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Chassis building board - how big is it again? haven't got the book to hand
paul the 6th - 17/12/08 at 10:35 AM

Just wondering if anyone can let me know the minimum dimensions for the chassis building board? - I'm at work and was planning on grabbing a bit of wood to take home but I haven't got the book to hand and would be well p!ssed off if I took sheet which is too small home with me...

Thanks in advance!

Z20let Corsa - 17/12/08 at 10:38 AM

quote:
Originally posted by paul the 6th
Just wondering if anyone can let me know the minimum dimensions for the chassis building board? - I'm at work and was planning on grabbing a bit of wood to take home but I haven't got the book to hand and would be well p!ssed off if I took sheet which is too small home with me...

Thanks in advance!


im pretty sure most people use a 8ft x4ft sheet. its the std size for mdf etc to be supplied in. will allow a little spare to be safe. its what im building my +4 chassis on.

paul the 6th - 17/12/08 at 10:46 AM

sorted

1 off 8 x 4 ft sheet of mdf

will head to b&q tomorrow (after I've picked up the chassis flatpack) and grab some lengths of 50x50mm timber and get cracking.

MikeR - 17/12/08 at 10:50 AM

i got an 8 x 4 1inch thick sheet of mdf. That was then braced with steel from a couple of old school desks i cut up.

paul the 6th - 17/12/08 at 11:02 AM

oooh... any particular reason for bracing the board with steel?

Triton - 17/12/08 at 11:41 AM

MDF hates the damp it swells and bends all over the joint so make sure you go mad on the bracing side of things. and yes it's an 8 x 4 sheet but you then have to do the rear wishbone mounting bit which will be hanging over the back...

Triton - 17/12/08 at 11:42 AM

Buy as thick a board as you can afford

paul the 6th - 17/12/08 at 11:56 AM

Wish I'd squeezed a few more sheets of the stuff in before the van left

mr henderson - 17/12/08 at 12:45 PM

If using MDF, get the green, moisture resistant stuff. Usually only a poind or two extra.


Remember that any sheet material will curve across its width and along its length. Have a look first and decide which way round to put it to reduce the effect of this.


John

iank - 17/12/08 at 03:19 PM

Best to build a sturdy table from 2x4's to raise it to a comfortable working height. Also gives lots of room underneath to store tube and the welder.

See the one kb58 has built for his new project for an idea of what I mean on the 10th November section.
http://www.midlana.com/Diaries/Old%20Diaries/2008July-Dec/

Mix - 17/12/08 at 04:48 PM

Remember that any sheet material will curve across its width and along its length.

Hi

That's interesting ..... care to expand on this? I was under the impression MDF was pretty stable unless in a damp atmosphere in which case orientation would not be an issue anyway. Eager to learn though.

Regards Mick

mr henderson - 17/12/08 at 06:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mix
Remember that any sheet material will curve across its width and along its length.

Hi

That's interesting ..... care to expand on this? I was under the impression MDF was pretty stable unless in a damp atmosphere in which case orientation would not be an issue anyway. Eager to learn though.

Regards Mick


If you hold a sheet of material upright so that it is resting on its long edge, and look along it, you will see that it curves along its length. All sheet materials do this, mdf less than most. The curve from top to bottom won't be so pronounced, mainly because it's only half the length.

Anyway, once you know which way it curves you may be able to put this to use. If the surface it was going on to is flat then I would lay it so that the 'bulge' is on the top side. That way the edges will stay down and its own weight will help to flatten it.

Another way of making a table, if that is what is desired, is to get two sheets. Cut 8' x 1' strips one off each edge (unless you can cut it as straight as the factory edge. Then fix these to the underside of the board about 200mm in from each long edge. Cut two more strips the same width from the remainder, and fix those between the two long bits so that all four pieces form an apron for the table when turned upright. Then all you need is four susbstantial table legs to be fixed in the inside corner of the apron. You will end up with a strong and reasonably flat table. Heavy, too.

John

mr henderson - 17/12/08 at 06:33 PM

A little pic to illustrate my attempt at description above.


Setting the 'apron' in from the edge gives the opportunity for clamping. Using the full length strips, with the machined edge to the table underside, helps keep the top flat.

Screwing the legs to a really deep skirt like this makes them more able to resist breaking off or loosening when the table is moved sideways.

I've had a table like this for years, two sheets of 18mm mdf, 4 pieces of 2x4, and it's plenty strong enough for anything that might crop up when locost building.

When buying the material, consider getting a sheet of thin stuff as a cover sheet, then when it gets messed up you can turn it over

John

paul the 6th - 17/12/08 at 11:38 PM

excellent advice there mr henderson - will definitely take it all on board when screwing the timbers to my board tomorrow. Should make life alot easier!

MikeR - 24/12/08 at 11:15 PM

I did a similar thing to john, just used steel from some tables i'd got. Welded a series of tabs onto the steel then screwed the lot down. Then i was able to use the work mates (10 pound B&Q jobs) to clamp onto the steel to hold it up off the floor.

worked rather well i think.