# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  Ute tool box

## Micky013

Hey guys 
As i get closer to the pointy end of my carpentry apprenticeship, i find myself using and carrying more and more of my own tools. Im driving a 74 hj holden and due to the lack of security i keep all my saws, guns etc in the passenger seat footwell.  
Lately ive been looking at getting a tool box to chuck in the tray. Something i can fix down and put all my tools in. Later when im qualified it will either go on the trailer or just tucked away in the garage if not needed.  
Good tool boxes are sickeningly expensive so just wanted to ask if they are worth it. Ive got access to heaps of timber and was contemplating making something out of 190/35's and where theyre scrap its no worries.  
Anyone got any tips or links to boxes they're running? Is it really worth 300-400$ for a tool box? 
Cheers

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## jimfish

Running this set up and find I'm still having to swap tools depending on whether I'm framing ,fit outs or eaves/ decks. Not sure there is an ideal set up ,but I would probably save your coin until you can get the setup your after.

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## ringtail

Get a van, man. Awesome. Having said that, I'll be selling mine soon and building a trailer as it's way cheaper to rego and maintain a trailer than a van or ute.

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## RodEye

A good tool box in/on? the back of your ute has gotta be worth it.
1.It's a work expense ain't it? So you claim on it. 
2.Your tools will be more secure. So probably better organised.
3.You'll be a whole lot safer. No loose cannons in the event of an accident.
Sorry can't help with construction of one made of timber, but something out of 190/35 sounds a bit heavy and clunky. Marine Ply maybe ?

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## Micky013

Cheers guys. Looked at some marine ply - $150 a sheet from bunnings. Figured for that price maybe id just get an ally box and save on making it - at least then i can add to trailer draw bar or leave it in the ute

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## Optimus

Don't try and save a few a few bucks when you're talking about locking up the tools that essentially is your income

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## METRIX

> Hey guys 
> Anyone got any tips or links to boxes they're running? Is it really worth 300-400$ for a tool box? 
> Cheers

  If you can find a decent tool box for $300- $400 your doing well, I got my stuff from MW Toolboxes, these guys are great to deal with, prices very competitively, and build a good quality component.
A *good* basic tool box will start around $600, and I'm talking a simple rectangle nothing fancy, the most important things for toolboxes is a follows. 
The type of material it's made from, Galvanised steel is ok, but tends to be thin and not so secure, and can rust if treated rough, and where the welds were done.
Aluminum, checkerplate, get it upgraded to a thicker stock (they are definitely worth it) MW offer 1.6mm standard checkerplate which is fine, I upgraded to the next level which I think was 2.5mm, the difference in stiffness is amazing. 
Water resistance, MW boxes warrant their boxes to be water resistant, I can attest they are during some huge downpours, make sure when you attach it to the tray to use rubber washers inside where you drill holes in the bottom to keep the water tightness. 
The last thing you want is water leaking in via hinges or poorly mounted gas strut's, once you get water in there, your tools will be stuffed quick smart, (trust me I know this from past experience) 
Locks, have a look at the types of locks offered and how they lock, the ones in myne interlock through a 5mm plate, with a 10mm steel pin, simple crock type locks with a padlock don't offer much security, recessed or flush mount locks are harder to tamper with, anything can be broken into, you just want to make it harder to get in there. 
IMO I wouldn't bother with building a wooden one, it wont last, or be decently strong, if your going to build from 190x45, you will lose valuable interior space, plus you could simply get inside it with a handsaw. 
DON"T, DON'T DON'T consider the boxes from Bunnings, these are made from 1mm checkerplate, they are NOT water resistant (stated on the manufacturers website) they have shyte hinges poor locks (I posted a previous topic on one particular box which when locked you can open it simply by pulling up one corner of the lid, and the lock disengages) they are flimsy as, basically don't waste your money on them as they are built to a very cheap price. but are expensive for what you get. 
It's disappointing as they are made in Australia, but are rubbish, of course they would be as Bunnings has to take their huge cut to stock them, and the staff there wouldn't know a good quality toolbox from a shoebox. 
MY advice is DON'T scrip on buying a box, these are not a short term purchase, if you buy a good one there is no reason why it won't still be fine in 10 years if you look after it, I know your young and it may seem like a lot of money to spend, but you get what you pay for with tool boxes. 
Remember the following for your purchase. 
Whatever you purchase is written off in TAX as it's a tool of your trade, so get something worth it and take advantage of writing it off. 
I'ts job is to protect your tools from being knocked off, save $300 on buying a dodgy box, when your $900 nail gun, and $5000 worth of other tools are gone, the extra $300 will seem like nothing. 
Go to a specialist box manufacturer, don't buy cookie cutter boxes from Hardware or discount stores, they are rubbish. 
Remember this, If your tools get knocked off on Sunday at the Pub,  come Monday morning you have nothing to do your job with, and will have  to go out and buy in haste to replace your tools , you won't have the luxury of picking up tools at sales etc, because you will need them quickly, or you can't work.

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## Marc

My local Cash Convertor had a string of different tool boxes small medium big high low you name it, only a few weeks ago. They all looked sturdy ... well, not strong box style but checkered aluminium plate and locks. I doubt that any tool box regardless of price would stop a thief unless you make some modifications to it.
I never spent much time considering this since I don't need to leave my tools in a unsupervised location but there are some simple options to make it much harder to break in a tool box. 
Surely to skimp on the tool box when you carry 5 or 10k of tools is false economy.

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## phild01

Just my 2cents, but a tool collection grows and ends up being very valuable, so justification for security will become more important as time goes on.

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## METRIX

It's not just the value of the tools, but the inconvenience of losing them all, think about having to go out and buy all the tools you have collected over a few years, you wouldn't know where to start.
Luckily I have never had any of myne stolen, but I still would buy a well constructed box over a cheap knock off any day.

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## Spottiswoode

Is a lockable hard top for the ute tray an option?

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## Micky013

> Is a lockable hard top for the ute tray an option?

  Nah this ute wont be flat out work car - too impractical

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## fredgassit

Hey Ringtail, 
Any chance you could provide details of your trailer build when you start? 
Thanks!

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## Micky013

> If you can find a decent tool box for $300- $400 your doing well, I got my stuff from MW Toolboxes, these guys are great to deal with, prices very competitively, and build a good quality component.
> A *good* basic tool box will start around $600, and I'm talking a simple rectangle nothing fancy, the most important things for toolboxes is a follows. 
> The type of material it's made from, Galvanised steel is ok, but tends to be thin and not so secure, and can rust if treated rough, and where the welds were done.
> Aluminum, checkerplate, get it upgraded to a thicker stock (they are definitely worth it) MW offer 1.6mm standard checkerplate which is fine, I upgraded to the next level which I think was 2.5mm, the difference in stiffness is amazing. 
> Water resistance, MW boxes warrant their boxes to be water resistant, I can attest they are during some huge downpours, make sure when you attach it to the tray to use rubber washers inside where you drill holes in the bottom to keep the water tightness. 
> The last thing you want is water leaking in via hinges or poorly mounted gas strut's, once you get water in there, your tools will be stuffed quick smart, (trust me I know this from past experience) 
> Locks, have a look at the types of locks offered and how they lock, the ones in myne interlock through a 5mm plate, with a 10mm steel pin, simple crock type locks with a padlock don't offer much security, recessed or flush mount locks are harder to tamper with, anything can be broken into, you just want to make it harder to get in there. 
> IMO I wouldn't bother with building a wooden one, it wont last, or be decently strong, if your going to build from 190x45, you will lose valuable interior space, plus you could simply get inside it with a handsaw. 
> DON"T, DON'T DON", DON'T consider the boxes from Bunnings, these are made from 1mm checkerplate, they are NOT water resistant (stated on the manufacturers website) they have shyte hinges poor locks (I posted a previous topic on one particular box which when locked you can open it simply by pulling up one corner of the lid, and the lock disengages) they are flimsy as, basically don't waste your money on them as they are built to a very cheap price.  
> ...

  Thanks heaps Metrix. My old boss had one of those and i just looked on their web site last night - bout $500 for simple rectangle. Might seriously consider one.  
Do you know much about the one eleven ones that total tools stock? That have a steel one that looks ok for $400

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## ringtail

x 2 for MW stuff

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## PhilT2

A really flash toolbox is a great way to let the druggies know that your ute is worth stealing.

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## Micky013

> A really flash toolbox is a great way to let the druggies know that your ute is worth stealing.

  At the moment, looking through the passenger window is just the same. Anyway, if my utes not at home its on site - where i am so not too worries about that. The issue is wanting to store my tools in the back bit have a bit more security than a soft cover

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## METRIX

> Thanks heaps Metrix. My old boss had one of those and i just looked on their web site last night - bout $500 for simple rectangle. Might seriously consider one.  
> Do you know much about the one eleven ones that total tools stock? That have a steel one that looks ok for $400

   Haven't seen the one eleven boxes, but looking at them on their website they look to be ok, Which one are you looking at ? 
Is it one of these ? https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-low-pr...box-950mm-wide https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-tool-box-1200mm-wide 
If so, forget it, having a single centre lock like these allows for the lids to be pried open quite easily, you need two locks like the one below. https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-low-pr...ox-1250mm-wide 
Go along to a tool box manufacturer and have a look at their products, MW have almost every box they make on display so you can see and touch the actual product, and asses the overall strength of them

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## METRIX

> Running this set up and find I'm still having to swap tools depending on whether I'm framing ,fit outs or eaves/ decks. Not sure there is an ideal set up ,but I would probably save your coin until you can get the setup your after.

  Nice setup, the only thing I don't like about these boxes is they restrict seeing out the back window, I know everyone says you get used to it, but I like to see out the back window. 
In Tassie it's probably not an issue as there is only 20 people on the road at any one time  :Biggrin: , in Sydney traffic especially when working close to the CBD there is thousands of clowns trying to edge everyone else off the road, so you need to be able to see them and the motorbikes doing 200kph up the middle of the traffic. 
I have lower boxes either side, this way you can throw a 2400 x 1200 on top of them anything larger goes on the racks. 
I know what you mean about not having everything, this is normal, I don''t think there is any one perfect setup, trailers are good but not in the CBD, you will never park them, vans are good but I hate not being able to see out them, UTE is good, but things get wet.

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## Micky013

> Haven't seen the one eleven boxes, but looking at them on their website they look to be ok, Which one are you looking at ? 
> Is it one of these ? https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-low-pr...box-950mm-wide https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-tool-box-1200mm-wide 
> If so, forget it, having a single centre lock like these allows for the lids to be pried open quite easily, you need two locks like the one below. https://www.1-11.com.au/steel-low-pr...ox-1250mm-wide 
> Go along to a tool box manufacturer and have a look at their products, MW have almost every box they make on display so you can see and touch the actual product, and asses the overall strength of them

  Yeah it was similar to the first link but a rectangle. I like the last one but $$. Just broke it to the missus that im gonna have to spend the dollars on a decent box. No point spending $200 on crap  
Thanks for your advice. I was thinking heavy duty chain and monster padlock to tie it down rather than fix to the tray - that way i can remove it if i need to pick up sand or big items. Yay or nay? What do you think?

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## ringtail

> Hey Ringtail, 
> Any chance you could provide details of your trailer build when you start? 
> Thanks!

  sorry, missed this. But yep, no worries.

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## ringtail

The beauty of the van is it's sort of ute and trailer combined. Everything inside is dry and safe in lock boxes, I can fit 2400x1200 sheets in either on edge or on flat and 6.0 studs or posts on the roof racks. A trailer is good because you can make it very, very secure with some outside the box thinking. Racks on top of a trailer make them more versatile too. I get anything heavy/big/awkward delivered as that's what trucks are for. $44 for a local delivery or $88 for a big load on a crane truck costs the customer less than me going and picking things up. You will kill your old holden pretty quick if you start carting heavy stuff in it.

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## METRIX

> I was thinking heavy duty chain and monster padlock to tie it down rather than fix to the tray - that way i can remove it if i need to pick up sand or big items. Yay or nay? What do you think?

  Nay to that idea, you want the box to be secured to the tray, as RT said, if it's a big amount of sand etc, get it delivered,

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## Micky013

Shes been copping a beating since 74 lol but of late i have been picking heavy loads and its starting to show. Retirement is not far away (hopefully)

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## Micky013

Thanks guys

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## METRIX

When you get qualified, set up a company name, unless you've already done that,  lease with a balloon payment so you own it in the end something new like a single cab or i30, and write it all off as business.

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