3rd Gen Tacoma Bed Storage/Platform Build

Are you on 80/20.net? The 10 series black smooth 1x2 is $.64/in. The 40x80 is over $1/inch.

Go with the fractional 10 series. Also, make sure to check out the 8020 store on eBay. They have some deals if they have the length you need or if you are willing to cut your own lengths. The shipping from their eBay store is cheaper. And if you want the same size as Prinsu uses, TNutz sells those lengths. They call it the Prinsu equivalent.

 

If you were ok with the silver aluminium it definitely would be a fraction of the cost. The black anodizing almost doubles the cost. You will still save some money but not a huge amount.

 

Gotcha, thanks! Yes I was on 8020.net and I believe that was the one I chose (10 series). I'm going to order today I think and hopefully see it early next week! Stoked. Also ordering some M5 screws and steel for feet on McMaster so I should be able to make the feet up this weekend. If so I'll snap a few pictures.

 

Well the order I placed at 8020 on 1/14 is still processing I guess, I haven’t been given any update or shipping notice yet. All other components have arrived though for my next project! Anyone else have long lead times from 8020?

 

Hey Mate - I'm hoping to just do a simple phase 1 build this weekend - Do you know the dimensions of the wood necessary? Also, do you recommend 2x6's or 2x8's?

Thanks!

 

I like the 2x6’s, they sit in the bed channels just right, you’ll want 2 of those cut to 52 or 52.5” long (might wanna double check that one)
Then for a long bed I’d cut 2 pieces of 3/4” ply at 26” x 71”
For a short bed do 2 panels at 26” x 59”

 

Ah, here I thought I was original in thinking of making a sleeping platform/drawer system out of tnutz. Guess you all beat me to the punch. I was thinking of using ABS plastic sheeting for a baseplate and sleeping platform. You can find large sheets at eplastics.com. Also been toying with the idea of making the drawers out of ABS as well, but will likely stay wood for first phase of building.
Does anyone have any thoughts or experience in using ABS sheeting? My phase 1 build plywood has warped with use and is just plain heavy.

 

Unless you’re going to be working with very thick sheets, using ABS for the drawer will lead to warping most likely. As for a baseplate, what most commercial kits do is cut out of 3/4” plywood and then spray down with black linex so it looks like ABS but is actually not. I used 3/4” maple and coated in 3x polyurethane and have had no trouble with warping or wetting!

 

DROOL

 

Mind sending me that list too by chance?

 

I went with 1/2” Baltic Burch ply. Depending on how far between supports, you can save a little weight and cost with 1/2” over 3/4”.

 

Yeah that surely will save you dollars and lbs! I started out with Baltic birch and had issues with the pocket screws really holding so I switched to maple but stick with 1/2” still.

 

I’d love to get a copy of the BOM and cut info! I’d be keen to make a dual drawer system for my long bed

 

Sorry to bump this thread. I'm designing a build to haul around my filmmaking gear and I had a question about this.

How does the 1020 profile hold up to heavier loads on those slides? I have two 60" drawers planned out (500lbs capacity), one 3' wide, the other around 4'. My plan was to use 1030 on the slides/drawers in a vertical orientation, but I'm wondering if that will be sturdy enough for my stands, lights, pelican cases, etc. The drawers will be about 70" in length built from 1030 on the perimeter with a center support of 1010 running the length of the drawer, and 1010 horizontal support every 2' (as well as plywood on top).

Am I overthinking this or should I be fine? I don't expect to exceed 350lbs on either drawer but I'm more concerned about the extruded aluminum than the slides themselves.

 

I’ve had no issues. I’m going on two years with this design. I have a slide out tray and a drawer both with the 60” 500lbs locking sliders. We did 50+ days of traveling last year often on rough dirt roads. We routinely put a couple hundred lbs on the slide out tray. With our current build we also stand on the tray, when inside the topper, when pushed in. The sliders work just as good as new. There is no degradation of the 8020. The 10 series profile should work fine for you.

This is our current build.

 

Phase 5!
Since I get restless, love projects, have been improving my woodworking skills, and was never fully satisfied with my Phase 4 8020 setup.

It has been a while since I had done anything to my build, and to be honest, it was hoisted up in my parents garage for the better part of the year since my stock suspension was failing rapidly. But I upgraded all suspension earlier in the year, and with that came some new plans for the bed!

I attached a couple renders of my design that I came up with (pretty common, nothing too fancy). But the ability throw it all up in CAD and add in my gear that I planned on packing for everyday and for camping was extremely helpful. I was able to dial in dimensions and locations of drawer dividers exactly where I needed them, and wouldn’t ya know it, it paid off! What I put together is simple and robust and works for me. Though it’s still a work in progress (haven’t finished the left side cabinet yet), I have the main part done just about (see pics below).
Renders:


Actual:

Love it when a plan comes together!​

Couple things in particular that I like about my design:

• Starting with a baseplate, you have a rigid, flat surface to build off of. Makes it easy because now my reference is the same for any additional module I want to design and mount. I went with 3/4” birch because I needed this to be thick enough to retain tee nuts, and other potential features in the future, 1/2” wasn’t quite strong enough for a baseplate. It’s a 4x8 sheet cut down to fit the wheel well snugly, and is about 72.5” long. I’ve drilled into it and added tee-nuts so that I can screw and unscrew things into it without wearing out the actual wood. The whole plate is covered in several coats of 3x Thick Polyurethane by Varathane. I’ve used this many times in the past and it is rugged and cleanable. The baseplate weighs 45 lbs, I weighed it twice.
• I made some 90 degree mounting brackets that i recessed in the drawer shell so they clear the drawer and the drawer slides, and go straight down to the base. I put them in places I could reach (the main reason for the back of the drawer shell lid being a removable hatch) and so when I slide that module in, I screw it down with 8 bolts and boom - it’s in and staying put. When I want it out, it comes right out and I’m back to flat and clear baseplate which I can throw stuff in like I normally would do.
• Another added bonus to all pre-planned tee-nuts is that I can also screw in eyebolts for attaching mounting straps to
• The drawer slides are 60”, 500lb capacity lock-in/lock-out - the “holy grail” of slides in my opinion and fastened to the side walls with “sex nuts” or barrel nuts which I learned about from Brian at Solidwoodworx here in Huntington Beach (he’s on YouTube and IG, sells them out of his shop - great guy). These made fastening the slides way easier than previous means I’ve used.
• I opted for 3/4” ply for the side walls to be able to feel confident in the drawer slides mounting, the bracket mounting, and to be able to cut dados in without loosing a lot of the strength in the wood. The difference in weight was not significant between 1/2 and 3/4 for those 4 pieces alone so I went for it and I’m glad I did. For endcaps and top/bottom pieces I used 1/2”. The other beauty of 3/4” sides is you can screw into them vertically and with pocket holes and there’s enough material to really grab on and hold the screws.

Those are a few key considerations that I am glad I made with my design, more pics and details to come as I build the left side!

Let me know if you have other questions for me about what I used, how I did something, anything! I will update with weights later. I know the baseplate is 45lbs and I weighed a few individual pcs but I need to get the weight of the drawer assembly (empty) to see. My guess is 90 lbs but we shall see!

 

Question for you, how wide is the left compartment frame in your build? And do you find it useful? Going through my design process, I’m going back and forth on mine. I’m leaving room for my RTIC 65 to be in the middle and it only leaves about 9” for that left cabinet. Enough to stuff a stove and propane bottles, some soft bags of gear, and a couple camp chairs; so for me I think it might still be worthwhile. Just curious what you think about yours!

 

Do you remember how tall you made your drawers measuring from the bed to the top of the frame? I'm in the processing of designing my own and I'm trying to decide if I should make them the same height as the grooves on the sides or go taller.

 

If I recall, the frame was 11" tall, the drawer itself was 7.25" deep (internal dim) which was too short I found. Not enough of my gear could fit well in it without being caught while closing it.

 

I’d love to grab that part list too, please publish. Thanks!