Kitchen Kit/Chuck Box
- Thread starter jim65wagon
- Start date
Since this seems to be the catch-all Chuck Box thread I'll post up these concepts for feed back, if y'all don't mind.
I'm not really a hard core overlander and tend to enjoy the more hard(er)core Jeep trails. But I do enjoy taking my Jeep ('01 Wrangler) out camping and out for several days at a time on some extended trail runs. Space is always limited but I've been really annoyed at trying to pack my kitchen into a tote bin the last several years. It's just a jumbled, disorganized mess after the first two meals and annoying trying to get at anything in it. The chuck boxes in this thread have been a great inspiration so here's my go at them.
I'd love to hear any comments, criticism, or suggestions of this idea.
Strategy
My "camp kitchen" strategy is comprised of five parts.
Chuck Box: This will store all my kitchen gear from pots and pans to dishes, propane canisters, utensils, paper towels, foil, etc. Basically, non-perisible items that I can keep stocked in the chuck box and in storage between camping trips with out having to worry about them.
Camp Stove: I have a 2-burner for ages. This will pack separately from the chuck box. I didn't want to built the box around the stove incase the stove gets replaced at some point. And a few posters have pointed out that the chuck boxes could get a bit greasy and messy if the stoves are used in them. So, this is a separate item.
Food Tote: Separate tote / container to keep all the food in.
Cooler: Duh. Things needing refrigeration or for cold beverages.
Cargo Deck / Table: A custom cargo deck that turns into a camp table. It's been great for organizing my Jeep and providing a secure tie-down point for gear.
The Chuck Box
It's designed so that the top of the chuck box is right at the same height as my cargo deck table so that it adds to the counter top or work surface at the camp site. The doors are just barely thick enough that they're useful for storing some items and also double as the counter surface "wing" supports. When folded it fits into a 14" x 20" foot print and is ~ 18" tall. And no, I can't really go much bigger than this since I have a Jeep and space is limited.
Chuck box all folded up for storage.
Legs folded down.
Leg braces folded out and door starting to open.
Doors are open, top starting to fold out.
Chuck box all set up and ready to go.
Worm's eye view so you can see the legs and leg braces.
Finally, this is how the legs would be arranged. Probably
cut out of 3/4" plywood. I wanted something that would
fold very flat.
The Cargo Deck / Table
While not directly relating to this thread it's part of how I'd set up my camp kitchen. Two years ago I built this. it's a cargo deck that mounts without tools into the back of my Jeep using the factory seat brackets. It takes maybe 60 sec or less to get in or out. There is a grid of threaded holes to screw in some eye bolts for flexible cargo arrangements. And on the bottom side are some folding legs so that the cargo deck converts to a table at the camp site.
Originally, I thought about just setting the chuck box on the table and forgetting about the legs but then it seemed like a waste of table space. With a little extra effort (the legs) the chuck box can add some additional counter space at the camp site.
The cargo deck. Note the grid of
threaded inserts.
The mount to the factory seat brackets.
Cargo deck installed in the Jeep. The
lower "basement" is for flatter storage
such as tents, folding chairs, air mattress,
firewood, tool bags, saw, axle, shovel, etc.
Everything packed into my Jeep. The
Chuck Box would take the place of the
blue tote bin.
The inaugral camping trip for the cargo deck. The chuck box
would unfold and be set next to the table to do double duty
as an other table-height work surface.
Well, that's it. Thoughts?
I'd love to hear the comments, criticism, and suggestion from all the chuckboxers on here. Thanks!
.
I'm not really a hard core overlander and tend to enjoy the more hard(er)core Jeep trails. But I do enjoy taking my Jeep ('01 Wrangler) out camping and out for several days at a time on some extended trail runs. Space is always limited but I've been really annoyed at trying to pack my kitchen into a tote bin the last several years. It's just a jumbled, disorganized mess after the first two meals and annoying trying to get at anything in it. The chuck boxes in this thread have been a great inspiration so here's my go at them.
I'd love to hear any comments, criticism, or suggestions of this idea.
Strategy
My "camp kitchen" strategy is comprised of five parts.
Chuck Box: This will store all my kitchen gear from pots and pans to dishes, propane canisters, utensils, paper towels, foil, etc. Basically, non-perisible items that I can keep stocked in the chuck box and in storage between camping trips with out having to worry about them.
Camp Stove: I have a 2-burner for ages. This will pack separately from the chuck box. I didn't want to built the box around the stove incase the stove gets replaced at some point. And a few posters have pointed out that the chuck boxes could get a bit greasy and messy if the stoves are used in them. So, this is a separate item.
Food Tote: Separate tote / container to keep all the food in.
Cooler: Duh. Things needing refrigeration or for cold beverages.
Cargo Deck / Table: A custom cargo deck that turns into a camp table. It's been great for organizing my Jeep and providing a secure tie-down point for gear.
The Chuck Box
It's designed so that the top of the chuck box is right at the same height as my cargo deck table so that it adds to the counter top or work surface at the camp site. The doors are just barely thick enough that they're useful for storing some items and also double as the counter surface "wing" supports. When folded it fits into a 14" x 20" foot print and is ~ 18" tall. And no, I can't really go much bigger than this since I have a Jeep and space is limited.
Chuck box all folded up for storage.
Legs folded down.
Leg braces folded out and door starting to open.
Doors are open, top starting to fold out.
Chuck box all set up and ready to go.
Worm's eye view so you can see the legs and leg braces.
Finally, this is how the legs would be arranged. Probably
cut out of 3/4" plywood. I wanted something that would
fold very flat.
The Cargo Deck / Table
While not directly relating to this thread it's part of how I'd set up my camp kitchen. Two years ago I built this. it's a cargo deck that mounts without tools into the back of my Jeep using the factory seat brackets. It takes maybe 60 sec or less to get in or out. There is a grid of threaded holes to screw in some eye bolts for flexible cargo arrangements. And on the bottom side are some folding legs so that the cargo deck converts to a table at the camp site.
Originally, I thought about just setting the chuck box on the table and forgetting about the legs but then it seemed like a waste of table space. With a little extra effort (the legs) the chuck box can add some additional counter space at the camp site.
The cargo deck. Note the grid of
threaded inserts.
The mount to the factory seat brackets.
Cargo deck installed in the Jeep. The
lower "basement" is for flatter storage
such as tents, folding chairs, air mattress,
firewood, tool bags, saw, axle, shovel, etc.
Everything packed into my Jeep. The
Chuck Box would take the place of the
blue tote bin.
The inaugral camping trip for the cargo deck. The chuck box
would unfold and be set next to the table to do double duty
as an other table-height work surface.
Well, that's it. Thoughts?
I'd love to hear the comments, criticism, and suggestion from all the chuckboxers on here. Thanks!
.
compactcamping
Explorer
Lupinsea, Like your concept, I've been thinking about making a kitchen box, your fold flat legs look like a nice way to go. I assume your plan is to use hinges with 90 degrees of swing so the legs don't rock?
Desert Dan
Explorer
Lupinsea, Looks good.
I made a shelf in the back of my TJ that rests on top of the wheel wells. The height is high enough so small action packers and ice chest can fit under the shelf.
I made a shelf in the back of my TJ that rests on top of the wheel wells. The height is high enough so small action packers and ice chest can fit under the shelf.
I was figuring on piano hinges for the legs. With the braces underneath if I had some kind of tie to keep the legs together it would be stable enough.
Still..... I was thinking on it some more.
I think I'm going with a box-within-a-box approach. Built the chuck box pretty much the same as above but without the folding legs. Instead, the chuck box would slip into an outer box. At the campside this outer box would be turned upside down as the base. It will be simpler to build and the box will be significantly more rigid than any folding leg system. And I can probably skeletonize the outer box enough to cut the weight down. By my calcs I can get the outer box and chuck box down to about 33 lb.
In any event, disregarding the particulars of any folding legs or base: do you guy see anything I'm missing with the layout of the chuckbox? Either things I"m not making room for (note, not "everything" has been modeled) or an aspect that has been poorly thought out?
Still..... I was thinking on it some more.
I think I'm going with a box-within-a-box approach. Built the chuck box pretty much the same as above but without the folding legs. Instead, the chuck box would slip into an outer box. At the campside this outer box would be turned upside down as the base. It will be simpler to build and the box will be significantly more rigid than any folding leg system. And I can probably skeletonize the outer box enough to cut the weight down. By my calcs I can get the outer box and chuck box down to about 33 lb.
In any event, disregarding the particulars of any folding legs or base: do you guy see anything I'm missing with the layout of the chuckbox? Either things I"m not making room for (note, not "everything" has been modeled) or an aspect that has been poorly thought out?
compactcamping
Explorer
Hmmm, the nest box approach would be easier to set up the stand portion. From a layout standpoint, get everything out you normally take and make sure you plan a place for it.
Every Miles A Memory
Expedition Leader
Why Am I singing "Box in a Box"??? :sombrero:
Yup. I've gone back and taken a look at the contents of my current kitchen tote bin. I think everything would work. The big additions to my normal gear will be a cutting board and some larger utensils like tongs, spatulas, serving spoon, etc. I figure those will go in the doors.
That, and I haven't really made space for a wash bin. I'm not sure if I want to use up "that much water" for clean up. So far I've done well by carefully using soap, water, and a sponge / scrub pad. Also, I'm concerned about tying myself into a particular size of plastic bin and have problems with replacements down the road if I can't find an exact match size. Besides, the way the plastic bins have the sides that slope in and the flange around the top they take up some space. One possibility is to have an simple metal box welded up as a wash bin with straight sides and no upper flange. I suppose I could even make it out of steel (which I could fabricate myself and weld and then give it a good paint coating or maybe a DIY truck bed liner if there is a small spray can of the stuff). It's not like water would sit in it for long periods of time or that it's a mission critical item. I wouldn't worry so much about mild steel box rusting up too bad.
Every Miles A Memory said:
:xxrotflma I don't quite know what to make of that other than I might want to start referring to the latest design as a "Nested" Chuck Box instead of a Box-within-a-box approach.
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mojave joe
Observer
I'm reworking the cabinets in my FWC and thinking about incorporating a removable chuck box. What did your box weigh in at when completed?
thanks-
thanks-
compactcamping
Explorer
For dishwashing, Sterlite has a 12 Qt dishpan (part # 0657) I like to use, does take up a little extra space, although my nesting pan set fits just right inside it. Another option is a collaspible one.
I haven't built mine yet. . . just posting up conceptual model renderings and sketches.
BUT, has the following weights:
1/4" plywood = 0.75 lb. / sf
1/2" plywood = 1.5 lb. / sf
3/4" plywood = 2.25 lb. / sf
1" plywood = 3 lb. / sf
So you can calculate the area of all the plywood in your chuckbox and figure the weight. Mine will be constructed out of 1/2" ply so for the sketch I posted above I figured it out to be about 27 lb. for the main chuckbox and another 6-7 lb. for the outer box / leg base. So ~33 lb total. I've seen other chuck boxes of similar size end up at a similar weight. To that, add about another 20-30 lb. of camping gear so the total weight will end up close to 60 lb fully stocked. If you want a chuckbox that's easy to remove from the vehicle I don't think you'd want to be to much heavier than this.
1/2" plywood chuck boxes aren't going to be the lightest "box" option but they are easy to work the material, are reasonably strong, will take screws for hinges and such, and are reasonably cheap material wise.
Alternatively, you might try working with 1/4" plywood (about 1/2 the weight) but you'd have to reinforce the corners with some additional pieces of wood. And I think any hinges would need to be bolted on instead of simply screwed on. . . not enough material for the screws to bite into. But I'm playing it safe and will be going with 1/2" plywood material. Some of the internal partitions as well as the outer box I'll try to skeletonize (cut holes in) so long as it won't structurally compromise things. I might be able to shave off another 1-3 lb.
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Every Miles A Memory
Expedition Leader
I bet you go to an Aluminum Shop and have them weld up a box that would fit exactly to your dimensions. That way it keeps it very light, and no worries about it rusting.
HAHA!! That's super old, but as soon as I read it, it made me think of that video. Plus, it's been said so many times in this thread, it had to come out sooner or later
Herbie
Rendezvous Conspirator
I keep thinking about that myself. Either welded or even just riveted and caulked at the seams, but I'm strongly leaning towards having a sheetmetal shop shear and bend me up the outer box at least. Worst case I might have my local metal supply do everything flat and just rivet everything together with angle stock at the corners.