Frame for rear deck lid

[Bobjr59]

I don't know if this has been covered but I've built a frame for my rear deck out of 1x12 so I could get the radius of the rear deck and it broke 5" from the hinge on both sides. So I'm wondering how to make my frame so it doesn't break and having almost no budget to work with I'm thinking I should go with 3/4" plywood any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Miriam C.]

I cut mine 3" wide and out of 1/2" and glued 2 together....

[wannabefree]

Use good plywood. I used 3/4 baltic birch.

[3822sean]

i used 3/4 ply

[boomboomtulum]

Ill 2nd the Baltic Birch. 3/4 for me as well. Used 5 ribs in a 55" wide lid. Lots of strength through lots of plys.
Dave

[bobhenry]

I used 1 1/4 x 11 7/8 wide engineered rim board

Kinda like a giant piece of oriented strand board

[dh]

So, how many ribs did you get out of a 4x8 sheet of ply (5x5 for baltic birch)?

[Bobjr59]

I got over to my nephews house today to work on my trailer and he already had a nice piece of 3/4" plywood so I'll try and get some pictures after we're done.

[Artificer]

One method I haven't seen mentioned is DIY lamination. Rip your 2x into 1/8" to 1/4" thick strips, depending on the sharpest bend. Cut a jig to the shape of the inside surface of the rib. Start gluing the strips together as you clamp them to the jig. Once the glue is dry, they will be the shape of the jig. I like using the 1/4" narrow crown stapler as a clamping tool. After you pry it off of the jig, snip off the legs that show through (use SHORT staples).

Its slower, fiddly, but you get very strong ribs for low cost. If want, you can even make the outer layers wider so you have, in effect, and I-beam.

Good quality plywood is the fastest, and seems to be the most common choice.

You'er probably done already, but I thought I'd offer another option...

Michael

[dh]

That would be an efficienc use of all those off cuts of 1/8'' BB plywood I have laying around.