Drawers for 4wd

Dear all

I'm planning to build myself a set of drawers for my landcruiser. I plan to use 19mm ply but could settle for MDF if it will do the job. I have a design in mind that basically has the car fridge on one side and a couple of drawers on the other sliding on PTFE.

I've realised that my main obstacle is that I don't know how to join the wood together. I need to identify a good edge to edge and edge to face join. I don't have any power tools other than a drill and circular saw - no router or anything. I don't need it to be pretty, as it will all get carpeted over anyway. My main concern is strength. I am wondering whether I should consider reinforcing everything with some sort of external metal fastening like aluminium strip. I was considering using some sort of dowel joints, but by the sounds of it that really won't work with plywood.

I don't have much woodworking experience - very little in fact, but keen to learn. I've looked through the forum messages and found some great info, just need a little more to kick me off.

Phil

i did reinforce the joints of my 4wd draws with slotted angle. mine have lasted 4 years so far they have survived all my trips. I made them out of 16mm ply wood glued & bolted with gutter bolts. mdf does not hold together good enough for me as my first set did fall apart. good hint is to make it modular if you are going to remove it from the 4wd between trips as I do. So you can handle them by your self when taking them out mine take 15 mins to fit each time I put them in
Regards Michael

Thanks coffenup

Your suggestion to make it modular is gold, I didn't think about how difficult it would be to install/remove by myself. I'm interested to see you managed with 16mm ply. Did you just glue end to end and rely upon the slotted angle for the main strength? Also did you put the angle on the outside or inside?

Thanks, Phil

the angle is on the inside & I also glued the plywood together as i fastened the angle with the coach bolts will take photos tomorrow it is basic but it works. i carpeted the outside to 1 hide the bolt heads & 2 to keep them all together

regards Michael

Hi Michael, very good to offer the photos, would love to see em.

Cheers, Phil

Here's what I did in my Troopy. The height was to suit second/third batteries down the side. The drawers are 2 metres long and made from 12mm ply. The middle divider and two outside walls are two 12mm ply glued/nailed together. I did my own slides with the use roller bearings and steel C channel. Its been in the Troopy for at least 10 years and has not been a problem. The left drawer is where I store all my recovery gear/winch etc.
I also replaced the original thin masonite wall panels with 12mm ply.

Hi rod1949

Thanks for the photos, most helpful. Reaffirms my decision to go with ply.

Phil