| Author |
Message |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (206.246.174.253)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 2:04 pm: | |
I have found a source for one piece aluminum for my roof raise, and need advice. I can purchase .050 thick painted aluminum in 103" wide coil stock. A local trailer manufacturer has it. It is the same stuff that they use on the big rigs. They will slit it whatever width that I need, providing I pay for the full width. I am thinking about skinning the sides as one piece. My panels below the windows are damaged anyway. I would be going app. 43" tall x 34'long. Need advise before I start. Is this wise? What are the other options |
jmaxwell (66.42.92.174)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 2:27 pm: | |
One piece 34'. My guess is that if u add 35-40 degrees, you're going to have close to 35'! All that xtra has to go somewhere. May look like a Sharpei in the sun. |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (206.246.174.253)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 4:32 pm: | |
Actually, according to Dave Galey's article it will grow but not much greater than steel. I wold use steel, but have been unable to find anything big enough. The guys at the trailer place showed me a couple of trailers that they had skinned 10' tall X 53' long. They use a large propane heater, and lots of sun to stretch it before rivets. The sharpei look was my same concern with the one piece, but they made it look good. I still am unsure. |
RJ Long (24.130.101.25)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 4:45 pm: | |
Eric -
You've seen the work of professionals who did 10 x 53 trailers in one piece, and you're still unsure if it can be done?
Am I missing something here???? |
Rich Lanigan (24.218.245.137)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 6:11 pm: | |
OK, here's a little on coefficient of expansion. Steel in general grows approximately 7 micro inches per degree Fahrenheit and aluminum is approximately three times that amount. 7 micro inches is 7 millionths of an inch. On a 35' piece for a 30 degree increase in temperature the length would grow approximately 1/4" and the steel beneath it would grow about 1/3 of that dimension. I say approximate because different alloys change these numbers but not significantly enough to get down to the nitty gritty. Hope this helps.
Rich |
Eric Brown (Ericb) (206.246.174.253)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 10:15 am: | |
I found the article that discusses expansion. According to it, 18 ga steel @ 40' will .152. Alum will grow by .300. If stretched you should be able to compensate. I think I am going to try it. It will either look great, or like a Christmas ham covered in tin foil. I will let you know which!!! |