Thickness for cabinets and bed frame
#7
Question 
I don't have any experience with woodworking but I'm in the process of converting a Nissan NV2500 High Roof van into a campervan and I want to work on adding a kitchenette, cabinets, a closet and a bed frame.

I searched online about the proper plywood (I'm using Birch Plywood) thickness for making cabinets and I saw suggestions to use 1/2" and 3/4", I was planning on bolting all the structures to the steel frame of the van using rivnuts (possibly plusnuts) and bolts so none of them will have to support their own weight.

My question is do I need to use such a thick plywood or can I get away with 1/4" since it'll be bolted to the frame?

Thanks
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#8
Baltic Birch plywood is just about the heaviest available, which you don't want in a van. Look at examples of how they do it in travel trailers and campers--usually 1/4" plywood over a lightweight frame of soft white wood. Shelves of perhaps 3/8". Thin aluminum angles for supports.
Wood is good. 
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#9
I agree w/ EZ.

If you can dado the material, a shallow dado can help with alignment and strength.  After the initial glue-up, adding some glue blocks inside, along the joints, can make for extremely strong construction.
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#10
Here's an interesting video about constructing cabinets with foam sheets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucf2FVIdr1Q
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#11
There is a huge thread on that subject by Msnomer:  https://forums.woodnet.net/showthread.ph...ht=msnomer

Unfortunately all the photos have dropped out.  Perhaps she could be convinced to post them again.

A Dodge van conversion.
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
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#12
(10-18-2017, 03:06 PM)Cooler Wrote: There is a huge thread on that subject by Msnomer:  https://forums.woodnet.net/showthread.ph...ht=msnomer

Unfortunately all the photos have dropped out.  Perhaps she could be convinced to post them again.

A Dodge van conversion.

I believe all that documentation that Carolyn did is probably the best, most extensive that could be found on the internut. With pics it probably should be published. It is a work of love, and art.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya

GW
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