Home built interior units, ply or mdf???

[slobbo]

The Voeringer ply is actually a faced poplar pine furniture board. Poplar pine is about 40% lighter than normal ply wood. This place does it. Was going to get some but they didn't want to send me a small amount so didn;t buy any.
http://www.winwood-products.com/eng/tim ... ywoods.htm

[melmelody]

hi there
not really a boffin on carpenrty but i used to work as a sprayer for an exhibition firm and they made everything from MDF and my recollection of it is that its carcenogenic dirty scheisse its very unhealthy to work with cutting sanding etc. and when it gets wet it all swells up and falls to bits. crap . stick to ply if i was you or like another member said try and buy a second hand original fit. the other option is ikea and modify to fit. never tied it myself bit might be worth a try. good luck anyway

[silverbullet]

Just to be different I have light weight box section steel frame with 3mm ply pop riveted on. Next time I would glue the 3mm ply with sikaflex. It does not rattle one single little bit. the doors are 12mm ply.

That's precisely how I'm going to do mine. I like the welded steel frame idea. To explain the appeal of lightweight ply panels, just look back to the original Westy T1 interiors, when they only had 30-odd bhp to push the thing along

[jamesc76]

The Voeringer ply is actually a faced poplar pine furniture board. Poplar pine is about 40% lighter than normal ply wood. This place does it. Was going to get some but they didn't want to send me a small amount so didn;t buy any.
http://www.winwood-products.com/eng/tim ... ywoods.htm

Cant see any prices tho on that web site?

[pjjones00]

To Silver bullet
I like your idea as im thinking doing the same. Why not use aluminium? A little more expensive but alot lighter and easier to wrk with.

[jamesc76]

To Silver bullet
I like your idea as im thinking doing the same. Why not use aluminium? A little more expensive but alot lighter and easier to wrk with.

Unless you machine turn it it will scratch to buggery!

[ajp]

As an alternative I have a Devon right hand side rear locker and top locker (GRP). Taken out of my van which will be needing a new home...
Strong enough for the job, Lighter than MDF (probably ply aswell) and no building required!

Oh and to sling more mud at the MDF argument, I've been told several times by several different people that MDF has already been banned in America due to possible health side effects caused by breathing in the dust when its cut or worked.

[woodmonkey]

As an alternative I have a Devon right hand side rear locker and top locker (GRP). Taken out of my van which will be needing a new home...
Strong enough for the job, Lighter than MDF (probably ply aswell) and no building required!

Oh and to sling more mud at the MDF argument, I've told several times by several different people that MDF has already been banned in the states due to possible health side effects caused by breathing in the dust when its cut or worked.

it's not banned, but you gotta have proper extraction or ventilation to work it, it's the tolulene in the glue that does you the damage, you can get tolulene free mdf, it has a waxy feel to it, prob costs more though, most councils won't let you use the normal stuff in schools or public buildings(except lincolnshire they don't care, mind you we all got extra fingers etc over here!!!!)

[futurecut]

There is so much misinformation surrounding mdf. All wood dusts or any particulates for that matter are harmful. And there's no toluene in it, the agent of concern is a urea-formaldehyde binder which isn't more hazardous under normal usage than working hardwoods. It's just a question of using the right product with the right techniques. MR or EXT 12mm MDF is the bomb, works well, is very stable so won't swell or move and with suitable glues and screws its strong and fits the reimo style trims out there. It finishes up well - far better than plys and is a great bed surface for bonded on laminate. It's the design of the furniture and framing that makes it lightweight. Many unused to joinery will over-build a poor design that's still wonky and weighs loads.

[woodmonkey]

thanks futurecut, been telling people that for years!!!!! oh well, everyday is a schoolday

[silverbullet]

To Silver bullet
I like your idea as im thinking doing the same. Why not use aluminium? A little more expensive but alot lighter and easier to wrk with.

Unless you machine turn it it will scratch to buggery!

What about stainless - if you like the industrial kitchen look...but thin skin panels will dent as soon as look at them. Might just be a tad noisy too!

[pjjones00]

Any know any links of the dimensions for any of the furniture sizes etc

[silverbullet]

Try a search with "westy cupboard dimensions" or "unit plans". Some combination of words like that should throw up some useful info. There are old threads out there on the very subject!

[Aberdeenbus]

Try the Wiki.

http://www.80-90.co.uk/techhelp/pdfs/Westy.PDF" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cheers
Si

[MattyGreg05]

I made this one from MDF:









And this one:





Not had any problems so far Covered with Vinyl