DIY enhancements?

ToBoldlyGo

ToBoldlyGo

Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Posts
423
Likes collected
282
Location
Sussex
Funster No
26,431
MH
van conversion
Exp
Festivals
I have no DIY experience, on a scale of 1 to 100 I am at 1 as just in the last couple of days I've picked up a jigsaw for the first time and bought some 3, 5 and 9mm plywood and have gone from wonky very jagged cuts (wrong blade) to straightish (from a distance) cleanish cuts.

I will not be altering the motorhome, I will just be making additions, Eg I'm making shelves for the cupboards, by the hab door there's the top of the table housing and I'll be making a wider shelf/shelving unit to go on that, and an 'over sink' shelving unit of some sort. In the bathroom there's a 9cm * 11cm space I'll be making a kinf of parts bin tower.

It's all going to be made out ply and as I say it will be freestanding as I don't want to make holes / damage our lovely MH.

When we drive off I'd rather freestanding units and contents don't fly all over the place, so I envisage most will have lips and some kind of retainers. The tower I think may be attached to a MH wall with a command hook. The extended shelf (my shelf will be 14cm deep on top of an 8cm deep (by 60cm wide) shelf) I'm thinking of supporting underneath with bamboo sticks where I'm thinking of drilling say 4mm into the 9mm ply).

Oh and I've just borrowed a circular saw so I can cut dodgy lines even faster!

Any tips would be much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Circular saws are very dangerous. I think you might need a friend with medium rather than minimum DIY experience. I used to teach people how to use these so please be v careful.
 
:LOL:I like the warnings, thanks Martin and Bill. I was thinking more of plywood / joining / retaining tips rather than safety advice but I do appreciate it. I tried the circular saw before I saw your advice, it does actually have a safety doda, only when the saw is moved onto the piece does the blade become exposed (also I had been shown where to put both hands on the saw). It made a 60cm cut in a few seconds, I don't know how long the jigsaw takes but I had the impression it was a couple of minutes (it's an old 450w draper seems alright to me otherwise, I have it on speed setting 3 of 5). Anyway, I've decided the circular saw is not for me, maybe it's just the particular blade it has on, but the cut width is very big like 1.5-2mm and it makes a really messy edge that then has to be sanded. The jigsaw, now I've a lovely fine pitch Bosch blade, makes quite smooth cuts.
 
speaking as a retired tradesperson, please find a friend with more advanced woodworking skills, at least for a few lessons in using power tools safely and correctly

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Clamp the workpiece & keep your hands on the tool. Where possible don't follow lines with the saw - clamp a straight-edge and run the saw against it. A straight-edge can be as simple as a length of straight wood or (better) a length of aluminium angle from eBay or your local diy store. Buy a few simple clamps - they make almost all jobs much simpler.
 
Thanks big. The very first thing I think of is my safety. I trim our hedges up a ladder for example. My spare hand when using the jigsaw has a cut resistant glove and well brhind the jigsaw. Tony, yes after failing to get decent straight cuts freehand i googled hoe to cut a straight line and I've measured from the blade to the outermost edge of the jigsaw and at that offsest from the cut line I'm using a long piece of wood clamped to the work piece.
 
Once I've done the cupboard shelves - I've cut about 5 of 10 of the so far - I'm going to, largely as a woodworking exercise, make the bathroom shelf 'tower' which will be like a miniature freestanding shelving unit about 10 cm square Im vonstrained by the bathroom window and the shower unit) and perhaps .5 metre tall. I'm not sure what the design will be but perhaps sheets a 3mm ply rear, 9mm base and 5mm sides. I don't know how to fit the shelves in within that. I was thinking of screwing through the 5 mm into 9 mm offcuts as shelf supports but can I get screws that small?
 
I'm struggling to see how we can give you advice how to make things out of plywood without a bit more information on your experience. :)

A few random tips.

The 3mm plywood could be used for the back of a unit, normally it would fit into slots.

What doesn't work is trying to put a screw into the edge of plywood, it just splits the laminations and if it doesn't it will soon work lose. Metal brackets or plastic blocks can be used instead, or square sections of wood of course.

You will need to make straight edges and a plane is the best tool for this but you will need something to hold the wood, a Workmate would be good. You will also need a square to get right angles.

But, and this is a serious suggestion, look at what you can buy ready made. Tupperware type boxes might do the storage and you can get shelves ready made, although you would probably have to cut them to length.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
When I fitted shelves I used some of the supports that you use in kitchen units where you just drill a single hole and the support pops in, much easier to do than messing about with blocks and screws and if you do holes at a few levels you can adjust the shelf as/when needed.
 
I wouldn't use ordinary ply, far better to buy the lightweight plyboard used in Motorhome cabinet construction, a bit more expensive but you should be able to get it to match your existing woodwork.

For a decent straight line cut I prefer to use a hand saw.
 
They're great tips anyway. A few days ago I'd never used used the jigsaw before, but now I've cut about 8 shelves for the cupboards and am used to clamping and cutting offset from a wood straight line. I'm enjoying myself (I was a computer programmer by trade and I like doing physical things away from a desk eg replacing car components) so much I will try to look for more things to cut make rather than going for off the shelf solutions. Having said that I was going to make a freestanding shelving unit for under the bathroom sink but then realised a couple of 9 litre really useful boxes open lidded and one open will do just as well.

Thanks for the screw into ply end tip. I'm about to buy some self tapping spax screws and I'm minded to screw into either 5 or 12mm ply or timber offcuts. Alternatively you mention plastic and I@ve come across modesty blocks but they're too big for the mostly 5mm ply I'm using.

I do have a workmate and clamps which I now how to use, I don't think I have a plane.

@Lenny I've also seen some nice furniture board in Homebase and and my first thought was to get some but as everything I'm doing at the moment is new to me, I'd rather keep the costs down / not mind so much if I ruin something (another reason I'm keeping all my small van projects standalone); once I made my first decent true clean cut in ply my immediate thought was to go but a cordless makita, but my old draper is fine for now. I'm mostly using 5mm ply and it doesn't seem heavy to me. I also have a sheet of 12mm mostly for bases, and also 3mm.

Minxy Girl, can you tell me the name of that type of fitting so I can google it? It sounds great and like the idea of adjustable heights. I'm shortly going to start on my 10cm by 11cm by 60cm 'tower'.

DBK said:
I'm struggling to see how we can give you advice how to make things out of plywood without a bit more information on your experience. :)
Click to expand...
 
marc4242 said:
Minxy Girl, can you tell me the name of that type of fitting so I can google it? It sounds great and like the idea of adjustable heights. I'm shortly going to start on my 10cm by 11cm by 60cm 'tower'.
Click to expand...
This is the sort of thing, I already had some from when we'd altered our kitchen so just re-used them, you can get various sizes but avoid the very small acrylic ones as they won't take much weight.
Link Removed

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Thanks for that link. Once I've a set square I'll be raring to go. One small project is to do quite a deep and high over sink shelf as my wife will insist on keep the sink lid down and piling it with stuff so I can never put water in the kettle without moving it all.
 
If you are serious about getting a place fast into the intensive care ward, then the best way to cut accurate repetitive straight cuts is with a table saw.

Add a bench or stand mounted sliding chop saw with mitre cutting, and a router table and you are well on your way.

If you are gonna buy a circular saw, get one on a rail.
 
I'm happy with just my jigsaw for now, the only extra tool I need for the small van projects I'm doing, mostly standalone shelving units, is an Axminster engineer's square. If my simple ply and jigsaw projects turn out not too laughably I might get more in to woodworking, maybe storage for the garage and shed.
 
Don't forget to get a new bubble for your spirit level of it's not been used for a while :giggler:
 
Don’t forget you have to pack all the items away that you put on shelves. Far easier to have everything in cupboards. Lips on open shelves don’t work. The first hump you go over a little to fast will have all your stuff on the floor.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Tips? As others have said, safety first.

Use sharp blades, clamp work piece, both hands on the tool behind the cutting line, make sure electrical flex is either plugged in above or trails over your shoulder and down to the tool, eye and ear protection.

To help with the cuts in plywood - clamp a straight edge to ensure nice straight cuts. Use new and sharp fine/small tooth blades in the jigsaw or circular saw. Put tape (or preferably clamp a sacrificial piece of timber) on the lower edge to help minimise breakout.

Measure twice, cut once.

Glue and screw, don’t just screw.

Above all, enjoy the work. I love it.
 
marc4242 said:
Thanks for that link. Once I've a set square I'll be raring to go. One small project is to do quite a deep and high over sink shelf as my wife will insist on keep the sink lid down and piling it with stuff so I can never put water in the kettle without moving it all.
Click to expand...
Fit a taller tap like I did ...


Tap.png
 
How about adapting something like this for your tall narrow storage? You can often find them at car boot sales, charity shops etc. Remove the sliding front and cut it a quarter off it so that it sits in the bottom to keep stuff within then use another piece to make a shelf halfway up with another piece in glue in place as a retainer. You can paint it and IMV It would look better and be easier than making your own which, unless you are very good with straight lines etc, might be a bit 'home made' looking ... yes I'm being kind! :D
 
Before you go hell for leather with building stuff for your MH, why not go to a Funsters rally or meet and chat to Funsters who have already gone down the DIY route. Then if they have built or bought the item your planning to build you might find the best way of achieving it.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
That is an interesting tip I inherited a spirit level in a length of wood from my grandad and I don't think it's been used since the 70s, I didn't realise they went off. The bubble parts aren't easily replaceable components though they're all embedded in the wood and ill have to get a craftsman to replace them.

Figaro said:
Don't forget to get a new bubble for your spirit level of it's not been used for a while :giggler:
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
marc4242 said:
That is an interesting tip I inherited a spirit level in Piece of wood and I don't think it's been used since the 7th, I don't realise they went off.
Click to expand...
Make sure you've got a new tape measure too ... they shrink after a while so you cut stuff too short ... and start thinking that some things are longer than they are ?
 
marc4242 said:
and ill have to get a craftsman to replace them.
Click to expand...
Good luck finding someone to do that.
If you need a level to use, I'd suggest getting a modern aluminium one.
Your grandads is a lovely thing to keep to remind you of him but as a level might not be so good.
It may have warped over the years of it's got damp at any time, then all your levels will be out.
 
Figaro said:
Good luck finding someone to do that.
If you need a level to use, I'd suggest getting a modern aluminium one.
Your grandads is a lovely thing to keep to remind you of him but as a level might not be so good.
It may have warped over the years of it's got damp at any time, then all your levels will be out.
Click to expand...
Check any spirit level by turning it round - both readings should be the same. Don't make the beginners mistake of using it inside the motorhome to level your new furniture unless the motorhome itself is perfectly level. I use one of these inside the van zeroed to the floor because my van is never level at home.

rover.ebay.com

Electronics, Cars, Fashion, Collectibles & More | eBay

Buy & sell electronics, cars, clothes, collectibles & more on eBay, the world's online marketplace. Top brands, low prices & free shipping on many items.
rover.ebay.com

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
This site contains affiliate links for which MHF may be compensated.

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top