Tailgate Storage Box

GLTHFJ60 · 09-17-07, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinmrowland

Cool

And while you are here we can cut out your tailgate as well (since I happen to have all the tools laying around) Might not be worth the 3.5 hour drive though.

The best part is that I go to school at RIT, so I probably live within 20 minutes of you.

Can't wait to drop by!!

kevinmrowland · 09-17-07, 07:43 AM

No kidding?!
What major? I teach up there.
You know we have a small unofficial local cruiser club, getting together to hang out on the 29th (in 2 saturdays) You should come out.

Goldeneagle · 09-17-07, 08:21 AM

ya snooze, ya loose

iust came across this thread.

Good stuff!

Put me @ the bottom please

GLTHFJ60 · 09-17-07, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevinmrowland

No kidding?!
What major? I teach up there.
You know we have a small unofficial local cruiser club, getting together to hang out on the 29th (in 2 saturdays) You should come out.

Sent you a PM, but if you let me know what time and where and I'll be there!

freeamerica · 09-18-07, 08:16 PM

Add me to the list as well!

Thanks.

intense1 · 09-19-07, 12:25 AM

Add me to the list please! I love that thing!

Tofudebeest · 09-19-07, 07:48 AM

I think I told (warned) you, these things are gonna be very popular. What's the waiting list now? 15, 20 people?

kevinmrowland · 09-19-07, 08:03 AM

Well, with the addition of freeamerica and intense1 (got ya down guys) we are currently at 26.

I have an order in at the laser cutter for the first 10 sets of parts, steel being delivered this or next week, and most of the hardware ordered. Most of the parts are a tiny bit cheaper if I order in groups of 10. It's a really good thing I have friends who can get me wholesale prices on this stuff, these things would be unobtainuim if made from over the counter stuff. The finishing alone would be almost $30.

OCHO4I · 09-19-07, 01:09 PM

Put me on the list as well. (Your tailgate storage box is just the ticket for a location to keep my axe and spade more safely secured than attached to my Con-Ferr roof rack.)

fogblanket · 09-19-07, 02:25 PM

man I missed this one too can I get on the list pleae!!!! nice stuff Kevin can I get on the list for the quarter panel surronds?
Jason

intense1 · 09-20-07, 12:49 AM

Just a thought: I have these rubber diamondplate floormats from $OR. About 1/8th thick. Its been pretty durable in the last 8 or so months... What do you think about glueing that to the top of your (thiner) ply?

kevinmrowland · 09-20-07, 06:46 AM

2 more, on the list

And intense1, the rubber diamond plate would work very well.
Couple of things though, I would probably not glue it, but rather use SS button head screws, with washers and T-nuts to kind of rivet the rubber down. This could easily be done after the fact by cutting rubber with the ply as a template, however, the rubber would be 1/8 of an inch above the lip of the frame. The other option would be to recess the lid an 1/8. And because I am not willing to compromise the strength of the ply by using a thiner piece, this would necessitate using a different sized piano hinge, and welding the lid stop lower. The latches would have enough take up to accommodate going over the rubber.
I really like the idea, I honestly do not think I thought of this before, or if I did, ruled it out for some reason. This could be done on a custom basis for a flush fit, or by the end user. I will look into the material costs. It would probably add a good bit to the price since there are quite a few steps to do it nicely, the cost of the rubber (which I will check with my rubber supplier on, SOR is not exactly famous for their good deals) and the stainless hardware.
The unfortunate thing is that the finishing on the ply would have to remain the same in order to make sure it is impervious.

5280Hawk · 09-20-07, 07:00 AM

Have you locked down a price? (PM me if you want)

kevinmrowland · 09-20-07, 07:19 AM

PM sent

workingdog · 09-20-07, 08:34 AM

I will take one too - please PM me with a price.

Peter

polarweasel · 09-20-07, 09:01 AM

Are you doing them as a one-off, or are you planning to make them on a semi-regular basis?

If you're doing a one-off, sign me up; otherwise, I'll hold off till my 60 is actually running again.

kevinmrowland · 09-20-07, 10:02 AM

It will have to be an ongoing thing, I'll make a few at a time.
I can mark you down as interested and then you can let me know if you want one when your name comes up.

MountainCruiser62 · 09-20-07, 10:18 AM

mark me down as interested as well, could you pm a price too, thanks

kevinmrowland · 09-20-07, 10:40 AM

Gotcha

Everyone, the price is not finalized yet. I will start a new thread, linked here, as soon as all the #s & quotes are in.

Mor4wd · 09-20-07, 11:23 AM

Im in..

FirstToy · 09-21-07, 02:02 PM

2008 Land Cruiser- looks like you guys are ahead of the curve

kevinmrowland · 09-21-07, 02:14 PM

Haha, saweeeet.
Toyota is stealing my ideas

They might be expensive, but at least you don't have to spend $63k for mine.

Tofudebeest · 09-21-07, 02:23 PM

Does seeing that give you any ideas? I was deadly serious when I suggested you patent your design and sell the plans to a large vendor of such products, like Tuffy.

calphi27 · 09-21-07, 02:58 PM

I was thinking about the same thing too when I saw the 08 cruiser. Kevin, if I am not on the list, then please add me to the interested party.

archtimb · 09-21-07, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FirstToy

2008 Land Cruiser- looks like you guys are ahead of the curve

Oh, snap! Should have patented this two years ago...might be able to document your design showing up before Mr. Toyota's!

I had Stevo on the phone yesterday, he should be here in a couple of days. He said he wants one for Bart. Better put him on the list.

Pops

kevinmrowland · 09-21-07, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by archtimb

I had Stevo on the phone yesterday, he should be here in a couple of days. He said he wants one for Bart. Better put him on the list.
Pops

I'll put him on the list, but he's not getting one is a few days.

Have any of you actually gone through the patent process? Is costs a lot, I think the low end for a full patent is about $10k, and then, it is only copyright infringement if the replication has less than a 10% design change from the patented item.
I am not exactly covering uncharted territory here, I think even the X-terra's had a tail gate storage box.
Lets hope they don't try to come after me.

Enough chit-chat, heres some pics for everyone.
Got the prototype all painted.
The hardware.
It takes a 1/8 allen wrench and a 8mm-5/16" wrench. The hardware would be tough to get together unless you send the allen wrench through the hole, line the washer, lock washer, and nut up on the allen wrench and use it to aline them to the hole, pull out the allen wrench while holding up on the hardware and thread the screw in. Makes quick work of it.

kevinmrowland · 09-21-07, 07:05 PM

All bolted up to make sure it works.

Dynosoar · 09-21-07, 07:46 PM

Hey Kevin,

You know I am a big fan of your design and craftsmanship. Have you thought of having the door open in the opposite direction. It would tremendously increase the utility of the box. It would be vastly more accessible from the outside of the truck with the tailgate down and with the tailgate closed it would still be accessible from the inside. I am interested both as a potential customer and from a tinkerer / design standpoint.

Thanks

Dynosoar

sfcruiser · 09-21-07, 07:55 PM

If there's room would you put me on the list. Feel free to PM me with the price. nice work!

On the patent, I heard, if you send yourself a letter with all the info thru the post office and don't open it. When you actually go through the patent process it can be dated back to the date stamped on the envelope.

kevinmrowland · 09-21-07, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dynosoar

Have you thought of having the door open in the opposite direction. It would tremendously increase the utility of the box. It would be vastly more accessible from the outside of the truck with the tailgate down and with the tailgate closed it would still be accessible from the inside. I am interested both as a potential customer and from a tinkerer / design standpoint.

Thank you, and excellent question.
I went through both options in the design phase and this is what I found:
When the tail gate folds out it facilitates using the lid as a table/place to put things removed from the box while trying to get the buried things out.
The lid can also open fully, regardless of what is in the back of the truck, like drawers, a fridge, other cargo.
For those that have drawers in, outward opening allows the drawers to be partially or fully opened depending on clearance even if the tailgate is open.
When the tailgate is closed, the latches are in the downward position and anything that bounces around in the tailgate is not likely to inadvertently open the latches, and if for some reason the latch is not fully closed, it is less likely to swing open since it has to fight gravity to do so.
On top of those things and probably most important, is ease of manufacturability. If you look at the box you will notice that the inside corners have more of a curve to them than the outside corners, by putting the hinged edge on the top/outside I can run the hinge into a square corner rather than have a floating termination that would be somewhat weaker.
Now as you have stated, this format limits opening the tailgate lid while closed. After thinking about it, I felt that this was actually a good thing because in all likelihood if the lid was opened when the tailgate was vertical, anything stowed within would most likely come tumbling out.
I could also not think of many situations where you would be inside the truck and still even be able to open the tailgate, most instances there is something in the way of the door swing, like bedding if you are sleeping in there.

I have also found that one other nice thing about the opening direction is that when laying in bed (on the drawers, which block the tailgate) if I drop the tailgate and reach out, it is very nice to have the lid open away from me in that situation.

And as far as limiting access by opening toward the user, without the scale of a user it may look like it would be in the way, but the lid only protrudes into the user space about 7" (there is overlap on the tailgate itself). Minimum comfortable standing work distance will be approximately the length of the users forearm, not many users are likely to have a forearm shorter than the 11" lid so I doubt that it would be found to be in the way during normal use.

Does any of this answer your question/address your concern? Like most decisions it really is a toss up, but I have tried to think out the problems and present the best solution.