[StanF]

Edit on 7-16-2017 - Attached the first 10 pictures in each post because of Photobucket idiocy. If you want to see any missing pictures or details, post in this thread.

I loved the Tuffy Security Consoles, but couldn't bring myself to spend $300 on one. The ammo can consoles that others have shown here looked like a good solution.

I went overboard in some areas...here are the costs:

$20 Ammo Can, 40 mm (local Army/Navy store)
$25 2002 Tahoe Cupholder (ebay)
$12 Handle, Rugged Ridge (~$25 for two handles, now I have a spare)
$30 Lock, (Amazon)
$24 Gas Strut, made by Tuffy for their consoles, worked great for mine too (Quadratec)
$30 Power Center with 2xAcc Ports and 2 x USB (Amazon)
$10 LED Lights (Amazon)
$5 Door Jamb Switch (Amazon)
$5 Indoor/outdoor carpet to line the bottom of the can (Lowes)
$3 Touchup Paint (Lowes did almost a perfect color match)
$5 Foam for cover (Joann's Fabrics...btw, this might be a good place to pickup women, I think I was the only man in the entire store! :laugh: )
$0 Black leather for cover - I happened to have a piece

Finished Product:

 

[USMCBuckWild]

Looks good

 

[StanF]

Inside Pictures:

 

[StanF]

General thoughts on the build:

1) I didn't want a key lock, so I went with the mechanical lock. Tuffy actually sells these as an accessory for their security console, so I can't take credit for the idea. I found the same thing at a better price at Amazon. There is a flush-mount attachment included with the lock, which I didn't use. It requires a much larger hole in the lid, of course.
2) Tuffy also sells the gas strut as an accessory for their console. I just bought the Tuffy version for $25 from Quadratec.
3) The LED light and door jamb switch both work very well. Really lightens up the inside.
4) At $30, I splurged a little on the power center. It's pretty cool with 2 accessory ports and two USB charge ports. From Amazon.
5) I had the Rugged Ridge door handles on my two doors, so the handle I put on the console matches it.
6) I went with a Tahoe cupholder off of ebay because I wanted the little tray to store my phone. Tuffy also sells a pretty good cupholder.
7) The 40 mm Ammo Can fit between my seats pretty well. It's only 6" wide. Alot of cutting and drilling was done to get everything to fit right.
8) I made two steel brackets for mounting the ammo can. The rear bracket used the seat belt bolts. I drilled two holes in the tub for the front bolts.



As far as what I would do differently next time...honestly, not much. The brackets could have been an inch or two higher to better support my elbow while I'm driving, so I might add some spacers. I also think that flush mounting the lock would have looked cleaner and better. I should have done a better job on the leather cover, so I might rework the corners at a later date.

Thanks to everyone else here who has posted their ammo can projects and ideas, as they served as great inspiration for this. Hopefully, someone can find something interesting in my project as well.

 

[YJinAZ]

Nicely Done! I have an ammo can bolted to the passenger fender for under- hood storage. Quart of oil, wiping towels - keeps things handy and dry.

 

[sxysouthtx]

I have the same ammo can. I've been dying to do mod it up to be my new console. You console looks awesome.

 

[Flajeeper1]

Holy Moly Batman!! That's the fanciest console I've ever seen! :eyebulge:

 

[psych]

Looks good. Definitely a customized job!

 

[Luuca]

Inside Pictures:

Excellent work all around. I like all the features you designed into this console solution. I have been contemplating adding the USB/ACC powered outlets to my daughter's YJ console. I like how you incorporated it into your design; however, I am wondering how you plan on managing the cables?

My experience with ammo cans is there is no gap between the top and the side to run your cables (Phone charger) out of. Did you make a cut-out in the lid or back of the ammo can to accommodate the cable management? If not, what was your plan? assuming you are closing the lid while charging.

 

[jsawduste]

How about some links to the products you got from Amazon ?

 

[Carlos14]

I'm usually not one for the ammo can consoles but this one is highly sophisticated. :2thumbsup:

 

[Wranglin4Life]

Looks awesome. Ever thought of making them and selling a few? I would buy one for sure...

 

[StanF]

Looks awesome. Ever thought of making them and selling a few? I would buy one for sure...

The first one took a long time, of course, but once you figure out the dimensions, cuts and holes, it wouldn't be bad to make another one. It would be fun to make a batch of them, so "maybe", but not likely.

 

[StanF]

Excellent work all around. I like all the features you designed into this console solution. I have been contemplating adding the USB/ACC powered outlets to my daughter's YJ console. I like how you incorporated it into your design; however, I am wondering how you plan on managing the cables?

My experience with ammo cans is there is no gap between the top and the side to run your cables (Phone charger) out of. Did you make a cut-out in the lid or back of the ammo can to accommodate the cable management? If not, what was your plan? assuming you are closing the lid while charging.

Very good question! My plan is to add another 1" hole with a rubber grommet if I ever need to run a charge cable out. I've got a 1" Greenlee punch, so it'll be easy to add later. The grommet is the same one that the power wire runs out of. It'll be easy to poke a USB cable through there.

I also thought about cutting a cable slot up around the lid, but didn't like the idea of the sharp edges on the cable.

 

[StanF]

How about some links to the products you got from Amazon ?

Here you go:

Charge Station:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PB8CQI/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lid Handle:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FAGK4O/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

LED Light:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053QFMO0/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Switch:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQVZ9A/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lock:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049P1ORK/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Gas Spring:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/14126_901.htm

For the Cupholder, it's from a 2000-2002 Tahoe/Silverado/Suburban. I got mine from eBay.

Other parts with no link:
4" Door Hinge from Lowes
1/2" Plywood
Leather
Angle Iron for the switch mount and lid latch
Flat Steel for the floor mounts

 

[Steve707]

Did you wire it straight to the battery? Im thinking about putting one of those charge stations in my console since i dont have a cigarette lighter anymore.

 

[Wranglin4Life]

The first one took a long time, of course, but once you figure out the dimensions, cuts and holes, it wouldn't be bad to make another one. It would be fun to make a batch of them, so "maybe", but not likely.

Well if you decide you are, I would probably be down for 1. Pending price of course but it looks AWESOME!

I especially like how you tied in power to it with USB ports and stuff. Nice work! :highfive:

 

[StanF]

Did you wire it straight to the battery? Im thinking about putting one of those charge stations in my console since i dont have a cigarette lighter anymore.

I haven't wired it up yet, and I'm not sure how I'm going to do it yet. Options are:
1) going into the fuse box, probably with a piggy back fuse tap.
2) adding a second fuse box because I have a bunch of other circuits to add and it will be cleaner. I need to add:
Fog lights
CB
Console Power Outlets
Rear Security Enclosure Power Outlet
(I have a Bestop steel Instatrunk in the back, and will add an outlet, LED light and door jamb switch to it too.)
And maybe, maybe, maybe, heated seats in the future :2thumbsup:
(these would be great, but are WAY down the priority list)

Edit on 5-31-2013:
Bought and installed the Blue Sea Fuse box under the hood for all the power circuits:

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syste...I36T6DODAWMXZG

 

[Steve707]

2nd fusebox sounds legit. I'll look in to that.

 

[StanF]

Here's some ideas to get you started:

http://www.amazon.com/Auxiliary-Aut...TF8&colid=2LQE74K19V6R5&coliid=I1XRTJ56Z37RTY
http://www.amazon.com/HELLA-H849600...TF8&colid=2LQE74K19V6R5&coliid=I290H89DYNXSRM
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...TF8&colid=2LQE74K19V6R5&coliid=I23Z6KGBKNMZF8
http://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-BP-1...UTF8&colid=2LQE74K19V6R5&coliid=IS7FSQW3OFNE9

My favorite:
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Syst...TF8&colid=2LQE74K19V6R5&coliid=I36T6DODAWMXZG
It has the right # of circuits for me, is somewhat protected and has separate ground connections. Should be easy to wire up. But it is pricey...