Modular shelving for vans - Mytee wants your input

[Bob Foster]

The Mytee folks were interested in another idea I had for modular shelving for vans. The cost of aluminum and stainless is through the roof and I doubt we will see it come down.

Here is my idea. The rib contour of a Ford are the same front to back. Same with the Sprinter and the same with the General. A box fan has straight vertical ribs.

Why not make roto-molded ribs that will accept shelves of different depths and different spacings for chemicals or equipment to mount to the ribs. Also the end gables of shelves could accept various holders for tools, hose holders.

So what do you guys think. Got any ideas.

Another great benefit for all this rotomolded stuff is it is a lot lighter than metal thus helping fuel economy.

 

[TimP]

The problem I have with my van is that I don't have a place to put everything I use.

There is not enough chemical storage space in my 1 ton extended van.

There is no good place to put my turbo/gecko other than behind the TM....

There is no good place to put my wand/stair tool/dri master upholstery tool but on the floor.

It would be nice to have a place where my vac and omni sprayer/(hydroforce for some) would go where it would be secured and out of the way.

It would be nice to have a place for my spot cleaners would go in an organized fashion on some sort of shelving.....perhaps in a caddy for taking inside the job.

Also an easier way of hanging rakes on the cieling of the van....the metal clips I have are a pain and I usually have to get in the van to hang them.....I end up skipping the step at times and just throwing them in the van. Also keep in mind the pole for the blue carpet brush is larger so it would be a good idea to have a means of storing it also....

A place where you can fit 2 airpath fans in an organized space saving fashion.....probably an option for those using centrifugal fans.

Maybe a place where you can store buckets of Prespray and emulsifier.....


I'm sure others will come up with needs they have for storing items in the back of their vans.....

 

[Larry Cobb]

Bob;

Anything that helps organization in vans is a good idea.

How about GM vans ?
Are the ribs the same ?

We install a lot of SS shelves in vans now with TM's.

The shelves are not designed for easy, strong mounting systems.

Larry

 

[Jim Martin]

Everything you even need for storage in any type of van or box truck...

http://www.americanvan.com/

 

[Bob Foster]

Jim I realize that stuff exists but it is very expensive and also not friendly to liquids. I am talking about a very simple modular system. Based on Mytee's price positioning it likely could be attractive for resellers, assemblers and current TM owners.

 

[alazo1]

Bob, I take it you've seen these?.

http://cgi.ebay.com/80-20-T-Slot-Alumin ... 286.c0.m14

The roto molding sounds interesting mainly because you're using plastics but I'm having a hard time picturing them in my head. Since they start on the wall of the van there may be more space savings there. On the same subject, have you thought about making shelving for the side doors out of plastic?. The metal ones are out there but mostly in single shelving. Most of my chems are in the sidedoor in quart bottles. I made it out of abs and though they look ghetto I can see a professional model. Holes in the bottom so you can hose it off.

Albert

 

[Ernie G]

Albert, I like the way you have your shelves on the door, very handy, great idea, and plastic is a good way to go.

 

[Bob Foster]

I have had a good look at it and actually crawled in a GM van at Connections with Paul Labarbera and explained how I thought it would work and fit together and they get it.

All the other stuff out there is really expensive and really not that suitable for your industry. The stuff for your industry is mostly stainless and aluminum an now that stuff with its labor component added is getting too expensive to buy and also too expensive for distributors to sell.

Did you know that a lot of people here that buy steel are having to buy imported stainless?

We are talking about an American made product here that employees Americans that will also be reasonably priced for both distributors and end users.

 

[B&BGaryC]

I have the hydromaster hydrowell plastic fresh water tank with the built in shelf for 5 1gal jugs. I haven't had it for more than six months, and I went to clean it the other day... Stained just like cheap Tupperware. That would be a big problem for me if these mytee shelves are made out of the same stuff. If it's impossible to clean, why do you want it? I thought a clean vehicle was critical. If it doesn't matter how your van looks, organize it with the pile system. Pile the things you need first on top and the rest is at the bottom.

 

[floorguy]

I have the hydromaster hydrowell plastic fresh water tank with the built in shelf for 5 1gal jugs. I haven't had it for more than six months, and I went to clean it the other day... Stained just like cheap Tupperware. That would be a big problem for me if these mytee shelves are made out of the same stuff. If it's impossible to clean, why do you want it? I thought a clean vehicle was critical. If it doesn't matter how your van looks, organize it with the pile system. Pile the things you need first on top and the rest is at the bottom.

who cares if the bottom of your shelf is a different color??? i mean even stainless or alum. will stain or discolor to some extent...


what i want to know is if they are going to make "STRAIGHT" ones??? ones that can hang, ones that can be single to be mounted up in a box truck... thats what a bunch of the big boy trucks would want...

 

[The Great Oz]

Maybe I'm thinking in the box, but considering that a stainless shelf is a one-time purchase that can be moved from truck to truck, the per-use cost is pretty low. It would be interesting to see if Mytee could get past the design challenges and still have a product that would be significantly less expensive than stainless.

My concern with roto-molded plastic is that it doesn't resist bending stresses when molded in a long straight line, and when there is any load on a particular point, and particularly when exposed to heat. Usually the cure is to mold shapes that resist bending or add steel framing inside the plastic. Designing roto-molded structural members that will not warp in the heat or crack in the cold, while keeping weight and costs down, and having something that doesn't look like an overstuffed recliner version of a shelf will be a neat trick.

If it can be done I'm interested.

 

[John LaBarbera]

On one of the other threads we mentioned our rotomolded Hydraforce type bottle wall holder mold is finished and we will post a picture by the end of the week. You'll be able to see the quality and durability of roto parts at a huge cost savings. About $20.00 for this wall holder.

John

 

[KevinL]

Bring on the products.