WOOD vs. METAL Trailer Wall Construction

[indiedog]

HB, sorry about that. :hehe: At that time I was spending way too much time thinking about such things. I do really like the idea of the ply and glass trailer and am positive it would stand up to the abuse if done right in the first place. I learnt a lot about the fabrication process from the guys on the Wooden Boat Forum and they were kind enough to entertain me even though it wasn't about a boat. I actually think they enjoyed thinking a bit laterally as well. As to re-designing the world? I think I've done that 100 times over but it always needs to be done again. Will work on that.

And yes, you may build it. Just make me one at the same time okay? :sombrero:

For my latest design I'm going with a sandwich panel which is then epoxied together, so a bit like stitch and glue but the panels are glass/foam composites so there's a lot less work involved.

 

[Heifer Boy]

And yes, you may build it. Just make me one at the same time okay? :sombrero:

No problem. I'll let you know once I'm ready to go. Should bbe in a few months time hopefully.

For my latest design I'm going with a sandwich panel which is then epoxied together, so a bit like stitch and glue but the panels are glass/foam composites so there's a lot less work involved.

I've thought about this and priced it a bit. Pretty expensive but easy and a very nice finish too although how do you finish a corner nice a strong without ruining that finish? I doubt a fillet and glass tape would work so you are stuck with alloy extrusions and the limitations of those. How do you plan to cope with attachments points for small stuff like screwing in a extra shelf or a hook or something? I imagine hardpoints can be added during a build for known stuff but it's the tinkering afterwards that's always stumped me. Can you pop-rivet to the panels?

No-ones commented on this material in this thread so far. Anyone used it? I've seen a couple of teadrop builds with it and one camper on MySwag ages ago. Caravan people seem to like it.

 

[indiedog]

HB, I see no reason you couldn't use a combination of foam/glass sandwich panel and ply using the ply on the inside sections where the pretty white face isn't needed. That also solves some of the fixing issues. The only way I've seen to fix to the foam panel is to locate your fixing points and then clean it out and fill with resin. Bit of mucking around but considering there's no frame to build, and no painting required to the outside it's not too big a price to pay.

As to the corners, you clean out the panel so the external sheet goes all the way to the outside corner and glue as per instructions. The outside can then be covered with the standard Truline mould. The inside gets taped and epoxied or an alum' angle is set into it.

 

[Heifer Boy]

Hmmmm I've thought about the same things in the past but adding a ply interior wall defeats the single skin idea and to be useful for screwing something too would have to be pretty thick and therefore heavy. And I'd like a pretty white face on the inside so adding another layer and painting over it dosen't make sense either. Cutting holes and cleaning out foam to fill with wood or epoxy after the camper is built just to put up a shelf or some tiedowns you didn't think you needed isn't practical either so you are really stuck with what you orginally designed and built. I've seen a Winnebago motorhome build on a tv show once and there was a huge number of internal hidden hardpoints and channels in the walls so they could assemble all the pieces. Pretty cool designing but there was no flexability available if you wanted something added or moved after it was finished.

As for jointing and edging the composite panels with the Truline-type stuff. Although you can get a good overlap at the joint and use epoxy as the glue, to me the strips are a bit 'caravan' and the joint does not seem to have the structural intergrity I would want. One of the problems is epoxy does not stick to aluminium or plastic so they don't add anything to the joint strength. They are just decoration stuck on with the double sided tape or silicon or maybe screwed on. Same on the inside of the joint - it's just trim.

These panels may be ok on for a road going build but I haven't seen anything to convince me to use it for an offroad or expo camper build. Maybe in the commercial CAD and CNC world with large budgets and some funky machinery but not for a home build. I'm sure bonding glues are available for trim (in fact I guarentee they are) but I still really like the idea of glass tape and fillets on a plywood joint. It's simple, strong and easy to finish well. I like the clean look better too but maybe that's just me. Trim reminds me of a 50's caravan - or a Winnebago

 

[indiedog]

HB, I wouldn't "line" the inside of the external walls no. What I meant is that the internal panels such as those under the beds or inside the storage cupboards etc don't need to be the expensive glossy stuff as you don't see it. These are the ones I'd make out of ply. As an internal finished skin I think I'd get some felt and line the inside of the external panels with that.

The composite panel is a finished product externally so you need to find a mould to suit the joints as you don't want to be glassing it. Internally you can do whatever system you wish. At least that's my assessment of it to date. As to its durability off road, I can't vouch for it but there's only one way to find out.