Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

When you float the aluminum on the roof......do you run the edge molding screws through the aluminum ? or cut aluminum short of screws?????????

..you run the Al to the edge and screw down thru it.............................

Thanks Madjack, also I was reading a previous post, and checked your www. and decided to make my hatch the way you did. NO SPRINGBACK.....Nice job

seahorse wrote:Thanks Madjack, also I was reading a previous post, and checked your www. and decided to make my hatch the way you did. NO SPRINGBACK.....Nice job

Your welcome and thanks...so we are still waiting on some pics...pics of your build, your shop, you, your dog, your backyard...we don't care we just wanna see some pics...any pics 'cause we luv da pics
madjack
p.s. also havea bunch of asst pics in my personal gallery here on the board

I'll try to post some pics tomorrow........thanks!

madjack wrote:..you run the Al to the edge and screw down thru it.............................

Yep, that's the way I did it also.

seahorse wrote:Thanks Madjack, also I was reading a previous post, and checked your www. and decided to make my hatch the way you did. NO SPRINGBACK.....Nice job

The secret in building a hatch with no springback is to think it out and use common sense. I believe my hatch is bigger than Madjacks (maybe not) and when it was completed, I ended up with the same results. Building it basically the same way.

Have a good day.

Are you guys saying that your aluminum roof sheet is secured at the edges only? What about the sides, do you do the same there? I had envisaged doing mine in the following manner. Fix a 1/8 ply sheet over the top of the TD and then sikaflex the aluminum sheeting to that. Same for the sides (which are 3/4 ply), just use Sikaflex 252 and stick the ali down. Shoot as many holes in my idea as you can, Im looking for help here.
Thanks.

What's the thickness of your AL? If it is less than .032, then you definitely need the 1/8" ply under it on the roof. If it is thicker, the plywood is not necessary. I used .060 on my roof, but the plans that I used called for .032 and nothing but the spars and the insulation underneath. I used polyurethene glue to fasten the alumimun to the spars and used straps and wieghts to hold it in place until dry. I did put a couple screws in the very front and of course at the hatch location. I put the sides on with Henry's 663 carpet adhesive. When the trim goes on, it will hold everyting in place, and the Henry's will stay pliable enough to allow for expansion and contraction of the AL.

toypusher wrote:What's the thickness of your AL?

Not sure, I will measure it next week when I get home, Im away at work now.

40...it is kinda a coin flip...the sika product is an excellent choice for an adhesive but it is not necessary...the best reason for adhesive is to hold the Al inplace until the trim, fenders, lights etc are in place...the largest TD manugacturer in the country uses no substrate on the roof and no adhesive on the sides...the only place they use adhesive is along the top edge...all this is possible if you use at least .032 thick Al and cut it to shape(sides) before installation
madjack

My roof is .060 alum over 1/8" birch ply and my side skins are .040 alum. I used some cheap glue to hold my side skins in place while I located and straped down my roof skin and edge molding. Located and held the edge molding in place with hand only, no clamps. Drilled thru molding and roof skin and applied screws. Located hinge half and applied screws. Located a 1/4" flat piece of alum across the lwr edge up front also common to the roof skin. Then located all my door framing and fenders. Put the teardrop out on the driveway for about 6 hours in 105 deg heat and the glue broke loose. The outside edge of the side skin moves approx. 1/8" but no bubbling of the skin anywhere on the sides (that is noticeable). The roof skin doesn't move. The thinner the alum sht, the more it will move.
You can see a little more of what I'm talking about on page 13 of my build. http://www.gages-56.com/tear13.html

Have a good day.