(The cleats are made from 1x1x1/8 angle using a drill press w/fence & cut to one inch length with a horizontal band saw.)
alaska teardrop wrote:Joshua,
The Northern Lite construction type is called a semi-monocoque. The outer skin is stressed to help make the connections & structure strong. Some race cars & airplanes would be examples.
My camera failed at the beginning, so I lost pictures of making the walls on the bench. But here is the written description of how it was done:
The cabin is constructed using: .063" (1/16") 3003-H14 sheet aluminum. 16 gage (1/16") x 1" 6063-T52 square tubing. 1/8" x 1" angle cleats. 3M 4919F VHB tape. 3/16" *closed end* aluminum structural rivets (575# shear - 840# tensile).
The walls are made on the work table, outer film protected surface down. The side plan is layed out on the inner face of the sheet. The curve of the roof, window & door openings are cut. The rivet holes are punched or drilled. The hoop is cold formed by hand over a wooden buck. The tube framing is cut & secured in place with tape. The cleats are installed. The assembly is turned outside up. The tubing is drilled through the premade holes in the outer sheet & riveted with a pneumatic riveter.
The walls are installed to the steel floor frame with tape & rivets along the bottom. The ten vertical wall frame members are cleated to the top of the floor frame.
Steel mandrel rivets are much stronger & they break off down inside the rivet unseen.
Fred
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