simon

Has anyone welded together a rear cargo storage cage like Tuffy's?


I have a welder and am debating whether to make it myself. I think it's pretty cool and figure it would cost me about $75 in metal rather than buying for over $400. What are your thoughts on the cage? Does anyone have Tuffy's?

rupedog

I think building your own is a great Idea. Why not built it then buy it? If you already have the welder and the skill to do it. It looks simple enough.

AZToad

I started by looking at the cargo / dog netting / complete enclosures for ours but realized our maniacs would just chew right through the stuff from raingler. I went to try to find some heavier duty cable and finally decided to weld my own but am still in the design stages. I need mine to be similar in concept to what you have there but the size of the back top to enclose three good sized mutts.

Welding is not a problem for me either but designing it up front to be as functional as I'd like is what is taking a bit more time. I want to include both a top swivel (as this one has) but also a fold out lower to include a step as our dogs are getting up there in age and I'd like to design it right the first time.

Current design is a tubular aluminum structure that would be very similar to the freedom top but with sections and swivels - including a front removable top, middle (back seat) top and drop down section, and the rest of the back top (possibly also able to use the middle drop down) using the current bolt patterns.

simon

Sounds intricate. Would love to see the finished product... that is once the designing, material gathering, cutting, welding, grinding, cutting some more, welding some more, painting, and installing is done. I'm still in the designing stage as well. I think I will go with thin-wall steel tubing. Aluminum is tough to paint b/c it keeps corroding and paint will not stick. I guess you can always get it powder coated, but I think I will go with a hammered spray paint.

AZToad

Definitely. With the pounding I expect to give it (and the dogs will chew into it) I will definitely farm out the paint job. Have some friends that will coat it for about 50 and I think that would be well worth it.

Intricate - nah, not that bad. But I'd much rather make a couple of small prototypes to try things before making the big one!

As for material, the steel I already have - most of the aluminum too but I have a pretty good (cheap) place to get metals from once I figure out what I really want.

I considered steel to begin with as it is much easier to weld but with the bom I am looking at - even the thin walled - the weight might get out of hand for the design I'm looking at.

Of course, since the design isn't done yet - who knows! I was hoping that this could be the excuse I've been looking for to get a good TIG unit. Always on the lookout for an excuse to get a new tool!

When I finally get to this - I'll take lots of pics and write it up.