Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Weve, decided upon not to have aluminum on the outerwalls on this build..thats after a long evening of family meeting and voting..and with a mutual agreement.

After spending 90 euro or 120USD per sheet on 3/4" High Quality Plywood... We want to have the Grain of the Natural Birch Show... So Aluminum will only be add to the roof of the tear..and hatch..

We are planning to fiberglass the out sides and edges included..

Is there a certain way to start the procedure and is there a special fiberglass needed and certain type of epoxy?

I guess Steve has been doing this for some time so maybe he will notice our thread..

Any help will certainly be appreciated...

PS - We do now have a nice 25 foot US Tape Measure....
went and tested my skills - Our frame is 86" long and 59" wide..

with the towbar the frame is 12 Feet.. The axle sits 32 inches from the back of the frame to the center of the axle...

Best wishes
Classic Finn

Heikki, my fiberglassing knowledge is limited but a place to start is West System3 and RAKA INC. ...I believe Steve Frederick uses RAKA and Doug Hodder uses West System3...they should be able to point you in the right direction...along with other fibergalss savvy members...you might also want to consider getting Steve's shop manual
madjack

p.s. both of the links above have links to instruction manuals, which have tons of info in them

Finn,,,,Frank and Linda are just finishing up their weekender,,,From talking to Frank he started out on the wrong foot and has played catch up ever since,, give him a PM,, he might lead ya down the right path,,,, at least head off a pitfall or two,,,, as far as me giving help,,, all I can do is give ya moral support,,,, Go Finn,,,, Go Finnnn,,,,,,,, go finn,,,,,,go finnn,,,,,, oh I can pour ya a drank iffin ya get thirsty

chipper

Madjack Thank You

It looks like there is a distributor for the West System 3 not too far away from us.... I,ll check them in the morning....Used for Marine purposes as well.....


Classic Finn

Chip wrote:Finn,,,,Frank and Linda are just finishing up their weekender,,,From talking to Frank he started out on the wrong foot and has played catch up ever since,, give him a PM,, he might lead ya down the right path,,,, at least head off a pitfall or two,,,, as far as me giving help,,, all I can do is give ya moral support,,,, Go Finn,,,, Go Finnnn,,,,,,,, go finn,,,,,,go finnn,,,,,, oh I can pour ya a drank iffin ya get thirsty

chipper

Ahhhh Good Ol Chip... Thanks for the advice and moral support...I,ll do that...I,ll need the pickle juice soon - not many hours left of the year 2005....

Classic Finn

finn

choose ya poisen,,,, Happy new year thar bud

chipper

PB...checkout the 2 links I posted above...they have detailed instruction manuals, how-to projects and much more...just about all the info you need to get started in a career as an Ace Fiberglasser person
madjack

Gee - Madjack and Chip!

You have "eager to learn" students from near and far... Who passes out the Diplomas after this School is over??

Tearbuilder Graduation Diploma??

That would look swell to add to my resume...

Classic Finn

Finn....I used the West system...I only lay cloth on the hulls of the boats...on the top deck of boats and on the sides of the tear, it's just epoxy resin...Just my opinion...but I don't think you're going to need the cloth on it....just depends on how you want to use the tear...If you're doing a lot of offroading and it is going to get scratched up from branches...I'd say, yes, do the cloth...otherwise, just save yourself the money...read up on the West System if that's what you are going to use...get the special coating hardener for clear over wood...and keep in mind...it still will need a uv protectant top coat...varnish, auto clear coat etc....I think you'll get a good Finnish on it....Doug

doug hodder wrote:Finn....I used the West system...I only lay cloth on the hulls of the boats...on the top deck and on the sides of the tear, it's just epoxy resin...Just my opinion...but I don't think you're going to need the cloth on it....just depends on how you want to use the tear...If you're doing a lot of offroading and it is going to get scratched up from branches...I'd say, yes, do the cloth...otherwise, just save yourself the money...read up on the West System if that's what you are going to use...get the special coating hardener for clear over wood...and keep in mind...it still will need a uv protectant top coat...varnish, auto clear coat etc....Doug

Aye The Limmerik King ....Okidoki Im getting up early in the mornin and heading over to the West System distibutor here for sure... I think your idea of the Auto Clear Coat sounds great too...

Thank You

PS The cost of the Plywood we purchased, gave us the decision not to cover it with aluminum ...It is beautiful..

Classic Finn

PS Doug - The wife has a question for you - How bad of a smell does this
epoxy produce? Ive heard some have no smell to it ? Or not a strong one anyway?

Doug(et all), I was looking at this site and they have a West Systems product called SB-112, a UV stabilized epoxy...know anything about it????
madjack

Finn...also if your interested...you might consider an anilin dye on the wood...check for how it takes the dye however...don't want to get something blotchy....here's West Systems web site that has a users manual.... www.westsystem.com Doug

C/F.. here is the best tip I can give you.... It is easier to put another coat of resin on than it is to take extra off.....

I apply it in a variety of ways, but always use a squeegee to take it down level.... the last thing you want to do is sand fiberglass resin......

Also, if you put another coat of resin on within 36 hours, it chemically bonds to the undercoat... If you wait more than 48 hours, it becomes mainly a mechanical bond...... chemical is better..

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=178

I read on there that OSMOSIS can happen on boats ? Has that happened
on anyones teardrop yet?


Classic Finn

arnereil wrote:C/F.. here is the best tip I can give you.... It is easier to put another coat of resin on than it is to take extra off.....

I apply it in a variety of ways, but always use a squeegee to take it down level.... the last thing you want to do is sand fiberglass resin......

Also, if you put another coat of resin on within 36 hours, it chemically bonds to the undercoat... If you wait more than 48 hours, it becomes mainly a mechanical bond...... chemical is better..

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=178

Thats a good pointer or a good piece of advice - I,ll have to remember that.. especially about sanding fiberglass resin...

Another question that may sound silly to ask is - Is it ok to do the epoxy
while the walls are still unassembled or after it has been assembled, we were thinking of doing the epoxy after we have cut the profile?


Thanks
Classic Finn