Installing Aluminum

[dmckruit]

Whats the best way to install the aluminum siding? More specifically the sides? Do you tack up the sides with a couple of screws at the edges to hold it in place, then cover with aluminum trim and shore it up with screws every 4 inches? Or do you somehow do it all at once with the trim? I have one side up with clamps holding it in place right now and I am looking for direction. I still have work to do on the roof before I skin it over.

[madjack]

...what we do...first, we basically use no adhesive...the AL is cut using the same template, the sides are cut with...holes for lights and fender bolts are located on this template...once cut, we take the AL side and put it in place...use a couple of spring clamps to secure it temporarily...we will also put a couple(r 4) air driven staples in the immediate top edge...be careful doing this as you could end up with your trim not covering them...we have the door jamb trim ready and install it...insert elevator bolts for fenders and attach fenders...at this point, it ain't go-wen nowhere no-how............
madjack

[aggie79]

...the AL is cut using the same template, the sides are cut with...holes for lights and fender bolts are located on this template...once cut, we take the AL side and put it in place...
madjack

Don't want to hijack the thread, but Madjack can you say how you cut your aluminum - with a router and template bit?

[shoeman]

Or what I did was clamp pieces of scrap wood to the exposed floor/frame on the ends so they acted as shelves to place the aluminum on. Then I used spring clamps around the perimeter and in the door opening to hold it in place. Then I installed the bottom piece of trim, then door trim. Like Madjack, no glue at all was used.

[madjack]

aggie, first off, I make all the external cuts with an air shear(under 15 bucks from HF)...for this, you clamp the template, UNDER the sheet of AL...allow the jaw of the shear to ride along the template...you can cut a fairly fine line with the shear and not need to use the router on the edge...if you do need to router the outer edges, a straight bit with an end, guide bearing will be used(if needed) to clean up the edges...go ahead and cut out both sides......

...next, lay a sheet of styrofoam insul(cheap foil backed white stuff) on your work table...the insul will protect your workpiece and your table from the router bit...lay your AL cut out on the insul...lay your template on top of this, line 'em up and clamp 'em down...using a 3/8th template bushing and a 5/16 straight cut, plunge bit in your plunge router, cut out your door skin...since this is the same router/bit/template I cut the door out with, the AL skin should be the exact same as the door...you may need a speed control on your route(available at HF for around 15 bucks) if it(the router) is not variable speed...this will allow you to slow down the router to keep it from "slagging" it's way thru, instead of cutting...you will need to feed the router into your work VERY SLOWLY to avoid said slagging.....since I have located the holes for the running lights, fender bolts and shore power inlets in the template, I drill out the holes and cutout the shorepower opening with the plunge router...

...next, match up your doorskins with the door template and using the same techniques as above, cutout the window and latch openings...you should now have both wall skins and both door skins, with all appropriate openings, done and ready for installation........
madjack

p.s. I built my templates with 1/2 MDF...makes for a heavy template but it holds up well and the 1/2" thickness give plenty of surface for the router bearing/bushing to ride upon..............MJ

[shoeman]

I used a Kett electric shear. Borrowed from a buddy in the auto body business. Routers and aluminum make too many tiny flying pieces of shrapnel for my liking.
Standard old tin snips would work too but it'll be a major hand workout.

...the AL is cut using the same template, the sides are cut with...holes for lights and fender bolts are located on this template...once cut, we take the AL side and put it in place...
madjack

Don't want to hijack the thread, but Madjack can you say how you cut your aluminum - with a router and template bit?

[aggie79]

aggie, first off, I make all the external cuts with an air shear(under 15 bucks from HF)...for this, you clamp the template, UNDER the sheet of AL...allow the jaw of the shear to ride along the template...you can cut a fairly fine line with the shear and not need to use the router on the edge...if you do need to router the outer edges, a straight bit with an end, guide bearing will be used(if needed) to clean up the edges...go ahead and cut out both sides......

...next, lay a sheet of styrofoam insul(cheap foil backed white stuff) on your work table...the insul will protect your workpiece and your table from the router bit...lay your AL cut out on the insul...lay your template on top of this, line 'em up and clamp 'em down...using a 3/8th template bushing and a 5/16 straight cut, plunge bit in your plunge router, cut out your door skin...since this is the same router/bit/template I cut the door out with, the AL skin should be the exact same as the door...you may need a speed control on your route(available at HF for around 15 bucks) if it(the router) is not variable speed...this will allow you to slow down the router to keep it from "slagging" it's way thru, instead of cutting...you will need to feed the router into your work VERY SLOWLY to avoid said slagging.....since I have located the holes for the running lights, fender bolts and shore power inlets in the template, I drill out the holes and cutout the shorepower opening with the plunge router...

...next, match up your doorskins with the door template and using the same techniques as above, cutout the window and latch openings...you should now have both wall skins and both door skins, with all appropriate openings, done and ready for installation........
madjack

p.s. I built my templates with 1/2 MDF...makes for a heavy template but it holds up well and the 1/2" thickness give plenty of surface for the router bearing/bushing to ride upon..............MJ

Thanks. This gives me something to go by.

Tom

[madjack]

Tom, go slow...take your time...clamp tightly...you can ruin a piece of AL quickly with a router ...either by gouging or scratching the heck outta the sheet of AL.....
madjack

[madjack]

Tom, don't know your experience level making/using templates and using router template bushings...these are kind of advanced techniques, so if not sure, check and recheck to make sure your openings in the template are sized properly...ASK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!
madjack

[planovet]

I used a Kett electric shear. Borrowed from a buddy in the auto body business. Routers and aluminum make too many tiny flying pieces of shrapnel for my liking.
Standard old tin snips would work too but it'll be a major hand workout.

That is so true, I'm still finding little pieces in my garage. Fortunately all the cutting I had to do was for the fan opening. I used tin snips and it worked just fine.

[madjack]

...the only places i use a router is to cutout the door skin since this is an interior cut and to be able to use those cutout pieces for the door skin...a router is a must since it takes too large an opening to use an air shear or tin snip for this cut...one reason for the styrofoam sheet under the work piece is to catch many of the shavings...they are hot and melt into the styrofoam and held in place...it does make a mess as all router jobs tend to do...the only other options I see, which would allow me to save those cutouts for future usage would be a jig/sabre saw and even that would be iffy......anyway, lotssa folks have done it lotssa ways and these are just the ways we did it in a fairly well equipped shop...work with what ya got...whatever that is!!!!!!!!!!
madjack

[chorizon]

MJ, maybe this should be a sticky? I've been watching this thread and it seems to be the culmination of a lot of bits and pieces put together. I know I was apprehensive about how I was going attach my aluminum, but now feel pretty good about it. Thanks for the excellent instructions!

[dmckruit]

Thanks for the advice guys. I haven't had much time to work on the trailer (or anything else for that matter) in the past few weeks. The place where I work got hit with a major flash flood over a week ago. They got 4 feet of water through the whole plant. My desk, computer, phone, important files pretty much everything was destroyed. I have been working long hours and am pretty much wiped out when I get home. I did cut out one side of aluminum with a jigsaw, which didn't give me any problems. Got to the part of attaching where I wasn't sure. I haven't got much time since. Taking a day of Thursday so that I will have four days to work on the tear over the holiday weekend.

[aggie79]

Tom, don't know your experience level making/using templates and using router template bushings...these are kind of advanced techniques, so if not sure, check and recheck to make sure your openings in the template are sized properly...ASK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!
madjack

Because I can't cut two of anything to the same size and shape, I'm a big believer in templates and router/router table with pattern/template bits & bushings. Plus, if I mess up the template it is on something cheap rather than something expensive (example of a full size template below.)



I just haven't ever cut metal using a template.

[shoeman]

One more tip... cover any critical surfaces in layers of masking tape to prevent big scuffs and scratches while cutting.
Nice template, by the way! You've got as much time in that as you will the actual wall! But measure twice cut once is the truth.