New Dog Box Project

[mod93dirt]

Well after enough ribbing from my buddies about hauling my pups around in a plastic dog crate, and with it raining like crazy outside, I figured tonight would be a good night to get started on my new dog box.  Would have loved to build an aluminum one, but I've had the 1in steel laying around for years, so I thought I would put it to good use. Its gonna be heavy son of a gun, but cheap, which is really what I am after.  Not counting my initial cost of the steel way back when, I am in this for $17.83 so far for the hinges and latches. Heres some pics of what I have so far.



It measures 44ong, 48 wide, and 25 tall. I meant for it to be 26 tall, but forgot about losing an inch when I mitered the corners.  The top platform is 66in wide. I am going to put 3/8in round bar vertically all around, and for the center divider. Then I am going to do a rigging rack up top. The platform is going to be plywood that I am thinking I am gonna cover with some black outdoor patio type carpet. The box itself is going to get bed-linered, as I can get that done for free at work.

Its probably overkill for now seeing as I only have two dogs right now, but will probably be too small at some point in the furture. But oh well I was bored, and really enjoy fabbing stuff like this. I have been building this in my head for a long time, so I am hoping it turns out as good as it did in my head. I'll put up some more pics when I get further along with it. Just thought I would share.

[fonzie]

I started mine about a week ago... Similar to that jus a little diffrent... Not hard to make and a whole lot cheaper!

[Peachcreek]

i just bought material to make one for the trailer and one for the ranger yesterday. Yes Mike I will soon have a box i had the same thought as you on the rainy day box build mod93dirt.  i could not believe how much steel is now days. i bought 8 sticks of 3/4 square 24' long and it cost 153 bucks and the latches and cattle panel was another 120 bucks and havent even started making sparks fly yet. i wanted to build an aluminum box for the ranger but I guess this will do for now. your box is looking good so far btw. good luck and keep posting pics i might need ideas

[ROCKIN ROO HOG DOGS]

I just wanna see whats under that car cover in the background

[DoGgONit]

im guessing a mustang,  keep the pics coming !!!

[mod93dirt]

You guess correct. Its my 93GT that I have had since high school in 96. Its only got 72k miles on it, and ran a best of 12.57@106. Now it only sees the road about once a month when I need to let some agression out.

Peachcreek...sounds like steel is a little higher down your way. This morning I picked up my 3/8 round bar, and it was .30/ft. They were selling 1in 16ga sqaure for .50/ft. 

[mod93dirt]

Here are some pics of tonights progess. Trying to keep all the round bar square was a pain in the butt and time consuming. And somehow I mis-calculated and came up 24ft short on the round bar I bought. I wont be able to get back on it until friday, so I wil get some more round bar then, and hopefully get everything welded up this weekend. This box is starting to get heavy also, but like I said....still a lot cheaper than aluminum.

[DangerZone]

Looks good.

[mod93dirt]

And for Rockin Roo....here is a pic of what is under the cover.

[nosightsneeded]

Looks good I always build my own, just like it better. i can get a 4x4x2 tall aluminum box made with 1" square tubing with  3/4" tubing jail bars for 550.oo that is with a utility rack and a aluminum plate as a top.

[SwineHunter]

Nice looken box u got going.   

[mod93dirt]

Well I got all my welding done today with the exception of the latches. I didnt like the ones I got so I have to find me some different ones tomorrow. Besides that all I lack is cutting the plywood for the top, and a little bit of grinding. I was going to put some eyebolts on the front of the rack, but I figured I could just clip the dogs to the round bar just as easy. Hopefully be able to get it bedlinered next week. My mother in law runs an upholstery shop, and she is going to make me a cover that wraps around the sides for when its cold out. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

[SCHitemHard]

not bad, ive had my plans drawn out for a full winter box outta treated wood and carpet for those single digit days

ive also got a trailer that was my old box carrier but when i sold the box the guy gave me the frame back so im thinkin of makin a pull box too

[adamp]

Looking.really good! You're dogs will love it! Square tubing is the way to go, for the price it can't be beat

[Bar W]

What's the weight on that box? Looks solid but light enough to handle.

[mod93dirt]

Not sure on an exact weight, but it is not really as heavy as I thought it was going to be, but still no lightweight by any means. The only weight left to add to it is 1/2 plywood for the top, and the little bit of weight that spraying it with bedliner will add. I can pick it up as it sits now, but it is kind of awkward to move around.  Once I put the top on it I wont be able to pick it up by myself. To load it in my truck I just set it up on end at the tailgate, lifted the bottom and slid it in the bed. Was not difficult at all, and two people could easily pick it up and load it.

I have almost 100ft of 16ga 1in square tubing, and almost 140ft or 3/8in round bar in it. There are some online calculators to figure metal weight, but I have not done that. Cost wise I am not in that deep either. As said before I already had the 1in square, but at current price at my metal yard, 100ftX.50=$50. 140ft of 3/8in barX.30=$42. $20 for latches and hinges, and maybe another 30 for plywood and a few other little touches I plan to add would put me in at roughly $150 for the whole setup.

I think two dogs will fit on each side comfortably, and maybe 3 on each side if I wanted to cram them in. Now being done with it, their is only one thing I have seen so far I would do differently, but I imagine I will see more as I use it some. But for my first attempt at a dog box I am more than happy with it. One of my hunting buddies came over tonite to look at it and he asked me what it would take for me to build him a box. Hopefully I will have it completely finished up by the end of this week, and I will put some more pics up then.

[Bar W]

Cool. I've been thinking of doing one like this that will fit in my truck and also on my 4x8 trailer I built to pull behind my four wheeler.