Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey All, quick question, I’m building out my walls and not looking forward to matching the Front and rear curves using individual pieces of 3/4" (pocket screws etc.) any issue with making up a laminated piece using ½ and ¼ Ply, appropriately glued? I have a 1 ½ ledge for the front and top to accommodate the Spars, I’m assuming the rear "Ledge" should be as wide as I plan on making the Hatch? 2" 3" anyone? anyone?







Thanks for takin' a look,

Mike

Mike,

I would think that the laminated plywood would work, as long as you end up with the same thickness as the framing that you already have in place. I used 3/4" 10 or 11 ply Baltic Birch plywood for the framing on my doors, and it's thickness is a little different than the 1" dimensional lumber that I used to frame the sides. I know that at least one tear has been built using plywood, that was cut out, for the framing, so they didn't have to deal with joints on dimensional lumber.

Can't help much on the hatch, I'm still building mine, and haven't quite figured it out yet. I'm not putting any "ledge" at the rear, the hatch will fit inside of the walls. If you want a ledge, I think it all depends on how thick you want your ribs to be. The thicker they are, the heavier they will be to lift when you open the hatch. I am making my hatch ribs out of 10 or 11 ply 3/4" baltic birch plywood, so that I don't have to deal with any splices in the ribs. Mine are only going to be about 1 1/2" wide (thick?).

Using ply for your curved parts or the framing itself is fine. It should be no different that using ply and not framing...

Just remember that you are going into endgrain if you put screws in. Predrill them. All you are looking for is some stiffness and a ledge.

Before you get to the headliner you might decide if you want to lay it in before the spars or try to fit it from the inside...

I put mine on from the outside then glued the spars to it. Real easy. You need to allow for the thickness when you do the ledge.

A landing ledge is up to you and not everyone has one. I cut one and am debating using it. They are the same size as the hatch ribs cut from the same material.

Good luck

Hey Folks,
Thanks for the advise, I have the Pieces gluing up now. Sound advise on the headliner install, hadn’t really thought that through as yet. I usually pour over relevant posts for Ideas as I move along.

Mike