sjheinle
New Member
Posts: 1 
Likes: 1
Currently Offline
|
Post by sjheinle on Sept 7, 2016 18:46:32 GMT -8
Hello,
I am restoring a 57 Cardinal in the Seattle Metro Area and need to know where to get paneling. I'd like to get started so if you know a place please let me know. I'm also new to this so might not be posting this in the correct place any help would be great.
Thanks,
Stacy
|
|
nccamper
Administrator 
Posts: 7,745 
Likes: 2,872
1962 Forester- 1956 Shasta
Currently Offline
|
Post by nccamper on Sept 7, 2016 19:23:15 GMT -8
|
|
sglshot
Member
Posts: 32
Likes: 1
Currently Offline
|
Post by sglshot on Sept 7, 2016 22:36:16 GMT -8
|
|
Vintagehotdog
Active Member
Hi, we are Paul and Irvina, Currently rebuilding a 12' 1958 Easy Traveler
Posts: 129
Likes: 40
1962 Oasis 18'
Currently Offline
|
Post by Vintagehotdog on Sept 26, 2016 17:39:32 GMT -8
Hello, I am restoring a 57 Cardinal in the Seattle Metro Area and need to know where to get paneling. I'd like to get started so if you know a place please let me know. I'm also new to this so might not be posting this in the correct place any help would be great. Thanks, Stacy McLendon's carries some birch or maple or oak plywood. |
|
msgoehring
Full Member
Just call me Margaret the shellac, buff, sand an shine queen.
Posts: 860
Likes: 303
1957 Westerner Deluxe
Currently Offline
|
Post by msgoehring on Sept 27, 2016 3:22:15 GMT -8
Hi, I just wanted to add some information on here for you. When restoring or repairing a vintage trailer, you must start from the OUTSIDE and work your way in. You must leave the cabinets, closets and other interior items in place because they provide the structural integrity of the trailer. In order to safely and properly repair rot or water damage in a trailer you need to start with removing the skins and shoring up the frame while it is still supported by the interior. You also need to check the boards that hold the body to the frame which are called skirt board (this one is the bottom board of the trailer body) and the sill board (which is attached to the frame to nail or screw the body to) as these are likely to be rotted also. Here is a thread that tells you the names of the trailer frame parts: vintagetrailertalk.freeforums.net/thread/1093/vintage-trailer-framing But before you even remove a piece of skin, paneling or anything else please, please check out these following two resources that are available from members of this forum who restore and repair vintage trailers for a living. They have been a complete life saver not just for me, but for many others. You have no idea of what can happen if a trailer is not repaired correctly, but one thing is you can be driving down the road and the entire body of the trailer will come off the frame. There is a member here who had purchased a supposedly restored trailer. It looked beautiful online and even in person when she went to get it, but on her return trip the body of the trailer started coming off the frame due to rot, this caused her car to be pulled sideways and she rolled the vehicle and ended up in intensive care with nothing but sticks left of the trailer. The first resource is mobiltech. He makes videos and posts them on YouTube of his work sharing how to do everything. His website is: www.cannedhamtrailers.com and I recommend you watch this video first so you better understand why these things have to be repaired from the outside in: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDdpZgSD1JM . He does all these videos for free to help others who are interested in vintage trailers, but he is needing to replace the engine in his van, so if it's possible for you, he does accept donations from his website if you find his information as important as I have. Next is a wonderful repair manual put together by another long time member who restores trailers, it's a husband and wife team and their forum name is vikx : vintagetrailerrepairmanual.weebly.com My husband doesn't do computers so this manual has become very important to him as we work to do a frame off restoration of our 57 Westerner Deluxe travel trailer. I am so glad you found this forum before you started any work. There are so many wonderful people here who are very willing to answer any questions and help with anything you may come up against. Please don't let what I've said scare you from repairing your trailer. It really is easy once you get a little knowledge and help. I also want to mention how much useful information is on this forum. I'd start by looking through the tutorials and/or the exterior and interior repair threads. And welcome to VTT, I hope you stick around and let us help you make your trailer your dream. This place has really helped me and I've only been here since April. |
|
|
|
Post by vikx on Oct 2, 2016 21:27:20 GMT -8
Well said, MsG! Thank you.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,825
Likes: 3,752
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Oct 14, 2016 14:59:53 GMT -8
We're all here to  . |
|
Monabones
Active Member
Posts: 129
Likes: 81
1966 Aristocrat Land Commander
Currently Offline
|
Post by Monabones on Oct 14, 2016 17:38:11 GMT -8
Limback Lumber in Ballard (Seattle) is where I puchased my Birch. 80 year old family owned lumber yard with decent prices. Quality birch too. They let me go through the piles so I could pick my panels. They have a mixture of red and white birch so make sure you look them over.
|
|
Hamlet
2K Member
Posts: 2,820
Likes: 925
Currently Offline
|
Post by Hamlet on Oct 14, 2016 18:26:47 GMT -8
If you can go south, Gray Lumber and Edensaw Lumber in Tacoma both offer a wide variety of quality woods. Either of these, and some of the ones mentioned above may be a little speedier than a big box store, but the quality is often better. Good luck!
|
|
Vintagehotdog
Active Member
Hi, we are Paul and Irvina, Currently rebuilding a 12' 1958 Easy Traveler
Posts: 129
Likes: 40
1962 Oasis 18'
Currently Offline
|
Post by Vintagehotdog on Nov 11, 2016 8:57:59 GMT -8
Since this post is two months old I suppose you have already found your Birch paneling. Still want to let you and everybody else know how happy I was to find Birch paneling at Dunn Lumber in Normandy Park (or any Dunn I assume) for only $22.50 a sheet. The sheets are a half inch over 4' x8' which came as a big surprise to me since my utility trailer was built a half inch over also but with paint and rust I had one tough time getting them out!
The weird part about the 10 sheets I bought is they seem like they are already stained. I'm sure more knowledgeable members can tell me what's going on with that.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,825
Likes: 3,752
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Nov 11, 2016 12:32:15 GMT -8
Since this post is two months old I suppose you have already found your Birch paneling. Still want to let you and everybody else know how happy I was to find Birch paneling at Dunn Lumber in Normandy Park (or any Dunn I assume) for only $22.50 a sheet. The sheets are a half inch over 4' x8' which came as a big surprise to me since my utility trailer was built a half inch over also but with paint and rust I had one tough time getting them out! The weird part about the 10 sheets I bought is they seem like they are already stained. I'm sure more knowledgeable members can tell me what's going on with that. Something is wrong here. Half inch over and already stained??? You sure you bought birch? |
|
strange1
Active Member
Posts: 159
Likes: 103
1965 Shasta Airflyte
Currently Offline
|
Post by strange1 on Nov 11, 2016 13:39:00 GMT -8
I was in my local BigBox store yesterday looking for other things and decided to look in their plywoods to see what they currently had on the racks and indeed found 1/4" 4' x 8' sheets of birch they call "Prefinished 1 side birch". Nobody could tell me what the sheets are prefinished with...but even their website is listing it. I don't know about being 1/2" over...but definitely has a finish on it.
|
|
mobiltec
5K Member
I make mistakes so you don't have to...
Posts: 9,825
Likes: 3,752
1954 Jewel In Progress...
Currently Offline
|
Post by mobiltec on Nov 11, 2016 14:49:20 GMT -8
Well two things here. First, I would be leery of anything pre-finsihed. If you don't know what it is it may be hard to match and if you put something over it that doesn't mix well it could have a funny reaction. Second, 1/4 inch is not used in many trailers. 1/8 inch birch is the norm.
|
|
Vintagehotdog
Active Member
Hi, we are Paul and Irvina, Currently rebuilding a 12' 1958 Easy Traveler
Posts: 129
Likes: 40
1962 Oasis 18'
Currently Offline
|
Post by Vintagehotdog on Nov 11, 2016 15:12:28 GMT -8
I called Dunn Lumber to ask. Think I got somebody pretty young. But he suggested that 1/4" Birch would normally be used for cabinets. I shouldn't have said stained. There is a clear finish on one side. You could stain the other side any color you wanted. I liked the natural Birch so an using the finished side out.  20161105_170559_HDR by vintagehotdog, on Flickr |
|
handkey
Active Member
Posts: 217
Likes: 83
1964 Forester 14
Currently Offline
|
Post by handkey on Nov 11, 2016 15:29:57 GMT -8
Forester trailers used 60" x 60" 1/8" birch panels in the walls and 4'x8' panels for the roof etc. I spent $450 on Birchwood for the 64 forester 14' and that included an extra Of each size for goofs. Anyone need a source in Minneapolis?
|
|
.
