Steve,
Let me appologize too. I wasn't offended, and obviously came across as if I were. Not the case. As a matter of fact the CBrack resulted from just exactly what you describe in your first post. I looked for something to buy to do exactly what the CBrack does. Wasn't on the market, so I tried to fab something in my own small shop. Had some aluminum left over from another job that did NOT involve bending the aluminum. Hadn't ever done any sheet metal fabrication, but it ain't rocket science. Lest I be accused of putting sheet metal people down, I'm not doing that either. Trying to make the point that the CBrack is a simple design. It is easy to make IF you have the right tools. A half inch bolt is a simple design too. Try making one in your shop out of a piece of drill rod and a file. Tools again, but the conceipt is simple. Figured I'd spring for a small sheet metal brake cause I didn't have one and figured I'd find more use for it in the future. It was a good excuse to add a tool to my shop. Long story short, the $500 or $600 bench brake that I anticipated turned into a 1,900 pound $3,800 monster. It was SMALLEST box and pan brake that would do the job I needed done. NO motors either, all man power. Because of the compound angles a box and pan brake is necessary. A regular solid brake will not work.
I looked at a picture of the new Tuffy console. The two units are the same in principle only. It appears, and let me emphasize that I have not seen one close up, but it appears that you can put some definite pros and cons on each side of a fairly easily defined line. Without further investigation I will propose that the Tuffy excells in protection from theft and having something that has moving parts if that impresses you. The CBrack does not protect from theft, but offers more mounting room, will hold more weight, is lighter (weight and the fact that the CBrack has two additional mounting points in the windshield frame is the reason it will hold more weight), is about half the price of the Tuffy, but has no "glove compartment" type storage. I am assuming that the Tuffy does have this type of storage, although I could not see that in the small picture I saw.
Getting back to the material used in the CBrack, it is perhaps heavier and stronger that it needs to be for "normal" usage. My design is aimed at the street market as well as the off road market. It is built to withstand the rigors of off roading not only the bouncing around, but also weather, tree limbs, and the ultimate - using it for an "oh, sh--" grab handle. It will do it all. I weigh over 300 lbs. Don't move around very well especially in cramped quarters. I regularly use my CBrack to pull myself up out of the driver's seat. Not a problem.
Last weekend I attended a 3 day run in Hot Springs, Ark. - A Superlift run. Ran across one of my earlier CBracks mounted on a TJ. The unit is close to 2 years old. The owner had a large CB, his cell phone, a huge CD changer, a speaker and a couple of smaller odds and ends mounted on the CBrack. Looked like part of the console of an airplane or maybe an old county sheriff's car. He was very happy with it. Don't believe there would be enough room on the Tuffy unit to mount all that stuff.
There may be some competitive aspects between the Tuffy and the CBrack, but I believe people will have good reason to buy either one. Might be price, security, usability, ease of modification or appearance. Doubt seriously my sparkling personality will be a factor. /wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif
Doug '97 TJ
My Web Site
