Cabinet / Storage Unit for Campervan

scrapsmac

Hi Folks,

first time poster but relatively long time lurker. I would appreciate some advice on my first project.

I am attempting to plan and build a storage unit / cabinet unit in my campervan by myself. To date I have very limited experience of woodwork with exception of cutting the odd piece of ply.

I am looking for functionality over appearance and mainly to learn from the experience. I would like the cabinet to run down one side of the van and to have a couple of cubby holes and presses within.

Tools wise, I plan to get a circular saw and decent measuring gear. I am in no rush to complete this project so I want to take all the advice I can get and do it right!

I presume the trick will be to build a decent frame first and then finish with 10-12mm ply?

tabby aspreme

You could make it from18mm birch ply , no frame needed

kadman

Depending on the size of the unit, if weight is going to be an issue,
then the material normally used in camper unit construction is Vohringer
plywood.

But its a crazy price. If weight wont be an issue, then as suggested, plywood
or MDF.

RobAMerc

As previously stated 18mm ply should be good enough without a frame.

I've built lots of bits and bobs over the years, but if I am honest, the most success I've had was by measuring it and planning it properly and then having the wood cut by the pros.
I then simply need to assemble it ( well there is normally a bit more to it than that ) but you'll spend more time finishing it to look right than trying to make up for slip ups you made on the cutting.

best of luck, and dont be afraid to chuck it and start again, thats what the word prototype was invented for !

scrapsmac

Thanks lads.

To be honest it's an old campervan so weight will help deaden the vibrations if anything!

I could give the job to a local carpenter but I prefer getting hands-on and trying these things first (usually failing but isn't that half the fun)

kadman

What make camper van??

recipio

12 mm ply is usually strong enough for this kind of construction and of course lighter. You need some system for cutting the ply dead square - a table saw is ideal. The exposed edges need covering unless you use good quality baltic birch ply which is attractive in its own right. Lastly, for the price of a sheet of good quality ply you could buy a pocket hole jig which will make the whole operation a lot easier.;)

scrapsmac

recipio wrote: »

12 mm ply is usually strong enough for this kind of construction and of course lighter. You need some system for cutting the ply dead square - a table saw is ideal. The exposed edges need covering unless you use good quality baltic birch ply which is attractive in its own right. Lastly, for the price of a sheet of good quality ply you could buy a pocket hole jig which will make the whole operation a lot easier.;)

Don't have the space or money for a decent table saw at the moment so I planned on getting a circular saw.

The pocket hole jig looks nifty. Can I ask what benefit is there to using one instead of simply driving screws through? I'm a total noob to woodcraft apologies!

kadman

Small table saw from Aldi/Lidl is probably a similar price to a hand held skilsaw.

You can enlarge the table by adding a false ply top.

If you are on a budget.

recipio

scrapsmac wrote: »

Don't have the space or money for a decent table saw at the moment so I planned on getting a circular saw.

The pocket hole jig looks nifty. Can I ask what benefit is there to using one instead of simply driving screws through? I'm a total noob to woodcraft apologies!

Whatever system you use to cut the ply, it needs to be totally accurate - there's nothing worse than finding a panel is a few mm out when trying to assemble a few dozen pieces. The pocket hole jig allows you to insert panels from the 'inside' eg shelves for a locker and then cover the holes with plastic inserts. This is way neater than having exposed screws on the 'outside' of a cabinet and a lot easier too.;)

scrapsmac

Thanks for all the advice guys. I really appreciate it!

I will probably knock up a frame as there will be a lot of vibration from the engine and a frame may provide some extra structural reinforcement. For cost reasons I may also use mdf for the side panels and top.

I am not too bothered by exposed screws to be honest - if you saw the rest of the van you would see why!

I swung by our local LIDL and could not find any table saws. I will probably go with this circular saw from screwfix:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb455csw-185mm-circular-saw-220-240v/45917

Would you have any recommendations for any work tables / benches?

recipio

You may as well use some kind of panel board which will come in 12" and 16" widths etc and avoid having to do long cuts. A miter saw with the table on top would do everything else and maintain accuracy. If you do get a pocket hole jig they can be used to screw frames together and are surprisingly strong.

scrapsmac

recipio wrote: »

You may as well use some kind of panel board which will come in 12" and 16" widths etc and avoid having to do long cuts. A miter saw with the table on top would do everything else and maintain accuracy. If you do get a pocket hole jig they can be used to screw frames together and are surprisingly strong.

do you mean a mitre saw with saw stand?

recipio

No, I mean something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk evolutionFURY62102.
Its about the cheapest combination of crosscutting and ripping you will get.Must learn to post links.;)

scrapsmac

recipio wrote: »

No, I mean something like this http://www.amazon.co.uk evolutionFURY62102.
Its about the cheapest combination of crosscutting and ripping you will get.Must learn to post links.;)

Thanks! I'll give this a lash and see how it all goes.