making storage box: aluminum or wood siding

[slickrock]

I am building a storage box for my little trailer finally (well before spring). I can do it the old fashion way with 2x4s and plywood or I was thinking about aluminum. I just don't know how to use it. Would I still use 2x4s and screws to attach the aluminum or is there something lighter I could use for a frame so I can use rivets? Would it also be cheaper to use some sort of aluminum or other product over wood or is wood probably the cheapest / easiest to use?


Or better yet:

Is there some other product I could use that is not wood or aluminum for the sides since it will ot be weight bearing? Some type of hard plastic maybe? Some suggestions would be great.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[photogod]

Give some idea of the dimensions and uses. I am full of ideas but give me some direction.

 

[Rubiconcruiser]

If you live near a metal or steel supplier use aluminum angle or alum square stock, the plywood and 2x4 will disintegrate to fire wood before you arrive at the campsite, sheet metal screws, washers and locking nuts are the best fix.

 

[slickrock]

Give some idea of the dimensions and uses. I am full of ideas but give me some direction.

Look at post #24 https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=107748

That should give you some idea. Real small 48x38x22

Thanks

 

[photogod]

I would think the way that thing is going to be bouncing around, you might want to add some weight to it to help keep it on the ground. I would go with some light weight steel since you seem to know how to weld. AL if you know how to weld that. Or you could bolt it together. I would weld it with some support behind the seams. 18 ga. steel would be good. Or heavier if you need it to be stronger to last longer. You could weld a light weight frame to your dimensions and skin it with the sheet steel. Do you have any way to cut the steel. Metal sheers work great and you can get them from Grizley tool for under $50.00. If you need to keep it on the trailer you could bolt it to the bed and not have it perminant. If you made a light weight frame you could include your car topper in the plans and make supports for th at as well. Then you could bolt the whole thing to the trailer and remove when you need to. I would think that, as mentioned earlier, that if you made it from wood it would not last long behind your 40. If you buy the stock from a stel yard it will be cheep. Just a few thoughts. Keep us posted.

 

[slickrock]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a good o'fashioned Lincoln stick welder. I could always rent a unit for alum. I think I will go with a light weight internal steel frame that extends into a sudo rack for the car top carrier and throw on some sheet steel. I am not too worried about cutting it. I am a high school teacher and college instructor. Either place has students working in a shop so I can just give them the sizes I need and they will cut it for me.

I do need it to be removable so I can stick it in the garage in front of my rig with the tongue sticking up in the air. If I cannot take it off, it will not tilt back enough b/c it will hit my work cabinets and the cruiser will clip the garage door. So it cannot be too heavy. I need to consider some of those boat wheels for when the old timers throw their 12 foot aluminum boats on top of their trucks. I can wheel it around then and store it in the back yard without having to ask for help.

The trailer doesn't bounce around that much surprisingly. I have towed it around for a test drive on a really bumpy HWY roads, dirt farm roads, and some other roads that made me feel like I was on a log ride and it pretty much stayed on the ground. I actually get about 3”s of slide flex out of the springs so it gives enough to keep it rubber down. But, more weight the better. Thanks again.

Dan