Wareagle
Observer
Agreed. That's really nice. I'd love to builD for myself and scout troop.
Build your own camp table.
- Thread starter dirty Bakers
- Start date
Agreed. That's really nice. I'd love to builD for myself and scout troop.
Lol, no the washing machine and dryer are in the garage. Sadly, that was the "cleanest" and least clutter back drop I could find for taking some pictures.
I'll be developing a plan set and cut layout diagram (dimensioned) when I'm finished with the project (which should be in a few weeks). There have been a number of inquiries on this.
Oh, and Wareagle: The size might be a bit tight for a scout troop. It's fine for enough cooking gear for a few people but beyond that and it might need to be scaled up. Anyways, when I get done I'll post up key dimensions and capacities so guys can figure out if it works with their gear.
I'll be developing a plan set and cut layout diagram (dimensioned) when I'm finished with the project (which should be in a few weeks). There have been a number of inquiries on this.
Oh, and Wareagle: The size might be a bit tight for a scout troop. It's fine for enough cooking gear for a few people but beyond that and it might need to be scaled up. Anyways, when I get done I'll post up key dimensions and capacities so guys can figure out if it works with their gear.
Yes.... somewhat. Sorry. I'm about maybe 1/4 of the way through the development of the chuck box plans.
It was easy to make the file for the CNC machine. Once the shapes were ID the computer software laid it out in the most efficient manner, auto-nesting parts and such.
But it's taking longer to think through the cut process for a plan set, keeping in mind the best way and best order of cuts to keep the accuracy as good as possible as well as trying to make sure the pieces are grain-matched so it looks good when assembled. Then, too, there is all the annotation and such for each step and each of the panels. Then the organization of the plan set and the build-order of the cut pieces. Etc.
Thank you for your patience and interest, though. Here is a look at one of the pages from the plan set, it's still a little rough:
I've also made some internal drawers, one for the utensils and one for general use (these will be included in the plan set). In addition to that I've fabbed up some other bits and pieces to make the chuck box easier to use. One of which was a set of handles to help lift it out of the base. The other are some "guide ramps" to help guide the chuck box smoothly back into the base when packing up. Otherwise the barrels of the door hinges tended to catch on the sides of the base.
And, I finally decided on using a marine grade teak oil for the finish. It goes on thin but I like how it's working up. It takes 5 or so coats but it really soaks into the wood and appears to be hardening up the soft fir wood fibers in the ACX fir plywood I used. Another coat and I'll start putting the chuck box back together (it was disassembled for finishing). I'm probably going to fab up some steel feet for durability of the base legs. However, some of these hard points may not be in the instruction book though they'll be noted if people want to run with the ideas and work out something on their own.
Sorry for the poor cell phone pix but these are the two drawers.
Typical utensils fit. Both drawers are "self supporting" if you only pull
them out about 3/4 of the way which is plenty to access their contents.
The gap at the top of the utensil drawer allows the door to
fully close OVER the top of the drawer
It was easy to make the file for the CNC machine. Once the shapes were ID the computer software laid it out in the most efficient manner, auto-nesting parts and such.
But it's taking longer to think through the cut process for a plan set, keeping in mind the best way and best order of cuts to keep the accuracy as good as possible as well as trying to make sure the pieces are grain-matched so it looks good when assembled. Then, too, there is all the annotation and such for each step and each of the panels. Then the organization of the plan set and the build-order of the cut pieces. Etc.
Thank you for your patience and interest, though. Here is a look at one of the pages from the plan set, it's still a little rough:
I've also made some internal drawers, one for the utensils and one for general use (these will be included in the plan set). In addition to that I've fabbed up some other bits and pieces to make the chuck box easier to use. One of which was a set of handles to help lift it out of the base. The other are some "guide ramps" to help guide the chuck box smoothly back into the base when packing up. Otherwise the barrels of the door hinges tended to catch on the sides of the base.
And, I finally decided on using a marine grade teak oil for the finish. It goes on thin but I like how it's working up. It takes 5 or so coats but it really soaks into the wood and appears to be hardening up the soft fir wood fibers in the ACX fir plywood I used. Another coat and I'll start putting the chuck box back together (it was disassembled for finishing). I'm probably going to fab up some steel feet for durability of the base legs. However, some of these hard points may not be in the instruction book though they'll be noted if people want to run with the ideas and work out something on their own.
Sorry for the poor cell phone pix but these are the two drawers.
Typical utensils fit. Both drawers are "self supporting" if you only pull
them out about 3/4 of the way which is plenty to access their contents.
The gap at the top of the utensil drawer allows the door to
fully close OVER the top of the drawer
P.S.
Regarding camping tables . . . you should see the one I'm helping my friend with.
It's custom designed to fit his Jeep Wrangler but I did all the design work on it. It incorporates a semi-permenantly mounted "base" and side-wings in the back of the Jeep that enclose the wheel wells and has a thickened bulkhead that spans across the back from side to side. The bulk-head houses a built-in subwoofer enclosure on one side and two amps for his stereo on the other. This assembly supports the removable camping table, which is approximately 34" square.
The table itself has three aluminum logistic track rails embedded in it which are flush with the surface of the table. And when installed in the back of the Jeep it forms a flush, smooth surface with the two side wings, plus creates a lockable, secure storage volume under the table when the tailgate is shut and locked. For modular cargo tie down points just clip in some spring-loaded mounting rings anywhere along the three 34" cargo rails.
The table panel can be installed and removed without tools using some big threaded knobs. We tired a whole bunch of folding leg options but settled on some removable legs which are threaded pipe sections that will thread into some pipe floor flanges attached to the bottom of the table.
I did a rush job designing it in a few days and we CNC'd it out on my other friend's CNC machine when we did the chuck boxes. It's a good design but there are a lot of careful fitment issues we've been working on to keep the tolerances tight.
I gotta say, it's turning out better than my own cargo deck table. A lot slicker installation.
Anyways, I'll post up some pix at some point in the future.
And no, that one won't have and plans developed for it. I think it's just a little too complex and there are too many variables to the fitment process.
Regarding camping tables . . . you should see the one I'm helping my friend with.
It's custom designed to fit his Jeep Wrangler but I did all the design work on it. It incorporates a semi-permenantly mounted "base" and side-wings in the back of the Jeep that enclose the wheel wells and has a thickened bulkhead that spans across the back from side to side. The bulk-head houses a built-in subwoofer enclosure on one side and two amps for his stereo on the other. This assembly supports the removable camping table, which is approximately 34" square.
The table itself has three aluminum logistic track rails embedded in it which are flush with the surface of the table. And when installed in the back of the Jeep it forms a flush, smooth surface with the two side wings, plus creates a lockable, secure storage volume under the table when the tailgate is shut and locked. For modular cargo tie down points just clip in some spring-loaded mounting rings anywhere along the three 34" cargo rails.
The table panel can be installed and removed without tools using some big threaded knobs. We tired a whole bunch of folding leg options but settled on some removable legs which are threaded pipe sections that will thread into some pipe floor flanges attached to the bottom of the table.
I did a rush job designing it in a few days and we CNC'd it out on my other friend's CNC machine when we did the chuck boxes. It's a good design but there are a lot of careful fitment issues we've been working on to keep the tolerances tight.
I gotta say, it's turning out better than my own cargo deck table. A lot slicker installation.
Anyways, I'll post up some pix at some point in the future.
And no, that one won't have and plans developed for it. I think it's just a little too complex and there are too many variables to the fitment process.
Ok.
We were working on my friend's cargo deck table last night....... some pix, for more info, see details in above post:
The forward catches recessed into the bottom of the cargo deck.
The cargo deck with the flush mounted logistic tracks. We coated the
recessed with spar varnish, then Gorilla glued-and-screwed the
L-track down into the channels. The rest of it will be coated with
truck bed liner.
This is the front of built built-in bulkhead. The round hole on the left
is for the subwoofer. The small hole on the right is for the power
cables for the amps. The front face of the bulkhead and table edge
are at ~ a 17 deg angle.
The table installed in the Jeep flushes out with the top of the side
wings over the wheel wells.
This is the built-in bulkhead and side wings without the table. You
can see the enclosure for the two amps. The metal bracket toward
the back is the rear anchor point for the table.
This is one of the many clips we fabbed up. This one holds the
rear amp panel on and has a nut welded to the back side. It's
Gorilla glued-and-screwed to the bulkhead.
Here is the rear bulkhead with the amp panel installed. The round
metal thing is a vent to help the heat scape. This is what will remain
in the rig when the table is left at the camp site. The rest of the
time, my friend will keep the table panel in the Jeep. With the
tailgate locked it'll create a secure storage area in the back.
There is still a bunch of work ahead with some Bondo filling and sanding everything down flush and smooth but we're pretty thrilled with how its turning out.
.
We were working on my friend's cargo deck table last night....... some pix, for more info, see details in above post:
The forward catches recessed into the bottom of the cargo deck.
The cargo deck with the flush mounted logistic tracks. We coated the
recessed with spar varnish, then Gorilla glued-and-screwed the
L-track down into the channels. The rest of it will be coated with
truck bed liner.
This is the front of built built-in bulkhead. The round hole on the left
is for the subwoofer. The small hole on the right is for the power
cables for the amps. The front face of the bulkhead and table edge
are at ~ a 17 deg angle.
The table installed in the Jeep flushes out with the top of the side
wings over the wheel wells.
This is the built-in bulkhead and side wings without the table. You
can see the enclosure for the two amps. The metal bracket toward
the back is the rear anchor point for the table.
This is one of the many clips we fabbed up. This one holds the
rear amp panel on and has a nut welded to the back side. It's
Gorilla glued-and-screwed to the bulkhead.
Here is the rear bulkhead with the amp panel installed. The round
metal thing is a vent to help the heat scape. This is what will remain
in the rig when the table is left at the camp site. The rest of the
time, my friend will keep the table panel in the Jeep. With the
tailgate locked it'll create a secure storage area in the back.
There is still a bunch of work ahead with some Bondo filling and sanding everything down flush and smooth but we're pretty thrilled with how its turning out.
.
The chuck box is all done. As mentioned, it has a flip-out micro-table top to it so I figured to post it here. Read more about the details and see a video of it by clicking the link below.
.
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gavinodunne
New member
CNC Machine Chuck Box
Hi I was wondering do you have a copy of the CNC machine layout of the Chuck Box? If so any chance of forwarding on to me would be much obliged. Regards GavinSure. Don't see why not.
It's a nice set up and the whole thing can be removed easily enough. Between camping trips I can easily remove the cargo deck and stick my back seat in the Jeep so it can carry 4 people so I'm not having to compromise thing with a dedicated cargo / drawer system that, effectively, gets bolted into the back of the Jeep. It gives me lots of flexiblity for however I want to use my rig.
I used folding game table legs. You can find them around the interwebz for ~$25 for a set of four. Take a look at the bottom as I had to stagger and nest them to fit. Normally you need a 36" x 36" table otherwise.
Here is my write-up on the Cargo Deck construction
Also, if I were to do it over again I'd look at ways to utilize some "L" track modular cargo tie down system instead of the threaded inserts. The "L" track is used in the aircraft cargo industry and has very easy to use (but very strong) tie down anchors that are spring loaded and snap into place on the track.
I'm helping a friend build a cargo deck for his Wrangler based on this concept. However, his has a forward "bulkhead" that forms an enclosure for his amps and a subwoofer. His cargo deck will sit higher for more under-cargo storage. And it will utilize the "L" track system flush mounted. We were up until 2:30am this morning doing the glue-up of the bulkhead sub box and sides. Once we get the sides on we'll work on the actual cargo deck table itself. I can't wait, It'll have a 1/2" base plywood we'll be anchoring the L track to, then in-filling between the L track with 1/2" plywood filler pieces so everything flushes out. Once we determine where the legs go we'll take the router to the bottom 1/2" layer and see if we can't skeletonize it to shave out some weight.
Oh, and I'm designing a chuck box to compliment the camp table, too. When it unfolds the top of the chuck box will sit at the same height as the table so it, too, can double as additional campsite work surface. I posted other images in the big Chuck Box thread but this is what it looks like.
It was recently cut out on my friend's CNC machine and we're going to make three copies of the chuck box. One for my friend with his own cargo deck system, one for myself, and one for my buddy with the CNC machine. It was pretty cool. To cut another chuck box out we just slapped down another sheet of plywood and hit the "copy" button again. 10-15 minutes later we had another chuck box cut out. And the accuracy is pretty good. Down to a few thousandths of an inch. Can't wait for time to glue up the chuck boxes.
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