Torsion (box) shelving - MDF/baton width

[ODB]

Morning all

I'm building some torsion box shelving for the alcoves around my fireplace. The retarded thing is, I've done this before but I can't for the life of me remember the thickness of MDF/baton I used, it was years ago in an old house.

I'm looking on the Wickes site but can't find any 1" batons as I think it was 12mm mdf top and bottom to give me a 5cm thick shelf. As I can't find the right sized batons I'm wondering if I'm being a muppet and getting the sizes totally wrong.

Can anyone tell me the bog-standard, one-size-fits-all (so to speak) standard construction size for a box shelf 50mm thick?

 

[misterhelpful]

The closest Wickes do is 22mmx47mm sawn or 20mmx44mm PSE. If you go to a timber yard they will probably stock something very close to 1" square. I'd say the Wickes sawn timber would be suitable with 12mm mdf though (overall 46mm).

Good diagram here: http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/page.asp?p=705

 

[ODB]

Thanks misterhelpful, I don't know why 5cm thickness was fixed in my head, I think I've found a formula:

I'm going to use 3/4" x 1 1/8" batons, with 12mm MDF. Total thickness should be around 42mm.

They do some 44mm x 12mm which I can use to face, I'm hoping the 2mm difference won't notice too much, but at least I can go in and buy this combo off the shelf. Don't really want to have to do any routing. A bit of sanding I'm fine with.

Thanks all!