Patrol Box project.....

[4307]

Well, I might as well post my latest project.... The Patrol Box... aka... chuck box .... aka.... Camp Kitchen.

My camp kitchen stuff, in the past was thrown into a plastic storage box with all my other camping gear, insect repellant, sunscreen and other questionable toxic products. Digging through the box looking for a fork and knife is a pain in the MMM. I do enough camping to warrant a camp kitchen. I saved this project for the winter, freeing the spring and summer up for fabricating truck stuff... armor!

The project is being put together using wood thats been kicking around, taking up space, material meant for other projects, that never materialized. Some wood will be purchased to complete the project.

The finished Patrol Box dimensions will measure 40.0'' L x 17.5'' W x 20.75'' H, fits snug between my wheel wells in the back of my 04 Tacoma.

The project will house my complete camping kitchen, including my Coleman Stove and Dutch Oven.
Drawers will be made for spices, sugar, utensils, lighters, hand towels... ext.
Space for toilet paper and paper towels will be incorporated into the box.
Canned food section, possibly a mini bar, space for my propane and white gas single burner stoves (2), wash basin, soap.... and so on, will be accommodated, into the finished design.
The front and back panels will fold down to give me two surfaces for food prep and bar use.
This is one of the few projects, I didn't design on paper, pryer to building, kinda winging this one... LOL.
I am working off a design I found on the net-web. This guy and his boys, put a pretty nice box together. My design has different dimensions and layout but the concept is similar.....

http://scoutmaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/images/kamp_kitchen_003_1.jpg

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...box&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=N&um=1

Here are a few more designs....

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...box&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=N&um=1

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...box&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=N&um=1

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...=20&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=N&um=1

And one of the best designs, the famous Drifta Kitchens from Australia....

http://www.drifta.com.au/

Anyway this is what I have so far, Its in the layout stage right now, nothing is glued or fastened, just trying to figure out how it will all come together.
I'm thinking of incorporating a 12v RV water pump into a space in the box, with a hose going into a separate water container, at ground level (2 that I use for tailgate camping) fold out mini faucet for drinking water and wash basin. 12v extension cord from the trucks dual battery system to the 12v pump... (lofty idea eh?) I'll also incorporate a lighting system running off the 12v system, ideally LED strips. I'm currently researching hand crank / battery charge system for the lighting, kinda like my hand crank flash light... we'll see.

here's some pics....
Wood!

The camp kitchen stuff, some of it....

Figuring out how piece it all together....

A removable shelf for the Coleman stove, the shelf will hang on the patrol box side, removable, storing in the Patrol Box for transport and storage... a shelf on the other end will accommodate toilet paper and paper towel roles, same self concept but flipped upside down, with a removable dowel to hang the paper roles...

This is the style of handle I'll be using on the sides of the Patrol Box. possibly 2 on each end.....

I'll update this thread as I go along.

 

[timaus13]

Following ure Build

Hello mate I love what u r doing and will follow this thread with great interest.
I have a range Rover 2 door 76 mod decked out for Expeditions around the island I call home Tasmania below Australia.

Anywho I have a drawer system @ presant with my cooking gear stowed in it , looking to use it for spares tools and such, so the cooking gear will go into something very very similar to that u r building.

cheers
From a fellow 4x4 enthusiast.:friday::camping::suning::1888fbbd::clapsmile

 

[jim65wagon]

My wife recently built a chuck box for us. She used the same handle set that you've chosen, check out the latches used to close the box. They're very nice and keep the lid closed very securely. Ah, organized!

Our Chuck Box

Yours is going to be very nice, and you'll quite enjoy not digging through totes to find what you need!

 

[spunky2268]

Ah, the memories...

4307,

I find myself both admiring your direction and cursing it at the same time! Your direction looks good, and so do the materials. The cursing comes from an experience from my youth. In the Scouts, we had a setup very similar. I can remember myself and another Scout having to carry that big bastard over a half-mile of furrowed field to our campsite with packs on. I think our Scoutmasters got a good laugh from that. Keep us posted on the good work, but don't ask me to hand carry that furniture.:safari-rig:

 

[Reece04]

I have been wanting to do this for a long time. I like the design so far. I used that style of handle for another project a few months ago. If you having a problem finding them locally, check out Amazon.com, I paid about $5 each, which is a far cry from the $70 that a local cabinet shop wanted to special order them

good luck!

 

[4307]

Hello mate I love what u r doing and will follow this thread with great interest.
I have a range Rover 2 door 76 mod decked out for Expeditions around the island I call home Tasmania below Australia.

Anywho I have a drawer system @ presant with my cooking gear stowed in it , looking to use it for spares tools and such, so the cooking gear will go into something very very similar to that u r building.

cheers
From a fellow 4x4 enthusiast.:friday::camping::suning::1888fbbd::clapsmile

Thanks for the interest, I'll try to keep it interesting... :coffeedrink:

 

[4307]

My wife recently built a chuck box for us. She used the same handle set that you've chosen, check out the latches used to close the box. They're very nice and keep the lid closed very securely. Ah, organized!

Our Chuck Box

Yours is going to be very nice, and you'll quite enjoy not digging through totes to find what you need!

Actually your post and Stumptaco's post popped up in my research, great designs. Your wife is very talented, good job!

the latch you mentioned is really nice, I have them mounted to some of my music gear cabinets in my home studio. I'd like to use them, haven't figured out how to incorporate them into my design... yet.

I'll see if I can dig up pics of my buddies patrol box, it's pretty slick.

 

[4307]

4307,

I find myself both admiring your direction and cursing it at the same time! Your direction looks good, and so do the materials. The cursing comes from an experience from my youth. In the Scouts, we had a setup very similar. I can remember myself and another Scout having to carry that big bastard over a half-mile of furrowed field to our campsite with packs on. I think our Scoutmasters got a good laugh from that. Keep us posted on the good work, but don't ask me to hand carry that furniture.:safari-rig:

no dought that sucker was heavy :box:.... builds charicter :violent-smiley-031: and bad memories, I mentioned the build to a buddy and he had the same experience... nasty indeed.

Fortunetly I won't need to sherpa this thing too far, It was a concern for the wife as well, the dutch oven is a boat anchor but a big part of the kit and cooking experience. I can take it out of the patrol box to lift and move, the box will be it's home. I don't think it will be that big of a deal, our regular plastic box had the same gear anyway, the weight wasn't all that bad.

 

[4307]

Update....

Thinking about the Coleman Stove shelf, I decided to make some changes....
Taking in account the heat issues , flow valve and ventilation holes on the side of the Coleman Stove, I made a change to the plan.
Instead of placing the stove in the shelf, when mounted, as originally planned, I decided to flip the shelf. The stove will sit on the shelf open to air flow. To keep the stove from moving around while cooking, I drilled out 4 cups in the self to accommodate the rounded Coleman Stove feet. I think it will work well. The last thing I want is the stove sliding off the shelf while stirring a pot of Gumbo.

I made a run to the dollar store for a couple wash tubs, spice containers, thin cutting mats for food prep (2) You can see them in the pics below.

I added additional shelves in the interior, sectioning the box. I changed the spacing a few times taking in consideration, the gear being stored. Nothing is glued, clamps are holding everything in place. I need to do some more cutting and sectioning so all the kitchen gear will fit.

The pic shows the coleman stove in it's storage section. The shelf will fit over the Coleman stove, snug, not allowing much movement during transport.

 

[4307]

I have a couple Outdoor Research flexible back pack containers, I keep the single burner camp stoves and miscellaneous items in. These containers fit perfectly in my old wash basin.

The dollar store wash tubs will accommodate the bowls, plates cups, cooking pots.

The flexible cutting mats will be stored with the Coleman stove and shelf.

The basins fit nice in the space I'm working with.

The back side of the Patrol box has space to incorporate a spice rack, paper towel and toilet paper storage. This phase is still undecided, subject to change.

.

So far this project has been a lot of fun, it gets the creative juices flowing.
Stay tuned, more to come, as time allows....:coffeedrink:

 

[StumpXJ]

Looking good man! I have been watching the build...

I have used mine now multiple times, and have fed 8 people (quite well I might add...) with just my little kitchen. You are going to ask yourself why you didnt do it sooner! I have made a few small revisions to mine after using it a few times, but I wouldnt change anything major. Take a pen and paper with you the first couple times you use it, you will come up with a small list of ways to perfect it...

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

~James

 

[4307]

Thanks! stay tuned.
I've put this project off for about 3 years, last summer I made a vow, "the patrol box, will come together this winter". Seems all my summer projects are focused around welding. I can't do any welding during winter, because my outdoor work area is a 5' snow bank... The wood project will tie me over until the thaw.

James, your build was a inspiration, big motivator. Thanks for sharing yours.

 

[762X39]

Love what you are doing. I recently discovered laminated pine boards and want to use them for every project, they are light, reasonably strong and true (straight and flat). I recommend that you use 2 handles per end for lifting and carrying and they should be secured with 1/4-20 bolts with t-nuts on the inside to prevent tearing them out. The handles used to be made by Sessions and are now available from TCH (used to be called Trans Canada Hardware). They have a website and have sales in both Canada and the US last time I ordered something from them.

Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[4307]

Well not much of a update but here ya go, I been busy lately but still pluggin away at this build.....:costumed-smiley-007

One thing that bothers me when camping.... dealing with glass bottles. Wine and liquor bottles tend to smash if they fall. There is nothing more annoying then showing up at a camp spot, with smashed glass fragment everywhere left by campers before you. When I pack beer, the beer is in cans not bottles. You can crush a can to save space as empties, unlike beer bottles.
I've decided, instead of bringing glass bottles on a trip, I'm replacing them with stainless steel drink bottles (750ml). I'll fill the stainless bottles with the chosen spirits or other liquids before leaving. If the bottle falls the worst that can happen is spilling the contents and or denting the bottle.
The 750ml bottles are the perfect volume for wine or spirits, they will hold a full bottle of booze or wine.

To keep the bottles from flying around inside the Patrol box, I made a "bar" LOL, a bottle rack.
The Bottle Rack holds 4 bottles, acts like a drawer in the Patrol box and keeps the camp bar organized for Après - wheeling. ( I do not condone drinking and driving, this bar is strictly for post driving, camp relaxation around the camp fire only ).

The bottle rack is made of Alder wood, finished with Minwax Helmsman finish, natural wood color.
The inside, bottom, is lined with scrap tool box matting.
The rack is deep enough to prevent the bottles from falling over, bottles fit loosely but restrict sloppy movement.

Here's the ''Bar'' rack......

The bar rack is the same width of the patrol box... 16''. The rack will be a trackless drawer that can be removed from either side of the patrol box. The picture below shows the location, the rack will reside. The piece of wood on the left represents the partition that will be put in place, the piece shown is just a scrap piece of wood to demonstrate what I have in mind....

I have similar drawer design for utensils , spices, and miscellaneous items. I'll post them as I build them.....

 

[nwoods]

Cool. Maybe strap those bottles down like this?