Show us your truck bed sleeping platform/drawer/storage systems

L-Track.

I drilled a few holes in my plywood base (lost a little bit of height with the base, but I get a LOT of stability).



The whole system comes apart into 4 pieces. I have the base/frame, the top and 2 drawers.

Finished product (mostly, the cooler tie downs and top mat are not pictured)

You can see more about this in my build {1}{2}{3}{4}here.

 

Nice work! Looks quite heavy though.

 

It has some weight to it. The base is 1/2" plywood, and much of the drawers are 1/2 plywood. The top is 3/4" plywood, and the frame and front of the drawers is solid 3/4" birch. I cut holes out in the base to reduce some weight, and I could probably go back and free up some weight with the frame.

I can move it all myself, and the platform did not impact fuel economy when installed. The bigger, heavier tires...now that hit my fuel economy quite a bit.

Overall, I am quite happy with how it all turned out. I would make changes if I had to do it again...but we all learn from any project we do.

 

Looks nice! Suggest bull nose routering that sharp rear edge on the bed... nice write up, thanks for the ideas!

 

I went pretty low tech on the edges. I used sandpaper and smoothed the edges down to rounded corners. It may not be consistent for every edge, but there is nothing sharp.

One tool I am missing that I really should get...a router. If I had one...I certainly would have done what you suggested. It is a really good idea, but not having the right tool for the job...

 

How the heck did you flush mount those handles then??

 

Well...me and my jig saw are pretty good friends. I also have a dremel that saw a LOT of use during this project. A router would have been glorious. I can not tell you how much of a pain some of this work was without it.

I will tell you that if you look closely at a few details, you will notice a few flaws here and there. One handle is not exactly straight (but it functions quite well for the use).

 

It's projects like this that slowly builds to my tool collection. I bought a jigsaw for my latest platform build. That allowed me to quickly notch the boards. At some point I'll get a table saw and router. Slowly, but surely.

 

So with 2x6 crossbars and 3/4" plywood, is the consensus that you don't need a center support beam? I'm debating my options, but would like to keep things nice and simple if I can.

 

I had two 2x4s in each slat (they fit really well) and 3/4" plywood, and it sagged in the middle with me on it. I only weigh 160 lbs. This was in a long bed, so that may be why.

 

All made from scrap ply since I didn't give a shit about looks.
It starts with an offset support that houses my 3',4',6' levels and 4' clamp 'n guide and also serves to bin my Dewalt saw stand. It's notched for some scrap 1x8 maple I had demo'd from a job several years ago for cross supports.


The front piece of maple has a pulley held with some brass wire that allows me to haul my tool bin up against the cab(heavy shit forward) leaving space at the back for 3 lightweight folding saw horses. 3 because 2 hold the cheap ass table saw and the 3rd supports out feed using the left hand cover ply. The larger right hand ply has a small boat cleat used to tie off the tool bin.

It works fairly well but I've acquired some small transfer bearings that will hopefully allow the bin to glide more easily instead of drag. I'll post a pic of the install if they work as planned. Need to charge the phone now but will edit in the pics in a bit. Short ladders, slide saw, table saw, compressor, etc. go on top. The small cleat at the back edge of the bottom ply is there so I can capture it wth the saw stand extension which keeps it from moving around. The stand risers get taken off and stored in the right hand cubby. The left hand cubby has the fill valves for my ride rites inside. When the oba goes in they'll be connected to a regulated line coming from the cab. I've located some 1" pressure guages that might could fit where the 12V sockets are now but I haven't decided where I'd relocate those to yet. Tank, gauges and regulator first, then compressor and output air socket.

 

Super lazy and cheap. Works great though, I sleep back there all the time on top off a thick camping mattress. One of these days Im going to build some drawers.

 

Here it is with the saw stand and levels in place. There are stops for each level and you can see how the stand extension clamps the cleat to prevent it from sliding about.

 

How did you do the drawers

 

I have just 3/4" plywood and it sufficient enough alone and I am 200 lbs. Plus I have had it loaded with camping gear including large ice chests loaded. Not optimum but plenty robust

 

This is such a great link, I wish I would of seen this when I was building my platform!

 

@ndub86
This is probably the coolest setup I have seen yet, I feel like you thought of everything. I'm just floored at how perfect it all came out.

 

What you did there for that campchef stove and kitchen area is brilliant. Nice work, I bet that all deploys so fast and smooth.

 

Props to OP, one of the best threads on here (TW). You pulled a lot of great ideas out of all these folks, I will post up my build when I finish tweaking.

 

This is very nice!