Any camper builds using T Slotted Aluminum?

[gallinastrips]

Or other ways of building with aluminum framing without having to weld it? Can't find any threads or builds!

[Greg]

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/56189-Contemplating-building-my-own-camper/page4

post# 36

[Frosty_1]

Check out the Sprinter Van forum(Sprinter Source). There are several of us using 80/20 on our van builds...

[RoosterBooster]

Or other ways of building with aluminum framing without having to weld it? Can't find any threads or builds!

gallinastrips

IMHO i do not like welded aluminum construction ... i personally believe that a "all riveted" construction is actually superior in strength ..especially in the long run.
one of my hobby`s is to rebuild/customize vintage aluminum trailers (i like real "aircraft" style trailers like Spartan, Streamline, ... everything but the imho cheesy Airstream`s)
right now i`m working on a 1950 (!) Spartanette (i`m modifying the former tankless park model into a self-contained toyhauler to haul two ATV`s) ... the construction of the trailer is amazing;
it is a real aircraft style construction with stressed 2024 alclad skin, formed 2024 spars and 6061 longerons
the body structure is (even after 62 years of use and abuse) unbelievable strong for its light weight ...


i like to work with aluminum ... i believe that you could build a very strong camper in your garage with mostly basic tools.
for inspiration in "weld free" aluminum construction (and the many ways to build strong part- intersections with formed parts and rivets alone) may google for "VAN experimental" or " homemade VAN" aircraft
you will find many very detailed online (picture-) blogs of guys who are building complete airplanes at home .... very interesting stuff ;)


the main disadvantage of building with aluminum is its high "thermal bridging" (or is it called thermal conductivity ?!?) ... but there are ways to limit that effect;
my current traveltrailer is a `66 Streamline; it has a extruded C-channel wall/roof framing. for strength the outside as well as the inside are covered with stressed skin (alclad outside and regular aluminum inside) ...
i camped in a lot of cold spots and it is definitely not a ideal construction for that.
the walls are cold to the touch; you can actually feel the C-channels in the walls and condensation tends to form on the rivets (that penetrate the C- channel) first.
the Spartan on the other side is constructed in a way that it only needs the outside skin for strength/bracing.
to limit the bridging effect of the aluminum spars they used strips of marine plywood on all the inside aluminum flanges. the (at that time fashionable birchwood) inside paneling was then glued/fastened to the plywood strips.
this construction lowers the bridging effect as well as avoids condensation/staining (bleeding) on the fasteners ; the inside wood panel fasteners do not penetrate into the cold aluminum
i will definitely copy this construction when i`m ready to finish the inside of the trailer ... (updated/modernized with rigid foam insulation and a vapor barrier)

on my MDT truck camper/moho project i`m still undecided if i should go with (inexpensive) "aluminum skinned tubular welded steel construction" or ($$ middle ground compromise) "tubular steel sub-floor with aluminum extrusion/skin upper part" or if i can afford the expense of an "all aluminum extrusion/skin" construction ...

stephan

[washington taco]

I agree with RoosterBooster.

Being a aircraft A&P mechanic my crew does some pretty amazing things with 2024/7075 and so on. I have talked in depth with some of our engineers about this very idea and if you have the skills and correct design it is very plausible.

[Mark Harley]

RoosterBooster:

How about some pictures of the trailers you do?

[jhrodd]

Trivan in Ferndale, WA and Waco, TX uses snap lock extruded AL panels with a 1" integral post. I submitted a design for a bare flat bed camper to them before I decided to modify an S&S camper. The price was fair and their workmanship is excellent.
http://trivan.com/page10/page1110/pa.../page1118.html

[Verkstad]

Nothing wrong with T-slots, excepting its cost ! I have used it on many industrial assemblies and it can stretch the budget.
Another thing, Ones plan must be FULLY thought out if they wish to utilise the manufacturers prefabricated fastener locations and such(counter bores, miter cuts and the like)
If one does not have the machinery on hand (what is probably a reason for ordering pre-fabs anyway) It is a HUGE hassle and cost to re-order or send out for some trifiling small but forgotten machining work.
Were one fixated on using 'ally, I think costwise cheaper, lighter, etc to go with an aircraft style construction of ribs formed and skinned of sheet.

Not to say extruded t-slot would not be a nice material here and there as floor and wall trackings, gas & liquid transfers etc.
For me, a camper would have just too much an "Erector Set" sort of styling if one were to go too much overboard with it.

[AEV Conversions]

Here's another company with snap extrusion panels. I've seen these up close, they're nice.

http://www.itbusa.com/