Simple Stitch and Glue Car Top Carrier Advice

[BristolW]

I came up with a simple design for an enclosed gearbox for my windsurfing equipment. I have never built anything stitch and glue before and don't know how strong it will turn out (specifically the butt joints) or what materials to use. See attached pdf!

[gonzo]

It's a rectangulat box. All you need it to put a 1X1 corner glued and screwed.

[BristolW]

I like your idea better. Then maybe I would not need epoxy and could just use polyurethane on the inside and paint on the outside? What about the best choice for wood?

[rwatson]

Also, for the curved bits on the sides, try half sections of pvc pipe, with a layer of Fibreglass Resin and Cloth over it. I would do a curved rear end also, as there is a lot of drag on sharp, squared off trailing surfaces.

You could fibrelgass the entire top section in the process, and overlap the curved PVC pipe sides, to make it really tough and longlasting.

A recent article in 'Professional Boatbuilding Magazine" suggests painting an initial layer of Resin over the sanded plywood, and when that starts getting tacky, lay FG cloth over it and wet it out.

If you used foam or other 'shaping' sections on the 'roof', to give a corrugated effect, you would get double the strength for the same weight.