Toolbox Fitout for the SCQ ute
The challenge
Time to talk about something that some people feel isn’t as important as I do. One of the things I simply can’t stand in construction is not having tools kept in an organised fashion. A good tradesman uses good tools and knows where and when to use what tool. The challenge is having these tools kept in a logical, neat fashion. This way you can lay your hands on what you want, when you want it. Seems it’s toolbox fitout time!
Suspended Ceilings QLD also does a lot of after hours work. This in turn means putting tools in and out of the ute in low light conditions. Having said this we needed to be able to see what we are doing in the dark, without draining the battery on the ute.
In addition to this, there has also been heat problems in the toolbox this summer. The extreme heat has actually damaged some expensive tools and a way to minimize this costly exercise had to be found.
The solution
The solutions involved lining the toolbox with 12mm marine grade plywood, creating storage space in areas normally unused. This was done by making a false floor and sides to store smaller items. The lip size has been reduced making tools easier to get in and out of the toolboxes. Dividers have then been added to keep tools organised and from sliding around during transit. My dad then helped install LED strip lighting around the top of the boxes. This draws negligible power from the battery and provides great light when packing tools in the dark. A sheet of foilboard was purchased for $30 and was then glued to the top of the boxes lowering the surface temperature by over 20 degrees.
The Result
The box is now neater and more functional. This resulted in increased work productivity, as well as lowering the stress of not being able to find what you need. The lighting is great (thanks to dad and Wide World of Lights).