Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

The original Trailer for Two used this stuff. Has anyone done so recently?

It seems a shame to spend $20+ for sheets of 1/8" birch never to be seen again plywood when the masonite can be had for lass than half that.

Sparky, I know a lot of the originals used it but I have the same concerns as Danny and personally would prefer ply...BUT, one of the nice things about building it yourself is that you are building it yourself...
madjack

If you do go that route, make sure it is sealed good, any water penetration turn that stuff into mush

Thanks for the inputs folks. I have been considering back and forth, but wanted to hear some other ideas too.

I would not use Masonite on a TD. As already said, it will turn into wet dog food if wet. I wonder if the formula has changed over the last 60 years. I used moisture resistant luan.

OK how about Orange box Luan as a step up from masonite, but a step down from the $20 birch? Any objections? I was thinking of this myself since this step is coming up soon. I am planning to seal all joints with epoxy.

2bits wrote:OK how about Orange box Luan as a step up from masonite, but a step down from the $20 birch? Any objections? I was thinking of this myself since this step is coming up soon. I am planning to seal all joints with epoxy.

I've read elsewhere here really recently about 1/4" orange box luan cracking as it is bent around the radius.

I JUST finished putting the ceiling in. Feeling the tension in that forward portion made up my mind for me. I'm gonna do the birch.

Orange Box 5mm luan is only $12 a sheet here. I'm going to try boiling one sheet (as suggested in a different thread here) and using straps to pre-form it to the contour before anchoring it down permanently after it dries. If it works, that's what I'm going to use. if not, I'm only out $12.

If'n it were me...I'd avoid the box store luan....the core has all sorts of crap in it, knots, voids etc and moisture content can be really high, causing it to do amazing things when it dries out completely, it's cheap for a reason....When it cracks, your nice smooth profile then has a kink in it. Not a real problem if you are planning on skinning in aluminum, but I did a painted one and it required a bunch of work to hide the crack. Quality also might be determined by where you live in the country. I'll never use it again except for a template, just what I experienced with it. You can make up for the price difference in other areas. Doug

I'll second that Doug. I lost several weeks worth of work, and hundreds of dollars using luan, that twisted up really bad in the warm summer heat.

Mike...

Interesting info on the luan. It really sounds like something to avoid.

I used hard board on my TD. Flexible cheap heavy stuff, but it has to stay dry. I painted it first with some kills and good exterior paint then covered it with aluminum.



no leaks please

I have to agree with everything in this thread. However we used masonite on the entire Bluebonnet tear. The only thing I would have done different is what has already been voiced, I would have made sure it was well sealed from the weather before it was ever taken out of the garage.

After 4 1/2 years and over 16,000 miles the Bluebonnet is showing signs of wear. We are going to clean it up and epoxy it and I think it will keep it going for a long time to come.

I'd rather use good Masonite than cheap ply...you're gonna' seal the heck out of it anyway, we all do...