Another F550 build

[Slothman]

Hi all,

I'm new here. Anyways - been working on an F550 build and figured I would share some pics and ask some questions.

I originally had a line on some exteremely discounted 0.090" aluminum sheeting I was going to use to skin this beast, but alas that fell through - and now I am looking at market price aluminum sheeting or alternatives. Any recommendations?

I plan to use 3m VHB to attach it to my 2" welded skeleton. I need roughly 18 4x8 sheets or equivalent. Ideally keeping price <$150/sheet.

I am looking into HDPE / "Marine Panel" ~0.250" thick. FRP is sadly out of budget.

Has anyone used HDPE for this application? It seems like it would work with the 3M VHB LSE tape series. It is UV stable, cheap, waterproof, insulating (compared to metal), and light. I need something that is rigid and structural-otherwise I need to do a ton more welding to make my skeleton more supportive. I would like to avoid wood products.

Here are some build pics (my first project welding aluminum).

 

[Overdrive]

I can't answer your questions, but just want to say NICE RIG!

I have often dreamed of that very set up--a utility body with a full-size door into the habitat. Was the cut-out or space for the door already there?

 

[Slothman]

Nope. I cut the front toolbox out and the utility body down to make that space. The rear opening will be a ramp door/deck, toyhauler style.

 

[ITTOG]

I am using ACM, which is PE sandwiched by aluminum. I too am planning to affix to my frame with VHB tape. It is 3 mm thick so has some rigidity to it. In Houston it is almost $100 for a 5' x 10' panel.

 

[Slothman]

Do you have a link for an online supplier of the ACM? I came across ACM since my post but struggling to find one that will ship. The "seaboard" 0.250 HDPE sheet is also ~$100 / panel, but it seems like riveting (or rivnuts) and caulking interior seams may be the best attachment method. I think the HDPE might have better scratch/dent resistance.

 

[ScottReb]

3A composites are the makers of alucobond and dibond. Very similar, alucobond has thicker aluminum. Dibond easier to source most any sign shop will be able to get 3 or 3mm. Alupanel is a UK manufacturer identical to dibond and for me it's cheaper. In Northern CA. They all come in colors as well although again harder to source and the price goes up for anything but white or black.
works great with VHB tapes

 

[ITTOG]

I don't know if they will ship but just about any sign shop will have it. I am looking at the Alucosun product. Solid Plastic Core | REECE Alucosun .15mm White 5x10x3mm | Reece Supply
Home | Reece Supply

 

[Slothman]

3A composites are the makers of alucobond and dibond. Very similar, alucobond has thicker aluminum. Dibond easier to source most any sign shop will be able to get 3 or 3mm. Alupanel is a UK manufacturer identical to dibond and for me it's cheaper. In Northern CA. They all come in colors as well although again harder to source and the price goes up for anything but white or black.
works great with VHB tapes

Thanks Scott - who is your norcal supplier? I am in Reno.

 

[Alloy]

Keep in mind the skin on ACM is very very thin so you may want to use something more durable where it might receive (branches) impact.

Each plastic wholesaler will have carry a different brand of ACM

The overhand over the cab and front need more diagonal support. Those diagonal that end on the tube (like the short one by the door) will crack the tube over time. Diagonals should alwasy run from corner to corner like this ... I\I or split the space in half and have 2 diagonals so it looks like this .....I\/I or this I/\I

You want to check the top to make sure it hasn't dipped middle. To reduced weld distortion and for strength it is better to have the cross beams run continuous side to side.

You want to beef it up with some 1/8" gussets. These should be close to the edge so they pick up the side wall of the tube

Nothing bonds to HDPE (Starboard / Seaboard) so you won't be able to caulk it.

 

[Pinnacle Campers]

Nothing bonds to HDPE (Starboard / Seaboard) so you won't be able to caulk it.

As well HDPE has a high rate of expansion and contraction which will likely cause problems.

 

[jlcanterbury]

Nice build! Love the utility box with camper. My current build is an ambulance- having the utility boxes everywhere for storage, segregated utility compartemtns, etc is a game changer.

Is that a Hobart welder you're using? Which one, and how were your results? Using their spool gun for AL?
I'm about to dive in to an aluminum fabrication project and need to get my hands on a new welder. I used to have the Hobart 190 with a spool gun but sold it years back- thinking of picking up that exact set again.
What's your experience been like?

 

[Slothman]

Nice build! Love the utility box with camper. My current build is an ambulance- having the utility boxes everywhere for storage, segregated utility compartemtns, etc is a game changer.

Is that a Hobart welder you're using? Which one, and how were your results? Using their spool gun for AL?
I'm about to dive in to an aluminum fabrication project and need to get my hands on a new welder. I used to have the Hobart 190 with a spool gun but sold it years back- thinking of picking up that exact set again.
What's your experience been like?

I just sold my ambulance! The toolboxes are a huge part of why I started with this instead of a flatbed.


Yes - its a hobart 190 with the spool gun. Works great - highly reccommended. Took a bit to get use to the speed required for aluminum spool gunning, but it works very well. I might buy the 210 if I did it again to have the ability to use 120v power if needed.

 

[Slothman]

Since I'm already doing so much aluminum welding, I decided I will do my cabinet frames in 1"x1" 0.125" aluminum tube, welded directly to the skeleton. I'll be using either VHB or Rivnuts to attach wood paneling to these frames.
This goes surprisingly quick now that material arrived. Here's my kitchenette roughed in. In total it took under an hour to cut and frame this up. Welding won't much more than another hour. It is quite high (~44" counter height) because of the service body and because I want to fit an isotherm 130 fridge underneath the countertop, but the floor/bed of the truck will be raised about 12" to fit my 97 gallon water tank underneath.

 

[jlcanterbury]

Looking good. I considered the same thing - welding cabinet framing from aluminum directly to my ambulance body framing.
But I worry that the cold or heat from outside will pass directly through the aluminum into the cabin. How are you insulating it from that potential temperature exchange?

 

[Slothman]

Looking good. I considered the same thing - welding cabinet framing from aluminum directly to my ambulance body framing.
But I worry that the cold or heat from outside will pass directly through the aluminum into the cabin. How are you insulating it from that potential temperature exchange?

I'm not that worried about the temp exchange from the frame to cabinets. They will be covered with plywood.