I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg. They now
sell 3 ply with one side good and the other with splits and such.
Would 3/8" sheets of MDF be OK? I'm planning for the sides to be half
inch jarrah fence palings that I've planed to size, epoxied to the top
of the base sheet perimeter and epoxied mitre joints at the corners -
I know, wouldn't dovetails be nice, well, depends if I get inspired
before I start :) jack
[email protected] wrote:
> I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
> They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
> I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
> and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg. They now
> sell 3 ply with one side good and the other with splits and such.
> Would 3/8" sheets of MDF be OK? I'm planning for the sides to be half
> inch jarrah fence palings that I've planed to size, epoxied to the top
> of the base sheet perimeter and epoxied mitre joints at the corners -
> I know, wouldn't dovetails be nice, well, depends if I get inspired
> before I start :) jack
You aren't going to like the dust that cutting that much MDF would
generate. Trust me on this; I just finished milling my countertop
substrates from MDF. That dust gets everywhere. In addition the weight and
sag potential, I would think that you would want to find a different
supplier for 5 ply plywood.
--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
> They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
> I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
> and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg.
Use the existing 3/8" for drawer bottoms, especially for 2'x3' drawers.
Forget the borg as a supplier.
Find a distributor who sells 1/2" 9 ply for drawer sides and backs.
3/4" fronts, wood of choice, I'd consider 3/4 (13 Ply) plywood.
Dovetails not required, interlocked dados cut with a table saw will do the
job for joints.
Sounds like these drawers will be asked to hold some weight. What kind of
drawer slides are you considering?
Lew
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I've got a bunch of high temper 1" x 1" x 1/8" aluminium angle.
I was planning on having this top and bottom so the drawers can be
slid out a fair way and not sag, and then liberally applying paste
wax.
>I got the originals fairly cheap at our borg (Bunnings in Australia)=20
Problem with a ply supplier here (Perth) is that they are usually very
expensive, and supply in 8' x 4' single sheets if you are lucky. I was
once quoted for a pallet of top grade marine ply. Then it is so much
hassle for me to cut the bloody stuff accurately.
Ah Perth, where "The Doctor" comes in every afternoon.
(Yes, I'm a sailor)
You need marine ply like a "roo" need a shopping cart.
Total overkill for this job.
What kind of pricing do you get on either Finnish or Russsian
birch plywood?
Around here it is sold in 60"x60" sheets.
1/2"(9 ply) is commonly used for drawer sides and backs.
>I already have heaps of 4" x 1/2" jarrah, which if you don't know it
is hard and tough as the hobs of hell. A relative that they also use
for palings (fence pickets) here once bent all the teeth on my jack
saw when I was cutting old palings up for fire wood. I couldn't break
the bloody stuff with my 200# jumping on it in hobnail boots resting
one end on a brick. It damned near sent me into orbit :) No wonder
the termites don't like it. Jarrah is not quite that tough, but can
be, if selected right.
Can you machine Jarrah or is it like some stuff we have in the US known
as "Ironwood"?
About the only thing it is good for is shoring.
Trying to machine ironwood is a waste of time and money.
Cutting plywood sheets to size is NBD, if you have either a circular saw
or a jig (saber) saw and a straight edge.
Cut a little proud (1/4"), then clean up at the table saw.
>Anyways, epoxy mitre joints are probably easier for me, and will use
less glue and still be strong enough to hold a truck gearbox :)
If you are talking about trying to glue 45 degree miters together, even
with epoxy it will be a weak joint.
About the only way to make that joint strong is to add some glass cloth
which would be a real PITA.
Interlocked dadoes are easy to cut on a table saw and are a time proven
method of building drawers.
Lew
On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:23:52 -0700, Mark & Juanita
<[email protected]> wrote:
>[email protected] wrote:
>
>> I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
>> They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
>> I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
>> and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg. They now
>> sell 3 ply with one side good and the other with splits and such.
>> Would 3/8" sheets of MDF be OK? I'm planning for the sides to be half
>> inch jarrah fence palings that I've planed to size, epoxied to the top
>> of the base sheet perimeter and epoxied mitre joints at the corners -
>> I know, wouldn't dovetails be nice, well, depends if I get inspired
>> before I start :) jack
>
> You aren't going to like the dust that cutting that much MDF would
>generate. Trust me on this; I just finished milling my countertop
>substrates from MDF. That dust gets everywhere. In addition the weight and
>sag potential, I would think that you would want to find a different
>supplier for 5 ply plywood.
The MDF will need no cutting or milling. I can buy the accurately cut
3'x2' sheets as cheaply as a big sheet.
Will the sag be much of a problem over 3'x2' with a 1" or 3" high x
1/2" thick jarrah side glued around the perimeter?
My question was really how will the ply compare to the MDF wrt this
glue joint? I've never used MDF before.
On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:56:59 -0800, "Lew Hodgett"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
>> They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
>> I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
>> and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg.
>
>Use the existing 3/8" for drawer bottoms, especially for 2'x3' drawers.
>
>Forget the borg as a supplier.
>
>Find a distributor who sells 1/2" 9 ply for drawer sides and backs.
>
>3/4" fronts, wood of choice, I'd consider 3/4 (13 Ply) plywood.
>
>Dovetails not required, interlocked dados cut with a table saw will do the
>job for joints.
>
>Sounds like these drawers will be asked to hold some weight. What kind of
>drawer slides are you considering?
Thanks, Lew.
I've got a bunch of high temper 1" x 1" x 1/8" aluminium angle.
I was planning on having this top and bottom so the drawers can be
slid out a fair way and not sag, and then liberally applying paste
wax.
I got the originals fairly cheap at our borg (Bunnings in Australia)
Problem with a ply supplier here (Perth) is that they are usually very
expensive, and supply in 8' x 4' single sheets if you are lucky. I was
once quoted for a pallet of top grade marine ply. Then it is so much
hassle for me to cut the bloody stuff accurately.
I already have heaps of 4" x 1/2" jarrah, which if you don't know it
is hard and tough as the hobs of hell. A relative that they also use
for palings (fence pickets) here once bent all the teeth on my jack
saw when I was cutting old palings up for fire wood. I couldn't break
the bloody stuff with my 200# jumping on it in hobnail boots resting
one end on a brick. It damned near sent me into orbit :) No wonder
the termites don't like it. Jarrah is not quite that tough, but can
be, if selected right.
Anyways, epoxy mitre joints are probably easier for me, and will use
less glue and still be strong enough to hold a truck gearbox :)
jack
I would look at the ply, regardless of the number of plys. The drawers
should be painted on the inside with oil base paint. This will help in
dumping the metal chips and the cleaning up of the oil that will stray into
them. I just replaced my MDF (unpainted) drawers with ply, on my metal
lathe for this reason. Also the painted drawers make it easier for me to see
and find smaller items.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I want to make some drawers/trays for under my metal lathe bench.
> They will be 2' x 3' and 1" up to 4" deep.
> I have four "handy" sheets of 5 ply "exterior" 2' x 3' x 9mm (3/8")
> and can't seem to find any more similar at our local borg. They now
> sell 3 ply with one side good and the other with splits and such.
> Would 3/8" sheets of MDF be OK? I'm planning for the sides to be half
> inch jarrah fence palings that I've planed to size, epoxied to the top
> of the base sheet perimeter and epoxied mitre joints at the corners -
> I know, wouldn't dovetails be nice, well, depends if I get inspired
> before I start :) jack