Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I finished laying out a pattern for my sidewalls. I'm following the Steve Frederick manual approach for my sandwich panels. I have not located the notch for my hatch seal yet. Will I be safe in allowing a 3/8" space or should I go ahead and buy my seals first to be sure? I'm not really sure what to use. The seals on Grant's page look as good as any. I'm interested in what others have used for seals.

Bought my seal from McMaster Carr www.mcmaster.com Mine uses a edge seal that slips over the edge of the hatch. Most everyone has a different hatch configuration.

emiller wrote:Mine uses a edge seal that slips over the edge of the hatch. Most everyone has a different hatch configuration.

I've been thinking about that myself. Could you post a close-in picture of your hatch edge so I could see that detail?

Thanks, Tom

I bought my seals from McMaster Carr also. Like emiller said, everyone's hatch is different. If you are following Steve's approach to the hatch, then then the notch is going to be very different than say on a Generic Benroy. Whatever you do it isn't going to be perfect. So get a good seal that will fit.

Seal link

I made my hatch like Steve's plans and used the #9 seal (3/4x3/8). It works great. I also used the #9 seal in a smaller size for my doors. I used a #7 at first but found out the #9 does a better job if the gaps aren't perfect. And sad to say, one of my doors isn't perfect.

I'm sure each of us has had to come up with a few original thoughts on this to suit their own build. I'm not sure there is always a right and a wrong way, so long as it does not leak. I used Grant's hatch seal and applied it to the top edge of my walls. I used the Generic Benroy plans and notched my sandwich construction walls by 3/8" (although I think 1/4" would have been plenty) long before I ever ordered the rubber seal from Grant. I also used a wide lipped insert molding on the edge of my hatch to wrap around the edge and cover the seam where the hatch meets the sidewalls. It ends up with sort of a 3-way seal between the wall edges, the hatch lid and the wide edge of the insert molding There seems to be a lot of different approaches that work. This is just what I did. So far it seems OK.

Good Luck,

Mike

Here's a pic or two and there are more in my album.

Thanks for the responses. I assumed there is a million ways to do it. I just wasn't familiar with all the different seals available. The McMaster Carr link is very helpful. I know how i want my detail to look so I think I'm going to just pick one out and go.

aggie79 wrote:

emiller wrote:Mine uses a edge seal that slips over the edge of the hatch. Most everyone has a different hatch configuration.

I've been thinking about that myself. Could you post a close-in picture of your hatch edge so I could see that detail?

Thanks, Tom

I would have to borrow a camera as mine failed finally on our route 66 trip.

See if this works http://teardropcamper.shutterfly.com/
click on Eddie's 2005 teardrop hatch

aggie79 wrote:

emiller wrote:Mine uses a edge seal that slips over the edge of the hatch. Most everyone has a different hatch configuration.

I've been thinking about that myself. Could you post a close-in picture of your hatch edge so I could see that detail?

Thanks, Tom

Here is a LINK to some edge-grip rubber seals.

emiller wrote:See if this works http://teardropcamper.shutterfly.com/
click on Eddie's 2005 teardrop hatch

Thanks Eddie,
That's what I was looking for.
Tom

planovet wrote:
Here is a LINK to some edge-grip rubber seals.

Thanks Mark. I'm also kicking around the idea of using these type of seals on my doors.