My Offroad Venture (The Second Star) (UPDATED 11-10-09)

[Endo]

some of the progress being made on the Second Star proto type. Material is 5 mm birch on the inside and luan on the outside, luan will be covered shortly with a skin of 1/16 " aluminum.

How did you attach the birch and the luan to the framing?

I like the suspension! Very nice.

[60LCConvert]

steel was scuffed pretty good and then I used contact cement to attach it. The luan took three coats to get a good gloss and tack to it. Not sure if I would trust it if this was the only skin going on it but seeings how the aluminum skin will be riveted over the luan and into the steel frame work I don't think it will be an issue. Seems to be hold verry strong though - not much in the way of experiance in glue wood to steel in this type of app. Instructions say they are compatable. Again in this case it only has to hold it until construction is finshed and then outer skin will do all of the holding.

[Endo]

Why did you use the exterior luan (was galvanic reaction a concern)? Could you just attach the aluminum over the framing and the insulation?

I have considered a steel frame on my next project but skinning the interior and exterior had me somewhat puzzled.

[60LCConvert]

reaction is not a concern as I live in Arizona and do not experiance a lot of salt in the air that would make a reaction truly unmanagable and there is also no current running through the frame that might cause a cathode type action, the luan is simply a backing support for the rather thin aluminum. As this trailer is being built to be off roaded to a degree I wanted the sides to be pretty sturdy and thought with thin aluminum some type of backing might be in order. Kinda poked at a test piece with sticks and a hammner and rocks and just made the conclusion that with a light backer the aluminum held up to considerable more impact before a permanent distortion was made, blunt force inpact being spread out and all.