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I started building this a little while ago..

heres what I did..

Heres my start..

Heres what the sheet of 1/8" panel I'm using..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040026.jpg

mockup to get the spacing just right..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040024.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040023.jpg

One half of the top cut and trial fitted just to see how it'll work..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040027.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040028.jpg

I got my measurments and got the 2x1's cut... Today all I did was get the frame cut, predrilled and screwed together. I'll glue these together later..
I pre drilled everything and used fine threaded drywall screws (what I had)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040029.jpg

the two frames are built, just sat in place.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040032.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040030.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040033.jpg

Now the hinge part...

If I do them like this, I can swing it open and it'll stay open at an angle..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040034.jpg

heres how the open position would look
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040037.jpg

But I'm concerned about stregnth and if the wind hits it and messes it up..

But if I flip the hinge so its sandwhiched between the 2x1's,
it'll flip completly over onto itself and lay flat when opened..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040035.jpg

now picture that right frame attached to the right side of the hinge, now open it.. this shows it far more open than it would be if it was attached tho..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040038.jpg

I like the hinge on top and it would be easy to make it look flush and clean.
but at the same time I dont like that cover being able to just hang like that..

And the other way with the hinge sandwhiched between the panels being able to swing open and touch the other panel flat the hinge spine sticks out a little.

blah..

I'll figure it out, shoot some ideas if ya got em, im sure theres some sort of hinge out that would would work killer for this, just haven't seen it or know about it yet..


Screwed and glued..

I added 1 additional center brace per panel for a little extra stregnth..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040042.jpg

I sat it into position and taped it in place so that the adhesive would dry and the frames stay true..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040043.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040045.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040044.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040046.jpg

Once I add the upper panels and glue those in place and get em with finish nails,
I'll fiberglass it with about 3-4 layers on top, then let that setup..

Then I'll flip it over and route down those underframes to shed weight and lay a few layers of glass over that and we should be solid..

About the only thing I need to figure out is how to seal
up the crack in the hinge section to keep water/dirt out..

frames are all dry and pretty darn solid! :)

ok, I couldn't leave crap alone..
just before Easter dinner I was the guy in the neighborhood making all sorts of noise

heres the metal lips that will also support the outter edge of the wood to be fiberglassed around.. This is why I recessed the wood slightly to make up for the thickness of the L brackets..

I had this all worked out in my head before I bought the brackets..
so far I've gotten extremly lucky with everything and taking it slow..

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040053.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040056.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040054.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040055.jpg

This should make a little more sence now.. ;)
yes, they'll get a trim

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040057.jpg

yes, they will be trimmed :)

Liquid nails FTW!!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040068.jpg

Then I used a peunmatic finish nailer to get things down good and tight..
Now that its solid, I sealed everything up with the excess liquid nails and smoothed it out...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040073.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040074.jpg

I added some weight to let it setup for a few hours..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040085.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040086.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040087.jpg

after that I checked everything out.. so good so far :)

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040078.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040079.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040077.jpg

its fiberglass time :)

I had the larger panel just sitting on the back of the truck and thought I'd just drive
down the street to home depot because its only a block away and a 30mph zone tops..

at exactly 12mph, the large panel flew off like a styrofoam cup LOL

No real damage but man.. its a dead calm day and I was just cruizing..
No speed bumps or anything..
it mared up one section where it still needs to be trimmed anyways.. (top edge)
So no biggie.. I'm just glad nobody was behind me..

I wasn't using my head on this one..

Just shows ya how super light is it so far!
check it..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040095.jpg

More progress..

seems as tho I run out of daylight and steam soon thereafter.. Maybe I'm BiSolar ;)

I got the front panel shaved down to fit the sides/edges of the bed..
I love this 1/8" panel, it cuts with a razor blade..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040097.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040098.jpg

I had to cut the front edge of the bedliner off because it was causing it to ride up some..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040099.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040101.jpg

I have everything duct taped into place so ti doesnt move and used painters tape to make sure I dont glue anything onto the bed :)

I cut roughly for the rear panel..
Once its all dry, I'll trim it some other time like I did the front panel..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040104.jpg

I roughed it up for proper adhesive promotion
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040105.jpg

Then I whipped my cocker out and got busy shooting a bead..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040107.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040108.jpg

before the adhesive I taped spacers to mock the space needed for the hinges..
I also used painters tape to ensure the glue wouldn't adhere to the other panel..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040109.jpg

I maneuvered it into place and then hit it with my finish nailer to keep it in place..
got it all squared away and sat some weight on it..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040110.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040111.jpg

underside view..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040113.jpg

sence I was out of duct tape that I used as my 3rd and fouth hands..
I got the grey and hit the mockup skirts with it because the tape wasn't happy..
FYI, eft these on for almost a month, pulled em off and the residue comes off easily with a paper towel and some WD40 :)

a little less noticable ;)
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040115.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040116.jpg

thats it for now..

I do want to say this.. Liquid nails sucks.. Good thing I'm going to lay glass on this or I wouldn;t trust the stuff..

I ended up using some PL brand polyurethanepremium construction adhesive and this stuffs MONSTER!!!!

definatly the way to go on wood..

thats all I have for now..

$30 bucks wasn't bad, marine shop homie hookup FTW!!!!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040127.jpg

More progress..

I got the first layer on the larger panel..
windy as hell after about 20 minutes into it, it figures..
I was pickin leaves out of the dam resin.. lol

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040128.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040129.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040130.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040131.jpg

then I setup the bed of the truck so I could slide it in and let it setup so it doesn't warp.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040133.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040134.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040135.jpg

I went out and checked, the resin is good and cured...

One thing that sucks tho, I left it on the back of my truck so it drys right and wont warp..
well, it was really windy last night and now I have all these little leaves and flowers in the resin.. Looks bitchin! lol

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040137.jpg

another thing I'd like to add is that this 1/8" thick panel I used for the top half absorbed that resin like a champ, I guess I went a bet heavy on it and the board soaked in and sagged a little within the larger frame sections..

I mite have to get 2 more pieces of wood to place in there temporarely
for support so that theoretically then when I do my next layer it should hold form just right

if not, no biggie, I'm chalkin it up as an experiene learning deal..

I had an issue with the first layer of fiberglass..
I think I went a little heavy on the resin so the 1/8 thick panel sagged a little..
Just got it figured out today tho..

I placed the tonneau on its top on the driveway then used some spare 2x4's to add the extra framing to kill off the sagging.. I still only have the first layer, so it moved back into place easily.. I put my weight on the 2x4's then secured them temporarely with screws..

those 2x4's doubeled the weight lol

I'm planning on jumping back into it soon after I do a few things around the house..

all I did today was this..

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040517.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/P1040518.jpg

This is where I'm at so far with it.. Times been rare lately...

any ideas or opinions would be greatly appreciated :)

how about a cover that flows from the top down to the tailgate? I think that could have significant gains...

If I could have found a used camper shell in the price range of 150 or less, thats what I had planned originally..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/AeroTopper/DSCN0169Aero.jpg

Nothing came up, so I moved on.. This shows the function once completed..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/PentastarTurbo/tacoma/tonneauDIY/FunctionMockup.jpg

looks like a good deal. looks like your're pretty handy, I'm sure you could've fabbed it up pretty good. that should work pretty good tho.

I do my own stunts too :)

Nice job Chris,

I'll have to have you make some rear wheel skirts for me.

That's a great "how to" guide. Thanks for posting it!

Chris, you might want to consider counter sinking the hinges. Then you can have minimal height of the pivot point above your cover and the two panels can fit tightly together when in the "closed" position?

Hi Chris:

___Excellent doc on the design and install! I cannot wait to see it in its final form as it is not only useful for hiding contents but great for aero and best of all; you did it yourself for ¼ the price of a std. cover :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne