composite or synthetic plastic wood alternative for drawers/ box ?

[Kmehr]

So I tried searching, but all I came up with was was people using different things to make a camper. I've read about Nilacore before and it seems like a great material. My questions is: what are people using as an alternative to wood in making their boxes and drawer systems? There are some incredible designs on here, but looks like most people use wood and they look really heavy! Are there any cost effective alternatives to wood?

 

[proper4wd]

I'd like to do an aluminum frame with starboard panels. Starboard is relatively heavy as well but just about anything durable enough will have some weight to it, short of 100% aluminum.

 

[Kmehr]

I saw a 3M product called Reinforced Polyurethane Foam that is much lighter, but crazy expensive http://machinedesign.com/plastics-and-composites/lighter-alternative-plywood

 

[Woodsman]

I've searched high and low and talked to reps from airplane cabinet makers to plastics manufacturers.

There are options but most are just as heavy or heavier and if they are lighter they are always much more costly than plywood.

It's really tough to beat a well-constructed wood unit.

 

[Kmehr]

I've searched high and low and talked to reps from airplane cabinet makers to plastics manufacturers.

There are options but most are just as heavy or heavier and if they are lighter they are always much more costly than plywood.

It's really tough to beat a well-constructed wood unit.

Good to know. My truck isn't even on the road yet, but I'm already planning out my camper setup. Guess I'll just stick to wood- I've got all the access to tools for wood anyways!

 

[Bojak]

Go plywood. Use a cabinet grade. Don't over size for each part, an upright out of 1/2" is plent strong. Wood on a lateral may need to be 3/4" if useing a center divider / support but 1/2" if you go with 3 drawers wide instead of 2. The extra divider / support cuts down on your horizontal span allowing thinner material. Go back and lay out holes in verticle supports and remove with a whole saw. Smooth all edges and coat with anything from paint to resin. Look up torsion box construction for light weight but strong wood construction as well.

 

[cruiserpilot]

^^what Bojak says. High quality cabinet plywood is rigid, and light. Don't overbuild as seems to be common. Depending on
the abuse of course. You got kids, dogs and heavy toys and gear, then it makes a difference. I travel solo, so I can make stuff that to some would
appear flimsy, but after 20 yrs still seem to be holding together.

 

[Dan4self]

Maybe thin sheets of phenolic.

 

[Woodsman]

To expand on the two posts above:

1) Baltic birch is great but is heavier than standard "cabinet grade/hardwood" plywood. If you buy "cabinet grade/hardwood" plywood, try to get poplar core. It is stronger, lays flatter and the plies won't separate like fir core plywoods will.
2) One advantage of baltic birch is that it often comes in 5/8" thickness (or the metric equivalent anyways) whereas hardwood plywood normally comes only in 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4". The 5/8" is strong enough for tops.
3) If you go three drawers wide to save weight on the top panel, the added vertical side panels, drawer parts and slides will end up adding as much weight as you saved . . . but you'll end up with smaller, less useful drawers.
4) Torsion box construction has the potential to be lighter. However, this construction method results in thicker panels which use up valuable space.

5) Glue with screws, rabbets, dadoes, tenons etc are your friend. Butt joints with pocket screws are fast but are the very weakest.

6) Rather than turning panels into swiss cheese, I like to route out (relieve or hollow out) areas which are not structural but I don't route all the way through.

 

[srschick]

I saw a 3M product called Reinforced Polyurethane Foam that is much lighter, but crazy expensive http://machinedesign.com/plastics-and-composites/lighter-alternative-plywood

Holy $hit, you're not kidding about the "crazy expensive" part!

http://www.noahsmarine.com/items.asp?Cc=3MPanel

 

[Kmehr]

Holy $hit, you're not kidding about the "crazy expensive" part!

http://www.noahsmarine.com/items.asp?Cc=3MPanel

yeah I don't know who could afford to use that stuff!

Thanks a lot for all of the information, this is all very helpful!