Riveted aluminum aircraft style tears?

[G-force]

I'm a A&P also, but doing it all in aluminum would be cost prohibitive unless you can get some on a five finger discount.

A 4x8 sheet of .032 alclad is about $115...not a whole lot more than the high end plywoods. Plus you would probaly need less...assuming a typical tear has two or three sheets for the sides, 3 to 5 sheets for the roof, another sheet or so for the galley, etc. Thanks for the pics guys, cool to see such unique trailers.

[cuyeda]

I have a little bit of work ahead of me.

[Jiminsav]

I'm a A&P also, but doing it all in aluminum would be cost prohibitive unless you can get some on a five finger discount.

A 4x8 sheet of .032 alclad is about $115...not a whole lot more than the high end plywoods. Plus you would probaly need less...assuming a typical tear has two or three sheets for the sides, 3 to 5 sheets for the roof, another sheet or so for the galley, etc. Thanks for the pics guys, cool to see such unique trailers.

and what about the ribs and stringers?..someone is gonna have to form them and it takes a bit more tools to do that then the average garage has lying around.

[madjack]

Mike, exactly, what is alclad...I can get 4x8 sheets of .032 mill finish AL for around 50 bucks per...which is considerably cheaper than what you have quoted for the Alclad...even with a plywood backer(about 30 bucks).........
madjack

[G-force]

Stringers and wall supports can all be made out of sheet metal, as all aircraft are. There are typicaly very little "structural" members such as angles and channels in an aircraft. Typicaly only the longerons which run full length on the middle of each side to connect to top to the bottom. Indeed it may take alot more work than cutting a 1x2 and glueing it to a pice of ply, but they can be made in a garage with hand tools. Check out this vid on how nose ribs are made for a Hummel Bird aircraft. Basic sheetmetal forming around a wood former.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJzFsdFpp7A

Madjack: alclad is 2024 sheet aluminum that has a thin coating of pure aluminum on the surface for corrosion purposes. It is the standard skinning for aircraft.

Mike

I'm a A&P also, but doing it all in aluminum would be cost prohibitive unless you can get some on a five finger discount.

A 4x8 sheet of .032 alclad is about $115...not a whole lot more than the high end plywoods. Plus you would probaly need less...assuming a typical tear has two or three sheets for the sides, 3 to 5 sheets for the roof, another sheet or so for the galley, etc. Thanks for the pics guys, cool to see such unique trailers.

and what about the ribs and stringers?..someone is gonna have to form them and it takes a bit more tools to do that then the average garage has lying around.

[mary and bob]

our 46 Modernistic is all riveted .040 aluminum with very little framing. the door and galley hatch are double wall with wood between.