Planning and Building My Kenskill

[Ed K.]

Not sure if it's important. The scale and/or length of the trailer frame looks different between your second and third pictures. (I've had experience building a house where the foundation and the floor plan didn't line up. An architect/designer oopsie the contractor had to try to fix after the foundation was poured).

It's the scale. My CAD software allows me to save a drawing in JPG format then I bring the JPG file into a graphics editing program to scale it down to the maximum size allowed by the forum. All pictures didn't scale exactly the same. Thanks for the critique though.

Ed

[Ed K.]

I tried getting rid of the flip in the rear but I did not like the looks of it so it stays. It looked too much like a mish-mash of a Benroy and Ken-Skill.
I extended the floor board to the rear like someone suggested. I think this is where I'll have to wing it once I get to that point.
I made the door larger per the suggestions so this is what I have now.





Ed

[kennyrayandersen]

I take that back -- it won't be hard to do the little flip if that part is just the skirt. I was thinking it was part of the floor. Making the floor curved would be a little tougher -- trimming the skirt like that is pretty easy. Also, it looks like you have the hatch intersecting the floor directly anyway, so that should be easy enough.

BTW, I'd gently remove the flat spot in the middle of the roof (stiffer, not as prone to sagging and asthetically a bit better -- just ask Arne!

[madjack]

IE: the flat spot...leave it, IF you want to install a vent(you'd better)...double up the spars/ribs to give plenty of meat to screw down the vent and you will be fine...glad you're leaving the "flip"...it'll look good and make the "traditionalists" happy
madjack

[Ed K.]

I'm still playing around with the tail end look and I originally took out the flip by just making the back straight part continue down to the bottom. That's what made it look like a Benroy/Ken-Skill mish-mash. Now I'm toying with this one and I kind of like it. It still looks Ken-Skillish.



What do you think?

Ed

[Ed K.]

BTW, I'd gently remove the flat spot in the middle of the roof (stiffer, not as prone to sagging and asthetically a bit better -- just ask Arne!

Kenny,

It's not as flat as it looks in the image. The CAD drawing doesn't convert to a JPG file very well so you loose a fair amount of detail in the process especially since the JPG has to be scaled down for the forum.

By the way, there is enough of a flat spot on the top for a vent. A vent is a must for me.

Ed

[kennyrayandersen]

IE: the flat spot...leave it, IF you want to install a vent(you'd better)...double up the spars/ribs to give plenty of meat to screw down the vent and you will be fine...glad you're leaving the "flip"...it'll look good and make the "traditionalists" happy
madjack

If the curve is gentle, and it is, there won't be a problem installing the fan -- it doesn't have to be exactly flat. A couple of folks have commented that it was no problem to install on a slight curve. I agree with you though -- a fan is a must -- esp my wife gots to have fresh air.

BTW it looks good with or without the 'flip'

[Ed K.]

BTW it looks good with or without the 'flip'

I think I'm going to go without the flip but with the curve at the end instead of a straight vertical end. I like the fact that I can extend the trailer frame all the way back. With the flip the trailer frame would have had to stop 1ft from the end. I know, probably not a big deal but it will give the side walls support right to the end.

Now that I have the profile nailed down it's time to start thinking about the details of construction.

Ed

[Ed K.]

Now that I have the trailer frame size and materials figured out I was wondering about the axle. What type should I get and how do I figure out the width I need? Should I get the wheels and tires first since I'll then know the offset of the wheel or get the axle first and then get the wheels and tires that will work with the axle? And how about springs? Do those come with the axle or are they a separate item and if separate what type and size do I look for?
Before I even think of starting to welding up the frame I want to have the axle all figured out so I only have to do it once.

Help please!

Thanks,
Ed

[madjack]

...even though they are more expensive, I have a STRONG PREFERENCE for torsion axles over spring axles for Td's...they have lower profile look for a given ground clearance and combine both spring and shock dampening effect in one unit...since you have a torsion axle custom made, you can take a 2000# torsion axle and have it de-rated to the weight limit you want (yes you can do similar with springs)...wheels..."trailer" wheels generally have a 0" offset so you don't need them on hand to begin with...if going with a custom wheel/tire combo, you might well want them on hand first...if you look in the Frame and Chassis section...especially, if you start at the beginning of that section, you will find a ton of info on axle choices...here are some threads to start with...
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=9793
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=10456
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=10273
...lot of info for you in the Trailer and Chassis setion...look theu sdtripper2's index at the start of the section as well..........
madjack

[Ed K.]

madjack,

Thanks for the links about selecting an axle. You are right, there's a ton of information in that section.

My walls will be covering the trailer frame so I need to figure out what thickness the plywood will be since that figures into the width of the axle needed. The arms need to clear the plywood so I don't have to notch the plywood. I want to insulate the walls and I'm thinking of going with the rabbet type of attachment but I'm wondering how thick should the outer and inner skins be for this type of wall? And, I would like the option of skinning it with aluminum if I decide to go that way. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm assuming you still need plywood to attach the aluminum to.

Thanks for all the help.

Ed

[madjack]

Ed, we built with 3/4ply for the walls and came down over the frame AND used a torsion axle...if you call Dexter and talk to them, they will need outside to outside frame measurements and hub face to hub face as well...to insure clearance, you will need to specify the outside to outside cabin measurment as well...to keep the hub to hub measurement as close as possible AND insure sidewall clearance, I had to go with their "long" hub which is only a 1/2" longer but it gave me a 1/4" clearance on both sides which is plenty...with all that info, Dexter will generate a spec sheet for the axle and send it to you...I'll dig around my mile high stack of receipts and paperwork and see if I still have my spec sheet which was for a 58" wide frame and a 59.5" cabin...don't remember the H2H measurement right now...if you stick frame and use 1/4" ply for the sides or use a spring type axle, this won't be as critical.........
madjack

p.s. why 59.5 instead of a full 60"s...so as to give a little wiggle room for fitting the 5'wide skins to the roof...something well worth doing IMNSHO.......MJ

[Ed K.]

.if you stick frame and use 1/4" ply for the sides or use a spring type axle, this won't be as critical.........
madjack

p.s. why 59.5 instead of a full 60"s...so as to give a little wiggle room for fitting the 5'wide skins to the roof...something well worth doing IMNSHO.......MJ

madjack,

Good idea to go with 59.5. I think I'll do the same.

So can I go with 1/4" outer skin, then 3/4" framing to put the insulation in between and then 1/4" inside skin, will this type of sandwich wall work? I do plan on covering the trailer frame with the outside skin and I do plan on using a torsion axle.

Thanks man,
Ed

[Esteban]

Ed, you can go with 1/4" plywood outside, 3/4" framing and insulation, and either 1/8" or 1/4" plywood for inside walls. Going with 1/4" inside it'll be stiffer and add about 20 lbs.

[Ed K.]

Ed, you can go with 1/4" plywood outside, 3/4" framing and insulation, and either 1/8" or 1/4" plywood for inside walls. Going with 1/4" inside it'll be stiffer and add about 20 lbs.

Thanks Steve.

Do I use baltic birch plywood for the skins?
Since my TD is going to be 112" long I would need a 10ft by 4ft sheet. Is such a size available?

If I decided I wanted to skin it with aluminum, can I just put the aluminum on top of the 1/4" plywood skin? I prefer the look of aluminum but if the cost of the aluminum is more than I'm willing to pay then I'll stick with the plywood.

Thanks,
Ed