Frank Pellow
Member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2007
- Messages
- 2,743
I'm starting to modify a systainer 3 box to use as a carry-on on our upcoming train and plane trip and to hold papers, my camera & accessories, as well as my note netbook computer & accessories. To that end, this week I made what I call an "office top" to fit onto a systainer lid.
I cheated by using a template -that is the back section of a Tanos 3-sided lid insert (Lee Valley 68K43.75) that is used to hold tools. In the (very bad quality :-[) picture below, I have just traced the outline onto some 3mm thick Baltic Birch plywood and am about to cut it out with a jig saw.
[attachimg=#2]
There are two different means of attaching objects to the inside top of a systainer. These are pointed to by arrows that I have drawn upon a photo of the inside of the systainer lid:
[attachimg=#1]
The four green arrows point to plastic three sided locking protrusions that extend out from the lid. When something of appropriate thickness is pushed down over a protrusion it is first compressed then, once the object has been pushed down far enough, the arms of the protrusion expand in order to lock the object in place.
The four orange arrows point to holes into which short #6 screws can be threaded. I found that the office top that I made could not be pushed far enough down to take advantage of the locking protrusions, although they had to be accommodated. The office top is held in place by four ? inch #6 pan head screws.
In the picture to the left below, the 3mm plywood has been cut, holes have been drilled and sides and a bottom have been glued, screwed and nailed to the back. This is lying upside down on the lid of a systainer:
[attachimg=#3] [attachimg=#4]
The sides and bottom will eventually enclose a 30mm x 230mm x 325 mm pocket that can be used to hold papers and file folders. In the picture to the right above, the assembly has been turned over and screwed to the lid. The four plastic three sided locking protrusions that extend out from the systainer lid do protrude slightly through the holes drilled to accommodate them, but not do sufficiently to form locks.
Next, a 6mm thick piece of Baltic Birch plywood is screwed with 4 brass screws into the sides of the
assembly. I will call this the front panel.
[attachimg=#5]
I took the precaution of also drill four large holes to give easy access to the four screws the had previously been used to screw the plywood to the systainer. Also, in case I find I want to make further modifications, I have not (yet?) glued this top piece to the rest of the assembly. A clipboard clamp and calculator (Lee Valley catalogue number 88K78.17) and strips of magnetic tack strip (Lee Valley catalogue number 50K25.14) have been attached to the front panel.
Here is a picture of the unit in use:
[attachimg=#6]
Some magnetic pen and pencil holders (Lee Valley catalogue number 88K78.97) and some magnets have been attached to the magnetic strips and a few pens and pencils are bound in place. A couple of file folders and my diary are in the pocket. A pad of paper has been attached to the clip board. I treated the systainer to a rough trip and everything remained in place.
Although, in this case, I used this method to attach an 'office top' to a systainer lid, I am certain that, in the future, I will design different types of lids.
I cheated by using a template -that is the back section of a Tanos 3-sided lid insert (Lee Valley 68K43.75) that is used to hold tools. In the (very bad quality :-[) picture below, I have just traced the outline onto some 3mm thick Baltic Birch plywood and am about to cut it out with a jig saw.
[attachimg=#2]
There are two different means of attaching objects to the inside top of a systainer. These are pointed to by arrows that I have drawn upon a photo of the inside of the systainer lid:
[attachimg=#1]
The four green arrows point to plastic three sided locking protrusions that extend out from the lid. When something of appropriate thickness is pushed down over a protrusion it is first compressed then, once the object has been pushed down far enough, the arms of the protrusion expand in order to lock the object in place.
The four orange arrows point to holes into which short #6 screws can be threaded. I found that the office top that I made could not be pushed far enough down to take advantage of the locking protrusions, although they had to be accommodated. The office top is held in place by four ? inch #6 pan head screws.
In the picture to the left below, the 3mm plywood has been cut, holes have been drilled and sides and a bottom have been glued, screwed and nailed to the back. This is lying upside down on the lid of a systainer:
[attachimg=#3] [attachimg=#4]
The sides and bottom will eventually enclose a 30mm x 230mm x 325 mm pocket that can be used to hold papers and file folders. In the picture to the right above, the assembly has been turned over and screwed to the lid. The four plastic three sided locking protrusions that extend out from the systainer lid do protrude slightly through the holes drilled to accommodate them, but not do sufficiently to form locks.
Next, a 6mm thick piece of Baltic Birch plywood is screwed with 4 brass screws into the sides of the
assembly. I will call this the front panel.
[attachimg=#5]
I took the precaution of also drill four large holes to give easy access to the four screws the had previously been used to screw the plywood to the systainer. Also, in case I find I want to make further modifications, I have not (yet?) glued this top piece to the rest of the assembly. A clipboard clamp and calculator (Lee Valley catalogue number 88K78.17) and strips of magnetic tack strip (Lee Valley catalogue number 50K25.14) have been attached to the front panel.
Here is a picture of the unit in use:
[attachimg=#6]
Some magnetic pen and pencil holders (Lee Valley catalogue number 88K78.97) and some magnets have been attached to the magnetic strips and a few pens and pencils are bound in place. A couple of file folders and my diary are in the pocket. A pad of paper has been attached to the clip board. I treated the systainer to a rough trip and everything remained in place.
Although, in this case, I used this method to attach an 'office top' to a systainer lid, I am certain that, in the future, I will design different types of lids.
