Jim's No Climbing Handyman Pickup
RIG DETAILS
| USED FOR | Handyperson |
| MODEL | 2008 Ford F150 |
| BODY | Full-Size Pickup, Extended Cab (Pickups) |
ORGANIZATION
Jim Vetter is a the owner of Eden Property Solutions, a handyman business in Michigan.
His Ford F150 is a former AT&T service truck that Jim cleanly upfitted into an office and workshop on wheels. While lots of folks are moving to vans, Jim shows us that you can still achieve a high level of efficiency by putting lots of thought into your pickup truck upfit.
The cab and utility cap of the truck are strategically outfitted to accomplish Jim's two goals with this build:
- No climbing in the back.
- No fumbling with tie-downs.
See More:
On the Road Office and Lunchroom
Jim knows that time is money!
He installed the smallest microwave he could find (a Whirlpool) as well as an inverter to power it. He saves buckets of time with the microwave since he isn't running to the gas station for lunch.
More skilled tradespeople are installing microwaves in their rigs, but usually they plug in to the grid. The small microwave size and the large inverter keeps him independent. (He can still plug in to the grid.)
The truck already came with a bluetooth-enabled printer. A tablet mounted in the cab connects wirelessly to the printer and means that Jim can print invoices on the road at the press of a button.
Power Tool Hatch
The driver side of the truck's cap holds a variety of independently mounted Ryobi power tools and 6 battery chargers. Each tool sits in a cradle that makes it easy to see and easy to grab once the cap panel is flipped up.
One of the things he likes about this setup is that it's easy to see if all his tools are there with a glance. If it isn't, it's time to go back to the jobsite!
Materials Hatch
The other side of the cap is set up with handyman supplies and materials like plumbing and electrical parts, moving blankets, caulk, and trash bags.
Jim's Favorite Part
Jim built a super clever false floor in the truck that allows him to haul 8' lengths of material. He has enough width that he can even fit full sheets of plywood or drywall! He says it's his favorite feature.
Dedicated Locations
Levels fit in dedicated slots and several small parts bins slide into simple tilted slots made out of angle aluminum. They stay in place on the road, so they don't need tie-downs.
A mop, broom, paint pole, and straight edge clip in to ceiling clips at the rear of the Ford, and simply rest on a 2x4 at the front. This simple system makes them easy to secure and retrieve.
A sliding shelf holds Jim's DeWalt table saw, miter saw, and a Ryobi cordless vacuum. Locating blocks keep them from moving around. To grab one of them, he slides the shelf out and lifts the tool. Simple!
switched Air compressor power
Get work trucks and tips in your mailbox.
Your time is precious. We write about organization, tools, and techniques that make tradespeople work faster and more efficiently. Subscribe to get our articles and tips in your inbox.
We will not spam you.