fleet16b
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Post by fleet16b on Jun 23, 2024 13:41:11 GMT -8
Hello everyone, I'm rebuilding a 61 Shasta compact and looking for recommendations for the best species of wood to frame the walls. This is going to be a total 100% overhaul with virtually all of the wood being replaced. My intention is to join the frame members using pocket hole screws so I'm interested on what woods are best for that type of joinery.
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Jun 23, 2024 14:37:57 GMT -8
Hello everyone, I'm rebuilding a 61 Shasta compact and looking for recommendations for the best species of wood to frame the walls. This is going to be a total 100% overhaul with virtually all of the wood being replaced. My intention is to join the frame members using pocket hole screws so I'm interested on what woods are best for that type of joinery. Kreg Screws have a specific purpose and are a great choice in special applications. But they are not as good as a "normal glue and wood screw" in most joints. Their advantage is when you're making a butt joint and do not have access to the backside to place a normal screw. You need to use the best attachment method to make your joints, and the method used will be different depending on the joint. Think of your Doctor, sometimes he does the surgery, and you end up with thirty stainless steel staples, as my wife got in her elbow replacement surgery. Other times, he places stiches that self-dissolve and do not require any removal. Other times he might choose to just use a few Butterfly Band-Aids to hold you together during the healing period. The point is, he looked into his toolbox, and choose the best method to make his repair based on the specific job and obstacles he had to work around. It's not a good/bad thing, it's a "pick the best way thing". I think you need to have access to a table saw, it will give you many more options for your wall framing. You can buy 2 by 4's and rip them to your desired size. Trailers that have only 3/4" thick walls need all the strength you can muster. I like to buy rough cut Poplar and rip it on a table saw to size. The rough cut has one finished straight edge. Some Poplar is not to pretty for interior wood, but it is good for wall framing. In any case it's way cheaper to buy the rough cut from a hardwoods store, and not at your local Big Box store. John Palmer
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fleet16b
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Post by fleet16b on Jun 23, 2024 17:13:58 GMT -8
Thanks John, that's good information. This will be my 3rd rebuild. On the 2 earlier projects I just used whatever wood I could find to repair and rebuild the walls and I'd like this one to be approached more deliberately. I've been doing woodworking for a number of years and I usually strive to make the joints on my projects as strong as possible, hence the pocket holes. The first Shasta I restored used 1" crown staples for all the joints which always seemed inadequate to me, so my next rebuild was pretty much all pocket holes. I like the idea of poplar for the framing and I can source it rough from a couple of places in my are. Thanks again.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jun 23, 2024 17:22:45 GMT -8
I’ve used hard wood for the vent to avoid sagging. And even used a wider piece.
I’ve also used poplar which costs a little more but if you plan to keep the camper it’s, in my opinion, worth it.
I have mixed feelings about glue. Once you glue the camper together it makes disassemble for repairs, and to correct mistakes, difficult. Although it does add strength.
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Jun 23, 2024 19:09:00 GMT -8
I have mixed feelings about glue. Once you glue the camper together it makes disassemble for repairs, and to correct mistakes, difficult. Although it does add strength. LOL, then you will really hate working on one of my rebuilt trailers. I glue the paneling to the wall framing. In a Stick and Tin style construction the panels carry the body shear strength so being firmly attached to the wall frames adds lots of strength. I normally budget 1 Gallon of Tite bond 2 for every trailer. In riveted skin trailer construction, the outer skin serves the same structural purpose as the wood paneling, and they are buck riveted to the framing for shear strength. Every part of a camper trailer is weak, by itself, but when the weak, loose parts are bonded tightly together, you have a very strong part, think of an eggshell and how strong it is in one piece, versus when it is broken into small pieces. In race cars we call it a monocoque type of frame construction, which is lots of small lightweight parts assembled into a very strong lightweight frame. Measure twice, cut once, then glue and screw, or staple, or nail. Velcro would be a better fastener choice if you need to often take apart your trailers. LOL, just busting on you NC Camper, we miss your builds. John Palmer
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jun 23, 2024 19:19:13 GMT -8
I have mixed feelings about glue. Once you glue the camper together it makes disassemble for repairs, and to correct mistakes, difficult. Although it does add strength. LOL, then you will really hate working on one of my rebuilt trailers. John Palmer I’d love to own one of your camper, but 20 years from now somebody will try to take one apart and they will be cursing like a drunk sailor on shore leave ;-) I’m living most of the year on the beach in the Philippines and my last camper is in storage in NC. I miss it.
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