[Bluetribal]

So the is done sleeping in the tent and I am done hosting and strapping down the tool box into the Cruiser for off-road trips. And an RTT is not in our future and we can't afford the travel trailer yet so hopefully this will keep us camping for a little while until we get the trailer with a toilet.

I have been working on this drawer design for quite a while and being a drafter I have the ability to draw it all up in 3D and get exact measurements prior to cutting any wood. Although dimensions are chaniging a little because you can't foresee every possible problem. But this past weekend went pretty good and I would say I am about half way done with the project and I have two more weekends until we take it on it's trial run.

The goal was to maintain one of the third row seats, keep down on the weight of having two drawers and bringing too much stuff. And of course have a sleeping platfomr for me and the I also knew I wanted it mounted on the passenger side since I have DS Hanna Bumper W/ Tire swing and CO2 bottle on the DS not to mention my big A$$

Here is the 3D design concept:
Single drawer opened and platform support leg un-folding.


The box totally transformed into a sleeping platform:


Here is what I got done over the first weekend:
I need to revise the sheet that lays on the second row because it is currently blocking some of my view out of the back.


I am considering making a fiberglass tub in the gap behind the rear wheel well and the box for fluids.


Here is half of the sleeping platform. A second top will be hinged with a piano hinge to swing over to be the second half of the sleeping platform. It is going to have to have a cut-out for the CO2 bottle & bracket but that may be perfect to access the fluids on the right side when it is folded over on top of the box.

[Bluetribal]

I want to thank the Forum and especially 619Toy & Hayes for inspiration with what they created. Also thanks to 619Toy for the bolts and custom washers that I will be using to mount the box to the floor.

Yesterday I ordered these 250# slides and today ordered a paddle latch off of eBay. So far I am into the box for:
High grade Plywood $48
Low grade Plywood $20
250lb. Slides $73
Paddle latch off eBay $22
Hardware to connect both sleeping platform pieces $8
Piano Hinge - $9 @ Home Depot
Trap door hinges - $8 for (4)
Spray Can Bed Liner (Tan) $9 each bottle x 7

I also created a cut template to help me figure out how to fit all the pieces on a sheet of plywood. You can see how I put the important pieces that would show on the Higher quality plywood and the drawer, bottom platform and second row platform on the lower quality plywood.
CUT PLAN

[greentruck]

Mark,
It's looking good.

Keeping the top of the platform relatively low like you've done is important to make it comfortable when used as a sleeper. It does limit the capacity of the storage underneath, but it's a good trade-off.

[djsherif]

Interested to see how this turns out.

[Bluetribal]

Originally Posted by greentruck

Mark,
It's looking good.

Keeping the top of the platform relatively low like you've done is important to make it comfortable when used as a sleeper. It does limit the capacity of the storage underneath, but it's a good trade-off.

Yeah I ended up lowering it after my initial design once I started test fitting pieces and more importantly put the piece on the top of the second row seats. As of right now the side pieces of the box are 8" with a sheet on top and bottom for a total 9.25-9.5" high. And this give me 7" of height inside the box but I don't plan on putting a tool box inside the drawer. Plan on splitting up my tools into little containers and pouches.

[97FZJ80]

how are u going to attach it to the floor

[Bluetribal]

Originally Posted by 97FZJ80

how are u going to attach it to the floor

Another perspective on rear storage
They bolt right into the four holes that the 3" bars that the 3rd row seats clamp down to.

[Flank]

funny detail in the slides description:
The 5200 series is intended for heavy duty applications including fire truck pump drawers, truck body fabrications, tool chests, for real men, and custom metal fabrication projects requiring a heavy duty slide to support a dynamic load of up to 250lbs.

[greentruck]

Originally Posted by Flank

funny detail in the slides description:
The 5200 series is intended ... for real men...requiring a heavy duty slide to support a dynamic load of up to 250lbs.

Guess I'm Superman. I've got 500 lb slides

[kanigetts]

Is the vertical plywood meant to protect the 2nd row passengers from being sliced by the drawer unit plywood in the event of a severe rear collision?

[huntir]

Looks ......AWESOME!!! Subscribed!

[lrowe_csp]

Mark:
Are you going to use Baltic Birch or a similar high quality plywood so you don't have the "voids" and other structural deficiencies found in regular Home Deport c*** plywood, and are you going to use an outdoor rated waterproof glue such as Titebond III when you glue and screw it all together?

[VCCruzr]

Mark,
Looking forward to see how this turns out, subscribed

[Bluetribal]

Originally Posted by kanigetts

Is the vertical plywood meant to protect the 2nd row passengers from being sliced by the drawer unit plywood in the event of a severe rear collision?

No, the back of the seats are a little lumpy and have some springs or something that poke and would be uncomfortable sleeping on even with ThermaRest camping mats. So I wanted a nice smooth platform for my back and shoulders when in sleeping mode. Plus the back of my seats have taken some abuse from cargo so now the wood will protect them when filled with camping gear.

[Bluetribal]

Originally Posted by lrowe_csp

Mark:
Are you going to use Baltic Birch or a similar high quality plywood so you don't have the "voids" and other structural deficiencies found in regular Home Deport c*** plywood, and are you going to use an outdoor rated waterproof glue such as Titebond III when you glue and screw it all together?

I was planning on the Birch but I bought the best of the HD cr@p and it will be fine for my use. No on the glue either, just regular wood glue for me. But I did use 2" coated wood screws if that meats your standards! I have laid my 213lbs on it and no creaks or squeaks.

[Bluetribal]

Originally Posted by greentruck

Guess I'm Superman. I've got 500 lb slides

Yeah the 500lb slides that 619Toy used are no longer available on the site but since I down graded on the plywood I figure the 250# slides for REAL MEN would be fine.

[FJRanger]

Looks great!

I'm planning something similar since I have to keep one of the third row seats as well.

[greentruck]

Originally Posted by Bluetribal

Yeah the 500lb slides that 619Toy used are no longer available on the site but since I down graded on the plywood I figure the 250# slides for REAL MEN would be fine.

Heh, I'm sure a Real Man's drawers will do just fine

I went totally overboard on slide capacity on my build for two reasons. One, is that one of my drawers is actually the slide for our fridge. Two, I hoped that this would eliminate any "chatter" in the slides themselves. No problem there, but I do get a little drumming from the wood drawers depending on the road surface. May try some Dynamat on their bottom side eventually to dampen that.

Build the drawers tight. 250 lb slides should be plenty good enough.

I thought about using a paddle latch, but ended up just using the locking feature on the slides I bought. Don't know if yours have that, but it's plenty good enough unless you need to be able to use a keyed lock for security.

I used a high quality cabinet-grade plywood from the Home Despot for the sleeper top and drawer bottoms on ours, not Baltic Birch but some US-origin birch plywood. For the framing and drawer sides, I used poplar mostly, with some oak in a couple of critical locations. That was all overkill and a product of some cabinetmaking fetish, plywood should be fine.

[VanGo]

Mark- this is true inspiration and completely with in the scope of minimalist approach to balacing form vs. function. Keeping one of the third row seats while incorporating a drawer and sleeping platform is tough, but you are on track with this design- subscribed!!

[thestunts]

Subscribed !
I want to do the same thing ....