Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have my benroy plans drawn up (I always liked technical drawning) I have a radius of 12'' on the back. Can I get 1/4'' luan to bend around this with success without snapping. Can I steam it or wet it without coming apart?
Dan

Always

Dan

I think we need to see som pictures or drawings. 12" radius on the back?
These are the plans that Mike sent me. I did make some minor changes but there close.

I did change some measurements to fit my needs. The height changed to 57" so I changed the rear radius to match @ 57" instead of 60". One wouln assume that if you are going 48" high then the large rear radius would match @ 48".I also went with a 20" radius on the front and back instead of 19". You will need to find the piviot point for the large radius and the height of the small rear one. Just start draw some radii on your side plywood and keep moving untill things look right.

Now back to your question. It has been my experience that some sheets of plywood are more flexable than other and also length wise or width wise is different. I used Moisture resistant 5.2mm Luan and half of my sheets were like rubber the other half were as stiff as a board. I would do as I did this time and buy your sheets to make sure that you can flex them enough.

I did hose one sheet down (of the stiff sheets)(The stiff sheets were birch and looked nice) to get to bend into the front radius for the inside. Remember I did use "Moisture Resistant Luan" and I live in dry Denver and it was the middle of summer. I hosed it down (both sides) for about an hour, it was more flexable but it still took most of my strength to push it into the radius! It dryed out and I have had no problems.

I hope this helps. Have fun. The end product will be worth it.

Cookie wrote:I have my benroy plans drawn up (I always liked technical drawning) I have a radius of 12'' on the back. Can I get 1/4'' luan to bend around this with success without snapping. Can I steam it or wet it without coming apart?
Dan

Always

Dan

12" huh?? it will be difficult On my tear I have a 14" radius and I got some cracking when I did the inside curve on the outside i plan on dampining the wood just a bit and I hope that it'll bend better...

Greg :)

My hatch lid has a 12" radius on the bottom. I skined it with 2 layers of 1/8" luan. I don't think 1/4" would have worked.
My front radius is 8". the luan wouldn't bend around that. I used 2 layers of 1/8" bending plywood for that.

I used two layers of 1/8" paneling on mine and it rolled really well, I think I'd have had a tough time rolling 1/4" on my hatch and lower front radius. Don't have any idea what the radius' are just drew and cut but they are pretty tight.

You don't need 1/4". !/8" will work just fine. Unless you plan on carrying an elephant on the roof. 12" radius? I hope that's down below. I've got a 20" up front down below. It was tricky but was done. NOT with 1/4" ply.

Have a good day.

I was able to get 1/4 moisture resistant luan to bend on a 12" radius. Took boiling water and ammonia over towels layed on top, waiting 45 minutes, flipping it and then doing it again, but it worked...4 times!
Pic here and more in my Gallery.

on my build I have a 7 1/4" radius at the lower rear, and the lower front is a 8" radius. I did both with 1/8" luan ,dry, and fiber thickened epoxy for the glue

the front panel has 20" radius at the top and the 8" is at the bottom. no way was 1/4" going to bend on either of the tight radius.

I just love it when someone ask a question and then never comes back with a follow up.

Have a good day.

Oh that's okay, Gage. It's a whole lot better than someone who asks a question and then argues against every suggestion, don't you think? (we've sure seen THAT more than once here on the site, huh?)

Gage wrote:I just love it when someone ask a question and then never comes back with a follow up.

Have a good day.

Geez, I know what you mean, Gage. I can't believe there are posters out there who will wait TWO DAYS without checking in here, what's this world coming to? I spent two whole days last weekend camping out at the P/W and still managed to check in one time each day

Kevin,

Not all of us can check in daily. I just got back from a 3 day trip to the Chicago area and had to sit down and catch up when I got back. Personally, I'm additcted to this site, so I'm on it most of the time.........but can't connect while I'm away.

Chris, I think my twisted sense of humor got lost here somewhere, my intention wasn't to be critical of those who don't live on this board as much as it was to be poking fun at posters such as myself who spend far too much time with this board. However, that's what makes this place SOO MUCH FUN.....

No offense taken, Kevin. I'm on the site so much my duties suffer!

Chris C wrote:Oh that's okay, Gage. It's a whole lot better than someone who asks a question and then argues against every suggestion, don't you think? (we've sure seen THAT more than once here on the site, huh?)

That's one of the reasons I don't post very much in this section. As for this thread. Do you know what Cookie is talking about? For the life of me, I can'r figure out where the 12" radius is. To give a good answer or suggestion it would help to know where it's at.

Have a good day.