[want33s]

This stuff is the best wood glue I've ever used. A little bit of it goes a long way.

[christover1]

Cool thanks.

[missmyljdaze]

For household furniture and the like it is pretty good stuff, but you are building a trailer- not a bookshelf!

But we found it hopeless for bonding the plywood bodies on our landyachts- vibration, heat and moisture kills the urethane based glues.

Your trailer will be copping the same as our landyachts- vibration, heat and moisture!

Best stuff we found is high stress wood glue [resourcinol] or fibreglass resin with matting to reinforce the joins.

It tends to be a bit embarrassing when you hit a pothole in a salt lake, or spin out into the spinifex around a claypan- and your landyacht body falls apart at the seams from the impact, especially if you are strapped to the plywood and doing 80 klicks or so at the time.

[christover1]

Be funny to see, though

[christover1]

Fitted the Bat Wings this morning.
It reminded me of some 80's fins that cool cars used to have..
Reason I chose the alloy angle for this area, was to provide side support for walls, without raising the bed too much.
And no loss of bed width in that area.
(Was free, too, thanks B4T)
Bed sits at the level of mudguards.
Will have a few braces across (also used for walls braces) and a speed hole drilled plywood sheet for mattress to sit on.
Rest of side support for walls will be wood, which will incorporate the bed base support, as well.
Head end of bed base will hinge up, for access to storage area,
and foot end will be fixed down, as access to storage will be underneath via back door area
(insert obvious jokes here).
Have decided against side doors to the front end of storage area,
mainly for simplicity, costs, being mud covered and waterproofing reasons.
Doors would be rather small, due to the framing as well.
Probably carry spare drinking water under there, and maybe add a water tank in the future.

[VonDecoy]

This is blazing along. Keep it up mate.

[christover1]

Measured and cut the bed base bit today, then gave up due to heat exhaustion
Speed holes etc another day.

[jonfromhamilton]

http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Camp ... le-4WD-Mat
Dimensions here Chris

[christover1]

jonfromhamilton wrote:

http://www.anaconda.com.au/Product/Camp-and-Hike/Sleep/Mats/Double-4WD-Mat
Dimensions here Chris

Thanks, that ones too wide.
But looked through entire selection.
May do 2 smalls yet, make accessing underneath simpler.
I only have 1200mm width, minus the walls thickness.
So 4ft in old measures, which is normal double size (as opposed to queen sized)
For now will use my self inflater.
Don't really need a "camping"type mattress, but may work out better

[Built4thrashing]

Foam mattress from Clarke Rubber.... You have several options for thickness and density too.

Or if you want real comfort just get a proper single bed inner spring mattress.

[christover1]

Built4thrashing wrote:

Foam mattress from Clarke Rubber.... You have several options for thickness and density too.

Or if you want real comfort just get a proper single bed inner spring mattress.

Needs to be a double.
Don't intend to be single forever

Will decide on a mattress further down the track, in the meantime will use my self inflater.
(That's a mattress not a girlfriend)

[christover1]

Buying a floor bit tomorrow, things should start to fly together after that.

[christover1]

Feels like I'm getting somewhere now.
Waiting for glue to dry, then I will start on framing/bed base.
Decided floor is getting lino on the inside, before bed base etc goes in, to allow easier access.
Won't be using carpet, too hard to keep clean.
Any inner walls will be raised above floor a tad, so can easily sweep, vac or wash.
Handy if something leaks into front storage.

[christover1]

Getting there bit by bit.
It is very motivating to see it looking like a camper.
But will have to disassemble in order to glue n screw etc.

[Marko_SJ]

Very noice work Christopher. Whats the durability of these things like?

[christover1]

The_Amateur wrote:

Very noice work Christopher. Whats the durability of these things like?

As long as it outlasts me, I'll be happy

There are still bond wood caravans and teardrops from the 60's around.
So if I seal it well, and keep up maintainence, should be ok.
(Assuming I build it well)

[Marko_SJ]

Fair enough.

I suppose the humidity and rot wouldn't be as bad there.

[christover1]

The_Amateur wrote:

Fair enough.

I suppose the humidity and rot wouldn't be as bad there.

Will be getting rot proofed as much as possible.
We get periods of high humidity, though not all the time.

[christover1]

[kirstyandgrace]

Not being a hater here, but how does this work legally ?

Do you just keep your trailer rego or do you have to change it ?

I am curious because this is something I am thinking about.

Working with wood I can do, welding and steel in general not so much

[christover1]

Mines regoed as a home made box trailer.
Will be trying to keep the load rating etc similar.
I have to restamp chassis number, as I have covered it with wood.
I am finding wood much easier to work with, but not as easy to keep square, as wood isn't uniform.
It will still be a box, but will tell RTA that I have converted it.

[jonfromhamilton]

When I built my workbench out of wood it was so nice working with wood again after all the fabricating I have been doing lately... metal = mess, wood = nice sawdust smell

[missmyljdaze]

kirstyandgrace wrote:

Not being a hater here, but how does this work legally ?

Over here in W.A. you have 3 choices,

1- build from scratch yourself
Hit the transport department website, or your local pits for info regarding building a trailer- submit plans, dimensions, get issued a VIN, jump through hoops etc. build it/ inspection/ rego etc.

I reckon if you went this way, a suitable volunteer [Monley?] could glue together the chassis for you pretty easily, plans straight off the net or pirated from our teardrop zookers in QLD.
Ordering steel precut to your dimensions costs a little extra- but saves having to transport long lengths, and having to cut it all yourself at home.
[DiCandillo's cut to size and deliver]

2- Find a tatty old 6' x 4' or preferably a 7' x 4' trailer that is still licensed-even an old boat trailer would do.
Ideally you want one that is regoed as "a custom trailer".

If you can find one that is old enough, it will likely be a legal unbraked 1 tonne capacity, instead of the more recent lower weight limit.

Then strip the old rusty bits off and build your trailer!

3- visit a few trailer builders, get quotes to supply a licensed frame of your dimensions and specifications, tow it home and finish it off, this is probably the one I would go for!
This one would be easiest, completely legal and saves a heap of time.
-----------------------------------------

I converted an unlicensed boat trailer into a box trailer/BBQ a few years back- had no dramas going through the pits at Armadale, even though I had widened the axle, changed wheel size and heaps of other stuff
The only original bits I ended up using were the hubs- every thing else came from Mitre 11

stephen

[christover1]

All that work is reduced to this little pile, now.
Weighed the wood for framing at 8kg so far.
The 7mm plywood panels are around 11kg each, except the 12mm floor.
Can't remember what floor weighed, but was a lot less than the original steel floor, and is much bigger.

[kenn]

Get hold of some Trex and glue it together with that or seam seal where you have glued already. It's the strongest stuff I've ever come across even better than sikaflex.

[christover1]

kenn wrote:

Get hold of some Trex and glue it together with that or seam seal where you have glued already. It's the strongest stuff I've ever come across even better than sikaflex.

Thanks, will look into that for sure

[kenn]

Made by Soudal

[christover1]

All glued n screwed, as much as I could do.
Is more exciting knowing I don't have to disassemble it again.
Need to seal/paint/lino floor area, before bed, underbed support and panels get added.
Make accessing it easier.
After a rest, though, need a rest.

[offroadjack]

That's looking better then a Kimberly camper Chris

[christover1]

offroadjack wrote:

That's looking better then a Kimberly camper Chris

Definitely cheaper.
And hopefully a tad lighter for the mighty 1.6 to tow