stage of the project I'm estimating an hour of shop time (at $120 per hr).
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My cardboard mock up is 24" wide by 18" high and 15"deep with a drop down front face for access. These combined dimensions (24+18+15=57") give me the option in the future to upgrade the plain front panel with a 3" cupboard door and still be under the max dimensions for checked baggage. Hence my question on whether people are happy with their REI type chuck box or if they wish they had made it bigger
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Based on admittedly limited fabrication experience, but quite a bit of manufacturing and industrial contracting experience, I would say that you are off by about 3-4x in your time estimates, especially in the welding time. You might get your shear and brake done in an hour, but welding aluminum is a slow and methodical process. Any time you go down the custom fab road, you need to recognize that you are probably going to spend about 4 or even 6 times as long as it "seems like" you need.
lqdchkn
:)
OutOfBounds
Adventurer
If I'm reading this right, the plans you showed your fabricator are for a box similar to the REI one?
In that case I have bad news for you...
I'm a journeyman welder and fabricator. $120 per hour will cover wages, shop overhead and consumables. The rate is reasonable for custom fabrication. However, 1 hour is completely out to lunch in my opinion.
This is assuming I were starting with a fresh sheet of aluminum plate and not using pre-cut material you provide:
Breaking the edges will certainly save time, but you'll be about an hour just to do that. You'll want to break edges on both the lid and the box itself. Cutting and fitting the material for the dividers, front cover, drawer etc is at least another 1 - 2 hours.
Finally, the welding itself. Aluminum is best welded with TIG. It's a slow process. I'd say at least another 1- 2 hours minimum just for that.
My optimistic "quote" based on what I gather you want:
1.5 hours to lay out, cut material.
1 hour to bend/fit box and lid
1.5 hours to weld out box, install hinges on lid, spot weld divider in.
.5 hours fudge time to cover machine set up/change overm checking fit and finish etc.
Total: 4.5 hours, and I'd consider that minimum. Round to 5 hours to add in your own fudge factor.
Don't forget to add in cost of material.
I'd estimate I could build a complete aluminum version of that REI box in about 10 - 12 hours, if everything went perfectly.. Remember it's a one off item. It's unlikely your fabricator would have jigs, templates etc already laid out to speed up the process unless he builds similar things. Again, aluminum welding is best with TIG and that means slow and methodical to avoid warping.
Here's what I base my opinion on:
I build 12"x12"x12" steel no frills square boxes at work. The sheet is 1/8" thick. They come with the base and two sides bent as one piece, and the other two sides as pre-cut pieces. The lid is pre-bent. They get two bullet hinges on the back for the lid, and a pre-fabbed latch on the front.
From start to finish using pre-bent, pre-cut material, MIG welding and grinding down the welds to be smooth, I'm about 2 hours per box. I'm given 2.5 hours by our estimators. They budget 4 hours total, including the bending/breaking. The company that does the bending for us has jigs set to spec since we do quite a few every month.
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Lucky j
Explorer
I do agree with all the up rated estimate.
You might have a big surprise with just an hour in planing.
Of course he can make it happen at 120,00$ / hour, but i dought that the hours are accurate.
I think I would ask him for a max price. Cause once he begin, you might not like the final price.
You might have a big surprise with just an hour in planing.
Of course he can make it happen at 120,00$ / hour, but i dought that the hours are accurate.
I think I would ask him for a max price. Cause once he begin, you might not like the final price.
Arctic_Farmer
New member
Thanks for your insights! I often underestimate the time things will actually take.
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In light of your time estimates here is my revised plan. The metal dealer that carries aluminum sheet material has 4'x8' sheets of .125" for $130 and their minimum shear cost is $45. (But for the $45 they'll do a number of cuts.) Rather than bending the sides to form the box I'll just have them cut the sheet into all the individual panels (sides and internal dividers). Then I'll use aluminum angle material to hold the panels to form a box, kind of like a roadie box for sound equipment. Stainless steel sheet metal screws (or aluminum rivets) would mechanically hold the sides to the angle frame. If necessary, I could seal the seams with 5200 marine adhesive. If there is too much wiggle I can have the box seams TIG welded. The fabricator had an 18" aluminum box on display and the welds didn't go the length of the seam. There were two 2" beads on each seam and that box had no flex at all. That's where I came up with my estimate of 30 min of welding time (12 beads that are each two inches long to form the open box and 4 beads that are 1"long to hold a shelf in place).
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Sorry for not stating my initial question more clearly. I'm more interested in what people think about the SIZE of the REI-type box than in building the actual REI-type box out of aluminum. I'm planning a simpler interior which will save weight and fabrication expense.
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I can't go too crazy with fabrication expenses. My overall interest in a light-weight chuck box is to save money on over-sized and/or over-weight baggage fees when I have to fly my crew to remote jobsites. Last summer we flew commercial to the coastal village of Unakaleet and then helicoptered in to the actual jobsite with all our food cooking gear in a giant duffle bag. Cooking on the site for several people was total chaos hence my interest in a chuckbox.
Thanks, and keep the ideas coming. Jeff
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In light of your time estimates here is my revised plan. The metal dealer that carries aluminum sheet material has 4'x8' sheets of .125" for $130 and their minimum shear cost is $45. (But for the $45 they'll do a number of cuts.) Rather than bending the sides to form the box I'll just have them cut the sheet into all the individual panels (sides and internal dividers). Then I'll use aluminum angle material to hold the panels to form a box, kind of like a roadie box for sound equipment. Stainless steel sheet metal screws (or aluminum rivets) would mechanically hold the sides to the angle frame. If necessary, I could seal the seams with 5200 marine adhesive. If there is too much wiggle I can have the box seams TIG welded. The fabricator had an 18" aluminum box on display and the welds didn't go the length of the seam. There were two 2" beads on each seam and that box had no flex at all. That's where I came up with my estimate of 30 min of welding time (12 beads that are each two inches long to form the open box and 4 beads that are 1"long to hold a shelf in place).
.
Sorry for not stating my initial question more clearly. I'm more interested in what people think about the SIZE of the REI-type box than in building the actual REI-type box out of aluminum. I'm planning a simpler interior which will save weight and fabrication expense.
.
I can't go too crazy with fabrication expenses. My overall interest in a light-weight chuck box is to save money on over-sized and/or over-weight baggage fees when I have to fly my crew to remote jobsites. Last summer we flew commercial to the coastal village of Unakaleet and then helicoptered in to the actual jobsite with all our food cooking gear in a giant duffle bag. Cooking on the site for several people was total chaos hence my interest in a chuckbox.
Thanks, and keep the ideas coming. Jeff
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el_topu
Adventurer
Almost finished the Chuck Box today, have a little wiring for night lights to complete and that should be it.
The stove is fastened to the box lid and folds up into the case just by lifting the lid up and snapping the locks
Chuck Box build
Started with a used Pelican 1650 case, a Partner Steel 18" twin burner camping stove, sheet of .5inch berch plywood, 2 stainless tethers, and a handful of fasteners as well as a can of stain and two spray cans of satin clear.
Really cool! :Wow1:
Mdmeltdown
New member
I was going to post a couple pics of my chuck box but it says I am not allowed to?
timholmesjr
New member
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