Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

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Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby ncsteve » Tue Feb 25, 2014 10:59 pm

I want to use the generic Benroy plans and build a 5 X 8 TD on a 1720# HF trailer frame. The kitchen will be minimal. Is 800 lbs a doable goal? This will be my first TD build. Please let me know what you think of my goal and any and all suggestions. Is there another plan I should consider in addition to the Benroy?
Today i was looking at some 5mm underlayment in Home Depot and wondered about these methods:
floor: 1 X ? on edge to build up and out to 5 X 8 with 5mm underlayment on top
walls: 5 mm underlaymment inside and outside with 1 X 2's flat for framing and some 3/4 insulation glued in
roof: 5 mm underlayment inside and outside with some insulation in between
Ok, I'm new to this, so don't hold back. Let me know what you think.
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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby citylights » Wed Feb 26, 2014 12:29 am

800 # 5x8 foot Benroy is possible, but you must go ultra light construction and think about the weight in every step. Probably going to have to be minimal on drawers, hardware, and appliances. That means building smart so you keep the weight down while keeping it strong.

My 5x10 benroy is 1750#, but I made no effort to keep it light. Mine is 3/4 plywood, 2x2's, a 40# air conditioner! a 50# battery! etc!

Thin skin sandwich with foam interior is strong and lightweight. You would either need that, skeletonized plywood, or a full foamy to make your weight requirements. With any of those designs, you need to think about extra reinforcing where your cabinets and walls will attach.

Good luck!
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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby TPMcGinty » Wed Feb 26, 2014 7:42 am

I built my 5x8 very solid and didn't worry about weight and it weighed in at 960# empty when I was done. If you build it with the final weight in mind you should be able to come in under 800#.
Tim

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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby oakinteriors1 » Mon Jul 14, 2014 1:50 pm

My 5X10 weighs 1000 lbs....Took it to the local quarry to get it weighed....Without that big refrigerator it would be Under 1,000 lbs, It weighed in at 1,020 lbs....

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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby tony.latham » Tue Sep 16, 2014 7:00 pm

I built a 4x8' Grumman for my sis and cut weight everywhere I could. The walls are 1/4" sub-flooring on the outside, skeletonized 1/2" plywood internal, 1/8" ply inside and 1/8" ply ceiling and roof built with 2" popular spars set at 12". .040" AL on the outside and 3/4" plywood floor. Foam where there isn't wood. Ultralight welded frame. It's strong and light and weighs 860 pounds with a Group 24 battery in it.

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I don't think your 5mm stress-panel floor is going to cut it -but I haven't tried it. I've got a 5x10 going in the garage right now and the floor is one layer of 1/2" AC ply with 1x4" pine framing and it'll be fine with a piece of steel underneath it.

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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby rruff » Sun Jan 08, 2017 5:19 pm

ncsteve wrote:Today i was looking at some 5mm underlayment in Home Depot and wondered about these methods:
floor: 1 X ? on edge to build up and out to 5 X 8 with 5mm underlayment on top
walls: 5 mm underlaymment inside and outside with 1 X 2's flat for framing and some 3/4 insulation glued in
roof: 5 mm underlayment inside and outside with some insulation in between


I think your plan will be too heavy. Sandwich panels will get you the best stiffness, weight, strength and insulation. There are a lot of ways to do it.

I think the cheapest and lightest would be the "Foamie" method, using 2" thick pink or blue XPS foam, with an interior and exterior skin of cotton canvas and Titebond II composite (called "poor man's fiberglass" PMF), covered with paint. Check the "Foamies" section of this forum for details.

If you want something a little more robust you could make your panels out of 1/8" ply bonded to the XPS (with maybe minimal wood stringers inside), then cover the exterior with PMF and paint, or Monstaliner, or fiberglass, etc.

For the floor I'd do the plywood sandwich, with 5mm skins, with foam and a wood frame (stringers) inside.
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Re: Is an 800 lb Benroy possible?

Postby tony.latham » Sun Jan 08, 2017 10:15 pm

rruff wrote:
ncsteve wrote:Today i was looking at some 5mm underlayment in Home Depot and wondered about these methods:
floor: 1 X ? on edge to build up and out to 5 X 8 with 5mm underlayment on top
walls: 5 mm underlaymment inside and outside with 1 X 2's flat for framing and some 3/4 insulation glued in
roof: 5 mm underlayment inside and outside with some insulation in between


I think your plan will be too heavy. Sandwich panels will get you the best stiffness, weight, strength and insulation. There are a lot of ways to do it.

I think the cheapest and lightest would be the "Foamie" method, using 2" thick pink or blue XPS foam, with an interior and exterior skin of cotton canvas and Titebond II composite (called "poor man's fiberglass" PMF), covered with paint. Check the "Foamies" section of this forum for details.

If you want something a little more robust you could make your panels out of 1/8" ply bonded to the XPS (with maybe minimal wood stringers inside), then cover the exterior with PMF and paint, or Monstaliner, or fiberglass, etc.

For the floor I'd do the plywood sandwich, with 5mm skins, with foam and a wood frame (stringers) inside.


Rruff: He built it and sold it on Craigslist. Dunno what it weighed.

T
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