Taco Topper Build

My new Taco just came in today. While sitting around admiring the shiny paint, my friends and I designed a topper for the truck. Our design uses red oak for the framing, skin, and window frames. 1/4" smoked plexiglass will complete the front window and back door. No side windows per say, but the sides will have a unique plexiglass/wood design feature towards the rear. I plan on using pocket hole joinery extensively on the frame and bracing. The finish will include stain, epoxy resin seal, and spar varnish. The topper will follow the radius of the Tacoma's cab lines.

I will post my progress here with suitable photographic evidence.


Step 1:

Build/borrow/steal 2 sawhorses with long, wide tops.
Start frame & bottom rails


Frame & Bottom rail Materials: (to be updated)

2 each - 3/4" x 4' x 8' AC Red Oak Plywood sheets
Screws
Glue

The plywood will be ripped down and laminated to make 2" square material for the uprights, side bracing and cross members. The side bottom rails will be 4" wide toward the cab and taper down to 3" at the tailgate.

..to be continued

 

Is this going to be something you will just have for show or daily driven?

What made you decide on oak? I'm not a big oak fan unless its quarter sawn. I seem to favor cherry and maple due to the grain pattern.

Pocket hole joinery is pretty sturdy however I would probably recommend a combination of Mortise&tenon w/ dowels for the constant vibration its going to encounter. In my opinion the screws will eventually work themselves out.

Also you might wanna consider using multiple sheets of veneer instead that way you can laminate them to a jig to contour the various curves you might encounter.

 

I made up a test plank for color testing. The lighter color is natural oak while the darker side is stained with red mahogany. I'm leaning toward the darker color.

We've changed some designs. We'll be using the same techniques used in building strip canoes. The test plank was made up of six 1/4" x 3/4" oak strips then glued up.

Comments?