Ply cupboard making tools question

[hairy]

1st post. Mentioning plywood too so probably off to a bad start??

Anyhow, I'm soon to fit out our campervan. At the moment it's an empty box, so dinette, bunk beds, kitchen cupboard etc.

Marine, or maybe Vohringer to save weight, ply to minimise temperature and moisture distortion issues my lack of knowledge hopes.

If I make the kitchen three door cupboard out of 10mm, and if I cut the door apertures to for instance 500mm wide by 800mm tall then I aim to cut the doors maybe 30mm bigger both ways to overlap the gap and cover any movement or distortion. I could then cut out the middle of the doors and fill in (rear mounted) maybe 5mm ply to again save weight. So the door will be a kind of window frame, and proud of the cupboard surface. Rounded corners perhaps.

To give a bit of contrast I would like to rout all around the door edges with an approx 10mm radius quarter circle, exposing the ply layer colours. Maybe the edge of the cupboard door cut out too to match.

I currently have a cheapish jigsaw and a knackered circular saw, and I have made some cupboards previously that my Mum would be proud of. Others maybe not so much

Future projects include a double bed on stilts with a dinette under, and a 5m radius quarter circle sofa both for the house. Maybe new shed roof joists too.

I've never used a router before.

If I cut the door apertures and doors with a jigsaw and then rout, can I use the router cut to straighten out the jigsaw wiggle, or does it have to follow what's there? I know a plunge saw will produce a lovely line, but is that a waste of cash if I then rout that cut?

Will any router do? Do I need a super dooper table/jig thing for it?

If I did buy a plunge saw, will it do everything a circular saw did or would cutting particle board sheets for instance sensibly still be a circular saw job?

Any other suggestions or comments welcomed

Jason

 

[MikeG.]

Welcome to the forum, Jason.

If you only have just a handful of "cheapish and knackered" power tools, and "lack knowledge" then this job may be a step too far. I certainly wouldn't want to tackle such a project with what you describe. One cross-grain cut in ply with a jigsaw should be enough to tell you that!!

I would suggest you buy yourself some basic hand-tools, some PAR timber from a Builder's Merchant (not from B&Q or other shed) and start experimenting. I'd be pretty sure you won't end up with a sheet of ply cut into a frame over another sheet of ply for your cupboard doors. Personally, given your starting-point, I'd consider sliding doors, which could just be a sheet of thin ply, and work well in a campervan.

 

[hairy]

Hiya

Thank you for the reply and advice

This campervan will be taken on rough roads, so sliding doors would need to be fixed in place for zero bounce while driving. Sand and grit will eat the exposed runners.

And I'd still have to cut a nice square hole for the door, even if I line the cut edge with some sort of plastic strip like nearly every camper in existence.

I know my knowledge and tools are not up to it at the moment, but if I don't give it a go how will I improve?! And considering the space, time and projects that have just opened up for me, I need to start somewhere!

 

[jnw010]

Router + a straight edge to guide it = straight lines.

If I was you I would spend some time watching youtube, studying how others are doing it with basic tools, and see what the results are like.
You mention having a knackered circular saw - getting a new decent quality blade can make a huge difference, and again with a straight edge you can achieve accurate and neat cuts.

It'll be a learning curve for sure, but that's part of the fun right?

 

[Alexam]

Hi Jason. Thats a huge challenge as someone starting up and with few tools to hand. I only started woodworking in a small way 4 years ago and wouldn't think of trying that much myself, but then I'm an 'oldie' and that would probably kill me off, particularly in your neck of the woods.

However, when I started, I knew nothing and learned a great deal from watching videos on the tube. It's surprising how much can be learned, although putting it into practice may be something else.

You should get lots of help on here as you progress, but ask questions as you go because all the knowledge you need can be found on this site. It would be good if you can take a few photos as you progress and put them up here so we can all see you moving forward. A great project to get you started. Good luck.
Malcolm

 

[MikeG.]

.....This campervan will be taken on rough roads.......

Where are you going?

 

[hairy]

Morocco first, or maybe a little further south than that, then Eastern Europe, or maybe a bit further east than that. Hopefully!

 

[dickm]

Son-in-law has now fitted out two VW campers with me as assistant, so we have a bit of experience. Key things are probably weight and precision in measuring, as the interior of yr average van isn't blessed with many straight lines. Between us, we are pretty fully kitted out with wood and metal working tools. Wouldn't say it's impossible with the OP's tool set, but it will be a challenge.

 

[MikeG.]

Morocco first, or maybe a little further south than that, then Eastern Europe, or maybe a bit further east than that. Hopefully!

Large parts of Morocco are perfectly reachable with an ordinary van. However, if you want to explore say out through the back of Todra gorge or the myriad dirt roads of the Atlas mountains, or even head off into the northern Sahara, then you'll need a 4x4. Take a decent portable pump with you so that you can be confident in letting air out of your tyres on the rough roads. It makes a serious difference.

 

[hairy]

Thanks for all replies so far.

You tube is a good idea except the only internet here has a monthly download cap whoever you get it from, so I'm not sure I'll get to watch much as without it we are already bumping on the limit most of the time. There's only one internet plan above what we now have and that jumps to £60 a month which still won't be enough to watch lots even at low res. Books rule!

So I could rough cut a cupboard carcass and doors with a saw, then make it all nice with a router following some sort of track? Presumably that track could include going round maybe a 50mm radius corner? Any pointers on what sort of thing specifically please?

It's an old truck with a purpose built square cornered insulated box, bends and wiggly bits may be banned at first. It is 4x4 until you engage the front axle. Last time we were in Morocco we spent six months exploring as much of the remoter areas in a 4x4 as poss, but that was a while ago. South of Western Sahara means a lot of sand even on the "road" if we get that far.

 

[MikeG.]

....... South of Western Sahara means a lot of sand even on the "road" if we get that far.

Nah, there's no proper sand until you get to southern Mauritania (although if you go east into Mauritania to, say, Atar, Choum and Chinguetti you can find some magnificent barchan dunes).....although the border between WS & Mauritania is pretty sandy. We did it in the days when there was a military convoy system operating south of Dhakla, then 20 or 30 miles of no-mans land (mined), then another convoy to collect you at the far end. Dodgy territory these days, I'm afraid.

 

[MikeG.]

Anyway....back to your original question. This is for cupboard doors in an overland vehicle. These need only be robust and rudimentary. You'll be far better off buying a £6.00 hardpoint jack saw from B&Q or a Builder's merchant and cutting them out by hand than you will trying to master a router. The router can wreck your work in milliseconds, let alone wreck your hands (and thus your trip). A handsaw and a piece of sandpaper on a wooden block will give you a better and more predictable job than anything a novice will achieve with a router.

 

[skipdiver]

The traditional way to build furniture for campers is to make a framework of timber, overlayed with plywood, then any door/drawer cut outs can be tackled with a flush cutter in a router, which runs around said framework. That's one way to tackle it, there are others.

 

[hairy]

Thank you again for the replies.

I didn't realise I needed a probably five year apprenticeship before being allowed into a room with power tools for the first time, and even then, probably a Henry hoover.

However, a hand saw seems a step too far, i may just start with the 8'x4' sheet and some sandpaper for the first drawer front just to be safe.

Or not.

Interesting Festool review here by Canadian AvE, a legend apparently?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mo2L_jFKmc

But that's my monthly streaming cap blown till Christmas. Now searching fleabay for an 18th century guide to steam powered routing to start at the beginning.

Cutting a door around the carcass seems a nice simple approach though.

Cheers folks

 

[skipdiver]

Thank you again for the replies.

I didn't realise I needed a probably five year apprenticeship before being allowed into a room with power tools for the first time, and even then, probably a Henry hoover.

However, a hand saw seems a step too far, i may just start with the 8'x4' sheet and some sandpaper for the first drawer front just to be safe.

Or not.

Interesting Festool review here by Canadian AvE, a legend apparently?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mo2L_jFKmc

But that's my monthly streaming cap blown till Christmas. Now searching fleabay for an 18th century guide to steam powered routing to start at the beginning.

Cutting a door around the carcass seems a nice simple approach though.

Cheers folks

AvE IS a legend. Love his youtube stuff, though i don't understand a lot of it.

I've built motorhome and caravan furniture for a living and for my own vans, so i will try and help if you have any specific questions.