Is Escape really one piece?

[SageRpod]

Article about a one piece, fiberglass RV and the writer calls out Escape for being two pieces joined together. Is Escape really one piece?

https://www.theautopian.com/this-goo...of-fiberglass/

[Jim Bennett]

If you watch the How It's Made video it shows how they are made. Both halves of the shell in the moulds are put together and the seam is manually epoxied together. The moulds are then released. Very strong and 100% waterproof. The Made in two parts, but ultimately just one piece.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi6_KR_n_As

[Ron in BC]

First of all, it's a heck of a lot more one piece than the motorhome touted as one piece. Escapes are f.g. top, bottom, ends and sides. The motorhome "one piece" didn't even include a bottom.

The Escape shell in molded as two pieces and bonded together. When f.g. is still green the bond is still a chemical one rather than a mechanical one. I have no difficulty with Escape calling it one piece.

What I especially like is the f.g. bottom rather than an upside down pan sitting on a wood platform with all the misery that's created over the years for SOBs.

Ron

[occer]

I wonder how many of the trailers have in fact developed leaks at the seam line.

Per the artical; However, the seam formed by joining two pieces of fiberglass together can become the source of a water leak, as the owners of some vintage fiberglass campers can tell you.

I would be more concerned about the window seals and other cutouts leaking.
I wounder if any of the resin gets into the seam between the two pieces to add to the strength.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by occer

I would be more concerned about the window seals and other cutouts leaking.

Me too, by far.

There's various ways to join two parts. Many boats have a molded hull and a molded deck. The two are usually bonded together and that includes a f.g. layup on either side of the join. That situation has to be called one piece. I've seen an 8 ton boat T-bone another, broke a lot of f.g. but not at the joint. (And scared the crap out of me.)

I think that ETI comes pretty close to that situation but I'm not sure that some of the older f.g. trailers did. I think that the pop rivets through the belly band pretty much held things together without an actual layup extending on to the two pieces.

Ron

[John-in-Texas]

Fifty years ago I built a fiberglass sailboat using the same method as ETI uses in joining sections together. As others have stated the two halves truly become one and, in fact, the seam joint becomes an area of strength rather than weakness.

[HABBERDABBER]

Like an egg shell, they are usually constructed as 1 piece "monocoque" shells.

from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics...ring/monocoque

The word monocoque comes from the Greek word mono (single) and the French word coque (shell). Monocoque is a structural technique in which stresses are reacted by a thin membrane or a shell of material, rather than a collection of beams. Such structures are stiff in bending, and light, and are therefore ideal for weight-sensitive vehicles....

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Like an egg shell, they are usually constructed as 1 piece "monocoque" shells.

Monocoque is a structural technique in which stresses are reacted by a thin membrane or a shell of material, rather than a collection of beams.

Not quite.

A true monocoque, like many aircraft, doesn't have any other independent structure that adds strength and rigidity. An Escape requires internal bulkheads and a frame so I'd class it as "semi-monocoque".

I also classify my rear box as semi-moncoque. Because of the curved sides the upper box does not nave any internal reinforcement at all, completely self supporting. But it does sit on a cargo carrier frame so it's not a true monocoque.

But semantics aside, definitely one piece, as good as it gets.

Ron

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

Article about a one piece, fiberglass RV and the writer calls out Escape for being two pieces joined together. Is Escape really one piece?

https://www.theautopian.com/this-goo...of-fiberglass/

Hi: SageRpod... Here's a pic of our 2014 5.0TA., just out of the mold. It was #2 produced and in talking to Reace he stated "We make a fine trailer... then cut it full of holes". Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie