Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Still doing the thinking.
Kinda like Mike's Weekender II profile here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=49470&start=16

I have noticed some threads where screwing into the plywood edge gets bad press.
Not a lot of snow where I live, so insulated walls and floors were never on my radar and I wasn't planning on framing the walls.
I had thought that the 10' x 5' x 3/4" sheets of hardwood exterior ply that I think I can get would be wide enough and strong to glue (can buy titebond II locally) and screw roof sheets straight to the edges.
Of course I'd expected to install cross beams to glue and screw the forward and rear edges of the roof sheeting to.
Now I get the impression this won't work well?

The other reason to use the 3/4 ply was that I was considering routing 1/4" deep slots to locate the bulkheads and bench top for the galley so as to avoid framing.
Gluing and screwing again.
What do people think?

The trouble with any plywood is that you can split the plies
with your fasteners. If you are intent on this method consider
augmenting the plywood with dowels first to screw into.

Then they won't pull out or break the plywood.

Do you know about kreg screw? Those and glue is very strong.

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I screwed through the ply into cross members never into the edge of the ply. I did make notches in the wall ply for the cross members to sit in. Of course plenty of glue. Buy three times the amount you think is reasonable

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Next question:
One of the little niggles with the bolt together trailers is the way the two draw bar members are bolted to the rest of the frame.
As far as I can see, the top plate of the C channel of the draw bar is bolted to the bottom plate of the side chassis member and of one cross member.
See illustration A. It's not a lot of metal taking all the stress.
Has anyone done illustration B? i.e. use a long bolt that will reach right through all four plates, put in a couple of spacers so the steel doesn't crush (the red bits in B ) and at least bolt 4 plates together instead of two?
I hope my attempt in MS paint demonstrates what I mean.

Graniterich wrote:Do you know about kreg screw? Those and glue is very strong.

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I know about them. They don't appeal to me as a way to join a 3/4 ply sheet to a 1/4 roof sheet without having to add perimeter frame to the wall.
I certainly would consider them if I decide to go the full frame route.
Then again, maybe a kreg jig would make it make it possible to drive screws at an angle so the screw crosses plies instead of spreading them apart.

Something like this

I think using spacers is a good idea. extra work cutting them all but worth it.

Use 1/4" crown staples from an air gun to attach the 1/4" roof to your 3/4" walls. They go in so fast it doesn't split the plys. Rally it is just holding it till the glue dries.

Todd

Cool.
I guess if the staples are fired across the line of the wall, then each leg of the staple goes into a different ply in the wall, so only have the stress of one leg trying to push the veneers apart. And smaller diameter than a screw anyway. Do you leave them in?
This would work, I'm looking at using some fairly upmarket glues.
Considering the PL 3x, or one of the sikaflex glues normally only used by professionals. The sikaflex one appeals to me, but I might have trouble finding it retail.

You can buy Silkafles from Amazon, Home Depot and many other places. I second the suggestion to a 1/4" narrow crown stapler to attach thin plywood to a wood frame work while adhesives or glues setup. You can leave the staples in after the glue dries. You can buy one from Amazon, Home Depot, Harbor Freight or many other suppliers.

Esteban wrote:You can buy Silkafles from Amazon, Home Depot and many other places. I second the suggestion to a 1/4" narrow crown stapler to attach thin plywood to a wood frame work while adhesives or glues setup. You can leave the staples in after the glue dries. You can buy one from Amazon, Home Depot, Harbor Freight or many other suppliers.

Bwahahaha!
I live in South Australia. We have no Harbor Freight, no Home Depot, no Lowe's.
We do have Amazon Australia, but it is a pale, downright insipid, copy of the US site.
The sad fact is, the state of Texas has about as many people as we have in the whole country. Economies of scale just aren't there and the hardware stores just plain can't carry the range you are used to.
Freight cost kills ordering from the States for Australian delivery.

I will be able to find the stuff I want, I am sure, but it won't be as easy as you guys get it.

The stapler will be easy - Evil bay to the rescue.
The 8 x 5 trailer, which surely looks like a re-branded Ironton to me, comes from Melbourne. A mere 583 miles by road.
I'm thinking of using 5 x 10 sheets to get a trailer with a full 4 feet inside height and maybe 9 feet long instead of 8, as I am fairly tall and we've decided we want a full 60 x 80 inch Queen sized mattress and still have enough space in the galley for a decent fridge.
I thought I could get these locally - Adelaide, a measly 125 miles away - but it now looks like I'll have to freight them from Melbourne, too.

The Sikaflex, I dunno yet. Local hardware store sold me some sikaflex roof and gutter sealant the other day, so they have a line on suppliers. May be able to get them to order in. Or Evil Bay again.
We shall see.

Bwahahaha!
I live in South Australia. We have no Harbor Freight, no Home Depot, no Lowe's.
We do have Amazon Australia, but it is a pale, downright insipid, copy of the US site.
The sad fact is, the state of Texas has about as many people as we have in the whole country. Economies of scale just aren't there and the hardware stores just plain can't carry the range you are used to.
Freight cost kills ordering from the States for Australian delivery

Ooops! i did not see that you live in Australia. Amazon.au sells 1/4 inch narrow crown staplers and Sikaflex. You can judge their Australian prices. I am very pleased with the quality and value of the Hitachi air tools I bought.

I bought a stainless steel ventilation grill that could be opened or closed to use in my teardrop from https://www.amazon.co.uk/. It arrived quickly and in good shape. I could not find anything similar in the USA.

Thanks mate.
I rate Hitachi tools fairly high.
The next question - do people use galvanised staples, or should I be searching out stainless steel. My head says stainless steel, my wallet says galv.

...do people use galvanised staples, or should I be searching out stainless steel...

I've never seen rust on any that I've thumped in. In fact, there is no rust on the ones that have been in my drawer for a couple of years. I assume they are galvanized.

But I don't live in a rusty part of the world.



Tony

MickinOz wrote:Thanks mate.
I rate Hitachi tools fairly high.
The next question - do people use galvanised staples, or should I be searching out stainless steel. My head says stainless steel, my wallet says galv.

I think of a narrow crown stapler as a much easier, rapid fire (fun to use!), substitute to using clamps to snugly hold wooden parts together while the glue sets up. They work very well with thin plywood. When used on the exterior skin I leave them in place and skin/cover the plywood with fiberglass (epoxy and fiberglass cloth).

I use a 23 gauge pin nailer, a 1/4" narrow crown stapler, and a brad nailer.

The 23 gauge pins are nearly invisible to the eye, especially when you paint or varnish over them.

1/4" narrow crown staples work very well, but are somewhat unattractive if you can see them.

Brad nails are best when they will be out of sight or you can putty over the nail hole.

Has anyone experienced galvanic corrosion issues from joining aluminium frames to steel chassis?
I suppose if your water proofing is good there isn't an issue.