RCinNC
Well-Known Member
I wanted a tool tube for my S10 that worked with my HT racks, but I wanted to avoid that “plumbing supply house” look. I decided to fabricate my tube so it looked more like a map case than a drain pipe.
The tube is made from 4” ABS pipe. The door was fashioned from 1/8” and 1/4” ABS sheet. The rubber seal was made from a piece of sheet rubber I found at Lowe's. The hinge for the door was handmade from aluminum U channel and square tube. The lock is a standard cabinet lock, available from places like Rockler; the locking arm was modified to fit inside the tube, and it slides into a channel routed on the inside of the tube. I wanted a locking mechanism that was separate from the latch (so I could secure the tube but I wouldn't have to lock it), so I installed a standard draw latch on the side of the tube.
The mounts for the tube were made from hardware store angle brackets and 1/8” aluminum angle. The contact point between the steel angle brackets and the aluminum channel was insulated with .010 sheet plastic.
The nose cap was fashioned from 1/8” and 1/4” ABS, and a PVC plumbing fitting. The design doesn't serve any purpose, other than to have some visual interest.
The logo was painted old school style; the tube was sprayed white, then masked off with hand cut stencils made from blue 3M painting tape, then oversprayed with satin black.
The tube is held to the HT racks by two M6 socket head bolts; it did require that I drill two holes in the HT racks. The mount is solid as a rock. I did have to remove the stock license plate bracket, because the side reflectors interfered with the tube's position. I didn't want to cut the sides off the bracket, so I fashioned a new license plate bracket from some flat aluminum stock and aluminum tubing.
Here is a link to the photo album that shows the tube under construction: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=73
The tube is made from 4” ABS pipe. The door was fashioned from 1/8” and 1/4” ABS sheet. The rubber seal was made from a piece of sheet rubber I found at Lowe's. The hinge for the door was handmade from aluminum U channel and square tube. The lock is a standard cabinet lock, available from places like Rockler; the locking arm was modified to fit inside the tube, and it slides into a channel routed on the inside of the tube. I wanted a locking mechanism that was separate from the latch (so I could secure the tube but I wouldn't have to lock it), so I installed a standard draw latch on the side of the tube.
The mounts for the tube were made from hardware store angle brackets and 1/8” aluminum angle. The contact point between the steel angle brackets and the aluminum channel was insulated with .010 sheet plastic.
The nose cap was fashioned from 1/8” and 1/4” ABS, and a PVC plumbing fitting. The design doesn't serve any purpose, other than to have some visual interest.
The logo was painted old school style; the tube was sprayed white, then masked off with hand cut stencils made from blue 3M painting tape, then oversprayed with satin black.
The tube is held to the HT racks by two M6 socket head bolts; it did require that I drill two holes in the HT racks. The mount is solid as a rock. I did have to remove the stock license plate bracket, because the side reflectors interfered with the tube's position. I didn't want to cut the sides off the bracket, so I fashioned a new license plate bracket from some flat aluminum stock and aluminum tubing.
Here is a link to the photo album that shows the tube under construction: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=73
