PVC TTT

[Ivar the Red]

This is way cool. What are the suppliers you're useing for the sheets?

[daddiozz]

This is way cool. What are the suppliers you're useing for the sheets?

....I purchased the sheets thru a "local" sign shop ...part of the Sign-A-Rama franchise... http://sarsign-px.smrtlnk.com/#

[daddiozz]

...we finished attaching the frame to the trailer chassis last night ,and took the whole business (less skins) for a 100 mile "shakedown" cruise. We had a few minor issues with fittings coming loose etc but nothing major .Got a lot of strange looks from others on the road ....especially from folks at the Mc Donalds drive thru ....tommorrow skins go up followed by another "shakedown".....

[daddiozz]

...one skin up ,and rough trimmed ...ran into another little hurdle though,the PVC cement failed to bond the skin to the frame ....oh well thats what God invented rivets for...one more tool added to my growing collection

[Miriam C.]

...one skin up ,and rough trimmed ...ran into another little hurdle though,the PVC cement failed to bond the skin to the frame ....oh well thats what God invented rivets for...one more tool added to my growing collection

It is life's little lessons that make it interesting. I love the concept mostly because it seems easier and lighter to work with than wood. Sure hope it is waterproof and handles the wind.

[starleen2]

...one skin up ,and rough trimmed ...ran into another little hurdle though,the PVC cement failed to bond the skin to the frame ....oh well thats what God invented rivets for...one more tool added to my growing collection

Did God invent rivets or did God inspire someone to invent rivits - GOD installed rivets never fail!

[drcurran]

daddiozz -
Before I decided on a converted cargo trailer I wondered if it would be possible to make a frame of PVC pipe, and the skin of the same type material you are using. One thing I wondered about was when you put the skin on it will touch the couplings at one point and be somewhere between 1/8 and 3/16 off the actual PVC pipe. Will you put a spacer in there? I'm very interested in following your project.

Best of luck

Dan

[daddiozz]

...both side skins are up ,door cut on street side only for now (have a little need for an enclosed utility trailer this week)....in answer to the spacer question...yes ,spacers are used where needed.Aunti M ...worry not about waterproofing...in addition to the rivets ,PVC cement was applied at all joints ....someone neglected to tell me that I must first rough up the surface of the sheets so that the cement would adhere where needed....oh well ....my next TTT, I'll know better.One of the guys at my flying club decided he wants one too but lacks the time/skills etc to build on his own ....without meaning to ,looks like i have a little side business started..

[Miriam C.]

Oh boy side businesses can take up all you camping time. Course more money can mean more camping Looks great.

[daddiozz]

...well the roof is up finally ...was originally planning on following the lines as cut on the sidewalls ,but the PVC had other ideas instead so the transition from front wall to roof is one continous flow with a nice curved surface on the front....now I just gotta figure out how to fill in the angle cuts to match the curve... ....I swear I think this TTT wants to be a tear instead of a weekender....
....One way or another we'll have the exterior shell closed in/completed this weekend (aug 3) ..on the 9th we are heading out of town to WVa for a family re-union (380 miles one way)and we'll be making our maiden voyage with the PVCTTT at that time .As she sits now with the skins 75 % complete its very rigid...at least as much as our neighbor's metal skinned cousin.I don't anticipate any major problems.

[daddiozz]

The shell is complete/closed in.Only thing lacking at this point is hanging the side door and cutting out and installing the hatch/door.I ordered 8 feet of that plastic piano hinge ,but it has yet to arrive;if it hasn't done so by wednesday I'll have little choice but to install metal hinges temporarily .I probably wont cut out and build the rear hatch until after our trip next weekend as well.
later this afternoon ,after my son returns from his Scout community service project...were going to load up the TTT as though we were going on a camp-trip and take the whole shebang to the local truckstop to get it all weighed....I'll post later with the results.

[Miriam C.]

Ok we really do want to know how much it weighs. Looking really good.

[daddiozz]

my stated goal was 500 lbs or less....it was pouring down rain when my son got home and I was in a "lazy" mood as well so we didn't load it down with a bunch of stuff ..truth be told I'm more interested (as I'm sure everyone else who has been following this build) in the "empty " weight anyway ...I did throw in a few scraps of T1-11 siding to simulate the finished weight with interior walls etc .I must say I was surprised that my mini-suv is heavier than I thought it was ..,only about 800lbs lighter than the mini-van I traded in for it...but my mpg is still nearly double that of the van ,so I have nothing to complain about there I guess

[daddiozz]

OOPs!!! forgot what I started to post about ................................................maestro ...drum roll please...................................................................................total combined weight of . .3980 lbs ....tow vehicle alone 3460 .....leaving just 520 lbs for the PVCTTT ..discount the scraps and total actual weight as it sits now of appx 480 lbs.

[oklahomajewel]

cool!!!!

You've been on my mind... well, I'm talking to the PVC "TD" haha

Thanks for the weighin ! I was wondering cost , and looked back and you said the sheets were 4x8 and about $34 , right?

Are you keeping sort of a log of your total costs? I did that with mine.

And what size is yours going to end up ? It looks pretty big to me.

THANKS !!!!