Pickup Chip Box Examples

[kikori]

Hey TreeHousers,

On Monday I am going to be building a chip box to cover the back of my pick up bed. Treebing (from T.B.) recently posted a picture of a box he recently built in the back of his F250-see the thread titled "my new box" under the general discussion forum.

I will be using this photo for inspiration, but I was hoping that other could throw their photos of any pickup chip boxes they have built in the past.

One aspect of Treebing's that I like is the air vent that he has on top of the box to allow blown air from the chipper to escape out the top of the box.

http://www.treebuzz.com/forum/images/upload/243088-chipbox.jpg

For my own box I am thinking of framing in 1/2 inch plywood tied into the 4 stake pockets in the bed. I am definitely interested in other ideas however and since the box is still in the planning stage I will take them into consideration.

Thanks for any guidance or wisdom you can lend!

Eric

 

[MasterBlaster]

How about losing the bed, replacing it with a dumpbed and going from there? Short of that, good luck!

 

[Thor's Hammer]

That chipbox looks hideous. Properly gypo

 

[brendonv]

I can't imagine that thing not being overly tippy. On the cheap I'd go maybe wood frame, aluminum skinned. Or do it once, steel/aluminum frame, aluminum skinned. I have 1/8" thick sheet on mine and it holds up pretty danged well. 1/8" diamond plate holds up even better. Figure on $250ish for a 4x8 sheet of ali diamond plate, that was years ago, might have gone up or down. Ya, ya, you can build it outa wood for less than that. But I wouldn't want all that weight tipping around on those little dump inserts.

Willie had a nice one build out of steel sheeting and powder coated. Maybe he'll post a pic.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

This is not a great design, nor the one I'm currently using (don't chip into this truck anymore since I have a dump truck now). But it was part of the evolution. The tilt top helps for raking chips out. Maybe it will inspire some ideas. I've added some, too.

I changed from this design to making the top fixed in place over time. It has a hinged back panel with hasps. Pretty dry and Keep and Honest Man Honest Safe (I can put gear into the rear end and go into the grocery store). It is cobbled together over time...I mean an evolution in design.

I would perhaps take a 4x8 sheet, and cut a triangle from the front, making the front end 3' tall (about as tall as the cab. End the triangle at the midpoint (4') and extend the back half with the triangle so that the rear end is 5' tall. This would help for raking chips out since you don't have a dump, from the sounds of it. Perhaps hinge only the back half of the top if you want to have more standing room for raking, but a much lighter top panel. Framing it from the get-go will make for a better design. My plywood is attached to the stake pocket 2x4's with bolts, fender washers, lock washers and nuts. I have some hooks screwed into the framing for hanging things now. I have eyebolts screwed in to the frame from the top, allowing me to carry an orchard ladder and/ or extension ladder, as needed on occasion.

Another guy in town has an old toyota one-ton pick-up with an extra compartment over the cab, accessible from side doors, not the bed. He can store tools, gas, oil, etc, and puts his long handled tools in the bed.

One nice thing about the solid top box is that I can stand on the box top a few times a year to reach driveway clearance things or climb from the box onto a first story roof to blow off the shingles.


The non-dump chip tarp method: I expanded the idea from the Loadhandler (which can be a good tool. Be sure to box out the wheelwells forward to the front of the bed to prevent a "locked load". As you chip, you can layer in tarps about every foot or so thick of chips. Typically the chips build up more in the back, causing a beneficial slope toward the tailgate. One or two people can slide out each tarp of chips with little pitchforking. When you get low enough, the Loadhandler can unload the rest. I never got around to boxing the wheelwheels, and broke a Loadhandler bracket due to overloading.


Now, I can still blow chips into the truck in a pinch. I have a reinforced loft built at the height of the wheel wells and the molded in 2x6 slots at the same height. I can get a 2.5 gallon no-spill can, gallon bar oil, Kombi blower, long handled tools, tool box, etc under the loft. Typically I have my saws, climbing and rigging gear, extra stuff, etc on top of the loft, but if I need to, I can unload and reload on top of the chips, or put extra gear in the extended cab. I have a shelf built in there too that helps a lot for organizing gear.

The reinforcement consists of 2x6 vertical pieces (not in picture) screwed in the end grain, through from the top of the cross pieces. I have three verticals across the width, giving me sorta compartments to hold the gas/ oil, tool box, blower, and long handled tools. I put props on the top to keep it up without the bigshot.

Now, I have slide out 2x2's that support the hinged back panel in a nearly horizontal position, given a good covered rain/ sun protected area for working at the tailgate, open or closed. If I find more pictures, I'll post them.

Hopefully this will give some ideas to play with.

 

[kikori]

Hey Boys. Thanks for the replies! Much Appreciated!

Questions:

1. Brendan: When not in use this chip box will be stored under a roof out of the rain/snow etc. Would plywood alone rot too fast? Would you put the Aluminum sheeting on the inside of the box I assume?

2. South Sound: I have ordered the load handler. SO you are saying that blocking off behind the wheel wells is necessary or the locked load situation will happen at the end of the day?
And I should layer the tarps throughout chipping as the load handler will not be able pull it all out at the end of the day?

3. South SOund: Did you slightly modify a 2x4 to slip it into the stake pocket? I was thinking some custom sanding would allow a board to slip in there? Or did you use some other piece to secure the frame into the stake pocket?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[SkwerI]

Eric, Years ago I had sides on my pickup truck. I had gotten hold of some galvanized garage door rails which fit nicely into the stake pockets. The rounded sides made them very strong and they already had the bolt holes in them as well.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

 

[brendonv]

Eric,

Plywood seems to last a good while from what I've seen, but never used it in that situation, and probably wouldn't because you all know I like bling. If I did I'd get a good coating over it, to avoid soaking up water. No need to line the inside IMO. It last's a good bit without anything on the inside, but another sheet of ply would help the most impacted area. Or a borrowed street sign, or whatever.

 

[kikori]

I think I will go with the borrowed sign option as I have the resources. I will probably paint that however!

 

[SkwerI]

If I did the sheet aluminum bling then I'd definitely slap a sheet of plywood on the inside of the front wall. Otherwise the projectiles from the chipper will pound holes through the front of the box in a year or two.

 

[HolmenTree]

You'll need a sheet of thin steel sheeting to cover the plywood on the upper inside section of the box front.
My little little 6" Morbark will blow a hole through 7/16" fir plywood in only a couple of days.
Willard.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

Hey Boys. Thanks for the replies! Much Appreciated!

Questions:

1. Brendan: When not in use this chip box will be stored under a roof out of the rain/snow etc. Would plywood alone rot too fast? Would you put the Aluminum sheeting on the inside of the box I assume?

2. South Sound: I have ordered the load handler. SO you are saying that blocking off behind the wheel wells is necessary or the locked load situation will happen at the end of the day?
And I should layer the tarps throughout chipping as the load handler will not be able pull it all out at the end of the day?

3. South SOund: Did you slightly modify a 2x4 to slip it into the stake pocket? I was thinking some custom sanding would allow a board to slip in there? Or did you use some other piece to secure the frame into the stake pocket?

Thanks,

Eric

I have had 1/2 cdx/ exterior plywood, painted for three years in the PNW. It has held up well so far. I made sure to supercoat the sides of the plywood, and caulked between the roof and sidewalls. My top seam has been an issue. I think that I will overlap the roof center seam with a well caulked 6" strip, front to back.

Regarding the loadhandler, due to the wheel wells, the bottom of the bed is hourglass shaped/ has a bottleneck. The lowest chips lock together under the pressure of the above chips. By building into the void space at the "top" of the hourglass shape, there is no longer a bottleneck, allowing better slide out. The irregularities of the tailgate area might create a micro bottleneck. I couldn't get the chips to unload without digging out the front of the bed with a pitchfork, when the box was full-ish.

An important thing to consider is how much weight your truck can handle. I used to overload mine, would you like to know about my new transmission? Will it be hauling a chipper and chips at the same time? Where will your gear go?

I saw a slick set-up that had a box build in between the wheel wells, equal to the width of the Loadhandler, as a beginning chip hauler. I think that with that non-bottlenecked set-up with 4-5' x 6-8' bed worth of chips, the Loadhandler did fine. If you have a grippy spray-in bedliner, a tarp under the LH sheet will help, or buy there slick mat accessory product for a bunch more money.

Regarding the layered tarps, I was filling a 8' bed with 3' walls on the pick-up body, so maybe 5 yards of chips when maxed (did I mention that it was overloaded? No more of that, not for a long time, just not worth the risks. I will say that I was towing a 4400 pound chipper, too). I didn't ever get around to boxing out the front of the bed, forward of the wheel wells. We'd fill the pick-up bed with chips, roughly, then lay in a tarp. Chip in about another 8-12" over the hole tarp, then layer another tarp. When we were unloading, we'd be able to grab the front corner of the tarp, and "roll" the chips toward the back and/ or just pulling from the rear with 2 people. We could unload about, maybe 3/4 of a yard fast and easy. Then we'd move down to the next tarp and repeat. When it was time to see if there was enough weight off the LH tarp, we'd dig out the front corners to break up the load-locking condition, and crank the LH tarp into the roller, dumping the chips.

There is a smaller and larger/ heavier duty model of LH.

I shaved down my 2x4's with a table saw or circular saw to fit them into the stake pockets.

I have had no issue with chips eroding my box, I guess they mostly hit into the pile, rather than onto the plywood and dropping. I have had chips actually embed into the plywood, but nothing with a lot of wear and tear.

Recently, I cut a hole in the cab end of the box and screwed in a plexiglass sheet for a window to let in light, since the top is enclosed. If the back panel is raised, I can see out of the cab to back-up the truck, where before I could not see out the back, only the side view mirrors or leaning out the door.

 

[pigwot]

I built a box for my 1990 Super Duty 8 x 12 stake bed dump with Georgia Pacific 'marine plywood' which held up really well, rain, snow, sun... Maybe the waterproof adhesive let it hold up longer than the plywood available at that time and it came in 4 x 8 and 5 x 10 sheets in 1/2" and 3/4". Not sure what is available now that there is regular treated plywood.

Before I got the dump I welded up a sled from angle iron with a headboard that sat in the front of the plywood box on the back of my 3/4 ton GMC. It had a chain that prevented the sled from coming all the way out when I'd tie off to a tree at the chip pile and drive out from under the load of chips. Took very little time to rake out the small amount that didn't come out with the sled. Once clean, shoved the sled back in and headed back to the job site for more.

 

[sotc]

Heres my old setup. I had a plexi glass window in it with expanded metal to take the force outta the chips. In one pic you can see that a little and another you can see the plywood inside to eliminate the hourglass mentioned. At best the load handler would unload 2/3 to 3/4 of the load if I pulled it up the front wall. Still was well worth having. I bent a pitchfork 90 degrees to help me unload chips, still use it for stump grindings, good tool!

 

[kikori]

Looking real sharp Willie! I only hope mine will materialize with as much as a professional look.

I will be starting the project tomorrow with another guy. I will take some pics so you all can see how it looks. Thanks everyone for all of the input! This thread has been a great help thus far!

Cheers,

Eric

 

[sotc]

That was a magnetic sign Fwiw

 

[stehansen]

Go with metal if you can guys. Although wooden boxes are functional, they make you look pretty gypo. I'm all for everybody doing whatever you have to do to survive, and especially if you are just starting out. I'm just saying that I have never seen a wooden box that looks professional and as soon as you can afford it I would advise getting a metal box.

 

[sotc]

I agree other than the "till you can afford it" part. That day will never come unless you save for it

 

[MasterBlaster]

A 'lil paint will help with the gypo look and plywood is a lot lighter than metal.

 

[HolmenTree]

Man unloading that box by hand.
There's several different styles of dump kits on the market for pickup truck boxes.
Willard.

 

[stehansen]

That's another thing I was going to mention.

 

[squisher]

Anyone got that pick of my ghetto truck? I used to chip into that, but I have no pic of it since my computer crash. Wooden tongue and groove sides with a metal frame, and I used to put a sheet of plywood aross the top for chipping. Looks not to bad.

 

[SkwerI]

Here you go, Skwishey. Be sure to save it.

 

[squisher]

Thanks B!