Doug & Angie's 5x10 Benroy Build

[DougN]

Are you tying to avoid that because of the ergonomics? (An angle drill attachement would solve that problem.)

I screwed up thru the bottom and used PL. Once you get it glued with the spars, roof and inner panels on you will be impressed how stiff everything gets.

Thanks for the feedback. I've already sealed the bottom with marine urethane enamel and was hoping to not put holes in it. I do have room under my work platform to get the drill in though, so I think I'll put 6 or 8 taper head 1/4" counter-sunk bolts through from the bottom and epoxy over the heads. It has to be flush due to the frame rail.

My concern was mainly what would happen in an accident. I think with the bolts, all the screws down from the top, and the epoxy the shear strength should be great, and even if there was some upward force in a worst-case scenario most of the cabin should stay on and/or crumple. Just don't want the possibility of 400lbs of cabin breaking free of the floor, becoming a projectile, and making a bad situation much worse. But that's never going to happen (fingers crossed!)

[KCStudly]

The glue is doing the work, the fasteners are really only there to make a tight joint for the glue to set.

[DougN]

Lots of progress the last couple of weeks. The walls and bulkhead are glued down now with 4 through-bolts on each side.

Ran the electrical...


We are using recessed LED lights - four 1w white and two 1w red on the inside, and 1 red outside on each side.

We found these switch panels with lighted tips at Princess Auto. We decided to put one on each side of the camper with either switch turning on all the lights for that bank, which means both left and right switches must be turned off for the lights to be off. This was in part because the lighted switches don't work as a 3-way/dual switch. The off position is grounded, so we had to add diodes to each circuit so it wouldn't short out the other switch when in the off position.



Insulated -- clamps and slats ready for gluing inside panel.


Trial fitting the inside panels (1/8" birch veneer). I used the ledge for the roof as a router guide to trim the panels after they were glued in place. (Not shown is a pre-cut of the door and front curve leaving an inch or so excess, but allowing the clamps)


And finally, the walls glued and trimmed with the first ceiling panel dry fit. And a beer!

[KCStudly]

Very nicely done.

[DougN]

Here's my poor-man's 60" wood clamp. I realized after that I could have extended the arms and made it an inside clamp as well...

[KCStudly]

Excellent!!! Very simple and elegant, but not something that one might think of right off. Thanks for sharing that one.

[OP827]

Nice start!
..... Most people either use a sealant bedding or nothing at all, relying on the floor treatment....

KC, do you know what sealant bedding to use between the frame and plywood floor? I see Aliner trailers are using the sealant bead at their factory on youtube video and Iwant to do the same to reduce rambling and rubbing and make the floor more solid.
Thanks!

[dales133]

Like that clamp idea,very cleaver.
You could use sikaflex pro witch is primerily a sealant with some adhesive properties or sikaflex f17 or a similar polyurethane adhesive.
Like the build. Nice work

[KCStudly]

KC, do you know what sealant bedding to use between the frame and plywood floor?

I'm no expert on sealants. Other than staying away from silicone (doesn't take paint, tough to deal with in a repair situation after the fact... on the other hand this maybe of no concern underneath) I wouldn't be too picky. I plan on using paintable window caulk, but then again I have sealed the underside of my floor with TB2 and plan to paint it the same as the topside finish (no black goo).

Others my offer more insightful opinions.