Systainer Drawers in Van

[Norfolk Bean]

Hi people,

went mad (for me) yesterday and bought 25 Systainer drawers to fit my van out.
The plan is to make a unit for these to fit into. At the moment I have a LWB Renault Master and am looking to change it in the next couple of months.
Was all set to pull the trigger on a new Ford Transit Custom, but to get the Hi-Top had to wait 26 weeks for the spec I wanted according to my local Ford franchise.
Not prepared to wait that long so have settled on getting another Renault, which in fairness the one I have has been a brilliant van.

So......... the plan is to make a unit up for the van I have, then when the new one arrives just swop it over into the new one.
Want to finally get organised and get at least 80% of what I carry tool and fixing wise into systainers.

So when I start will post pictures as I go along if anyone is interested. I realise that Festool state that the systainer drawers are not supposed to be used in a van, but think I have come up with a plan to get around this.

This slippery green slope is sure getting expensive lol.

Mark.

 

[demographic]

I realise this might not be to everyone's taste but a mate had a Hi top Transit and he put a false floor in at just above wheel arch height. He actually did this so he could carry a mountainbike so he could go riding when he was working away from home but on the times when he wasn't carrying sheets it meant he could put sheets of ply/plasterboard/doors in there but still had a decent floor space and shelves to the van sides clear above it.

Don't know about you but I hate it when there's a sheet of ply in the van as I can't get to most of my tools till its out.
I've worked from quite a few vans now and to my eyes that was one of the best thought out ones.

 

[paulc75]

Exactly what I did, false floor for the win!

 

[demographic]

False floor for the win [big grin]

 

[Norfolk Bean]

Hi,

here what you are saying re the raised floor, Unfortunately being 6' 2" I need every inch of height I can get. Spend to much time in the back of the van to be stooping, plus too old lol.

Get what you people are saying about sheet goods being in the way, so hopefully with the new design this should not be a problem.
Was going for the MWB Renault Master, but have decided on the LWB like I have at the moment, that way I can fit mine out now with the new drawer system, then swap it over when the new van gets here.

Cheers,

Mark.

 

[jools]

I carry my sheet goods upright clamped to the shelves with a homemade drop over plywood hook with a slot adjustment that clamps tight. Holds up to 12 sheets of 12mm plasterboard and it never moves.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

I carry my sheet goods upright clamped to the shelves with a homemade drop over plywood hook with a slot adjustment that clamps tight. Holds up to 12 sheets of 12mm plasterboard and it never moves.

Have you any pics of this in action? Looking to rig something like this in my van I can slide 15 sheets of 3/4 ply on the floor up to the start of my sys shelving but it's a bit of a faff on clearing the floor space if I need just a couple of sheets

 

[jools]

Here you go [member=44259]Mbconstructionjoinery[/member]. I have shelving both sides of the va n so this works for me.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

Here you go [member=44259]Mbconstructionjoinery[/member]. I have shelving both sides of the va n so this works for me.

Looks just the job Jools, do you stick a tool box against the bottom of the sheets to stop them slipping away or is it not an issue?
I stepped my shelling to allow full sheets to be stacked flat on the floor but it's a PITA sometimes

 

[jools]

Did think of putting a batten on the floor but I stack the sheets dead upright and the bottom has never slid out yet so I've never bothered with it. The van is racked floor to ceiling both sides and now too narrow for a sheet on the floor. If I need more than 10 sheets it would get delivered anyway. I like a high top that you can walk in and get what you need easily. I'm getting too old for crawling around in vans on my hands and knees hunting through a mountain of toolboxes, dust sheets, materials and gear