Hey blokes, I needed to knock up a shelf for the back of my truck and wanted it to be light, cheap, easy and look neat. It didn't have to hold lots of weight, I intend using it for lighter stuff.
So I thought about it for about 15 minutes, headed down to Bunnings to buy a fence panel and a post.
Total cuts were 3 - knocked the post in half to make bearers, cut the panel in half to make the shelf (top and bottom cut). All with the hacksaw.
The Z brackets bolt down to the 3rd row seat holes with the original bolts, the rest is just zinc bolts/washers with nylock nuts.
2400x900 fence panel - $59;
1800x50 fence post - $20;
50x100 Z brackets - $3.50x4;
50x50 end caps - $1x3 (post comes with one);
4 x 4" 5/16 bolts, 4 x 3" 5/16 bolts - nuts and washers to suit - $10;
2 x ~8-10mm 50x50 spacers for the rear Z brackets - free out of a bit of spare timber.
No paint required unless you want the heads of the bolts done.
Cost - $110
Total time to build - 2.5hrs
Weight - Not sure - 5-7kgs plus the mat??
I did buy a 1200x850 rubber mat from Bunnings for $29 which is pictured, what is not pictured is the ply ($9) to spread weight across the bars. A tip though if you do something similar is to whack a rubber mat ($7.50) from bunnings under the timber to stop any bounce noise - or attach each slat to the board.
Without the ply, the shelf if fine to put shopping/baggage etc etc on. The mat is quite heavy, grippy and has knobs on the back that give minimum deflection between the slats.
The slats are welded both ends from the factory, but I wouldn't concentrate 20kg on a slat or two. With the ply in place though, the thing will hold pretty reasonable weight.
Getting it out is easy, it comes out in a single piece. Undo the 4 seat bolts and its done.
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