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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Melbourne
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    35

    Default Reccomend me a timber for a bike box

    I want to make a box to go on the back of my bicycle to put shopping etc in. I plan to put a bit of time into it, cut dovetail joins, etc. Can you reccomend me a timber that is:

    - Nice to look at once oiled.
    - Is not too heavy, I don't want to add too much weight onto the bike.
    - Is inexpensive.

    Cheers

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
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    3,019

    Default

    Softwood pallet boards of an appropriate thickness. Might pay to study up on the meaning of the various markings you get on pallets though. Some of them can be treated with some nasties.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    35

    Default

    Pallet boards are made from pine aren't they? I was hoping for something a bit more sturdy and something that will oil up nicely.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    back in Alberta for a while
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    68
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    12,006

    Default

    your best option is probably 3/8" ply with nailed or screwed butt joints
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Thornton NSW
    Posts
    456

    Default

    As Ian says, ply is the best choice. If it's just a carry box on the rear rack, 6mm hardwood marine ply is plenty strong enough and will finish nicely. The Dutch cargo bikes called backfietsen use 12mm ply for the box but are strong enough to carry 80kg or more, a rack box might hold only 10-12kg of shopping in comparison. Cut some timber strips to glue in the corners for extra bracing.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    Mornington Peninsula
    Posts
    2,741

    Default

    Ply is what I would use for strength and weight considerations.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Perth WA Australia
    Posts
    828

    Default

    I feel like the requirements you've specified are at odds and vague.

    words like nice, heavy and inexpensive are all subjective.

    I also feel like your requirements are at odds with each other, as nice and inexpensive often do not go hand in hand. Plus given that the average bike probably weighs around 10kg, a solid wood box would weigh approx 5kg which IMO is considerable amount of weight.

    However given that the requirements are as is, i'd also recommend Ply would be your best option. Obviously this won't satisfy your requirements of spending some time on it, but you could get around this by making a solid wood frame with whatever joinery you wish to use and line the inside with ply.

    I'd also avoid using any hardwoods, as you'll want something that has some flex in it, given that its going on the back of a bike which will be subjected to bumps and shocks having a hardwood will ultimately end it with it potentially splitting. Plus hardwoods are also heavy.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Blue Mountains, Australia
    Posts
    462

    Default

    Marine ply is strong, light and the endgrain is pretty oiled.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    McBride BC Canada
    Posts
    3,543

    Default

    I'll bet you can't walk your bike through the stores. Outside, how secure is your lock? How attractive is the box? How tempting is the theft?
    Every day, you will find "just one more thing" to haul along in the box and it will begin to show some wear and tear.
    You can't put your fist through pallet pine. Strong enough and economical. Some of it should show really attractive knot patterns.
    All I see here (the village is railroad flat and level) are really big wire mesh basket carriers.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

    Default

    Give cedar consideration.

    On gumtree I have an active search for cedar and it comes up most days. Nice wide beams for nix. It's easy to work, super light and is attractive. Here in Canberra it was massively used for windows, decks and pagodas, often unpainted and occasionally oiled... If it lasts 20 years in the weather it will be fine on your bike.

    It is being replaced with renovations, so often just given away, so the price is right.

    it can be a bit problematic on machining though, so just be careful with tear outs, but with hand tools it's fine.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast
    Age
    70
    Posts
    2,730

    Default

    Some North American pallets are made from timbers like oregon, spruce, hemlock, white pine, etc and some pretty, fine straight grained timbers can be found if you keep looking. They come up quite well with an oil finish, check out some of the pallet projects here and elsewhere on the net. I think they'd be a quite suitable source for the smallish sizes you would need for a bike box if you want cheap and don't want wire or plastic.
    Franklin

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    back in Alberta for a while
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    68
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    12,006

    Default

    Pallet wood assumes the OP has tools and skill to turn pallet wood into boards suitable for making a light weight box.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  14. #13
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
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    3,019

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    Pallet wood assumes the OP has tools and skill to turn pallet wood into boards suitable for making a light weight box.
    The OP also states that he possibly wants to cut dovetail joints for it. On that basis I assumed that he has the equipment/skills to use solid timber, but you know what they say about making assumptions!

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