Building zook camper trailer (Painting Red need new name)

[christover1]

OK I have read the OL welding bible, so now I know everything

I will start on cosmetic/non structural welding first.
Should be able to grind it to prettiness

Then work my way up to the structural stuff.

Mostly it is all held together with bolts anyway, except for spring hangers.
By the time I get to those, I will know if I should get help with them.

Lovely day to start welding, but I'm too busy
Will have to wait till Monday. May get some more practice in before then. Hopefully warmer weather will keep coming

[christover1]

Just noticed this topic has had 10043 views
Must be a lot of zookers getting older and softer, too

[DiddyZook]

10087 views

That is more than the Vitara Bible, two thirds as many as the Sierra Bible.

And Chris hasn't even finished the Tadpole.

What is the record for any thread in the Members section, this must be one of the most popular builds going on.

[christover1]

Well its all glued together, hope it stays that way
and finaly glued on spring locating pads.

There will be no close up shots of welds, cos I don't like public humiliation

The welds should be strong enuff, just not pretty, and will be bolted as well, so no problem.

Guessed right on the tar paint stuff, small can was exactly enough to cover base.
Will get another load of tar after floor and sides go in, just to protect underneath.

I got to wait 3 days for it dry, then will get into the Deep Brunswick green paint for the rest.
Frog Green for a Tadpole

[Spike_Sierra]

looking good mate, was just thinking the other day where this thread went.

[christover1]

looking good mate, was just thinking the other day where this thread went.

I get held up by annoying things sometimes
But basically been reading up on, and practising welding.

Can't wait to get wheels back on, it's more motivating if it looks like a trailer.
christover

[muppet_man67]

common Chris pics did you blow many holes in it? are you tempted to take the welder to all the riveted on sections of frogs bodywork?

[christover1]

common Chris pics did you blow many holes in it? are you tempted to take the welder to all the riveted on sections of frogs bodywork?

I had trouble with the light square tubes that act as front sliders, but I kept at it, and the grinder became my friend
No issues blowing holes in the 2mm and up.
A lot of trouble welding in a straight line, tho
I have learnt a few more nawty werds during this learning process

Would not consider welding panel with an arc, too hard, and I still love pop rivets.

It has been suggested that I must use some pop rivets on the tadpole, or it won't suit me

[christover1]

Finaly got some green paint on it.
1st coat, then paint ran out, guess I guesstimated the amount wrong
And wheels can stay on, now, making it much easier to move it round.
I feels like I'm gettin somewhere.
A bit held up by a dead water pump and various jobs on the zook at the mo.
I "won" the 4wd hitch on ebay, tho haven't heard back about pay/pickup/delivery details yet.
It's a cheap knock-off I'm guessing. Hopefully it will last.
I'm only running 25% of the max load, so should be ok.
christover

[Big D]

Looking very nice. Is green not the best colour in the world?

[christover1]

Looking very nice. Is green not the best colour in the world?

Many thanks.
Frog green, like my zook, sure is the best

It's my enviromental statement too

[christover1]

Took it out into the sun today. Yes I need another coat. Gee Ya miss a lot workin in a dark corner of the garage.
It's moveable now, so rest of work can be done outside, cool

[christover1]

Green paint finished the 2nd coat.
I fairly happy with that.
Just the Hitch fitting to do then can paint draw bar completely.
After the floor and sides are fitted, will do another coat of tar paint underneath and inside mudguards.

I need advice, opinions and suggestions on thickness of aluminium I should be using.
I've had a good quote on 1.6 (not sure if checkerplate or not) but I'm told by a few that this will be too weak for my needs.
I've supplied rough dimensions in the pic.

Thanks in advance.
christover

[Big D]

In my opinion, nothing smaller than 2mm. Aluminium is a fairly soft alloy so it can bend kinda ez. Wouldnt add that much weight either. Seeing as u have a support bar every 36cm, 2mm should suffice.

[want33s]

I know weight is a major priority here but I think an aluminium floor is unsuitable.. Aluminium stretches very easily and a sagged floor doesn't look real flash. Chequer plate is made for grip.. It's not easy to slide a heavy item across.. Something to think about if loading/unloading big/heavy items. A sheet of plywood or 2nd hand floorboards is almost indestructible, cheap and easily replaced in 10 years time.

[nicbeer]

mayb go steel floor and ally sides. that way floor is strong but weight is down low.

Nic

[Gwagensteve]

I agree - 1.6 to too thin.

2mm - maybe

3mm ideal.

Treadplate normally starts around 2.5mm as thicknesses below this are not load bearing (treadplate, by definition is for treading on) so this really means that anything thinner than this is for floormats and numberplate surrounds on Hyundai excels.

Another material would be Alucobond. It has very high strength/weight and works easily but it is expensive, although offcuts are plentiful- it is used to clad buildings.

Steve.

[christover1]

Marine ply is still an option.
Will depend on what price alloy is.
Would have to factor in sealing and painting costs with wood.

Not real interested in steel floor, as my weld skills don't suit panel type work. And rust treating painting sux

wood floor ans alloy sides is of interest though, cheers all

christover

[christover1]

I agree - 1.6 to too thin.

2mm - maybe

3mm ideal.

Treadplate normally starts around 2.5mm as thicknesses below this are not load bearing (treadplate, by definition is for treading on) so this really means that anything thinner than this is for floormats and numberplate surrounds on Hyundai excels.

Another material would be Alucobond. It has very high strength/weight and works easily but it is expensive, although offcuts are plentiful- it is used to clad buildings.

Steve.

2.5 would have been my guess.
As stated above, I'm not a fan of checker plate, but could easily turn it over to avoid the non slip of it.

christover

[Gwagensteve]

I agree, treadmplate sucks except on stairs.

I wouldn't rule out steel. There's a reason why nearly all trailers have a steel floor - it has the correct properties for the job, aluminium does not.

Aluminium will react with steel (Bi-metallic corrosion), Is subject to fatigue failures (once subjected to cyclic loads will crack and get brittle), bends more easily, has poor "memory" so if you drop something into it it won't spring, is softer so something sliding on it will drag on the surface, and because you will have to screw/bolt/rivet it down, all the stress will be concentrated at the attachment points, adding to the fatigue problem.

Aluminium also HATES acids.

It's also about 4 times dearer than steel by weight.

My 2c use a 1.6 or 2.0mm thick floor. If you are worried about rust, use zincalume, it is a little dearer but will resist corrosion.

Rust in steel can be repaired, treated, and stopped.
rot or delamination in ply can't.
Bi metallic corrosion cant.

A welded in steel floor will massively increase the strength of your trailer. That's also why trailers have welded in steel floors.

Steve.

[want33s]

Marine ply is still an option.
Will depend on what price alloy is.
Would have to factor in sealing and painting costs with wood.

Not real interested in steel floor, as my weld skills don't suit panel type work. And rust treating painting sux

wood floor ans alloy sides is of interest though, cheers all

christover

I've done a few box trailers with second hand hardwood floorboards. Just soak the end grains in sump oil. The boards will last at least 10 years with no maintenance but don't leave garden waste etc sitting in it.

[Big D]

Steve ur 1 smart man

[christover1]

Steve ur 1 smart man

Our Steve is very smart at both ends

[christover1]

I've done a few box trailers with second hand hardwood floorboards. Just soak the end grains in sump oil. The boards will last at least 10 years with no maintenance but don't leave garden waste etc sitting in it.

My Ute Cab back is marine ply, its been there fer years.

[christover1]

Galvanised iron sheeting maybe?

Tadpole is built so the chassis is a separate structure. IE it will be towable without floor and sides. Alth these will obviously add to its strength, or take away if not careful
So rough plan is to get it wired and hitched, then I can tow it around to pick up flooring etc.

christover

[Charlie]

Three mil alloy would be very expensive ,almost as dear as proper marine ply.
Zincalume or zinc plate a good idea you can stick it in with Sikaflex and a few pop rivits if you worried about welding.

[christover1]

Three mil alloy would be very expensive ,almost as dear as proper marine ply.
Zincalume or zinc plate a good idea you can stick it in with Sikaflex and a few pop rivits if you worried about welding.

I have a very cheap roofing supplier close by that chippy mate uses. They have seconds and off cuts quite cheap.
Will be checking that out shortly.
I not sure I want a profiled sheet, tho can see advantages in strength, sealing ends may be an issue.
I doubt roofing zincalume would be very thick.

christover

[Charlie]

Yeah your right I should have typed Zincseal rather zincalume,always get those two mixed up.Zincseal goes up to 1.9 while zincalume maxs out about 1.1

[christover1]

Yeah your right I should have typed Zincseal rather zincalume,always get those two mixed up.Zincseal goes up to 1.9 while zincalume maxs out about 1.1

Thanks for that,
I just searched zincseal, thats much better. Will sure look into that.
The few sites I found listed up to 1.55
christover

[christover1]

This is all I had time for today. But I like to use time wisely when I have it. They are very cheap but pass the law enough to get me going. I will upgrade to led's at some future stage as dollars permit. Unless these turn out to be good. No reflectors so I'm guessing they may be invisible when dirty or in bright sun.
christover.