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Black and red always work!

And SCOTTRODS originally suggested the outriggers (with photos)
I just brought it back up as a REALLY GOOD IDEA after seeing how easy the original would have been to tip over.

I'd be tempted to put a work surface on the top with a vise, but then it would collect junk and you couldn't sit...

Maybe next you could do a small (~2'x2') matching roll around work table at the right height so you can sit and have a work surface down low...
Could be very handy, and simple... Or have another, somewhat taller toolbox built in, perhaps back to back...

I know if I didn't have to get up/down off the floor constantly to fetch stuff (some days), work could be a lot easier.

"Maybe next you could do a small (~2'x2') matching roll around work table at the right height so you can sit and have a work surface down low..."

Actually, I already have one Back in the old days, before CAD, when I was drafting by hand (a bad analogy as we had plastic lead pencils [before we switch to acid based ink] and triangles but did not make lines by tracing the hand ) and had changed from an arm style of drafting machine to a track drafting machine it required that the drafting table be, in my case, angled almost straight up (partly because the rows of 4' X 7' drafting tables) were crowded so close together.

To work on a drawing where the views were towards the top of the drafting sheet I needed a roll around stepstool to get up high enough to draw (the drafting forms were as long as 11' and special forms could be had that were longer than that) auxiliary views. I still have the stool and it could work quite well as a table but not with a vice mounted to it.

I used to work so long in the garage that a small, movable dining table would have been handy.

"I know if I didn't have to get up/down off the floor constantly to fetch stuff (some days), work could be a lot easier."

That was kind of my idea on building this thing.

Actually, to sit on it and move around is much better than one would think; very comfortable even w/o the seat pad being there yet. It moves around much better than the single post stool I have been using. You can see the stool in the picture showing the back of the tool box. It is the stool w/a blue cushion.

The stool with the Motorcycle seat was a Christmas gift many years ago and is pretty comfortable to sit on but, like the one with the blue top, it doesn't move that well as the legs of the chair want to rotate as you move so it has it's own mind. Next to it is my Barber Chair which is usually filled with "stuff" but when the white board comes out to work designs/options it is very comfortable.

My apology to both you and Scottrods for the finger pointing the wrong way on the idea I somewhat followed. It was a good one for sure.

I'm just providing credit where due.

Speaking of drafting...
I was working on a tool the other day from the late 60s/early 70s (and in-use continuously) , Swiss made wafer slice saw... It had some electrical ...behavior issues, asked if we had prints and was handed the nicest equipment schematics I have ever used...

I was told they were useless... No one apparently could figure them out...?

They were on one fan folded page, originally hand drawn (blueprints), heavy probably cloth based paper, about 1M tall and ~5 meters long if fully unfolded, current path style, thing of beauty, folded up the size of a small notebook, still ~like new.

Folded out on a table vertically you could flip between "sections" to find the goesintas and goesoutas on referenced current paths trivially, without opening it wider than 2 folds. One could also easily have multiple "sections" open at the same time, side by side.

All the component internals (mostly relays) were drawn at the bottom of the schematic in the "page" where they were in the print above, so to find B41 (door sensor, safety interlock) , you just flip through until B41 appears at the bottom... Just like later VW schematics.

All schematics should be made like that.

The tool will be getting all its connectors properly lubricated and protected ASAP.
I have finally accepted that clean and dry electrical contacts are high failure rate contacts, on anything exposed to air and/or vibration. I had always suspected that, but its becoming SOP.

Yeah, crud happens even to the best of us. As far as I know, corrosion can only be stopped in a total vacuum so, especially when maintenance is not applied on a regular basis, deterioration (et al) can happen. As far as vibration goes, clamping/tying the wire bundles close, but not too close to the connection down properly and supported by clamps at regular intervals does save a lot of headaches but most of us aren't aware of that I think. My father was an Electrical Engineer and a HAM so I learned to lace wire bundles at an early age. I still have the remnants of wax coated lacing on a wooden spool. DaleM and I talked about lacing many years ago.

None (with one exception) of the "C" and "D" sized drawing are ever folded (only full sized prints and "blue prints" are), always rolled (except for metal templates which is about the only drawing material I have never worked with) and not tightly at that as rolled to tight can cause them to stretch. As I remember: "A" and "B" sized drawing are book form with the "A"s being 8 1/2" X 11" and the "B" sized drawing, again also book form, are 11" X 17" or longer which is where the folded pages can occur. I think Electrical drawings can be found in the "B" size format at times. They are also found in the "C" and "D" formats also. The drawings are an ANSI (USASI) formatting and I am pretty sure that ISO (the international standard) and MIL (Military standard) also has similar formatting (the acronyms are Standards).

Re-reading you post it sounds like the size you are talking about is the ISO drawing size equivalent of ANSI (metric vs. SAE). I think I have seen drawings made available the way you are talking about but that was many years ago; copies of drawings can be folded and they are folded similar to what you are talking about. Since I have never worked in Electrical engineering (I worked with them at times) I am not sure just exactly what they (are allowed to by the standards) do or don't do.

When you go into a meeting, especially a design review meeting you go in with two folded copies and one rolled copy. Each night you are expected to have a rolled copy made in case supervision or engineering itself has a meeting about what you are working on at your desk.

I goofed on that a couple of times and had my originals drawn on by pencils and grease/art pencils' as everyone talked and argued. The first time it happened (I was new to the company at the time) the whole process scared the crap out of me as I though the meeting was going to end up in a fight. My engineer grabbed me as I started to vacate the area and told me to stay and learn something which I did. Keep your mouth shut and listen well for example.

I did do some revisions to some Isometric drawings once that were electrical runs/bundles in long stretches of the airplane. It was something I had never seen or done before and it was the only time I got to do them. I never knew the why I was given them to do as it wasn't our normal thing to do.

More than you wanted to know I am sure.

Lee

https://www.etrailer.com/Garage-Accesso ... 0-Too-feat

I was sent this and just got a chance to look at it. I had missed seeing the tool mount in the rear of the box. Kind of neat!

By the way, if anyone wants to use my design commercially then please give me some credit by calling it "The Old Foggy Tool Box"

For several reasons I am going to change the title on this string, not sure to just what yet. I was doing a search on something else and found a whole bunch of similar designs which I will post the URL for later.

I got the main part of the seat done several as ago then a couple of days ago I got the 6 locating blocks screwed onto the 5/8" or 1/2" piece of scrap plywood I am using for a seat. It moves some but not much. The blocks can be moved if or when necessary.

We got some 1/2" foam pad today as well as some vynal material for the cover. Other things are taking time while the sun is out but the tool seat is comfortable even w/o the cover.

Lee

I was able to get on line with my PC easier than has been lately; here are some of the designed, but not all that I have found:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=to ... &FORM=IGRE

Lee

Well, its done unless I decide to put the magnetic tool strip on in the back.



Front View. I haven’t had the seat top out in the sun yet to get the wrinkles out of it.



Rear view. If I do put the magnetic tool bar it will be across the rear towards the bottom of the extension that allows the tool box lid to be opened.



Side view.



The other side view.

It sits and moves comfortably. Thanks for your patience on this.

Lee

I've had a chance to play with the rolling tool chest a bit now and found some interesting things.

Sitting on it, while working with a paper and pencil drawing up ideas, is very comfortable and it allows me to move around to look at things while still sitting. I didn't sit on it for a long time nor did it I try to sit on the front or the back edges of the seat as I am sure that it could not be the best of ideas. Sitting on the ends or corners might be a bit safer due to the long wheel base but still probably not a good idea as the wheels would allow the box to shoot away from you or tip over. The same with most of the seats I have looked at.

I did straddle like some of the on line photos show people sitting on their design. It can be done but not as comfortably as the narrower seat styles would allow but it can be done and you can still move around easily... but not as easily so as the narrower units requiring less straddle would reqire.

The ability to move the side trays around is good but up high, when sitting on the tool box, the reach is so much more comfortable. If I was lying on the floor working then the box could be easily dragged over and access is good as long as you either know where things are by feel or if you can raise up enough to see in the drawers, lower the side trays or get up to work out of the top of the tool box.

A neighbor did come over to look at it; we unlocked the drawers (by removing the seat, opening the lid then slide the drawers out a bit the put the lid down and reinstall the seat) then we both took turns sitting on the seat to check drawer access. With your feet in front you can't open the drawers fully unless you move your feet to accommodate the depth of the drawers. I'm not sure of the drawer depth of the other commercial tool boxes but I would suspect that they might have the same problem. Some of the drawered seats I posted had square tool boxes so you could sit is any direction and have better drawer access (and no, I am not going into business building them).

Access to the top part of the box still requires you to get your lazy carcass ( ) off the seat, lift it off then open the top of the box to gain access.

I have one of those small garage seats with 5 wheels that has the ability to raise or lower the seat hydraulically. At the full up position it sits the same height at my tool box. Full down seat position of the small seat is no comparison as mine can't do that but my box moves around so much smoother and makes so much less noise doing it; gotta be careful what I do noise wise .

Lee

I was having a hard time sleeping the other night as a repair I did was not working (two sets of wires got hooked up incorrectly... loosing my memory I think ). I finally got tired of working on it and I may have fallen asleep for a while and this build was on my mind when I woke up. You know how some of the mid-night wake-up thoughts can get kind of silly the next morning it still made a bit of sense when I thought about it... maybe.

There was two things I thought about adding: and electrical plug-in (2 to 4 outlets?) with a short cord to attach to an extension cord. The second thing was to add a connection for an air plug w/water separator added to it.

Think about it: your on you back under the car and you need to drill a hole but there isn't enough room for a battery powered drill but a corded or air-drill, especially a short head 90° type of drill would work. What about taking a drop light or floor mounted fluorescent light under there with you or even a grinder, air or electric. You connect the cart up before you crawl under then pull the cart close to you and connect up what you need. The only real draw back is there aren't that short of air hoses but they can be made. Less stuff under you a you making it harder work as you fight the long cords/hoses.

The other thing is you are working in many places and the small tool box (chest) can easily be moved around with you. Not perfect all the time but the option is there.

Anyway, silly thoughts that I am still silly over .

Lee

Would a short retractable hose reel fit horizontally underneath, within the casters?

Great idea, I never thought about using a reel, especially mounted under the cart.

I did look this up (https://www.harborfreight.com/auto-rewi ... 95211.html) but no dimensions. The responses' are mixed (of course) but there seems to be the general consensus of "light duty" but not sure just what that means.

There is one negative mounting review that kind of nixes this; it is a very honest review dealing with the mounting part of the unit. From what he describes ("...They are actually a form of "Chicago screw" in that the "nut" is actually a flanged sleeve the bolt screws into. The problem is, that the nut end is assembled into a blind hole. There is no tension or bind on it and no way to do so. That means simply that there is no way to take the nut/bolt (which are tightly fitted together) apart. Since you can't get the mount off, and you only have an inch and a half about (1 1/2") of clearance the only way to fasten it up is to use a hex head lag screw that you can get a wrench on coming from the side into a predrilled hole (which is none too easy to locate.) This is definitely a two person job. Actually, I applied a much simpler but cruder method. I ripped the bolts out of the soft plastic with a crow bar(that's how I found out all about the bolts), put up the mount and hung the reel up substituting 3/8" carriage [sic] bolts. The slotted opening behind the original nut location will hold the carriage [sic] bolt firmly enough for a reasonably secure mount. The reel actually works pretty well for the evening/weekend user and if it wasn't for the mounting issue, I would give this 4* and recommend it. But as this is, I cannot give any more...") it would be the same or similar problem that I would have to deal with when mounting it underneath the table/stool.

I'll have to go over and look at one assuming they have them here. I really need to get some dimensions before it is a no-go! I went out and measured the rise and it is a shade less than 4" (the bottom of the frame is: 21 1/2" X 9" X `4" rise)

I might look around some more before I full "nix" the idea but I do like it... a lot!

Like any other build with wheels... it is never finished!

Lee

Ah-hem: http://www.ebay.com/itm/300-PSI-3-8-x-2 ... SwFJBZShBD

One thing I just thought of is how is it going to re-load properly onto the reel with the reel not mounted vertical but horizontal; it says it has the right goodies to do it but the messy re-load in their picture got me thinking about that.

Not sure yet and not sure how I can buy it as I don't order on-line after getting my $$$ info stolen.

Such a cool idea though, still thinking about it.

Lee, and anyone else watching... All of the photos you posted through photobucket are no longer linking. Photobucket has stopped allowing 3rd party photo posting using their service and eliminated all the links... If you want to pay for Photobucket now, you can continue to use it how you always have... but they have now killed their appeal completely and If most are like me... well... I'm pretty nearly done deleting and removing all of my links to them... There are a ton of photos on the web that are now dead due to their lack of foresight.

It wouldn't need 25' of hose in it to be useful... as it is mobile.

Its too bad about photobucket, they were once useful.