side walls..solid or sandwich?

[RandyG]

Here is mine, 1/2" wall with 1/4" inside panel. I cut the frame cutouts for the foam with 2-3" radias' to reduce stress cracks. Another 1/4" panel will go on the outside with canvas over that. If I used frp, I wouldnt think one would need the outer layer if the foam inserts were flush, mine are bout .040" shy from flush.

[charlescranfill]

I like the radius corners idea. I think if I use 3/4" plywood and 3/4" foam it should be flush, no? That's a real question, I'm learning as I go. Computer nerd here. LOL

[RandyG]

I have noticed most plywood isnt exact, neither is the foam. If you can find the material you plan on using and put some calipers on them, or a small scale. I should have done that before

[grant whipp]

I'd like to hear from Grant, many of the original teardrops were build with solid walls. And Grant even has door hinges for those solid walls. But the questions I have is, what was the thickness of those walls... 2nd and 3rd picture at this link: http://www.lilbear.teardrops.net/parts.html#hinge
Mike...

Yep ... most vintage commercially-built teardrops had solid plywood walls ... 1/2" was pretty typical, though the Benroys were 3/8" with some solid lumber framing around the doors and galley walls and roof edges.

Sandwich walls are the way to go, if you ask me, but you need to keep a few things in mind ... like door hinges and Edge Moldings for the door opening and galley wall edges. My formed offset aluminum door hinges will only work for wall/door thicknesses of 1" or less (I bend them to your specific thickness, from 1/2" to 1") ... and Edge Moldings run from 1/2" to 7/8" in 1/8" increments, then jump to 1-1/4" and then 1-9/16". I try to keep my walls to 7/8" (1/2" plywood core, 1/8" interior paneling, 1/4" exterior sheathing, .040" aluminum skin), but I've done a few that were 1" (1/2", 1/4", 1/4" .040") and then trimmed down some 1-1/4" Edge Molding for the galley wall edges and door openings (kind of a pain, but doable).

I wouldn't glue FRP over foam insulation ... put down some sheathing of some sort (1/8" or 1/4") for smooth even adhesion ... the end result will be much nicer, IMHO.

Good Luck, and as always ...

CHEERS!

[grant whipp]

BTW ... if you follow my current build project on the teardrops.net Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/teardrops.net (or the abridged version I have going on this Forum, viewtopic.php?f=2&t=57828 ), you can see how I do 'em and learn the whys and wherefors and maybe a trick or two ... ...!

CHEERS!

[aggie79]

I like the radius corners idea. I think if I use 3/4" plywood and 3/4" foam it should be flush, no? That's a real question, I'm learning as I go. Computer nerd here. LOL

Stndard 3/4" plywood is actually 23/32" thick. MDO plywood (medium density overlay) can be obtained at a true 3/4" but you can't get it at big box stores. The closed thickness to 3/4" for Russian or Baltic Birch plywood is 18 milimeters.

All of the above really doesn't matter since foam insulation - especially the "pink" or "blue" - varies considerably in thickness. It can be easily sanded to thickness but you'll need to peel off the plastic or mylar water barrier on the outside if one is present.

[len19070]

I hit this some wheres in the Middle with my Bare Bonz Model.

I use 1/2" plywood sidewalls and cover them with a Foam backed rug both for insulation and the interior finish.



I also pack out the 1/2" plywood at the edge like this with 1, 1/2 X 1, 1/2 blocks glued and stapled so you can get some "Meat" on the corner for an outside corner Molding.



Even though the Rug has no "R" value, it works very well.

Though not a Teardrop this is how the roof system plays out with insulation between the struts and then sheathed.









Happy Trails

Len

http://s26.photobucket.com/user/len1907 ... 20trailers