Composite camper - aluminum extrusion vs. FRP edges
- Thread starter MikeSkril
- Start date
rruff
Explorer
What are you looking for? Plenty of places sell 2 or 3" angle that is 1/4" thick. That is excessively thick, but it would be a better thermal expansion match to FRP skins than aluminum. I'd probably pick 1/8 aluminum instead though, as I think it would be ok. 6061-T6 is cheap and pretty corrosion resistant.
I'm in the early stages of planning a small DIY flatbed pop-up camper for a Tacoma.
I started looking at composite, then checked out aluminum constructions, self-made fiberglass, and everything in between....just to come back to composite.I'm a metal guy, so it took me a while to swallow this...but I think composite is just the best option.
At the moment, I'm reflecting on how to join the composite panels. I'm aware of the concerns and possible drawbacks of aluminum in this construction but there are a few practical advantages. I have these 2 possibilities on the table. 'A' is much easier to work with and not very costly. 'B' might be better because panels and FRP will contract/expand the same way and have less thermal transfer, but it will be more work and cost more. Companies have been building campers and commercial vehicles using method 'A' (without the XPS corner) for many years and it seems to work well.
Has anybody used either of these methods? Any other ideas? There might be other options available, but this is what is available to me (Canada)
...or maybe I'm missing other options?
View attachment 795416
The shape of option A is more appealing. FRP or Alu in this shape would be nice to find in Canada
3x3, 1/8 thick (I'm no expert but 1/4 seems way too thick). I would need pieces longer than 8' because I plan the roof to be 10' long. Pickup is out of reach for me...I'm on the other side of the country. :-(
Yeah, 1/4 looks way too thick. 1/8 should do it for sure.
Victorian
Approved Vendor : Total Composites
1/4" thickness would certainly look too bulky. Shipping long narrow pieces is expansion and difficult. You basically need to crate the freight and ship by flatbed truck.
Yeah..it only makes sense when shipped together with the panels.
seahaul
Active member
I visited Pronghorn expedition vehicles a couple weeks ago. They have done a lot of this work and now sell predesigned kits up to full installs. They have all sorts of experience with different corners and extrusions etc. I think they now have moved to bevels. Anyway, I bet they can help? https://www.pronghornev.com/
btw. They used to do total composites but I understand they have moved on to sourcing their own supplies and products.
btw. They used to do total composites but I understand they have moved on to sourcing their own supplies and products.
Will keep an eye on it. Doesn't look like they have updated their website yet to sell these items.
Fishenough
Creeper
Another Canadian interested in learning what is available in Canada. Self building one myself would be great, currently options that interest us are priced such that we would have to sell land just to afford them!
Would like to build on something small like such pictured
Would like to build on something small like such pictured
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rruff
Explorer
I think the conclusion was not much...
You can do your own fiberglass edges with hand layup (or hand layup the whole thing), or use aluminum.
Fishenough
Creeper
rruff
Explorer
Ha, I think I have too... unless I forget... which I always do... If you just hand lay the edges, it wouldn't be that much work.
You can get some extrusions made and try to sell your excess. Or just use aluminum angle.
Did you check with BCT? Still too expensive? http://www.cptpanels.com/products-projects/composite-truck-camper/
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