The Cube, U-Haul to RV camper conversion

[Matlock]

Once I had the battery size I cut and assembled a 3/8" plywood box that was 3" taller and 2" wider and longer than the batteries. That would allow for any heat expansion (bulging) of batteries if I wasn't paying attention to battery temperatures when charging. I cut foam strips to keep batteries separated and centered in the box. The space would make it easier to remove/replace the batteries when necessary.


After the box glue dried I cut the top off and brushed on a coat of Cabot spar varnish. Then sprayed the inside with some truck bed coating.


I cut a hole in the exterior for venting the box and added a ratchet strap and eye bolts to keep everything in one place.





I'm not finding the my pic of the inside of the top of the battery box but I did glue three wood blocks to the underside of the top to keep the batteries from bouncing upwards inside the box when driving over rough roads. Yes a pair of 90 lb batteries do bounce.

 

[Ballenxj]

This is one of the most thoughtful and well done battery boxes I have seen built lately.
Yours should be the text book example for others to learn from.

 

[BradKW]

Glad you're posting more pictures!

Is the diamond bright and LED lights a mod that you did? They look sharp...

 

[Matlock]

This is one of the most thoughtful and well done battery boxes I have seen built lately.
Yours should be the text book example for others to learn from.

BallenXJ, Thanks for the compliment. I've got a few more photo's showing the vent tube assembly and how it connects to the box. I'll be pulling the box out next weekend to check water level so I'll take a couple more photo's then and post them here.

 

[Matlock]

Glad you're posting more pictures!

Is the diamond bright and LED lights a mod that you did? They look sharp...

Brad,
The truck came free with a damaged corner. I couldn't apply heat  to bend the corner post back into something close to the original shape. It would have caught the FRP panel on the side of the box on fire. Next best option was to use a half dozen deep reach heavy duty C-clamps and try to coax it back into something that looked like a corner again. Somewhat better but not a 90* corner. I opted to cover it and prime/paint the aluminum after screwing, pop riveting the new pieces in. As to the LED backup lights, the OEM light was damage along with the corner and needed to be replaced. Ebay I think had a good deal.

These folks sell all sizes and material types of corner covers. I think I paid $55 for a pair of Aluminum Diamond Plate corner guards.
http://thecornerguardstore.com/
Left side of the web site under Aluminum corner guards.

 

[skyl4rk]

Built this sandwich from plywood and FRP to cover the opening.

Which adhesive did you use to glue the FRP to the wood?

 

[Matlock]

Which adhesive did you use to glue the FRP to the wood?

Titebond Fast Grab FRP Adhesive - 15004056
This is the exterior version. Lowes or Home Depot stock it in gal buckets. Use a 1/4 inch trowel. You have about 5 minutes to position the panel before it is stuck fast. That was at 80-85* ambient.

 

[Ballenxj]

Titebond Fast Grab FRP Adhesive - 15004056
This is the exterior version. Lowes or Home Depot stock it in gal buckets. Use a 1/4 inch trowel. You have about 5 minutes to position the panel before it is stuck fast. That was at 80-85* ambient.

Does anybody use Liquid Nails for similar projects?
 Many years ago I worked in the carpentry trades and I remember on one commercial job we used Liquid Nails to attach paneling to the walls.
Pros or Cons?

 

[BradKW]

For attaching FRP sheets to a substrate you want to use FRP adhesive spread with a 1/4" notched trowel. Anything that comes in a caulking tube would just make life harder, and not spreading it (i.e. drawing a bunch of smiley faces with the caulk gun) reduces the area that's actually adhered from 100% to... 5%? 10%? Liquid nails also has a short work time before it skins over.

Add to that, Liquid Nails actually makes a product called Liquid Nails FRP Glue and it comes in gallon cans. For small pieces Sikaflex 221 adheres great I've found, but just use FRP adhesive for an actual panel.

 

[Vagabound]

Matlock:  I'm glad to see you posting any update to your build thread.  More please!

skyl4rk:  You said, "Which adhesive did you use to glue the FRP to the wood?"  I realize that Matlock already answered. However, I did some searching, and there appear to be choices.  This is what came up on the Titebond website:

http://www.titebond.com/Libraries/LiteraturePDFs/FF821_FRPInstallation.sflb.ashx

I sent them an email and asked if Titebond III would adhere to FRP.  If they reply, I'll post it here.  I'm much more likely to have TBIII on hand than some specialty glue.

Vagabound

 

[Matlock]

Matlock:  I'm glad to see you posting any update to your build thread.  More please!

I sent them an email and asked if Titebond III would adhere to FRP.  If they reply, I'll post it here.  I'm much more likely to have TBIII on hand than some specialty glue.

Vagabound

I'm slowly gathering photo's and putting words to them. This past summer I spent more time traveling than building. More to come.

As to Titebond, the thing that I felt was important was being able to find a adhesive product that is designed for an exterior application and will stick to FRP. Even then most products don't specify a temperature range so I opted for a "stays soft" product. Be interested in what they reply to you with.

 

[Vagabound]

...
As to Titebond, the thing that I felt was important was being able to find a adhesive product that is designed for an exterior application and will stick to FRP. ...

I follow a few DIY boat building forums also, and there's been some experimenting with TBIII for various things that, in the past, would have been done with epoxy.  One example is deck sheathing.  Good results so far and much, much easier and safer to work with.  It is rated as both exterior and waterproof.  For an FRP-to-plywood application, I'm just not sure if standard glue viscosity would be sufficient, or whether something trowel-able is required.

Not quite following your reasoning.  Why did you choose to go with something that stays soft?

Vagabound

 

[highdesertranger]

nice work, looks really good. highdesertranger

 

[BradKW]

Products that retain flexibility (stay soft) are products that will last outdoors because they can move with the change of temps and moisture-induced expansion/contraction. One example would be exterior acrylic paints that last well outside, but would be horrible on interior trim, shelves, etc.

Adhesives also follow this rule in general...I've already seen why Liquid Nails/PL Premium just isn't a good choice for mobile...I had run out of Sikaflex while attaching furring strips to the metal ribs and used some L.N. and PL I had around. Subsequent screwing with self-tappers has popped the furring strips right off, but the flexible adhesives held fine.

This becomes more important when bonding different materials...odds are a wood-to-wood joining will be fine with Liquid Nails. But even wood joints in mobile settings will benefit from some flex...polyurethane glues might outperform others. An exception to flexibility would be epoxy resins, because they penetrate and cure to a stronger product than most things they'd be joining...

 

[Ballenxj]

Brad, Thanks for that explanation. So if I want a hard bond, go epoxy, if not, stick with a bonding agent that stays soft?

 

[Almost There]

Adhesives also follow this rule in general...I've already seen why Liquid Nails/PL Premium just isn't a good choice for mobile...I had run out of Sikaflex while attaching furring strips to the metal ribs and used some L.N. and PL I had around. Subsequent screwing with self-tappers has popped the furring strips right off, but the flexible adhesives held fine.

NOW you tell me....

I have a major renovation to do sometime when I get the ambition - the mounting blocks that were glued with PL Premium to the fiberglass roof - well some of them aren't. Fortunately enough held that my ceiling isn't coming down but it's got a few loose spots!

 

[Matlock]

Brad, Thanks for that explanation. So if I want a hard bond, go epoxy, if not, stick with a bonding agent that stays soft?

I'll let Brad answer that question. In the mean time, I used double sided sticky tape to fasten my solar panels onto my aluminum roof.
"VHB 3M Adhesive Double-sided Foam Tape" Has a High Bond Conformable Acrylic Glue. I got it from Amazon.

 

[Vagabound]

To close the loop on my previous comment ... Titebond/Franklin got back to me on my question about using TBIII between plywood and fiberglass reinforced panels (FRP).  I cannot say enough good things about Franklin's customer service (the company behind Titebond).

This is their email reply:

Titebond Rep:  Typically, we would not recommend Titebond III to stick FRP to plywood in a vertical application because a) the Titebond III will soak into the wood before you have a chance to get the panel on the wall, and b) the glue will run down the wall before you can get the panel up. 
 
     Our Titebond GREENchoice Fast Grab FRP Adhesive has enough viscosity (thickness) so it doesn’t soak quickly into the wood and also won’t run down the wall.  “Fast Grab” is what we recommend for untreated unpainted unprimed plywood to FRP.  Using “Fast Grab” is also important because the ridges created by the trowel used to put the adhesive on the wall help the FRP to grab onto the adhesive in case there are any unflat or uneven portions of the plywood or wall.
 
     If you are putting the FRP onto untreated plywood in a horizontal application (parallel to the floor), it may work with Titebond III, but even then I would be concerned because the Titebond III will have a tendency to soak into the plywood.  If you are going to try that method, we would recommend putting a fair amount of glue on the plywood and getting the FRP onto the glue very quickly.  You will also want to have a way to press the FRP into the plywood lightly as the glue dries (at least a couple of hours).  But again, we do not recommend using Titebond III for FRP to plywood for the reasons I have outlined above.

Vagabound

 

[Headache]

When it comes to gluing ANYTHING to FRP I'd ask the folks at UHaul what they used, seriously. Whatever glue that was that they used to glue the aluminum bumper strip mounting plates to the inside walls is outstanding. Yes they put screws in them as well but I can personally tell you from experience that trying to remove the plates after removing the screws without at least taking some of the fiberglass cloth with them even with using a chisel or some kind of putty knife was an effort in futility. And that glue was HARD.

 

[wayne49]

"Built this sandwich from plywood and FRP to cover the opening."


What is in the sandwich? I see FRP, then plywood, then I am not sure what is in the middle, then plywood, and FRP.

What are the thicknesses of each inside layer?

Thanks. Interesting build.