Post up your drawer/storage system

xathor

New member
I bought a Land Rover Discovery after having wanted one for a long, long time. I've browsed this forum and after reading this thread felt a little inspired to build some storage area for my Land Rover.

Preface: I'm okay with woodworking, amateur at best. If you own a table saw and a tape measure, you could easily build this as well.

I took about an hour to learn Sketch-up and then get an idea of what I wanted to build. I highly recommend this step for anyone. It's free and takes at most a few hours of your time.

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I ordered a set of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD4AJ/

... and then set off towards Lowes to buy some plywood.

I quickly cut the pieces I purchased to the sizes on my Sketch-up drawing and set them in place.

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I used a little Kreg pocket hole jig and wood glue to hold the sides to the bottom.

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I went to set the back in after cutting it and realized that wood dimensions aren't exact. My 3/4 and 1/2 inch plywood isn't as thick as advertised.
Don't panic!

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I didn't have another piece wide enough so I had to make a little shim.

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Shim worked out perfectly and everything is square.

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Set the whole thing in the back of the Land Rover to check to see how it fit.

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This front part isn't wide enough across the back but it gives a good idea how the front will look.
I will add drawers in the front using a jig saw to cut out the drawer front when my sliders come.

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This is somewhat how the top will look, although this piece is oak plywood instead of birch like the rest.
I didn't have a piece of birch large enough and I am still trying to determine how I want the top to look.

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This is kind of what the finished product will look like...
I'm going to cut the top off the right hand side and make a piano hinge in order to get access to that drawer while the door is closed.

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Not sure what I am going to do about this area. I'd like it to be a little stash area for while I am sleeping.

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When I am done I will trim the sides of the box with this cheap aluminum angle that you can get at Lowes.
Not this big though, this is just scrap I had from another project.

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Friday I will get my slides, make the drawers and flush the drawer faces with the front. Still trying to determine if I want to paint it tan to match the interior or possibly stain the wood to match some of the wood trim in the Land Rover.

I should have an update for you guys Friday or Saturday.
 
I meant to post this up when I uploaded it. Here is our set up. The FJ 60 has been in the US for about 10 months or so. We drove around 18 countries, over 4 years and over 70 thousand miles with this drawer set up and it is still solid if a bit scarred here and there. I used prefinished furniture grade 1.2" baltic birch plywood. The Landcruiser is now my daily driver until we head to Africa in a couple of years (fingers crossed). The video is unedited and we used our iPhone so it is not great...
 

otis24

Observer
I meant to post this up when I uploaded it. Here is our set up. The FJ 60 has been in the US for about 10 months or so. We drove around 18 countries, over 4 years and over 70 thousand miles with this drawer set up and it is still solid if a bit scarred here and there. I used prefinished furniture grade 1.2" baltic birch plywood. The Landcruiser is now my daily driver until we head to Africa in a couple of years (fingers crossed). The video is unedited and we used our iPhone so it is not great...


This is pretty much the exact set up I want to build for my tacoma. I'd like to keep the entire platform free for sleeping so I may or may not have room for a fridge in the back. I live the idea of having a stand alone kitchen with the legs built into the bottom.

Thanks for making this video. It's going to help me immensely in my planning and building.
 

VictorSmalls

Observer
Wanted to share my storage project I am been working on the past month. Thanks for all the tips and inspiration in this thread.

I built this set maybe two years back and they worked well but left much to be desired.


Wanted to build something better thought out for my particular needs while camping. Came up with this. Still need to do some more work inside the drawers as well as paint.


 

Every Miles A Memory

Expedition Leader
I meant to post this up when I uploaded it. Here is our set up. The FJ 60 has been in the US for about 10 months or so. We drove around 18 countries, over 4 years and over 70 thousand miles with this drawer set up and it is still solid if a bit scarred here and there. I used prefinished furniture grade 1.2" baltic birch plywood. The Landcruiser is now my daily driver until we head to Africa in a couple of years (fingers crossed).

Luis, this looks like a pretty straight forward set-up that obviously worked for you over the course of many, many miles. My only thoughts are....How loud was the clanging and noise of all the kitchen gear inside the drawers while driving down the road, especially on bumpy, South America dirt roads?

Did you stuff towels or clothes in the drawers to quiet the pots, pans, dishes and everything else in there?
 

NC06LJ

Adventurer
Just finished up my "trunk". Got to love finding commercial drawer slides locally. There not locking, but this will work for my needs!
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 

Yuman Desert Rat

Expedition Leader
Just finished up my "trunk". Got to love finding commercial drawer slides locally. There not locking, but this will work for my needs!
View attachment 269396View attachment 269397View attachment 269398View attachment 269399

NICE!! I love seeing other LJ's representing this thread! You could always put a slam lock latch on the drawer. They're fairly inexpensive, easy to install and you can get them with or without a lock. Have you always had the fold down tailgate? I'm still trying to sell mine if you know anyone in the market?
 

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