Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

On how You clamped the side skin on till the glue/adheasive dried.

I'm just trying to get an idea of how I'm going to glue my sides on and what I need to get, if anything.

Don't think the my famous sandbags will work this time, unless I tip the TD on it's side.


Thanks in advance.

Mk

Mary, just off the top of my head I've seen folks clamp it around the door edge and along the hatch edge, then blue tape elsewhere. Maybe strap it??

I let the contact cement tack up a bit, then pressed the aluminum in place. It created a little suction and then it wouldn't come off. Blue tape helped and keep it out of the wind. I clamped around the door and hatch edges too. I had little tabs to set it on which helped. You might consider little wood scraps installed temporarily sticking out from the trailer to support the side whilst its drying - so it won't slide down.

http://bateau2.com/content/view/55/28/

homemade cheap clamps!

OK, I used nails in between the trailer frame and the floor frame (mine sits on top of the frame) to hold the skin up in place. You should create something to do this so it can not slip down. I also used 2x4 across the door opening on each and used a strap between the two pieces. I have some pipe clamps and long pieces of pipe, so I used them with some 2 foot pieces of of 2x2 along the front and top. I'm not sure, but there should be some pics in my build photos section.

What glue? Mine floats on the trim, no real need to glue aluminum on when it's held in place on four sides with trim molding.

Mary K if you are sure you are putting trim up you can use screws and boards like Kerry did. Clamps where there is an opening.

Mary K is going to clamp the new wood skin on and trim it to fit with the router.

Sorry, I should have explained myself better

Yup, See I installed the top skin, before I knew I wanted to skin over the 3/4" birch sides.

So now I have 1/2" of the top edge overhanging the sides. So, I am going to router that edge off, clamp on my new side skin, router that to the the profile. Then remove side skin and Urethane it and then install it with the PL Adhesive.

I just wanted to know how to clamp it on while the glue was drying.

Mk

You could clamp all the edges you can get clamps on... then use cargo straps around the whole tear to put pressure in the middle areas by sticking scraps of 2 x 2", (or whatever) under the straps. You can use some wedges of scrap lumber to further tighten up areas here and there until you get fairly even pressure all over. Anyhoo... that's how I do it on big stuff.

I used clamps all around, bottom, door opening, and hatch opening. I skinned the side before I put the top on so I was able to clamp along the top too. Since you are putting trim on, you can use some sort of fastener (nail, staple or screw). Just seal it up and cover it.

mk,
i used the famous gorilla tape clamps all over. you can see a few in my album. i used henerys 663 outdoor carpet adhesive and it works great. it has a little flex to it so it wont rip my ply apart. it is fairly tacky also, so i just gave the centers a slights push while applying and they held.

Long bar clamps connected to the roof and to the frame ever 16" or so...shims inbetween the clams pressing the skin down - put a sacrificial board under your clamps to keep them from bruising your wood.... Long bar clams are cheap... you can buy cheap ends at HF for like $3 - usually called "Pony" Clamps (brand)... Galvanized 1/2" pipe will be about $30 for for a 21' stick and most places will thread both ends for you... I have about 30 5' clamps and about 12 4' clamps... use 'em ALL THE TIME.