Make a toolbox out of a beerbox

Belgium is without doubt one of the best beer countries in the world. We have a long tradition of excellent beers and this liquid is holding the country together. North & south share one great passion: beer.

Our beers are stored in plastic boxes, like everywhere, and these are very strong (some guys made a chapel with it!). Rather than using them as bricks I chose to transform them into a toolbox.

It's a funny project (of course) that resulted in a heavy-duty, cool and spacious toolbox. I'm sure I'm going to make some jealous people on the work sites ;-)

Al you need:

- two beerboxes (one for the box, one for the cover)
- some good friends to give a helping hand
- some plywood
- a piece of aluminium sheet
- some scrap metal for the handle
- (polyurethane) glue
- chemical anchor
- a pair of hinges
- some bolts
- jigsaw
- ripper
- pliers
- drill

Step 1: Prepare the box

This step is probably the best. Share the beer with your friends and remove the whole interior of the box. I can't show the pictures because my pc crashed recently and I lost them...

Any beerbox will do the job. I chose Westmalle Tripel, a strong blond beer and one of my favorites. This type of beerbox is relatively high and has the perfect dimensions for a toolbox-project.

Use saw, cutting pliers and knife to remove everything you don't need, and keep just the bottom of the box.

I decided to glue some plywood in the beerbox. This gives a perfect bottom and a perfect surface to attach the handle and the hinges. Use polyurethane glue.

In the hand-holes I glued plastified plywood as well, shaped with a jigsaw. In this zone the hole for the handle will be drilled.

Attach the frame-side of the hinges, and almost ready is your box.

Comments

[Mr.Sanchez]

CLEVER !!

[bricobart]

Thank you Mr. Sanchez!

[littlewit]

Very cool project. Im sure if you used hard foam insulation instead of wood you could just as easily turn it into a cooler!

[bricobart]

Nice idea, like it!!!

[ilpug]

I like this...

[bricobart]

Thanx!!!

[bruce5000]

goodone i dont drink but i can find box to use pretey catim a cat person keepem comeing

[bricobart]

Thanx Bruce! Our cats are using the box also! One night one closed the cover while another one was in it. You don't want to know how the prisoner has miaoowed to get liberated ;-)

[l8nite]

my son was looking for a toolbox to go in the back of his truck but they all mounted to the sides or were prohibitively expensive, then I found a large (4foot long) ice chest that worked perfectly.. ice chest, beer box..close enough.. thank you for sharing your project

[bricobart]

You're welcome, it was big fun to make it!

[frankvanw1]

Great Instructions and Great Beer!
In Canada our beer comes in cardboard boxes. Even 'Stella Artois' imported from Belgium in glass bottles. 'Stella' is one of my favourites, especially on tap in draft. Cheers and thanks for sharing this.

[bricobart]

Thanx frank! Stella is a great summer-beer that's super popular with barbecues ;-)

[pfred2]

In the USA our beers come in cardboard boxes. We do have plastic milk crates here though. I've enjoyed a few Belgian ales but we brew good Belgian style ales right up the road from me.

They're a lot easier for me to get where I am at.

[bricobart]

I didn't know the USA doesn't use plastic boxes, too bad! I'm sure you'll find them on the net. Keep on the good beer!

[pfred2]

I don't know of anything the USA distributes in plastic boxes. Even with milk consumers are never supposed to get the plastic milk crates. Though plenty still manage to have some.

[Truehart]

I want my beer to come in plastic boxes! Those look a lot strudier than the milk crates we have in the US. Oh well. Great 'ible!

[bricobart]

Oh yes they are! Once I saw a guy using them as support to work under his car: 4 piles of 3 boxes under each wheel ;-)