Sandwich Side - Ceder framing

[Ivar the Red]

What if I'm air tool poor?

If you're gonna paint or skin with something else, you can use screws, and when the glue cures, remove them and fill the holes with bondo/putty.

The plan is to paint.

[satch]

What if I'm air tool poor?

If you're gonna paint or skin with something else, you can use screws, and when the glue cures, remove them and fill the holes with bondo/putty.

The plan is to paint.

Well, then I used screws on mine, then removed and bondo the holes. A bit more sanding, but I think the screws held better on a curve than a brad or staple. Just make sure the glue has cured, I waited 24hrs before removing them.

[Ivar the Red]

What if I'm air tool poor?

If you're gonna paint or skin with something else, you can use screws, and when the glue cures, remove them and fill the holes with bondo/putty.

The plan is to paint.

Well, then I used screws on mine, then removed and bondo the holes. A bit more sanding, but I think the screws held better on a curve than a brad or staple. Just make sure the glue has cured, I waited 24hrs before removing them.

Then you could prolly use like brass screws with fancy washers, and just leave them in if you wanted to, huh?

[satch]

What if I'm air tool poor?

If you're gonna paint or skin with something else, you can use screws, and when the glue cures, remove them and fill the holes with bondo/putty.

The plan is to paint.

Well, then I used screws on mine, then removed and bondo the holes. A bit more sanding, but I think the screws held better on a curve than a brad or staple. Just make sure the glue has cured, I waited 24hrs before removing them.

Then you could prolly use like brass screws with fancy washers, and just leave them in if you wanted to, huh?

What ever your heart desires!, I used stainless screws/ washers on the trim! That's the beauty about building, it's a one of a kind, and with your beast, I rest my case!

[Ivar the Red]

I keep coming back to this...
Ok, I haven't used any of the new epoxy glues, and with my outdoor shop, and winter temps, am I out of luck until summer? Or will the colder temps just make shorter working times and longer drying times?

[satch]

I keep coming back to this...
Ok, I haven't used any of the new epoxy glues, and with my outdoor shop, and winter temps, am I out of luck until summer? Or will the colder temps just make shorter working times and longer drying times?

Most glues have the temp requirments on their label. I would think the warm the better, but it would be best to check.

[asianflava]

Epoxy is temp dependent, if it is too cold it will not cure properly. The colder the temp, the longer the working time. West Systems (The epoxy I used) has 2 different hardeners, fast and slow. The fast is good down to 40F and the slow is good down to 60F.

[GPW]

With all the great wood glues out,and careful construction,it seems like epoxy wouldn't be necessary, and since it cures rather than evaporates (wood glue) it adds a lot of WEIGHT... You can just add the weight of those epoxy cans to the weight of your trailer...

[John Bailey]

Just a couple of thoughts from a non-teardropper (yet) but a hobby boat-builder and kayak paddle maker.

First, the cedar will be excellent wood for the framing, except, as noted before, where you're going to need to have screw-holding strength. Cedar, especially western red cedar, which is what we, mostly, get in Michigan, splits easily. For those areas pine or poplar would be a good inexpensive choice. If I could get it, I would think douglas fir or southern yellow pine would even be better.

As far as screws on the outside to hold down the skin while the epoxy cures, it really is not needed. In fact, it might be detrimental. Epoxy acts as a filler and if screwed down, or clamped too tight, you will use strength do to epoxy starvation. If you are skinning the outside while the side is down on a work place, as opposed to vertical on the trailer, all you have to do is provide enough clamping, or weight, to keep contact. However, because I like the look of those nice oval head screws with the ornamental washers, I might use them, just for the looks, and leave them in full view.

My plan is to use the western red cedar that is sold for decking. It's cheap, and I can often get it from the local lumber yard for next to nothing if I take the shorter pieces. It's 5/8" but I've used it a lot in building kayak paddles and believe it to be strong enough. I'm going to rely on epoxy to hold the skin, if I use ply. I'm still deciding whether to use ply or to strip it. If strip, then, definitely, the strength will come from epoxy on the framing and I'll fiberglass, lightly, on the outside.

Just a couple of thoughts from a non-teardropper. (yet)

John

[angib]

With all the great wood glues out,and careful construction,it seems like epoxy wouldn't be necessary, and since it cures rather than evaporates (wood glue) it adds a lot of WEIGHT...

Yes, but epoxy has superb elongation, meaning it's not at all brittle. Nearly all wood glues fail at fairly low elongation, so are not as flexible as the wood they're bonded to. For an object subject to vibration, like a trailer, brittle is not good.

Andrew

[John Bailey]

Yes, but epoxy has superb elongation, meaning it's not at all brittle. Nearly all wood glues fail at fairly low elongation, so are not as flexible as the wood they're bonded to. For an object subject to vibration, like a trailer, brittle is not good.

Andrew

That's a good point. I've used West System, System 3 and MAS epoxies. I have no documentation on this, but I've found MAS to be a bit more flexible when cured.

John

[2bits]

What if I'm air tool poor?

Hey Johnny,

I used trim nails and an actual hammer lol to hold down the masonite underlayment while the glue dried. I had to mark on the sides where the nails were since my trim was going to be screwed down right on top of it, so I didn't want to screw on top of a nail, but it worked out fine.

I used Titebond for glue, you might do that with your temp issues.