Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Just wanted to know which method is prefered for making non-standard lengths of ply.

Lap joints or biscuit method?

Tom...I run a router with a 3 wing cutter and cut a slot in each end, then splice in a piece of hardwood and epoxy it up....I've done 3 like that so far and they are plenty stout, 1/2" material. Scarfing is the recommended method for boat building, but I think this works fine on a tear...I also butt jointed on both boats with no problems. A quick PM from HalfDome Danny reminds me, on the first 2 tears I used a hardwood spline, but the sides were overlain with 4mil mohagany and birch on the interior, and the spline was reinforced by it, on the last one, it's a painted trailer, I used a ply spline in it to increase the strength since I wasn't going to overlay it on the exterior....thanks Danny.

I too, tend to use biscuits, but I always back up the joint with something. Like this one, for example. The joint is behind the 1x4.



Mike...

Thanks a million.

I had been reading how to join and this gives me some direction. As for the where, everyone seems to put the joint either at the hatch hinge area or at the door.

Trailer build starts today!!!!!!!!

Grass has been cut, hedges throughly trimmed, build area cleaned, cell phone/leash OFF, honey do list hidden/destroyed.

Time to go get dirty!

Have a great weekend.

I don't know if this will help, but I made my own 1/2" plywood from 2 1/4" pieces. the overlap is about 3'.
Brwbier

Brwbier,

Did you use Luan? Does it stay nice and flat?

Mike...

I used birch and I used it for the floor, so maybe for a wall it might not be as flat as hoped for.
Brwbier

TomW wrote:Just wanted to know which method is prefered for making non-standard lengths of ply.

Lap joints or biscuit method?

Hi Tom,

You have gotten responses from some of the best builders, but I'm going to chime in anyway. I used lap joints for two reasons. I didn't have a biscuit joiner (or cutter bit for the router) and the joints were in locations that I wasn't going to have any reinforcement.

I believe that either type of joint will be plenty strong in our type of applications.

Joanne

We extended the ply sides(to 12') and top (5'tall)on our Big Bugout with simple butt joints , but backed up/overlapped on BOTH sides with 3/4"x 6" ply strips glued and screwed... outer strips become mounting plates for awnings/screens, showers,flagpoles,TV antennas/satellite dishes...whatever...inner great for coathooks /lights/cargo nets...it was simple , heavy and STRONG ...

Better chime in too. I framed my walls and since I used 3/8" ply wood I but joined and put a 1/4" backing 6 inches on each side. I made sure I have framing close to the joint. Seemed a bit floppy till the framing was in.

Thanks. I will put some backing at the joint.

Went to Lowes last night for other things and looked at the luan, etc. The 1/4 and even the 1/8 was pretty stiff. Any tricks on forming the material around the curves. (Wetting, etc.) My build partner and I were trying to test the luan and almost cracked one piece trying to see how much it would bend.

Build status.
One trailer frame welding completed. Axle/tires to be installed tomorrow night. Hope to have the second trailer frame completed by this weekend. Really helps to have two people, one welding, one grinding.

Thanks again.

I used 1/8" Birch and it bent around 12 inches pretty easily. However on the hatch I had to pour boiling water on it, clamp it down and then put more boiling water on it. Left it over night and it is wonderful. I used 1/8" Baltic Birch inside and it had no problem bending.

GitRdun

Should the split between sheets be over the door or in the galley? I've seen pictures of it done both ways. Does it really matter?

I put mine at the door for 2 reasons. I was using 5x5 Baltic Birch and it just landed there. And because I was framing and could put a great header to give it strength.

I think what really matters most is how you put it together.

I screwed up on this tear...I have one at the front, over the door, and one at the rear at the galley, the interior is overlain with birch ply, and the exterior is coated out in epoxy, then painted....I don't think it really matters either way, if you have a good joint, if you are doing a woody and making a joint in ply that will be really visible, I'd put it over the door, otherwise, either way is going to be fine. I do build using epoxy as an adheseive as well as a top coat, so that make some structural difference...Doug