Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Working on building a 5x10, using Tony's book as a guide. Earlier in the month I was at an RV surplus store and I was able to pick up two 5x10 aluminum sheets that had a luan backing. This looked like the stuff that was on my Silver Shadow originally. The price per sheet was $40 so I couldn't really pass it up, since if I didn't use it it for the TD I could always cut it up and use it for bee hive tops. In any case I had planned to build the TD like Tony's build (skeleton, outer and inner walls, insulation, epoxy and fiberglass, etc) and then I would just attach it to the outside as another layer of protection. I have the skeleton basically done at this point. But today I was thinking that maybe I should just use those sheets for the exterior and not bother with another layer and the fiberglass. I guess I could glue that directly to the skeleton. But is this a bad idea? I liked the idea of using the fiberglass after seeing all of the water damage to the original camper on the tear down. Going this route I don't know if I could do that. Maybe it would be possible to use penetrating epoxy on the skeleton and the luan prior to gluing it up.

Someone please tell me to use the sheets for beehives ;-)

all of the luan i have ever run into in RV's has been made up w/ NON-waterproof glue

sw

swoody126 wrote:all of the luan i have ever run into in RV's has been made up w/ NON-waterproof glue

sw

OK, so I've been thinking about this more, and what about sealing both the aluminum panel and the CDX, and then bonding them together with epoxy?

I would definitely coat the exposed edges with thinned epoxy or the "mix". If you choose to coat the entire back side of the panel, here's how I'd do it:

Using epoxy with a long open time, is first coat the luan with epoxy. Before that sets up, mix up more epoxy with thickener and glue the panel to your frame.

That way, you get a continous polymerization all the way through.

Pmullen503 wrote:I would definitely coat the exposed edges with thinned epoxy or the "mix".

I've seen othet post reference the mix, but havent figured iut what that is. Still waiting for the secret decoder ring to arrive in the mail. I'm assuming it is thinned down epoxy.

When I bought aluminum sheet for my trailer a couple of years ago the cost was $156 a sheet for 4x10, .040 thickness. A sheet of .156 luan (if I remember correctly) was around $125. The price for the product you mention ($40) ....(and 5x10 which, unless it's white, seemed to be an unavailable size when I built)..... has me wondering what this product really is you mention in you post.

Capebuild wrote:When I bought aluminum sheet for my trailer a couple of years ago the cost was $156 a sheet for 4x10, .040 thickness. A sheet of .156 luan (if I remember correctly) was around $125. The price for the product you mention ($40) ....(and 5x10 which, unless it's white, seemed to be an unavailable size when I built)..... has me wondering what this product really is you mention in you post.

This was from an RV salvage place. But it is new, still have the plastic on the aluminum.

Sounds like you got a good deal!

I would take a small piece and soak it in water to see how the glue holds up.

The mix is varnish thinned with mineral spirits. Don't buy "green" mineral spirits. That's a scam that doesn't thin varnish or paint and may not even be better for the environment.

Tom

I'm going to cut a couple strips. One to epoxy seal and one to soak. These panels look identical to the panels that came off of the silver shadow i bought. There was some damage on those, but they faired much better than the other parts of the camper. Most of the damage was to the lower portion of the walls where the trim held in moisture.

shannonswyatt wrote:
This was from an RV salvage place. But it is new, still have the plastic on the aluminum.

Where is this RV salvage place? I'm up the road from you in Richmond

Ottsville wrote:Where is this RV salvage place? I'm up the road from you in Richmond

Indiana. My wife and I hit up Bontragers and a couple other RV salvage shops a few weeks ago.

The name of the place was Newsoms rv surplus and more. Much smaller than bontragers. I also went to Ickes Rv surplus. I got stuff at each place, and in hindsite should have gotten more.

Now if I could find some 3mm ply I would be set. Seems like no one has that anymore.

Just for grins I asked ChatGPT where I could get 3mm plywood near me. I guess foolish me didn't realize that CA is near VA.

I than asked for alternatives. I think I will pass on the particle board, MDF, etc. Kevlar and Carbon Fiber seemed interesting, but if I could afford those I wouldn't be building my own camper!

"AI" has got the artificial part down. The intelligence part... not so much.