Desertdude
Expedition Leader
as long as you are coated it is all good - that product is used for outdoor signs - but I always like to used exterior plywood in case I miss something in the coating process... 
DC Taco Drawer System build...
- Thread starter flyingwil
- Start date
It is possible that they changed the glue to form it, but I remeber it used to absorb water like a sponge, but it has been a few years since I have worked with it. It is great material in the right instances, I would just research it to make sure. There are probably different grades to suit different requirements also. It always seemed to be heavier, but I could be wrong having never weighed it to compare correctly.
slosurfer
Adventurer
Once that mdf gets wet, it will expand like crazy and then start falling apart. Even if it's coated, it only takes one little weak spot in the coating for it to soak in the water and then it is toast. I would be worried about keeping it sealed if it was in the back of a truck exposed to the elements. I install tile and I hate working around mdf because of the water issue.
HongerVenture
Adventurer
I would make every effort to make your drawers the full length of the bed. Leaving an additional storage compartment fore of the drawers becomes something of a hassle.
Wil, I believe you will have a can-back, which may allow easy access to a storage compartment fore of the drawers, so it may not be as bad for you.
In the following picture, you can see the double-door opening to the forward compartment in my deck/storage system. The hard-shell means you have to climb in for access... not to mention that when the bedding is on there, you have to move it aside or pull it out to reach things in those compartments. While those compartments offer generous additional room to my wife and I, they are the worst place to access.
So unless you can access a compartment/storage like this from the side of the bed, then I'd say make your drawers full length, extending to the back of the bed. I'm heavily considering eliminating the totes (which actually work out great) and forward compartment in favor of full length drawers.
Regards,
Joel
Wil, I believe you will have a can-back, which may allow easy access to a storage compartment fore of the drawers, so it may not be as bad for you.
In the following picture, you can see the double-door opening to the forward compartment in my deck/storage system. The hard-shell means you have to climb in for access... not to mention that when the bedding is on there, you have to move it aside or pull it out to reach things in those compartments. While those compartments offer generous additional room to my wife and I, they are the worst place to access.
So unless you can access a compartment/storage like this from the side of the bed, then I'd say make your drawers full length, extending to the back of the bed. I'm heavily considering eliminating the totes (which actually work out great) and forward compartment in favor of full length drawers.
Regards,
Joel
Dave Bennett
Adventurist
flyingwil said:
Ask the SuperCamperos!
unk03:
Willman
Active member
Saving the weight!!!
After reading through this thread.....I have decited to go with aluminum for my frame and drawer system. I will save a ton of weight and still be super strong! I will have access to a tig welder when i move to SLC in the spring! Then i will use a piece of 1/2" or 5/8 cdx covered in carpet for the top. I am still in the design stage mode...looking for the best system to go with.....
Then on the other hand.....I have also thought about building some Pork Chop boxes out of aluminum as well to ride above the flender instead of the raised bed idea. This also has its pro's and con's.....Just kicking around some ideas...
After reading through this thread.....I have decited to go with aluminum for my frame and drawer system. I will save a ton of weight and still be super strong! I will have access to a tig welder when i move to SLC in the spring! Then i will use a piece of 1/2" or 5/8 cdx covered in carpet for the top. I am still in the design stage mode...looking for the best system to go with.....
Then on the other hand.....I have also thought about building some Pork Chop boxes out of aluminum as well to ride above the flender instead of the raised bed idea. This also has its pro's and con's.....Just kicking around some ideas...
SuperCamperos
Observer
Nida Core is good stuff and easy to work with if you are familiar fiberglass and polyester or epoxy resins. If you are not, some experimenting with the resin's cure times and behavior would definitely be required.
Cutting the nida core is as easy as cutting plywood, though is very itchy and dulls blades like crazy--use carbide tipped blades only.
I would recommend using aluminum angle on the corners to keep it tough. Nida Core is very rigid and strong but wont take impacts too well.
We used some 1/2" sheets with 18 oz of glass on each side for some of our cabinets in the camper. It weighs a little under 1 lb a square foot. Cost for a 4' x 8' sheet was around $200. For our entire camper, the shipping from florida was also around $200--so factor that in.
For latches, slides, etc check out McMaster-Carr...
http://www.mcmaster.com/
I don't know if everyone is familiar with this place, but it is so helpful for so many things. In LA at least, orders show up the next day and shipping is very reasonable.
Another idea I've been throwing around is using those styrofoam EPS insulation sheets from Home Depot, laminating with 18 oz glass and Epoxy resin (polyester won't work), and creating the poor man's Nida Core. It wouldn't have quite the compressive strength, but you could put a thin sheet of lineoleum or something on the bottom of the tray. You could probably do this for around $60 a sheet. Definitely experimental though...
Ryan
http://thesupercamper.blogspot.com/
Cutting the nida core is as easy as cutting plywood, though is very itchy and dulls blades like crazy--use carbide tipped blades only.
I would recommend using aluminum angle on the corners to keep it tough. Nida Core is very rigid and strong but wont take impacts too well.
We used some 1/2" sheets with 18 oz of glass on each side for some of our cabinets in the camper. It weighs a little under 1 lb a square foot. Cost for a 4' x 8' sheet was around $200. For our entire camper, the shipping from florida was also around $200--so factor that in.
For latches, slides, etc check out McMaster-Carr...
http://www.mcmaster.com/
I don't know if everyone is familiar with this place, but it is so helpful for so many things. In LA at least, orders show up the next day and shipping is very reasonable.
Another idea I've been throwing around is using those styrofoam EPS insulation sheets from Home Depot, laminating with 18 oz glass and Epoxy resin (polyester won't work), and creating the poor man's Nida Core. It wouldn't have quite the compressive strength, but you could put a thin sheet of lineoleum or something on the bottom of the tray. You could probably do this for around $60 a sheet. Definitely experimental though...
Ryan
http://thesupercamper.blogspot.com/
Tuffy pull out drawers
Too bad the Taco doesn't have 48 inches between the wheel arches in
the bed. Trucks that do can use a pair of sliding drawers from Tuffy.
They are available in 4, 6 and 8 foot lengths. Capacity is 500 lbs of gear
per drawer when fully extended. The drawer can support 550 lbs on top and still slide in and out.
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/truckbox/115.html
I suppose you could use one 6 foot Tuffy drawer in a Taco, and fill the
remaining space with plastic storage boxes.
CHip Haven
Too bad the Taco doesn't have 48 inches between the wheel arches in
the bed. Trucks that do can use a pair of sliding drawers from Tuffy.
They are available in 4, 6 and 8 foot lengths. Capacity is 500 lbs of gear
per drawer when fully extended. The drawer can support 550 lbs on top and still slide in and out.
http://www.tuffyproducts.com/truckbox/115.html
I suppose you could use one 6 foot Tuffy drawer in a Taco, and fill the
remaining space with plastic storage boxes.
CHip Haven
slomatt
Adventurer
Greetings,
I just stumbled across this board and now can't stop reading posts, there is some great information on here.
Has anyone made their drawer system out of apple core or baltic birch plywood? These high grade plywoods are ligher and stronger than standard CDX and use an exterior grade glue. They are commonly used to build drawers, are fairly easy to machine, and hold an edge well.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=669
I'm in the process of selling a Jeep ZJ and moving to a 3rd gen 4runner because of reliability concerns with the jeep. Once I track down a 4runner that meets my needs the plan is to build a storage setup using birch plywood. I think 1/2" should be ok for the deck assuming it is braced underneath, this combination should work out to be lightweight and strong. The drawers will also be 1/2" birch ply and will use full-pull server rack sliders (free from work).
As previously stated, MDF has issues with water absorption and when wet quickly expands and falls apart. Also, some MDF is still made with a formaldehyde based glue which off-gasses for quite a while and can be harmful to your health. Another issue is that MDF does not hold screws well and requires a large amount of glue because of its high absorption level.
Anyway, great site. I look forward to reading more!
- Matt
I just stumbled across this board and now can't stop reading posts, there is some great information on here.
Has anyone made their drawer system out of apple core or baltic birch plywood? These high grade plywoods are ligher and stronger than standard CDX and use an exterior grade glue. They are commonly used to build drawers, are fairly easy to machine, and hold an edge well.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=669
I'm in the process of selling a Jeep ZJ and moving to a 3rd gen 4runner because of reliability concerns with the jeep. Once I track down a 4runner that meets my needs the plan is to build a storage setup using birch plywood. I think 1/2" should be ok for the deck assuming it is braced underneath, this combination should work out to be lightweight and strong. The drawers will also be 1/2" birch ply and will use full-pull server rack sliders (free from work).
As previously stated, MDF has issues with water absorption and when wet quickly expands and falls apart. Also, some MDF is still made with a formaldehyde based glue which off-gasses for quite a while and can be harmful to your health. Another issue is that MDF does not hold screws well and requires a large amount of glue because of its high absorption level.
Anyway, great site. I look forward to reading more!
- Matt
nvprospector
Adventurer
Hello,
Being an ex- rover owner, I bowered the African Outback brand of cargo boxes design. They are way over priced, but can be built for around $200 if you look around for the metal. I am now building a set '07 taco dc. You are using thin gage aluminum and all you need to bend the metal is a 2x4 and a torch to heat the metal. For about the same or little more then the price of wood, you can get aluminum. Most metal shops will have scrap piles that you can rummage through for a small fee.
You can find some nice pictures of the African Outback cargo system at http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/africanoutback/
I usally get my metal online HERE
Later
Being an ex- rover owner, I bowered the African Outback brand of cargo boxes design. They are way over priced, but can be built for around $200 if you look around for the metal. I am now building a set '07 taco dc. You are using thin gage aluminum and all you need to bend the metal is a 2x4 and a torch to heat the metal. For about the same or little more then the price of wood, you can get aluminum. Most metal shops will have scrap piles that you can rummage through for a small fee.
You can find some nice pictures of the African Outback cargo system at http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/africanoutback/
I usally get my metal online HERE
Later
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