Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Not being the best carpenter in the area, I found a simple, accurate, not too expensive method of geting the walls cut out perfectly. It's called the MULTICAM 3000. It is a computer controlled router table which can utilize multiple sizes of router bits in any design you can get programmed. I took the information from the Widget to a local wood shop and he programmed the radius measurements and curves into the computer, made some of the changes I wanted which can include window cutouts, doors, setbacks for the hatch, ect. He then placed a sheet of 3/4" plywood on the cutting table which is covered with OSB which holds the plywood in position by suction. He then fed the info into the machine and like magic, it cut out all the pieces perfectly and accurately (as accurate as he had input the data). Cost me less than $150.00. Same kind of machinge as they use to make signs and pictures in wood. Check with some of the local wood shops in your area if you're not as confident in your cutting abilities. I figured I'd have spend that much in replacement plywood. Jim[/b]

Thanks James. That might come in handy next time. I am really bad with a jig saw so it might be worth it.

Jim had his water jet cut.

Great idea. Now, where's the pictures???

yep..it's the best 200 bucks i ever spent.

Here's the place I'll be using for my next teardrop...

the pic on the right is the 5' x 10' cnc machine...

http://www.timberjack.biz/

Mike...

Not to sound like I have it all, but... I have it all. I work at a Sign Shop that has two of them and I'm the one that creates the computer files for them to make signs. That's how my whole future TT is being built. Starting sometime in the next month. Also building my trailer here, I get all the steel at cost. There's 8 or more people to choose from to help weld it together. If I need anything painted, I have that too. It's definitely the way to go, in my opinion.

mike

plug www.yesco.com plug

Is there a similar process to cut out the both the wood sides with the aluminum skins to match? Including the door and window openings.

cuyeda wrote:Is there a similar process to cut out the both the wood sides with the aluminum skins to match? Including the door and window openings.

water jet can do it...all night long!!

The company that I work for doesn't have a water jet, the router that we have has a carbide bit that can rout through wood,aluminum,pvc,foam and plastics. You use the same layout file that you cut the wood sides with to cut the aluminum. It all matches. It's a great tool.

Mike

If anyone wants to get sides cut by router or water jet and is using one of my designs, let me know and I can supply you with a profile in DXF format which most cutting shops will be able to use - it's how Jim did his.

cuyeda wrote:Is there a similar process to cut out the both the wood sides with the aluminum skins to match?

Either water jet or router will do it separately, though it's often hard to convince woodworkers that cutting aluminium doesn't need special tools.

I was discussing with someone just yesterday whether a water jet could cut them both if they had been stuck together in advance (the build process would have to be altered so that there were no screws or nails to go through from the outside): I reckon it could be done if cutting first through the aluminium and then the wood.

Andrew

What I've seen from water jets is that they are water and produce large amounts of standing water, I'd hate to have my wood exposed to that much water.


MIke

Mike, I was thinking the same thing.. When I've seen water jets, water was flying everywhere and they had plastic pieces up to contain the splash.

I've used MDF cut by water jet, and you know how susceptible that stuff is to water. The cut edges show no sign of having been wet and certainly no bulging. Definitely no problem.

Andrew