M116A3 Build

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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:43 pm

Yeah, I did a little experimenting before I put up the rear wall. I could cut some excess silicone off the deck with a razor blade, but the dremel easily took silicone, paint, and primer off all the way to bare metal in a blink of an eye. I decided just cutting off the excess blobs with a razor was enough, and I'll just fill the gap with PL as you suggest.

On the bright side, I now have a rear wall (minus a door)! I also cut and installed one interior wall's worth of styrofoam insulation. Looks good!

I have my eye on a cragslist post selling 10, 4x10 sheets of 0.040 aluminum. These are seconds (with a few dings and rough edges), but they might do the trick. I will see how they look and post what happens.

I have two quotes from local metal shops for about $90 a sheet for that size, whereas the craigslist seller wants $35 a sheet. At that price I could get a few extra sheets and work around the imperfections.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Fri Aug 28, 2015 6:54 pm

I didn't have much time to work on the trailer today, so I measured all of the pockets between the beams and cut and placed a few pieces of insulation in some smaller areas.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby OP827 » Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:20 pm

Good to see your trailer taking its shape now. Looking strong and rigid, good for offroad :thumbsup:
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sat Aug 29, 2015 7:50 pm

Thanks, OP827! It is really rigid now. Really rock solid. When I try to shake the wall, the whole trailer moves as a unit on its springs. There is no give in the wall structure at all. In fact, I even stood on the window sill while I nailed down the roof panels. It should be fine offroad, I think!
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Sun Aug 30, 2015 7:36 pm

I had about an hour and a half after supper to work on the trailer today (before it got dark). I attached the rear quarter panel (the last piece of body plywood except for the windshield that wasn't yet attached) and repaired a seam in the back wall by trimming a plywood panel that stuck out 1/16-1/8" too far. Then I put about 50 screws into the roof, making it about a third of the way from front to back before I lost the last light.

School starts this week, so progress will be sporadic (or at least mostly on the weekends) from here on out. (I am a professor at a university.)

Next up:
1) Finish drilling, counter sinking, and screwing the roof panels to the roof beams. (Titebond II and nail gun already done.)
2) Make the "windshield" panel with holes for two 14x21" radius corner windows, and attach that.
3) Build the rear door (with 1, 14x21" radius corner window).
4) Build the two side utility doors.
5) Seal the seams in the plywood with PL premium urethane caulk. Seal the end grain in the gap where the plywood meets the metal trailer deck the same way.
6) Seal the outside of the plywood with urethane (?? Suggestions and comments requested on how best to do this.)
7) Install Aluminum skin!
8 ) Install aluminum corner trim, windows, doors, hinges, etc...
9) Now that I have a weatherproof trailer completed, work on making the interior cabinets, insulating the walls, installing interior wall paneling, water sealing the interior, etc...
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby Midget » Mon Aug 31, 2015 1:57 pm

I'm working on the electrical for my build. What did you use as a switch to change between the AC shore power and the inverter?

Bob
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:38 pm

I got the last piece of exterior plywood installed today: the windshield! Here it is with the two radius corner windows sitting in place.

Image

And a close up:
Image

In addition, I went over all of the gaps with PL Premium today. I made sure to squirt it in to the gaps carefully enough to seal the end grain of the plywood pieces.

When the PL Premium dried, it seemed to expand out of the gaps. Here are a couple of pics showing what happened. Above the fender:
Image

Between the roof ply and the side wall:
Image

Is this expansion normal for PL? Do I just sand it flat?

I'm thinking the next step is to polyurethane waterproof the plywood shell, before the aluminum goes on. Does anyone have any suggestions for what to use and how best to apply it? I have seen some folks use epoxy, but only because they had some lying around already (Silver Beatle and Becky's Sagwagon come to mind) and they said they probably wouldn't use it again. So what's a good type of water seal for under the aluminum?

Thanks for all of the advice so far!
Last edited by lfhoward on Sun May 13, 2018 2:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby S. Heisley » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:47 pm

Glues like PL expand to fill the area being glued and excess will flow out. Patience and diligence is necessary to wipe off the excess, else sanding is in the forecast.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:50 pm

Midget wrote:I'm working on the electrical for my build. What did you use as a switch to change between the AC shore power and the inverter?

Bob

Hi Bob! I got a "Progressive Dynamics Auto Transfer Switch Relay System 30 Amp" (S018-552111) for $63.80 from http://www.adventurerv.net.

The transfer switch senses when your inverter is on and changes the AC circuit in the trailer to use the inverter rather than shore power. There is about a 30 second delay when this happens. When the inverter is off, it looks for shore power AC. Pretty handy because no manual switches need to be thrown! It is all automatic.

Cheers,
Lauren
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Aug 31, 2015 7:52 pm

S. Heisley wrote:Glues like PL expand to fill the area being glued and excess will flow out. Patience and diligence is necessary to wipe off the excess, else sanding is in the forecast.

Got it. Good to know it is no big deal to sand it flat. :)
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby noseoil » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:22 pm

Make sure it's good & cured before you do the sanding. If it's pretty dry, you can knock it down with some coarse paper & a finish sander fairly easily & get the sides & top ready for a coat or two of urethane. With that much area to cover, a roller will be the quickest way to go & should be good enough to cover later.
Build log: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=60248
The time you spend planning is more important than the time you spend building.........

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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:38 pm

Thanks! I am looking at marine spar varnish as a potential polyurethane. Overkill?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Marine-1-qt-Clear-Gloss-Spar-Varnish-Coatings-6-Pack-207008/202558038
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby noseoil » Tue Sep 01, 2015 7:48 am

Dude, if you use that expensive stuff it will spoil the trailer, don't do it! It will want to stop at every Starbucks & organic food store along the way on your trips & it won't want to go on any roads which aren't already paved... I use the "Home Delay" Pro Finisher floor finish urethane (it's pretty cheap & stinks badly at first, $97 for 5 gallons). It's my interior & exterior coating, but the exterior is covered with aluminum & the 110 degree summer temps here seem to have baked out all the stink as I've been building (I must confess, my nose doesn't work too well any more & I've applied for a handicap license plate, a disability due to sinus trouble & a smelling-nose dog as an assistive pet. Still no word from the federal government about this, but I remain hopeful).

I would save the good stuff for doors & drawer heads where you need a fine finish. On the outside anything above a tar & feather finish would be fine if it's getting covered or skinned anyway.
Build log: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=60248
The time you spend planning is more important than the time you spend building.........

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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Tue Sep 01, 2015 7:55 pm

Ha ha! You made me "LOL out loud" as someone very dear to me once said.

Ok, I'll look for some inexpensive urethane floor finish at HD. :D

I have been looking at possible ways to build the interior walls each time I go back to HD for screws, router bits, and other odds and ends that seem to run out at the most inopportune times. Some interior options I see in 1/4 inch thickness are:
- Birch plywood (nice light color, would be bright and cheerful)
- Cedar planking (smells great, repels insects, pretty darker color that will get lighter with age)
- Oak flooring (a la Silver Beatle-- looks great but I'm not sure it belongs in an offroad build)
- Regular sanded pine (meh...)

The planking might look awesome, but it might be hard to seal the interior. Maybe the birch ply is the way to go? Feel free to weigh in and suggest additional options.

Thanks for always taking the time to read my posts and give me feedback! :thumbsup:
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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Re: M116A3 Build

Postby lfhoward » Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:08 pm

It looks like I'll be picking up aluminum on Friday if it doesn't rain! :applause:

I need to fetch the 4x10 sheets with my trailer, which is structurally strong but probably melts in the rain like the wicked witch of the west. (or at least could delaminate or warp if it got soaked)

The aluminum is in Lancaster County where the Amish build trailers, about 2 hours from me. The shop has 4x10 sheets of 0.040 for $35-- these are "seconds" with a few dings or bent corners here and there. I figure for $35 a sheet, I can buy a couple extras and work around the imperfections! And I'll be able to pick out the best of the lot.

So, can aluminum sheeting be rolled up, or does it need to lay flat? ...Thinking ahead to Friday's logistics.
My off-road camper build on an M116A3 military chassis:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=62581
Tow vehicle: 2008 Jeep Liberty with a 4 inch lift.
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