Thread: Camp Kitchen "Grub Box"

Don't mean to deter you but to use it in a camping situation it seems to be a bulky and probably heavy item that would not be to any great advantage.

Depends what kind of camping you are doing I guess. I think it looks great, hopefully someone will be able to help you with your questions.

James.

Originally Posted by rod1949

Don't mean to deter you but to use it in a camping situation it seems to be a bulky and probably heavy item that would not be to any great advantage.

It is made from roughly one sheet of ply-wood, give or take. So I reckon 20-25 kgs, fully loaded would be about right.

There is nothing in it that I wouldn't be taking along anyway, except at the moment it is in plastic tubs, and not very well organised. We spent half our time whilst camping fossiking around looking for utensils or something or other..... this way, it is all laid out.

I don't know the relative strengths of each of the joints mentioned (or this suggestion), particularly for a loaded and heavy box that will be moved, but if you're doing the dadoes for the shelves how about locking rebates for the corners while you're at it?

Jayson
the stool looks like it uses finger joints
the box, seems to only have rebate joints -- almost certainly held together with screws

I am not aware of you skills or tools.
If it was me I would be using a tongue and groove type join and as ian said use screws.

Originally Posted by ian

Jayson
the stool looks like it uses finger joints
the box, seems to only have rebate joints -- almost certainly held together with screws

Cheers!

Regarding the rebate joints, would they be strong enough? Can you use screws with plywood? or would dowels be better?

Jayson

Originally Posted by Handyjack

I am not aware of you skills or tools.
If it was me I would be using a tongue and groove type join and as ian said use screws.

I have a fair number of tools, biscuit cutter, table saw, plus the usual handsaws, drills, clamps etc.

Skills, on the other hand, a lacking. Mostly I have done building jobs like decks and patios, not so much furniture.

By Tongue and groove do you mean using fillets?

Cheers

Jayson

By tongue and groove I put a groove on one piece and then rebate the other. The remaining "tongue" then fits into the groove. This is to give the join a bit more strength than a plain butt joint. I use a router and try and put the groove about 1/2 the thickness of the timber but the percentage will vary on what bit I have. A rebate bit makes the second half easy, but can be done with a straight bit. The more accurate the routing the better the join. Set up and practice on the same size scrap before going production. I do not have a router table. You may be able to produce a similar result doing multiple passes on the saw table.

Yes you can use screws in plywood.

After doing more research, I am thinking this:

The base "stool' would be under the most pressure, as it is used as the handles when lifting the box, as well as obviously, the base of the cupboard. Therefore I am thinking I will use a Rabbet Join with Splines, using Titebond and a few screws on each of the corners, the base top piece will be a dado, glued and screwed.

The top cupboard piece: I figure the most important joins here are the corners of the box, so again I thought Rabbet, etc, the same as above.

The doors I thought titebond and brade-nailed, or would screws be better?

And lastly the drawers, I figure glue and brads, with screws for the front draw-pull would be the go.

Is using Joins, glue, screws and splines over-kill?

Is it best to pre-drill screws into 12mm ply? I am a bit worried about splitting the ply as I screw into the end-grain.

Cheers

Jayson

Originally Posted by Spelunx

Regarding the rebate joints, would they be strong enough? Can you use screws with plywood? or would dowels be better?

Originally Posted by Spelunx

I have a fair number of tools, biscuit cutter, table saw, plus the usual handsaws, drills, clamps etc.

Skills, on the other hand, a lacking. Mostly I have done building jobs like decks and patios, not so much furniture.

By Tongue and groove do you mean using fillets?

Jayson

whilst I haven't seen the plan for your particular "grub box", the materials and construction looks similar to what I've seen elsewhere.

Typically the units are designed to be built using a table saw (with or without a dado blade), power drill and screw driver. A router can substitute for the table saw, you just have to build a jig or two to guide it.
I'd only use biscuits if I wanted to mitre the corners -- but that's a lot of work both cutting them accurately and clamping them together

Screws. Half a dozen #8 steel screws will be strong enough

Originally Posted by Handyjack

By tongue and groove I put a groove on one piece and then rebate the other. The remaining "tongue" then fits into the groove. This is to give the join a bit more strength than a plain butt joint. I use a router and try and put the groove about 1/2 the thickness of the timber but the percentage will vary on what bit I have. A rebate bit makes the second half easy, but can be done with a straight bit. The more accurate the routing the better the join. Set up and practice on the same size scrap before going production. I do not have a router table. You may be able to produce a similar result doing multiple passes on the saw table.

Yes you can use screws in plywood.

Cheers!

So the joint looks like this:

Spot on.
I have made (small) boxes where the joint has been so spot on that I needed to tap the parts to separate them prior to gluing. Your material will be under more stress and weight so glue and screw. Screws have more holding power than nails due to the thread. If you are worried about splitting, then it is better to pre drill holes for the screws.
Hope the grub box turns out as you hope. You may even end up with a few pieces of wood for a camp fire - hopefully not too many.

Having made a grub box (or 'chuck box' as our US friends call them), I cheated and bought the plans... try Googling 'Blue Sky Kitchens'. He seems to have a good range of ideas, and although the plans are imperial they are pretty easily adapted.
And yes they are on the heavy side, but if you are just car camping they are still great for keeping things sorted and pack away neatly.