Need photos of aluminum skinning details...

[jonw]

Mike - I too used Grant's moldings for my TD. Here are some pix if you find it helpful. The roof edge moulding was easy to bend and pound flat any tendencies to buckle around curves. The RV molding on the hat edge (affixed with pop rivets) was much heavier and stiffer but I could still bend and shape it carefully by hand.

[chorizon]

I skinned my TD with .032" 5052 Aluminum.

I used 6063 Aluminum Architectural Angle for all the trim.(Architectural extruded shapes have distinct, sharp corners; no radii.)

1/8 X 1 X 1 for the corner trim and 1/16 X 1/2 X 1/2 for everything else.

I like the way it looked but it was quite a pain.

Even though I annealed the aluminum it was very unruly to get it bent for my hatch.

I ended up with tennis elbow for a few months after having banged it into shape.

I'll get some better pics up here in a lil bit (of the trimwork, not the tennis elbow).

[corncountry]

Mike
How about a steel framework if you have a welder. No plywood to rot or delaminate. You can get a roller from Harbor Freight, (hand crank) just need a strong arm on the crank.
Aluminum is held to the tubing framework with VHB tape. The inside paneling and ceiling are also held with VHB tape. I used no backing under the aluminun just 1" foam board in the walls and top. Don't know if the .040 alum. I used on the top was a good idea for a hail storm. My trailer is stored inside and I have not camped in a hail storm yet, so far so good.

Jim

[Socal Tom]

Whats the going cost for enough aluminum to cover a TD ( 5x8 benroy)? Is the top seamless?
Tom

[Colemancooler]

my trailer is 5x10 , and i was able to source from a metal supplier close to my house a 10' x 5' sheet, so with the hatch i only had 1 seam across the width of the trailer the 5'x 10' sheet of 20 gauge was approx $80 and the 4' x 10' sheets I used for the sides were approx $50 ea. the 5'x10' had to be ordered special, but the 4'x10' is much more common

[jlw]

I disagree

Lets say you have a router spinning at 20,000 RPM

1/2 inch diameter X 3.14 X 20,000 RPM = 31400 inches per minute

3/4 inch diameter x 3.14 x 20,000 RPM = 47100 inches per minute

I found trimming with a 1/2" flush trim bottom bearing bit that it's too fast and will melt the aluminum.
A Freud 42-118, 3/4" flush trim bottom bearing bit slows it down and it cuts like butter .
It has a 1/2" shank so you'll need a 1/2" Colette if your router doesn't have one.
Danny

I'm confused (which isn't a new thing). A 3/4" bit will have a higher speed at the cutting edge than a 1/2" diameter bit. Do you slow down the router with the 3/4" bit.

Thanks,

Gus

Ever noticed they stagger runners on a track? The inside guy is back behind the outside guy since the track is longer on the outside vs the shorter inside.
If you put larger wheels and tires on a car your speedometer will say your going slower since it's based on revolutions of the stock tire.
A larger router bit has a greater circumference; therefore in one revolution it will travel a farther distance which is slower at each cutting edge.
Danny