It followed me home, Mom! Can I keep it?!?

Part 3 in an Occasional Series

Here's a picture taken Sunday afternoon:

  

If you can't read it, the label on the front near the top edge says "THING 2"

Yes, another jobsite box road case followed us home from Menard's. We've named it Thing 2. The original big yellow road case is now Thing 1 (and has been labeled appropriately).

This time it was a little more planned, at least in as far as we decided on Sunday morning to go buy it, with proceeds from Maneki Neko Con and the SCA event the weekend before.

We got all the merchandise packed away Saturday, but barely. Ron reports that there is no space left in Thing 1. Considering all the pouches in various stages of progress in the dining room, and that I have leather earmarked for making one or more quivers, we bowed to the inevitable.

Our plan was to buy another jobsite box, but when we got to Menard's we discovered that the top case for the big green tool chest on clearance, for about $100 off. We considered, and decided the big yellow one would be more useful. Determined Menard's did have one in stock (the Menard's website claims it's special order only), found a flatbed cart, loaded the box, and got wheels and bolts, etc.

Then we stopped and looked at the green top case on sale again. Then wandered back over to the aisle they're normally in and looked at the one there. After several trips back and forth we determined that the tool chests have been re-designed, and the old ones are on clearance. Waffle waffle. The new version has the advantage of new drawer-latch mechanism and the pull-out tool shelf locks in place, but the top section is different, and it's a bit taller. Ron checked measurements, the new version will fit on older base cabinet.

Either version is heavy and makes for a fairly tall unit. I voiced concerns on weight and center of gravity issues with adding a top case. And as we've proven, the big yellow bins hold a lot. So we decided to stick with just the big yellow bin.

On the way home we determined that the bins are now Thing 1 and Thing 2. We discussed painting them red and blue, but that hasn't happened. Yet.

Robin helped Ron partially un-load the trailer, then Ron spent some time figuring out the best way to re-load incorporating Thing 2. He did come up with a plan, which is likely to be modified next event we go to.

After that we looked at the website for US Cargo Control (.com), where I'd gotten E-track and fittings, and ordered some short (2' long) sections of E-track which were on clearance at about half-off. Also got some more d-ring fittings, and new ratchet locks for some 1" load straps we had with cam locks.

The 1" straps used to hold the concrete form tubes I store leather in together in bunches, until Ron built the carts for the tubes, which work much better than strapping bundles of tubes to shelving units. I'd kept the straps, and so instead of buying and modifying more 2" load straps, we'll just replace the mechanism on the 1" straps, which are plenty strong to restrain smaller things like chairs and the handtruck, and which saves money.

Still working out how we're going to containerize storage within Thing 2. We have vaguely milk-crate-like open-top bins in Thing 1, which make it easier to pack, and help prevent crushing of things within the Thing.

I think if we get some milspec ammunition cans or plastic dry boxes, the tails and yarn can live in Thing 2, which only has two small openings where the lock points are. Rubbermaid bins would also work to keep out any critters that got into the trailer then into Thing 2, but they waste more space with handles. We need to check the inside dimensions of Thing 2, the lengths on the longer tails, and the size of the overall bundles of furry bits and yarn to see what size boxes will work best. Also need to think ahead on how many types/bundles of yarn we ultimately want to expand to, and plan accordingly.