Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hey guys-
I agree with everything you'll are saying here, but where in Oklahoma can I get marine grade plywood? When I ask, they look at me like I'm some kind of crazy nutcase!
The closest I've found is in New Mexico, but the freight is more than the wood.
Any suggestions would be helpful. By the way, I live in a suburb north of Oklahoma City.
Thanks,
John

Found a Marine the other day , asked him where to get plywood , he said the Home Depot ....hahahaha

actually , since this might be a problem , I had considered some things to help ...
1. treat all pieces with the poly /thinner bath before assembly (except , areas that required gluing , which would be treated later ... I'd think the edges would be most important.
2. use strong fiberglass tape and resin on the outer seams , gotta' be stronger than just aluminum trim ..glassing with epoxy wouldn't hurt either since it's more flexible than ther polyester.
3. using some type of covering over the exposed surfaces... Canvas? Fiberglass? aluminum?

What do you guys think ???

cmac wrote:but where in Oklahoma can I get marine grade plywood?

The Paxton Lumber Company in OK City is listed in a boat plans supply directory, and its web site suggests it has a wide stock, so may be worth a try. But no guarantee on price - from that web site, it looks expensive!

If they do stock marine ply, do I get some sort of prize for suggesting a local stockist, when I live on another continent?

Andrew

...let me see here... hmmmmmmmmm, what do you need marine plywood for...are ya building a boat...our floor is a single piece of ACX ply that has had 6 coats of thinned(10%) MinWax ClearShield poly shot onit with special attention to the edges. All the other ply is cabinet grade material shot with several thinned(10%) coats of polycrylic (water based poly) . Everything is skinned and trimmed with Al that has been sealed with either butyl rubber caulk or EBS. Marine ply is nothing more than a well made ply(no voids) with a waterproof glue...I have no intention of letting water get to the ply so why should I (or you) spend the extra bucks on marine ply...by the way, everything was stained and finished before any assembly and Gorilla glue was used in assembly along with 3/4 Al angle for cleats...the GG worked a charm on the finished ply/Al joints...
madjack

What about OSB??? seems like that would be even stronger than ply , with random grain orientation ??? Heavy though !!!

Can OSB be heavier than the 3/4" BC ply I bought? Those suckers weighed 87 lbs each...I know cause I weighed them.

cmac wrote:Hey guys-
I agree with everything you'll are saying here, but where in Oklahoma can I get marine grade plywood? When I ask, they look at me like I'm some kind of crazy nutcase!
The closest I've found is in New Mexico, but the freight is more than the wood.
Any suggestions would be helpful. By the way, I live in a suburb north of Oklahoma City.
Thanks,
John

John,
You might call and ask these guys at the Woodcraft Store where the best place is, 9301 N. May Avenue, 405-748-8844

Paxtons used to be pretty good in the 80's. That was the last time I bought from them.

Steve

Besides OSB being heavier, I found it very difficult to screw into the endgrain without it breaking...

I used it for a mockup, and then took it all apart again... I doubt you'd be able to convince me to use it...



Mike...

GPW
I don't know how much money you already have in your build but if you need to cover ugly sides, not unstable sides, can I suggest Polymax. Sid and Side and Ron have been covering thier tears with it and the stuff goes on easy and is indestructable. (almost). Comes in different widths too.

There is even a price list in the thread.

Hope it helps all in need.
Miriam

There are a lot of alternatives to what I've done, but what's done is done. I'll know better next time, if there is a next time. I got two more sheets of luan ply (went through 5 or 6 to pick out RELATIVELY smooth sheets).

I've wet, let dry, and sanded my oak sides and luan back skins and they are smoother. I'll spray on two coats of thinned poly varnish with sanding and see how smooth they are then. I may have to use some thinned filler in a few spots. I'll do that with my other skin pieces before I install them.

I tried something on the ends of my tongue boxes that are made from BC 3/4" ply. I only had brad indentations to fill, so I mixed up a little batch of bondo, made a depression in the center of the pile, and poured in a little acetone and mixed it up. It spread out thinner and much easier with the acetone in it, and dried very quickly. I sanded most of the bondo off with 100 grit, then finished with 220 (using the orbital sander for both sandings) and it feels like glass. I'll give it one coat of thinned thane, then prime and paint with the Behr Porch & Patio Epoxy Paint that Gadgetman was told to use by the Behr rep at HD.

Being a Professional Artist for 36 years , I've learned that a good paint job covers up many sins... My sides aren't UGLY , just plain ... on the next one I'll get some nice Birdseye maple ply at the Fine Woods yard, if they ever open up again ...

I really like Mikes textured (roller) paint job ...did you know a textured paint job is stronger than a smooth one .... that's why all those Impressionist paintings look so good a century later ... all the smooth ones are cracked ... "count the Monet !!!!"

I have lots of work ahead of me to get my skin smooth enough for a decent paint job, but I'll get there eventually. I finally got the last of the skin pieces cut and dry fitted. I still have the 3 top pieces to wed down for sanding. I'm not going to be as critical of the top as it won't be seen so easily. I think my final result will be what I want.

I would like a textured paint, but that would make taping and painting my striping harder to do. I'm still leaning toward the striping design. If I were more artistic, I might try scenes on the outside like some have done.

Cracker , when you get done bring it over ... I used to paint custom vans in the late 70's (brother had a body shop ) Murals were my specialty ... trend faded ... who knows it might come back in TD's ....Would be FUN !!! What's your theme???

GPW, the theme (and name) is my problem. I still haven't settled on one of each. The decorative striping design that I came up with is red and blue on the white TTT, and I am thinking of a patriotic theme of some sort. If I don't go with that, I may leave the striping off and try for decals, or even try to paint it myself, of Florida tropical scenes such as palm trees, the beach, etc. I've already experimented with some artwork for the inside, to hang on the walls.

Beach scenes ??? That's my specialty!!! Used to wrap whole white vans in dunes /sky / seabirds/ sea oats ... fun stuff , sold well all along Gulf Coast ...did a "few" of those ... need help . lemmie' know ...!!! Paint is my "Bag" !!!!