Storage Drawers

[broncos11]

Guys

Looking to make some drawers for my 100 series. Is marine ply the best material and what thickness remembering that I'd like to keep as light as possible as the last thing I need is even worse fuel economy!!!!
I will be sitting a 100itre fridge on top so can't be too flimsy
Dave

[MarkGU]

why not make your frame from 25x25mm square Aluminum tube with the connectors? remember mine in the Navara Dave? very light and very strong.



ps. not long now til Brooms Head 

[broncos11]

I'm counting down the seconds to Broom's. Can you run those connectors by me again?

[oldmate]

I'm guessing he means this stuff mate

http://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/building-hardware/building-materials/steel/aluminium-extrusions?facets=BrandName%3DConnect-it

[MarkGU]

I'm guessing he means this stuff mate

http://www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/building-hardware/building-materials/steel/aluminium-extrusions?facets=BrandName%3DConnect-it

yep they are the ones. i bought mine from an engineering place down here. same thing but. so easy to cut, then hammer the connectors in.

[jimc1]

Just made a set where drawer slides on laminex. Works a treat. Outer carcass top/bottom and drawer bottom and long edges are all 12mm AB furniture grade ply. All other pieces are 19mm pine.
 
Everything glued and screwed with 75MM 10 guage screws I have left over from a decking project.
 
All covered in marine ply with fridge slide mounted on top. Mounted in the car via 450kg straps to maje it removable, or if you want to go a permanent fitting, use rated turnbuckles instead.
 
works a ripper. Can dig out instructions I loosely followed if you want.

[Renno]

why not make your frame from 25x25mm square Aluminum tube with the connectors? remember mine in the Navara Dave? very light and very strong.



ps. not long now til Brooms Head 

What's this Brooms Head you speak of......  ;-)
Renno 

[MarkGU]

What's this Brooms Head you speak of......  ;-)
Renno 

secret Renno....unless you bring cold beer 

[broncos11]

Don't give up our secret now will you MarkGU!!!!! Although more Myswaggers couldn't be a bad thing could it???

[Renno]

secret Renno....unless you bring cold beer 

Have beer, can travel ;-) I won't tell anyone.........
Renno 

[Gmac52]

Wow Renno you're at Lennox and you don't know of Brooms , sandon is good for fishing a few records were made there by a good ole fisherman, Pollick I think was his name. A beautiful spot all around that area

[Renno]

Wow Renno you're at Lennox and you don't know of Brooms , sandon is good for fishing a few records were made there by a good ole fisherman, Pollick I think was his name. A beautiful spot all around that area

Thanks mate. Actually know Brooms. Go there a fair bit, was a cheeky way of getting an invite ;-)
Renno 

[Stone Stomper]

Hi Dave,

I made mine from building ply 9mm thick and top/base from 12mm just pre-drilling before screwing and also gluing.

Christian

 

[HEM19X]

Dave, 9-12mm is all you need, wouldn't worry about marine ply as it costs a lot more. Christian's setup looks great but a search of the old threads might give some more ideas.

Here's a couple I did for our Courier, note the fridge slide is as low as possible, 'cause we are both vertically challenged.

P.S. The most important thing to do is to make sure everything is square, otherwise you will have problems.





Rears

Hem

[Stone Stomper]

Dave, 9-12mm is all you need, wouldn't worry about marine ply as it costs a lot more. Christian's setup looks great but a search of the old threads might give some more ideas.

Here's a couple I did for our Courier, note the fridge slide is as low as possible, 'cause we are both vertically challenged.

P.S. The most important thing to do is to make sure everything is square, otherwise you will have problems.



Rears

Hem

Looks great Hem, where did you get the handles from I searched everywhere for that type.

Christian

[HEM19X]

Looks great Hem, where did you get the handles from I searched everywhere for that type.

Christian

Christian, got them from Outback Drawers...Had to tell them a little white lie - that I had a set & had to replace a broken one...they would only supply a set of 2!!!

Hem

[WilSurf]

Good looking set up.
Sigh, I still have to do mine.
One day.......

Not sure what to use. I like the qubeloc or what ever you call it. Light and easy. But you still need some ply here and there.

[HEM19X]

Good looking set up.
Sigh, I still have to do mine.
One day.......

Not sure what to use. I like the qubeloc or what ever you call it. Light and easy. But you still need some ply here and there.

You can use thinner ply due to it's structural strength

[Jeepers Creepers]

Good looking job guys.

I wish i could make stuff to turn out that good.
To the point, i wouldn't even attempt that, as it would like its done by a crazy person.

[MarkGU]

here is a couple of pics of mine Dave made with the square tubing as the frame.





i only used 10mm structural ply on the top. had some heavy things sitting on top of those drawers with no dramas.

[WilSurf]

Where is the drawer sliding on?

[MarkGU]

Where is the drawer sliding on?

the drawers are "sliding" on just heavy duty castors with the swivel part removed. the castors are 20kg rated each. they are bolted on they bottom of the drawers. lift the handle at the end and they wheel in. i think from memory the drawers were about 1800mm long and the draw sliders were going to cost more than i made the whole thing for is why i went the way i did them. they were in the navara for 5 years and never had anything go wrong with them. the draws when extended all the way out sat on the tail  gate. of course, this method would be a little more challenging with barn doors.

[oldmate]

Google corelight. A company called nover stock it. It is what I will do my drawers out of. 1/3 the weight of ply, can glue screw nail cut same as ply, but 100% waterproof.

[paulo]

x2 for the Corelight. I made mine out of 16mm all around. My drawers are a beige colour but I believe it is available in black now, which would look pretty good. Glued them together with polyurethane glue and wrapped them in marine carpet using contact glue for the carpet. All waterproof/watertight, I can even use it as an esky in emergency situations.

[Beatle]

Do you really need drawers?  Over the years I've pared down from full sliding drawer setups to a simple false floor/deck, with (quality)plastic tubs as 'drawers'. 
Remove the tubs when not needed.
Have extra tubs pre-packed for different tasks (camping, day beach trips, dives etc)

Every time you pack something into a box, into a box, into a drawer, you waste space.

I've used a few different techniques.  Welded steel frames, alloy tube with those knock-in joiners, or just ply.  If you use a separate frame, the ply can be quite thin.  If all timbe, you need thicker ply for rigidity.

To knock up something fast (which I did three years ago as 'temporary' measure.....) I use aluminium angle, 8-12mm ply for vertical sections, and 15-18-22mm ply for the deck (depends how much support it has underneath)  The alloy angle is bolted along every mating edge and forms a very good straight edge so your ply cuts don't need to be dead accurate.