Best wood to construct cargo box/drawers out of?

[The Adam Blaster]

I remember reading one of your comments about the lack of strength when it comes to MDF. That was after we had bought the material and had got knee deep into the project.
I WON'T be using MDF for my box, just looking to see what other strong/flexible and cost effective options are out there.

The other trick for me is going to be getting the 33x12.5 tire in the cargo area behind the rear seat. I haven't tried for a while, but I remember it not fitting back there in a laying down position.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I went to that specialty plywood/building supply place this afternoon.
I told them what I was planning on building and that my 2 concerns were strength and moisture/water resistance. I mentioned marine-grade ply, and asked their opinion.

They suggested the 3/4 Fir that they carry. Apparently it is constructed using the same glue that marine ply is made with. They charged $49.99/sheet, not too bad.
I'm not in a rush to start building this, so I'm going to keep looking and see if I can get some opinions from other specialty suppliers.

 

[Bernie]

Adam, I'm going to go with Southpier, MDO is the most durable product for your needs at a reasonable price. I just spoke with a forestry engineer this afternoon trying to find the best material for outdoor portable stages and he said hands down, mdo. Of course ours will need slip resistant paint but thats another matter.

Find out from the provincial highways department who makes their road signs and and you will have your source for mdo2.

 

[nwoods]

They suggested the 3/4 Fir that they carry

If 3/4" will work for you based on weight and space, go for it. But I really don't think you need to go that strong. The platform below is built with 1/2" aircraft spruce and is very strong. As I said, I can kneel on one knee in the middle of the unreinforced, unsupported area, and it just barely bows.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I don't suppose you guys know where i could check out (online) either the MDO or the aircraft grade spruce do you?

 

[nwoods]

I don't suppose you guys know where i could check out (online) either the MDO or the aircraft grade spruce do you?

Memory is fuzzy, as I got mine years ago, but search model avaition supply venues, like "House of Balsa"

 

[Scott B.]

...Scott, when you use those screws, do you really predrill as per the instructions?
(They say use a 5mm then a 7mm and finally a 10mm drill bit.)
It would take me a year to predrill all my screw holes 3 times!
...

Adam,

McFeely's also sells a drill bit designed to drill the proper sized and shaped hole for these screws. Three holes per screw - that would turn the ordinary 6-month project into a 3 year project!!!!

 

[Bernie]

I don't suppose you guys know where i could check out (online) either the MDO or the aircraft grade spruce do you?

start here

Then tackle the whole website and all the links:snorkel:

 

[southpier]

good link from bernie.


aircraft spruce? go here: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/index.html

sorry; not my fault!

tapered drill bits & countersinks here: http://www.wlfuller.com/

anything which requires a fiberglass coating seems too much like work for me, but if you're so inclined, try here:

endgrain balsa panels here: http://www.balsasales.co.uk/

there's also composite links down some.

but don't shy away from aluminum either. carbide woodworking tools will take on most home center grades of aluminum with little or no problem. the aluminum is softer than knots in hardwood such as walnut or maple.


how many links can you stand:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...ionid=7A9BE1A6F96C0CDB382E198BCE4F80BC.ajp13w

http://www.wicksaircraft.com/

http://www1.mscdirect.com/industrial-equipment.html

http://www.airpartsinc.com/products/catalog-index.htm

http://www.mcmaster.com/#

http://www.reidsupply.com/about.aspx

http://www.springsfast.com/springs-products.htm

http://www.yardstore.com/browse.cfm

http://asmc.net/

http://www.midatlanticrubber.com/index.htm

http://www.millerproducts.com/rubber.html

http://www.shop3m.com/bumpon-bumper...oogle&cshift_ck=-1449183cs505015342&WT.srch=1

http://www.sugatsune.com/

http://www.allegiscorp.com/

http://www.cranecomposites.com/

http://www.fiber-tech.net/Products.htm

http://www.rhinokore.com/products.html

http://www.nida-core.com/french/order_list.htm

http://www.sdplastics.com/durashield.html

http://closedcellfoams.com/

http://plywood.boatbuildercentral.com/

http://www.dpitops.com/suppliers/formica/patterns.htm

http://www.kingplastic.com/Products/KingStarBoardST.aspx

http://samples.wilsonart.com/default.aspx

http://www.fibergrate.com/

http://www.bushranger.com.au/i_windows.html

http://www.trimlok.com/?wm_crID=179...&wm_g_pcmt=&wm_g_cnt=0&wm_kw=weatherstripping

 

[redthies]

Adam, I am a cabinet maker in BC. Try windsor plywood if they have one near you. Edmunchuck? I go to PJ White hardwoods in Vancouver. They might have a store in Ed. What you want is called Nova-ply in Canada. It is a pre-finished Baltic birch. It is the perfect material for the type of thing you are doing. Just Varethane the raw edges after assembly and you are good to go!:sombrero:

 

[The Adam Blaster]

Holy schnikies southpier, thanks for ruining my weekend, I'm going to be in front of my comoputer researching all those links!
Seriously, thanks though!

Redthies, Windsor Plywood is exactly the place I went to and got that advice. There's one right in Sh. Park.
Sort of coincidentally I am originally from Windsor Ontario, so I wouldn't mind spending my money there.

I actually would like to have a nice urethane'd look to it. A few layers of urethane and it would look nice and be pretty durable against scratches.

 

[The Adam Blaster]

If 3/4" will work for you based on weight and space, go for it. But I really don't think you need to go that strong. The platform below is built with 1/2" aircraft spruce and is very strong.

I'm a bit concerned with screwing through the edge of a piece that is only 1/2" thick, that's been my primary reason for going towards the 3/4" stuff.
I was also thinking that I might cut out a section in the top and bottom panels that the middle support would slide into for a better and more secure fit. With 3/4, I can slice out a guideline, or whatever it's called and still have lots of material left to remain structurally sound.

I've seen other folks cut out holes in the side panels to reduce the overall weight of the box also, I might go this route as the box will be fairly large when I'm finished.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

General Question: if you're going to be gluing, do you really need screws? I'm going to be building some cabinets out of 1/2" ply for my trailer, and planned on gluing them, but was just going to shoot some small brads to hold it together while the glue dries?

 

[BIGdaddy]

General Question: if you're going to be gluing, do you really need screws? I'm going to be building some cabinets out of 1/2" ply for my trailer, and planned on gluing them, but was just going to shoot some small brads to hold it together while the glue dries?

i always glue and screw, personally. The stuff I build primarily is for my wife(Theatre teacher). We do four shows per school year...:Wow1:

I always plan on the things I build being re-tasked, re-painted, re-used. To that end I find that "just glueing" certain projects tends to give them a finite length of usefullness, whereas the glued and screwed items/objects are still going strong, even after 4 seasons of teenage actors throwing them around...
haha!!

(cabinets, rehearsal cubes, tables, chairs, platforms, etc..)

 

[The Adam Blaster]

I'm with BIGdaddy when it comes to using screws.
They hold much better/longer, and they can be easily removed without damaging anything. I have re-used a lot of my building materials by tearing old projects down and building something new.
I have shelves in my garage that I built out of materials that I had from a box I had built to move my stuff out here to AB 4 years ago.

I guess I am very confident how screws will not work themselves out of the material they are holding together. Nails will sometimes do that.