Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

hI there, built my hatch the other day and it is definitely 100% square. The issue is my Td isn't!

At the top of the galley the gap on one side is about 8mm wider than the other. The hatch otherwise if fine with no spring back. The roof edge is what's off true

Despite the issue I'm still pleased considering I'm only 8mm off true, and I've just been using cheapo tools.

Anyway it's 8mm wider one side to the other where the hurricane hinge will go. I'm not sure what to do.

If I glue on a tapered bit of wood 8mm down to zero would this be enough. There would only be about 2 screws on the hinge which would need to go through the taper or near the original edge. I'd just be afraid of splitting the wood at the glued join. The solution doesn't need to be pretty as it'll be covered in Alu trim

I really don't want to rebuild the hatch as my funds are quickly running out at present, seems a shame as well when it's actually square and has no spring back

Any other ideas?

I'd kinda ruled out putting the extra taper on the hatch itself as I've already skinned it with plywood

I'd do as you said - add a tapered filler. Use a good glue/adhesive and clamp well or temporarily fasten the taper with screws.

I did the same in mine but for a different reason. Instead of a taper to one side, I needed to add a "wedge" to my bulkhead wall the full width of my teardrop. The wedge was wide at the top and tapered to zero at the bottom.

Don't worry about the screws penetrating the filler piece. The hurricane hinge distributes the loading.

aggie79 wrote:I'd do as you said - add a tapered filler. Use a good glue/adhesive and clamp well or temporarily fasten the taper with screws.

I did the same in mine but for a different reason. Instead of a taper to one side, I needed to add a "wedge" to my bulkhead wall the full width of my teardrop. The wedge was wide at the top and tapered to zero at the bottom.

Don't worry about the screws penetrating the filler piece. The hurricane hinge distributes the loading.

That was my worry, that with the taper being so thin it may just crumble. Suppose if I glue well, and keep most of the screws out of it once set it should be ok. 2/3s of the hinge will be screwed in the main roof spar.

I've always built my hatch on my camper so it would fit regardless if it is square or not which I'm pretty sure it wasn't. I'm sure my 2 side panels aren't exactly the same either. Once built you can't tell unless you get a tape measure out and spend some time on it.