Joinery options for 1/2" plywood tack trunk

[Ken Cohen]

I am a relative newbie designing a tack trunk for my daughter (tack trunk is a semi mobile chest used to store horse riding equipment -- weight reduction is important ). I'm looking to build something nicer than normal, functional, but not necessarily fine furniture (In the end, it sits in a barn. )

I reviewed available commercial and custom designs and they all seem to be based on 1/2" BB plywood box wrapped by horizontal hardwood bands at the top and bottom -- with the top band often forming the opening plane. Occasionally, some of the nicer ones add vertical corner banding.

My question is what is the appropriate joinery technique for the plywood components. Unless someone feels very strongly about it, I am not particularly interested in the obvious "best" answer: dovetail or box joint or something that requires a router table (i.e. lock miters). My goal is great looking piece that is strong enough. Choices:

1. Rabbet joints (with possible exception of dado on the bottom to provide additional strength and allow for wheels)

2. Butt joints with biscuits (I don't own a biscuit joiner)

3. Butt Joints with screws -- either screwed externally and covered with hardwood banding or screwed internally using inside small square corner braces.

4. Other ideas??

Thanks in advance for the help. There are lots of helpful posts in this forum on 3/4" ply in less active situations, but none to my knowledge on this situation.

Ken

And another newbie PS, can I attach the hardwood directly to the plywood and not have to worry about any HW wood movement?

[Doug Shepard]

You dont need a router table for box joints if you've got a stacked dado blade. It's a whole lot quicker than a router anyway, specially if you clamp the 2 opposite sides together and cut them 2 at a time.
I did these tool storage boxes from 1/2" ply (see the bottom pics) and a shop made jig.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=38115

[glenn bradley]

I prefer a drawer lock joint for the increase gluing area.
http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/22637-01-200.jpg
This can be done as a lock joint using the table saw as in Todd's example here (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=40787&d=1150250433). I stole that from Doug's thread he has linked you to. There is some good discussion there on this sort of thing.

[Mike Cutler]

Ken

There are some considerations that need to be made prior to building a Tack Chest.
How often will it be moved,and whom is going to move it?
Tack Trunks can be very heavy when full of all the "necessary stuff" that needs to be in one.( Why 6 bottles of Cowboy Magic, and 4 bottles each of three different fly sprays have to be in one at all time escapes me though?:rolleyes:) ) A tack trunk of any size made of 1/2" BB is going to be fairly heavy by itself. I would look at 3/8", on the sides to reduce weight and 1/2" on the bottom and top
For joinery I would recommend that the bottom be installed in either a Dado or a rabbeted ledge. Rabbeted ledge if the sides are going to be plywood All of the weight is on the bottom. I would recommend that the joints for the side be Rabbets,they can be done very quickly and inexpensively on a TS, backed on the inside and screwed and glued together. Tack trunks get moved alot, the need to have some shear strength. Protect all exposed edges with metal, or wooden L-stock. They're going to take a beating.
The lid need to be also rabbeted in place. I've never seen a tack trunk that wasn't used as seat at a horse show, or barn. Make it Heavy enough for you to stand on, and that should be fine. The lid also need a very stout hinge. Those piano hinges at Home Depot are not strong enough. Nice heavy internal hinges and or closure devices.
For glue I use epoxy. The humidity in a barn along with the ammonia from urine will break down a water soluable adhesive in time.
The inside of the trunk should be coated, I use an epoxy coating. Those fly spray bottles, show sheen, venice turpentine, hoof hardners, and cowboy magic will one day leak.

Here is a link to a tack trunk I finished last year. Definitiely not for the barn. The weight of this chest empty is close to 200lbs, maybe more. I don't have a picture of the trunk I made her that's at the barn. It's 3/4" pine with box joints for joinery. Very simple little chest, but strong.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=46908

[Dell Littlefield]

I know this doesn't answer your question regarding joinery. About a year ago, someone on one of these forums posted a very clever tack box that had wheels on one end with (as I recall) slide out handles so it could be moved like a wheelbarrow. Maybe a search of the woodworking forums would help you in design. Good luck

[fRED mCnEILL]

I've built a number of "tack boxes" over the years as my daughter is in the horse "business". She currently uses two that I built. One is about 15 years old and the other 7 or eaight so they do stand up.

I use 1/2 in bb plywood that is butt jointed, glued and nailed. The bands are dovetailed and this gives it the added strength needed. To cover the butt joint I use aluminun angle that I polish. The aluminum is "captured" top and bottom by cutting dadoes in the band the thickness of the aluminum.This way you don't need any fasteners for the aluminum. I then usually spray paint them for a nice finish. On the top I use a rubber mat like they use in tool boxes. It is fastened down by aluminum angle as well. Looks nice and protects the edges. Make sure you use substantial handles as these things get heavy.The bands are glued and screwed to the plywood from the inside.

Incidently, if anyone knows where you can get the rubber facing that goes on the commercial tack boxes I would be interested in finding that out. It is about 1/4 thick with a shinny surface and comes in all kinds of colors. Commercial tack boxes go for upwards of $1000 (yea, for a 1/2 plywod box with rubber coating) so if I could find this rubber I too could make a 1000 dollar box for a hundred dollars or thereabouts.

E-mail me at freddmc@shaw.ca if you need any pictures.

Fred Mc.

Good luck

[Lee Schierer]

I would set the bottom into rabbbets around the sides. I would also make some gussets by ripping boards lengthwise to form triangles that I would glue under the bottom and in each of the corners for reinforcement. The gussets will add tremendous strength without adding a lot of weight.

[Frank Drew]

Gee, I was going to suggest 3/4 birch ply with hardwood tongued corners, but fRED's aluminum corners are also nice. Anything to protect plywood's fragile edges.

[Steve Mcmahon]

Ken

Attached is a photo of a tack trunk I built for a neighbor - Pretty much how Mike described.

I used 1/2 ply and 3/4 stock all from the borg

[Mike Cutler]

Steve
That's a very nice chest.
Is it possible for you to post a clearer picture of the lid?
I've been looking for a nice solution for the lid to hold wraps, shipping boots, warmers, etc,and smaller items.

I've resisted, so far, trying to turn making tack trunks into a small side business. But with the "plywood chests" that are available selling for $500.00+, and those injection molded tack boxes selling for close to $200.00. I might be able to make something in between.

[Steve Mcmahon]

does this help

[Ken Cohen]

Thanks to everyone who has responded to this thread. Lots of inspiration.

I am quite interested in the Mike/Steve approach. Seems like a nice balance of practicality, straight forward construction and attractive design.

Steve -- the photos tell much of the story, but would you mind sharing key construction details that might not be evident from the pix.

Thanks,

Ken

[Mike Cutler]

does this help

Yes it does. That's a great strorage system built into the lid. Excellent work.
Thank you very much.

Mike