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Wall thickness
Posted:
Sun Apr 12, 2009 3:04 pmby Dewi
I've looked over quite a few builds now and I want to make a decision about wall thickness... generally what thickness is the wall of your TD?
I'm working on at the minute that I will use 1/2" plywood as the structural wall, with a skin inside and out of 1/8" ply, then an outer skin of aluminium and an inner skin of uholstery material... does this sound about right? Am I over engineering it, or even under engineering it?
Cheers, Dewi
Posted:
Sun Apr 12, 2009 5:59 pmby madjack
Dewi, I use a single sheet of 3/4 cabinet grade(13ply) Birch only, with either an outer skin of AL or in my present TD, epoxy coated camo cloth...nothing else on the inside...you don't need the extra 1/8th outer skin if doing an Al skin and if doing a carpet/upholstery finish on the inside, you don't really need the extra skin there either....
madjack
Posted:
Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:20 pmby mikeschn
Keep it simple. If you are going to do a stick build, use 3/4" sticks, with either 1/8" or 1/4" skins.
If you are going to do a solid wall, 1/2" or 3/4" is all you need. My last build used 1/2" solid walls, and it is plenty...
http://www.mikenchell.com/Generic_ET_Ph ... ndex3.html
Mike...
Posted:
Sun Apr 12, 2009 9:21 pmby bbarry
I did 3/4" ply cut out like this:
and then bonded 1/8" skins on each side. It's plenty strong, I think you could go 1/2" for the inside without any trouble as Mike says. I see no reason to go to 1/4" skins, it's just added weight and expense.
Brad
Posted:
Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:29 amby Lou Park
It's just my opinion but, you have to decide what you want it for.
For instance, I knew that I wanted mine to be cooled with a combination
solar panels and cooler/ice type a/c. Also, i knew that I was doing this on the cheap using regular door knobs from Home Depot. I also planned on using a full size mattress not a queen. This all added up to 2" thick walls.
With 2" thick walls I was able to insulate heavily, use a 5' wide (already assembled) trailer and a bunch of materials that I had lying around the house. Also with the 2" thick walls, it's quieter during rain storms, but easier to run wires.
Lou
Posted:
Mon Apr 13, 2009 11:32 pmby kennyrayandersen
If you bond all of the layers together, the skins can be thinner as well. Even 1/8 on either side of 1 inch pink or blue foam – if they are bonded together, is amazingly strong and certainly strong enough for a tear. Even if you only use 3/4 sticks in-between and around the perimeter and loose fit the insulation, ¼ inch outside and 1/8 inch insides should be plenty.