Thoughts on using Underbody Tool Box as Chuck Box?

[TexomaPowerboater]

I'd like to get your thoughts on using an underbody tool box as a chuck box. Like this one https://www.amazon.com/ALUMINUM-UND...rd_wg=w8Pw0&psc=1&refRID=CBDV30PZD8GJCTEBXF7W I would add some handles for carrying it and a shelf inside to carry/organize stuff. Seems like it would work well. I just have a coleman dual fuel stove, nothing fancy. I'd like it to store the usual kitchen basics and be able to cook on top of it with the stove.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

Will your stove fit through the opening?

 

[SnoViking]

I started down this road until I saw what those things weigh (empty). I slowly backed away......

Although the one you found isn't terrible at 15lbs. Some that I were seeing were well over 20lbs.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

Yeah the stove will fit, it's only 17x10inc. It's a bit heavier than I'd like, but all the aluminum storage type boxes have only lids instead of a drop down door and they cost just as much. I need to be able to get inside of the box while I'm cooking on top of it. Most of the wood chuck boxes are 2-4X as much and not really rain proof.

 

[workingonit71]

good looking box for the money; light weight is a plus

Yeah the stove will fit, it's only 17x10inc. It's a bit heavier than I'd like, but all the aluminum storage type boxes have only lids instead of a drop down door and they cost just as much. I need to be able to get inside of the box while I'm cooking on top of it. Most of the wood chuck boxes are 2-4X as much and not really rain proof.

• That's a really good price for an underbody box. It looks to be made from the same thickness aluminum as a tongue box I bought (I think from the same supplier), and it was well made. But, if I were trying to lift it, I would use wide, steel backing plates for mounting handles, to prevent pull-thru.
• A fully loaded aluminum chuck box has to be a lot lighter than the patrol box my Boy Scout "patrol" used, way back when. It had to weigh over 200 lbs, and had four handles for four 12 year-olds to lift. Made of oak, it's probably still being used somewhere, if my old scout troop still exists.

 

[NatersXJ6]

Think about design...

I think it would work. I also think it would get annoying when you realize that the door doesn't open flat with the bottom, and has a folded lip around it, and that the door opening also has a lip, and that aluminum makes a fine dust when stuff slides around on it.

It will work, but I predict you won't like it long term.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

Thanks for comments guys. This particular model has a chain mechanism which appears to make the door open flat with the bottom. Agree that it's not an ideal door latch system, but am hopeful I can attach a thin cutting board cut to fit around latch to make it more flat.

I've not experienced the white powder before. Do you think it's something I could mitigate with a white coat of rustoleum spray paint on the inside? I like the lip because it would help keep things from falling out.

 

[NatersXJ6]

powder

Not so much a white powder as a black/dark grey mess. Imagine throwing pencil lead in a blender then pouring into the nooks and crannies and rolling your stuff in it. I think it could be avoided with sprayon bed liner, or maybe even paint. find a friend with an aluminum toolbox on their truck and ask to look inside at the bottom. like I said, it will work. "work" means something different to everyone.

 

[e60ral]

that aluminum dust is awful abrasive stuff, i would get one painted or powder coated instead

 

[workingonit71]

put rubberized spray inside box; eliminates aluminum dust, keeps items from sliding

that aluminum dust is awful abrasive stuff, i would get one painted or powder coated instead

• How about a little experiment, just for the heck of it, you've nothing to lose. Instead of painting the interior of your new box, try spraying several coats of either Plasti-Dip or Flexi-Dip. Either one would eliminate the aluminum discoloration, and any of the alumina dust. You'd have to surface prep the box for either paint or one of the rubber sprays, but if you don't like the rubberized interior, you can peel or scrape it off. Much harder to remove any paint, though.
• I tried Plasti-Dip on my 2009 HHR Panel, a 2.2l LS model, that looked like so many others (there were lots of plain-jane delivery or service vehicles around a few years back, all identical to mine. I painted the stock silver wheel covers with white Krylon, to change the side appearance, painted my bowtie black, to alter the rear, and sprayed my grill with two cans of Plasti-Dip, to change it from the boring silver argent color. The wheel covers all got damaged or discolored within 2 years, but the grill has a few chips in it, but remains almost perfect after over 100000 miles with it on there, with no touch ups. And, it's never been garaged, so it's handled all sorts of weather. Try the rubber spray, it might work just as well inside the box as mine did, thinking outside the box.
• lots of miles since the change, still looks good
• I've used the Plasti-Dip outside, Flexi-Dip inside (seem alike to me)

 

[e60ral]

• How about a little experiment, just for the heck of it, you've nothing to lose. Instead of painting the interior of your new box, try spraying several coats of either Plasti-Dip or Flexi-Dip. Either one would eliminate the aluminum discoloration, and any of the alumina dust. You'd have to surface prep the box for either paint or one of the rubber sprays, but if you don't like the rubberized interior, you can peel or scrape it off. Much harder to remove any paint, though.
• I tried Plasti-Dip on my 2009 HHR Panel, a 2.2l LS model, that looked like so many others (there were lots of plain-jane delivery or service vehicles around a few years back, all identical to mine. I painted the stock silver wheel covers with white Krylon, to change the side appearance, painted my bowtie black, to alter the rear, and sprayed my grill with two cans of Plasti-Dip, to change it from the boring silver argent color. The wheel covers all got damaged or discolored within 2 years, but the grill has a few chips in it, but remains almost perfect after over 100000 miles with it on there, with no touch ups. And, it's never been garaged, so it's handled all sorts of weather. Try the rubber spray, it might work just as well inside the box as mine did, thinking outside the box.
• View attachment 395385 lots of miles since the change, still looks good
• View attachment 395386 I've used the Plasti-Dip outside, Flexi-Dip inside (seem alike to me)

I'm sure they sell painted versions

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

OK, so after some deep thought and considering comments don't think I'll go this route after seeing some in the local tractor supply store. The design is not ideal. There were some steel ones for around $200 with flush doors that also lay flush to the ground. This particular box with the lip on the bottom causes the door to be slightly higher than the base. So if something heavy were to be laid on the door it could cause the whole thing to topple over.

Think I will go with a FrontierPlay Kitchen Dry Box with legs instead. Seems to be a much better design and only around $300, but clearly built to last forever.

 

[Tray]

I rarely post (read just about every da), but I used that exact same box a couple of years ago to build my kitchen.

I added a couple of flexible jeep handles to the outside, some 1/8" birch dividers with a shelf that holds my coleman stove at the top.

I've only used it about 12-15 trips (longest being 5 days) so haven't experienced any of the aluminum dust mentioned above, but as mentioned it is indeed pretty heavy. Nowhere near as heavy as any of the 3 loaded coolers, but still heavy enough that I'm the one who is stuck moving it.

I actually like that the door doesn't lay flat. I keep the stove up top, have all of the goodies inside and then a perfect plane for prep work on the door itself.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

Thanks for commenting Tray. Found another old thread where a guy used the Beyer steel 30 or 36ft long under body box to build a kitchen on his trailer. He did the same with the birch dividers and thought it looked really good. I guess the door depends on how you use it. If you set the box on the ground it would be better to have the door sit off the ground a bit. My thought was to put it on a table. When I looked at in the store and put even the slightest weight on the door the whole box wanted to tip forward cause it only weighed 15lbs. Probably not as much an issue when loaded.

Looking at the FrontierPlay kitchen box and now I'm thinking it may be too tall to comfortably cook on top of it. Read some reviews that indicate may not be as sturdy as it looks.

 

[thor80]

I bought one of those boxes on amazon with that idea but ended up not using, it was to heavy, clunky and the lid wasn't ideal. The idea seemed great but when I got the box it just didn't work out right. I'm making a wood box instead, 3/4x3/4 poplar frame with a 1/4 marine ply skin and it's working out better, was able to twaek the dimensions for optimum spacing and it's a good bit lighter. Just need to mount the fold down lid and paint and I'll throw up some pics