building drawer boxes to maximize (internal) space
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Holmz
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Along the line of metal... What about the same concept using pre made fibreglass sheet?
Then epoxy the corners with a piece of angle (metal or a fibreglass 90 degree), and maybe rivet the corners to prevent peeling the joint apart...
Or use Sikaflex.
Or see if there is something like 3/8 square stock with pre tapped holes to screw into for attaching sides to bottom?
Then epoxy the corners with a piece of angle (metal or a fibreglass 90 degree), and maybe rivet the corners to prevent peeling the joint apart...
Or use Sikaflex.
Or see if there is something like 3/8 square stock with pre tapped holes to screw into for attaching sides to bottom?
Holmz said:
Thanks Holmz, it's a possibility, BUT I'm making it an absolute design requirement that there is no internal reinforcement (unless extremely thin) - external is okay. Basically 3/8" square stock in each corner wastes 3/4" of width and 3/4" of depth, completely defeating the original goal of maximum volume - it's far worse than just using 12mm ply for the walls.
Stainless is a hard metal and will be a pain for the fabricator. The benefit is stainless can be TIG welded, vs few will want to weld galvanized metals, so pop rivets would be used, or find someone with a fresh air welding hood.Paul G said:
So this ABS "electronics tower", as I call it, was drawn up in CAD, then cut on a CNC. Drawer boxes are not going to require a CNC by any means. It has a Hawker Odyssey AGM battery inside, which along with GPS, radio, etc, weighs in at 30lbs. The handle is bolted to the side and doesn't even deflect when carried. Small square strips were cut on the tablesaw, and used to strengthen it by gluing them into all the corners. You could jump up and down on it without it breaking. It was built to take a beating while beach recovering the boat. Edges were routed on a router table to soften them.
Cheese
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Just a compilation of bits and pieces...
[member=50292]Peter_C[/member], nice construct on the electronics tower, it looks like it belongs. [thumbs up]
Stainless would be be my preferred material, however, the stuff is tougher than nails to fabricate unless you have the tools and you find someone who has the experience in working with the stuff. If you can shear/cut/bend 18 gauge steel, using stainless reduces that tool’s capability to 20-22 gauge.
Also, using any tooling (drills, punches, wire brushes, grinding wheels, abrasive belts) that was previously used on steel products is a no-no. If you do, you’ll still have rust issues, as the iron molecules gathered from the previous steel machining operations will simply be deposited on the stainless, (unless it’s acid etched or electro polished) that’s one of the reasons that having stainless experience is a plus. Those guys keep their stainless tools/tooling separated from iron based tooling. I know of 2 local stainless fabricators that refuse to fab ANY steel project because they don't want to take the risk of cross contamination. They're USDA certified for the dairy industry.
I work with both stainless and aluminum...I prefer the finished results I get with stainless...however I prefer working with aluminum. Basically any of your woodworking tools can be used to fabricate aluminum. Consider it to be just a harder form of Jatoba. [big grin]
Drills, counter sinks, carbide router bits, saw blades even band saw blades used for woodworking can all be used on aluminum. Stainless really does require cobalt tooling and machine tools that are capable of a reduction of 75-80% in rotational/lineal speed.
On a different front, purging the moisture from the interior of the vehicle will not be a trivial task. As Gregor suggested, as effective as moisture barriers are in keeping moisture out...they are equally effective in keeping moisture in. The tighter you seal the enclosure, the more the issue arises. Add humans, pets, cooking, plants they all add to the problem especially in a smaller contained environment.
However, all of this is not to dissuade you...let the fun begin. [cool]
On an entirely different front, if you need to paint
something on the exterior (or for that matter, interior) to prevent rust from forming, consider POR-15. It will actually encapsulate the metal in a protective polymer shell. Incredible stuff. You have a hard time chiseling the coating off the substrate. [tongue]
[member=50292]Peter_C[/member], nice construct on the electronics tower, it looks like it belongs. [thumbs up]
Stainless would be be my preferred material, however, the stuff is tougher than nails to fabricate unless you have the tools and you find someone who has the experience in working with the stuff. If you can shear/cut/bend 18 gauge steel, using stainless reduces that tool’s capability to 20-22 gauge.
Also, using any tooling (drills, punches, wire brushes, grinding wheels, abrasive belts) that was previously used on steel products is a no-no. If you do, you’ll still have rust issues, as the iron molecules gathered from the previous steel machining operations will simply be deposited on the stainless, (unless it’s acid etched or electro polished) that’s one of the reasons that having stainless experience is a plus. Those guys keep their stainless tools/tooling separated from iron based tooling. I know of 2 local stainless fabricators that refuse to fab ANY steel project because they don't want to take the risk of cross contamination. They're USDA certified for the dairy industry.
I work with both stainless and aluminum...I prefer the finished results I get with stainless...however I prefer working with aluminum. Basically any of your woodworking tools can be used to fabricate aluminum. Consider it to be just a harder form of Jatoba. [big grin]
Drills, counter sinks, carbide router bits, saw blades even band saw blades used for woodworking can all be used on aluminum. Stainless really does require cobalt tooling and machine tools that are capable of a reduction of 75-80% in rotational/lineal speed.
On a different front, purging the moisture from the interior of the vehicle will not be a trivial task. As Gregor suggested, as effective as moisture barriers are in keeping moisture out...they are equally effective in keeping moisture in. The tighter you seal the enclosure, the more the issue arises. Add humans, pets, cooking, plants they all add to the problem especially in a smaller contained environment.
However, all of this is not to dissuade you...let the fun begin. [cool]
On an entirely different front, if you need to paint
something on the exterior (or for that matter, interior) to prevent rust from forming, consider POR-15. It will actually encapsulate the metal in a protective polymer shell. Incredible stuff. You have a hard time chiseling the coating off the substrate. [tongue]
Holmz
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Cheese said:?..
On an entirely different front, if you need to paint
Yeah Cheese...
Just got an older 4x4... The POR stuff is not cheap, but I got a gallon!
grobkuschelig
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I can’t really add anything to the general discussion, but as a side-note, if you have a moisture-problem, take some old socks (no holes!) and fill them with fresh cat litter.
It is purpose built for moisture extraction and works like a charm!
I always keep a couple of those in my car and have never had problems with interior moisture build-up ever since.
To avoid strange questions, store them out of sight, underneath seats etc...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
It is purpose built for moisture extraction and works like a charm!
I always keep a couple of those in my car and have never had problems with interior moisture build-up ever since.
To avoid strange questions, store them out of sight, underneath seats etc...
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
Just for reference, Lexan is a brand name for a polycarbonate, a toughened plastic that is bendable and virtually unbreakable. Plexiglass is a brand name for acrylic. Acrylics are breakable and can only be bent by heating. Polycarbonate surfaces, tougher, are also softer and scratch easier than acrylics. ABS is a tough, soft plastic, and more bendable than acrylics... your vehicle dash and doors and virtually all interior surfaces (except in your Bently) are colored ABS. This is not a Wikipedia source, I've been selling and fabricating plastics for the last 37 years and stock all of the above mentioned materials.
Kreg has the little pocket hole screws and jig insert and bit for 1/2" ply to 1/2" ply. I've used them on several drawer projects and they work very well. Even on large deep drawers 10" tall 28" wide various depths. On small drawers they are the perfect. And they are hidden of course by the drawer front. They only have fine threads which are easy to strip on ply so I set my drill to a very low torque. But they snug up nice an tight and hold well.
If you attach the bottom with the sides flush instead of the bottom to hide the plys. Use the 1/2" pocket screws. Or you could miter it. Mitering plywood yields a much stronger joint. And now that I think of it I'm going to try that myself next time.
If you attach the bottom with the sides flush instead of the bottom to hide the plys. Use the 1/2" pocket screws. Or you could miter it. Mitering plywood yields a much stronger joint. And now that I think of it I'm going to try that myself next time.
