Attached aluminium to wood? How?

[Sparksalot]

I’ve used it on the 6 teardrops ...

Danny is one of those guys that when he "speaks," you should listen.

Tony

[Sparksalot]

Your welcome.
When I attach a 10’ sheet I have 2 plywood boxes the equal the height of the wall bottom of the level teardrop.
I then place equal sized strips of wood or dowels that are spaced about 16” to the tacky contact cement on the body.
Make sure they go past the top and bottom of the wall so the aluminum doesn't prematurely stick.
Then I place the sheet on the plywood boxes and tack the center of the sheet to the body.
Then start hand smoothing the sheet removing the strips as I go along.
It’s best to use a metal shear to rough cut the aluminum.
Use a high quality flush trim router bit to trim to the final profile.

Thanks Tony
Danny

You have the sides laid flat doing this, correct?

[halfdome, Danny]

Your welcome.
When I attach a 10’ sheet I have 2 plywood boxes the equal the height of the wall bottom of the level teardrop.
I then place equal sized strips of wood or dowels that are spaced about 16” to the tacky contact cement on the body.
Make sure they go past the top and bottom of the wall so the aluminum doesn't prematurely stick.
Then I place the sheet on the plywood boxes and tack the center of the sheet to the body.
Then start hand smoothing the sheet removing the strips as I go along.
It’s best to use a metal shear to rough cut the aluminum.
Use a high quality flush trim router bit to trim to the final profile.

Thanks Tony
Danny

You have the sides laid flat doing this, correct?

The walls are up and the roof is covered with plywood.
This is why I use 2 boxes, to position the aluminum flush with the bottom of the walls.
A very simple process.
DANNY

[KTM_Guy]

I used the green 3M contact cement and it worked great. Follow Danny’s way above and you will be good. I found a variable speed router works best where you can slow the bit down, the aluminum melts and sticks and clogs the bit. It’s a messy job and you’ll little chunks of aluminum everywhere for weeks. Don’t forget the eye protection.

My trailer lives outside in the Arizona sun, it has see full sun at 120 degrees and no problems. And if that’s not enough I used black bedliner on the roof.

Todd

[Scubieman]

Would this stuff work? i only have menards and amazon here.

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/adhe ... 486&ipos=3

[tony.latham]

Would this stuff work? i only have menards and amazon here.

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/adhe ... 486&ipos=3

Go to Menards and ask for a gallon of contact cement.

T

[Scubieman]

So just contact cement. Then staples to hold edges?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[tony.latham]

So just contact cement. Then staples to hold edges?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/adhesives-glue-tape/glue/cement-glue/dap-reg-weldwood-reg-nonflammable-contact-cement-1-qt/25332/p-1444428681105-c-7170.htm?tid=-3181351274711529461&ipos=4

No staples. You screw the trim through the aluminum.

T

[Scubieman]

So just contact cement. Then staples to hold edges?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

https://www.menards.com/main/paint/adhesives-glue-tape/glue/cement-glue/dap-reg-weldwood-reg-nonflammable-contact-cement-1-qt/25332/p-1444428681105-c-7170.htm?tid=-3181351274711529461&ipos=4

No staples. You screw the trim through the aluminum.

T

Thank you. I'll be at Menards soon

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Scubieman]

Hoping for spray can.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[halfdome, Danny]

So just contact cement. Then staples to hold edges?

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

There's no need for staples if you use contact cement.
Cover all the raw plywood and all the back side of the aluminum with at least 2 coats of contact cement.
The process is just like the following photos but on a vertical wall.
Laying plam (Formica, Wilsonart, etc. - plastic laminate ) is the same process when applying aluminum skins.
Here I'm using 3/8" x 36" hardwood dowels that I've been using for decades.
You'll need a "J" Roller to smooth it all nice and tight

The spray cans that are available do not cover much. Last month I rebuilt a friends tongue box that the plywood was delaminating on the underside.
I used plastic laminate inside and outside on 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood. The 2 cans he bought wasn't enough so I had to use some of mine too.
https://www.amazon.com/Wilsonart-Consumer-Adhesive-Gallon-Capacity/dp/B000V4IDWW

Sorry for the delay as I'm not receiving email notifications again.
Danny

[eLink]

Danny,
Did you do your roof in a similar way, and with the same butt-joints?

[halfdome, Danny]

Danny,
Did you do your roof in a similar way, and with the same butt-joints?

Since my teardrop is 5' wide and the anodized aluminum I use only comes in 4' x 10' I cut them in half to go across the width.
I start in the rear by the galley lid.
I make 2" overlaps with the succeeding piece overlapping the previous sheet (going towards the tongue) with 2 strips of the thicker 3/4" white VHB tape on that 2" overlap.
I then use aluminum trim as pictured along with a sealant.
This method avoids the pressures of freeway driven rain being forced into the lap seams.
I plan my spars according to where the seams will meet, so I have something solid to clamp & screw into.
The 2x4 in the picture is putting pressure on my last lap seam.

If your not limited to 4' x 10' sheets and don't care about anodized aluminum they do make mill finish .050 5' x 10' aluminum.
It's not fun putting on a large sheet like that by yourself, been there done that.
Danny

[Scubieman]

You rock, thanks so much for the info.

[KTM_Guy]

I don’t use the dolls when I do contact cement. I use kraft paper that comes on rolls 3’ wide. Once the cement is dry (green color goes away) I put down the paper in at least 3 pieces lapping them so they can be removed in the right order. Then put the top sheet with dried cement on the paper, line everything up and then pull the first paper out, stick and roll, and keep pulling out paper and so on. There is no chance to accidentally have A premature stick of the contacts cement.

I get the Kraft paper at Home Depot, they have a cart by the lumber door that has a roll of paper and string. I just help myself.

If you want spray cans Home Depot has the 3M Spray adhesives, That was the best stuff we used at work and we would go through 4-5 cases of it a week. But like was said it is more expensive than roll on. I get the green 3M from Amazon.

Todd