Earlier this morning Make posted details about a recent Craftsman Experience project, where Artpentry’s Floyd Davis hacks a Craftsman tool box into a stylish Gentleman’s boombox. While it’s not uncommon to see DIYers build computers, speakers and other tech devices into tool boxes, this is one of the best looking examples we’ve ever seen.
The Craftsman Experience project is based around a Craftsman 4-drawer tool chest, but there are many other tool box brands, styles and models to choose from. The project video is about 19-minutes long, and is as entertaining as it is informative.
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Hard-shell power tool cases might also make for reasonably good alternatives to heavier and bulkier metal tool boxes. Although they might not be rigid enough to house larger speakers (and might not sound too good), they should work quite well for mini computers and DIY gadgets.
We love these kinds of projects! If you’ve ever built something out of a tool box, we’d love a story and some pics! C’mon and flood our inbox with awesomeness.
http://youtu.be/tKVyFTcmsD0
Allen
Looks very cool, I’ve seen this guy’s suitcases before. I only made it half way through before the inane banter got the best of me. The video should have been half as long.
Stuart
Maybe it was too early in the morning, but I found the video to be entertaining. I was also doing five other things at the same time though, perhaps numbing my senses a bit.
It’s definitely a neat idea, and cheap tool boxes are a great platform for projects like this. Eventually, I plan to build a PC into the top compartment of my tool chest. Maybe in a few years when capacitive touch screen displays go up in size and down in price.
Harold
Did someone say capacitive touch screen displays? imagine if you could access the touch screen, choose the tool you were looking for (1/2″ box wrench, for example), and then the touch screen tells you what drawer it is in. Not what drawer it is “supposed” to be in, but what drawer it “actually” is in. Useless for a small tool box, but imagine if it were a cabinet with 20+ drawers. Hahaha.
Dan Richards
Craftsman portable radios are even mono when they’re DIY? Oh well, at least their C3 radio is only $25.
Stuart
I meant a touch screen display as more for PC purposes – playing music, viewing how-to/project videos, checking reference information, things like that. Mini touch-screen displays are available, but having a computer keep track of what tool is put where can get really complicated, really quickly. RFID might be feasible, but object-identification cameras and libraries are not quite available yet.
Dan, I’m thinking that one can install two woofers for stereo output. But the artist/crafter chose the way he did for greater sound quality. Does it really matter if it’s mono or stereo if the sound’s coming from only one direction anyways?
Dan Richards
Songs like Crazy Train don’t do well in mono, but for the most part you’re right, it doesn’t matter. I’m sure a lot of decent bookshelf-type stereos would fit in a 3-5 drawer hand box with just a little trim. I just got the C3 radio because I have the batteries and it’s cheap. It does fine for tailgating or working outside but it’s not any more rugged than their drills.