Looking for a custom aluminum box for trailer tongue

[jchasse]

I'm looking for an aluminum box that will fit on my trailer tongue, to hold an odd shaped LiFePO battery, some associated electronics etc. Something like diamond plate would be nice, but not necessary. A decade ago there was a guy online who would put together anything you wanted for a reasonable price. Can't find him now.

Does anyone know of anyone selling custom size boxes which don't break the bank and don't take a year to deliver? (OR any 11 inch wide by 23-35 inch long box - depth could be anything from 12 to 20 inches or so - with a lid?)

 

[NatersXJ6]

The commercial truck toolbox people seem to have hundreds of options in various shapes and sizes. Have you done any catalog searches? Do you have a sketch of what you are thinking?

 

[dstefan]

I'm looking for an aluminum box that will fit on my trailer tongue, to hold an odd shaped LiFePO battery, some associated electronics etc. Something like diamond plate would be nice, but not necessary. A decade ago there was a guy online who would put together anything you wanted for a reasonable price. Can't find him now.

Does anyone know of anyone selling custom size boxes which don't break the bank and don't take a year to deliver? (OR any 11 inch wide by 23-35 inch long box - depth could be anything from 12 to 20 inches or so - with a lid?)

Make your own! Boxes are easy. Some sheet aluminum, aluminum angle, some bedding sealant and or VHB and some rivets and hinges. You can easily cut aluminum with a circular saw. A one weekend project under $100 maybe a bit more depending on size.

 

[thebmrust]

Several ways to do this. Like above, you can DIY it. Start with cardboard or 1/4” mdf to do a mock up.
You can also draw it up and use a service like Send-Cut-Send. They’ll do a decent amount of the work and you finish it.
Stop by a local fabricator or welding shop. They can literally make almost anything you would need.
Lastly, go to your local high school. Many schools still have welding programs. Talk to the instructor and one of the students will make what you need. You’ll pay for materials and maybe a small fee. It depends on if the program has a club where they can charge for services or selling products. Most classes/programs you will basically get free labor.
Some communities have schools where it’s like a trade school for certain skills. All the local high schools send kids to learn a deeper or more technical level of a trade (like welding) to that “tech school”. These are the kids who will probably actually go be a professional in that trade.

 

[JackW]

I used CAD (Cardboard Aided Design) to design a custom nose box for my old Eriba Triton travel trailer and then took the pattern down to a local sheet metal fabrication shop.
A week later I had a custom fitted box that would hold a twenty gallon propane tank, chocks and leveling blocks for the trailer. I think it cost me about $225.