Building a box for camper - need ideas

[alia176]

Guys,

I'd like to build some boxes for my camper. What gauge sheet metal is recommended? The boxes will be irregular shaped! I can borrow a friend's HF 36" bender and I have the usual fabricating tools. Or is it worth for a pro to build me a box based on my CAD drawing? Is there a website that has all sorts of random boxes that I can simply buy?

Should I consider plastic?

Thanks.

 

[PAToyota]

Really depends on size of the box for sheetmetal gage. The larger the box, the thicker the metal you'd want. Also depends on what you're putting in them? Internal to the camper or external?

 

[alia176]

Really depends on size of the box for sheetmetal gage. The larger the box, the thicker the metal you'd want. Also depends on what you're putting in them? Internal to the camper or external?

All three boxes will be external to the camper. Two will be under the camper, in a trapezoid shape. The third one will be a mondo tongue box, an irregular shaped unit.

I have plenty of 16 gauge 1/2"x1/2" sq tubing that I can make the frame for the large tongue box and then perhaps skin it with 18 gauge? I also have access to a Millermatic spot welder. The tongue box will have multiple access doors (side and top).

The under boxes will be used to hold misc crap so not much in the weight dept. All box doors/lids have to be dust/water tight and hopefully end up rigid.

I should make a 3D drawing to illustrate my point better I guess!

 

[DanS HJ-45]

The thickness of the sheet isn't that big of a deal. 16GA is beefy, 18 is about "right" but if you've got 16GA sitting around....

But either one will give you oil-canning unless you add some sort of stiffener to it. Of course, on the trailer, the oil canning may not be a big deal at all--as you'll be in the truck and not have to listen to it.

I'd use the 16GA rec tubing you've got to build a box, and skin it with 18GA (or even 20--if you can play with the thin metal). Alternately, have some ribs rolled into the sheet metal to stiffen it up (pretty sure you can get that done locally pretty cheap).

Other idea though: build a "rack" out of the rec tube to hold plastic containers so that they can be removed for packing and unpacking...

Dan

 

[spressomon]

1/2" square tubing sounds too small even with a structural skin. Not knowing your spans, load, etc. I would think 3/4" or even 1" square would be more suitable.