Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

actually, mine is not the only one tried and tested. pat g, has built one. i know he has taken his out about the same amount as me (last i heard), so he very well might have a few more trips put on it now. i don't think he has posted for a while now.

i think our viewpoints (my opinion only) is that gpw and i, vs linux is that linux is looking at this from a manufacturing point of view. i could be wrong, but that is what i think. so yes, he would want that harder shell, that could be pressure washed. something that will last and look good for many many years.

i remember reading a thread on here from a gent that built his camper from old garage doors and other treasure finds that some folks would just have thrown away. his camper was unique, it worked for him, might not work for anyone else.

so i think what we all should agree on, is that we all do not want the same thing in our campers. honestly, if i had to start over, i will probably go the same exact route as my first one. 1: i am not a patient person. so ordering stuff and then waiting is not my cup of tea. 2: anything that i have to use a mask for or has toxic warnings, i want to stay away from. 3: not sure how much more weight other materials will add. weight is my main concern

i am sure that a foamie could be built the way linux is suggesting. i also don't have the money to test nor do i have the time to test. (i would have to work it in somewhere though).

so build your foamies the way you want to. have fun doing it. and please if you test out different methods of builds share, share, share! heck if we all can't agree one main color, how on earth will we all agree on our builds? if you look at the woody threads, you will find a thousand different ways there also.

i think this hot wire stuff is a great idea, and i appreciate the involvement from its member (or boss?) i wished someone would take the jump and try building one using that stuff.
i hope that all did not sound bad, i was just trying to converse.
ok, now i baked up some cinnamon rolls, anyone care to join me in devouring them?

[GPW]

Mmmmmmm!!! Cinnamon rolls

As has been stated before ...there are NO rules !!! Build it like you want it !!!! Test out YOUR ideas !! ... and be sure to tell us how you like it , or not !
“you get what you pay for “ ... Well, that’s Not always true is it !!! But it is a convenient , oft repeated buzz phrase that advertisers use to instill fear and doubt in your purchase choices... Many times I’ve paid good money for things that didn’t turn out to be as good as advertised... I’m sure all of us have ... How many times have we bought Brand name ($$$) items , only to find out they were re-labelled chinese items ... Items that could have been bought for less , without the name Label...

[pete42]

(((SNIP)))I just want to be the voice of reason that says remember that you get what you pay for in life and a LOT of assumptions are being made on things not even a yr old so far
and the one used extensively already has issues and we can't say if its straps or not caused it
because as of yet I don't believe anyone else has built a foamy and used it extensively outside eagle's foamketeer.(((SNIP)))

linuxmanxxx I hope you have good intentions when I read your post you don't come across as "the voice of reason"
you come across as argumentative, other's ways are wrong your's is only one that's right yet you haven't done a build.
true I haven't built a foam camper either I did build a foam and fiberglass two place airplane in fact I built one and helped on another.
if you want something that will last and cost doesn't matter then use fiberglass,
but if anyone wants to try a down and dirty way, paint, canvas and foam then sit back and watch if theirs blows apart going down the road or the paint peels when power washed so be it
my F150 lost some paint off the bumper in a car wash when attendant hit it with power wash should I abandon my truck?

Eaglesdare
If I have stepped out of line please delete my post.
Pete

[Wolffarmer]

Mmmmmmm!!! Cinnamon rolls

As has been stated before ...there are NO rules !!!

I have belonged to a motorcycle camping club for over 30 years and we have 2 rules

Rule 1 There are no rules

Rule 2 See rule 1

Really thats it. You just need to send in dues to get the newsletter. We have no elections, people just volunteer to do the jobs. Members put on camp outs. It is a great bunch of folks just like here. And some of the camp outs turn into some epic pig outs. Just like here.

Randy

[GPW]

Pete ... The “test of timeâ€

[eaglesdare]

i still think the thought process behind our foamies are different. hence, the problem. i have never thought about pressure washing my foamie. i have taken a hose to it, and i have with a dish scrubber, tried to clean bird droppings off of it and mud. but seriously, for me, i couldn't be bothered. that's just me though.

my hubby will go out of his way to clean his tires and that silver hubcap area. me, again, i couldn't be bothered. don't ever expect my camper to be better homes and gardens clean!

i don't ever expect to take mine off road. so i am expecting less tree/brush scratches. if my car can't go without scratching, i am not taking my camper.

again, this all goes back to "do it your way". no one is saying anyones ways are better than any other way. but my way is better than having a 1000lb plus td sitting in my yard that i can't tow anywhere. so my way is the best way for me.

gpw's ways are perfect for him, as his sits in his yard anyway. just bustin on ya!

patg's worked great for him. he built it and has taken many trips so far.

the "over-time" issue is something we can't even begin to comment on. we haven't had them but this past year. i do know for a fact however, that i will beable to get a second season out of it. those bubbles (regardless of how they came about), (i wished now i hadn't said anything. ) will not stop the foamie from going out again. i have checked my seams and all are still holding. but if you read the more traditional builds, they sometimes have problems also. i have read about delamination on those. i know, i know, i should get out there and try to fix it. anyone want to come and do the hot water and iron test?


now, everyone has a different need in their builds. so we are just going round and round. if i have to i will close and lock the thread. i don't want mike to get involved with this type of thing.

so please, if you have the money and are going to build using different materials, do it, but please post and let us all know how it goes. it might take a leap of faith to try the other materials, and you just gotta do it to find out.

[GPW]

OK, admittedly I’m not much of a camper any more (old) and the only reason I built this little Foamie trailer was as an “experimentâ€

[eaglesdare]

hey if you ever have to evac again, you can always pull into my backyard. we'll let you use the outlet too. heck in those 6 weeks of evac, we could build a line of foamies.

lets hope we never see a katrina again.

[GPW]

Eagle , 6 years and counting and we’re still 100,000 population low , and not all of the properties and areas have recovered as of yet ... For lack of a better word it was just a Big Free Ken MESS !!!

Thanks for the offer ... I’m sure we could set up a Foamie Factory in 6 weeks ... During Katrina evac I kept myself busy doing home renovation for people , fixing showers, replacing leaky toilets , painting , and general cleaning and organizing of their stuff... built a handicap ramp, helped finish a barn , and did a LOT of the cooking too ... (for which I’m famous amongst a small circle of friends) ... Glad to get back home , worn out , tired, lost 16 pounds... I’d much rather have been building Foamies ... And then there’s the lure of cupcakes , and cinnamon rolls ... Mmmmmm!!!! And tossing a few brewskies down with Hubby and telling old sea stories ...

[eaglesdare]

sounds like a great 6 weeks!

[eaglesdare]

i have a sick boy home today. i thought i was busy on normal days, but g's. i am becoming exhausted with taking care of him. will probably take a nap (if i can find the time).

[swampjeep]

i have a sick boy home today. i thought i was busy on normal days, but g's. i am becoming exhausted with taking care of him. will probably take a nap (if i can find the time).

my baby was up half the night (therefore, so was I), I'm having a hard time keeping the eyelids up here at work LOL

hope he's well soon.

[eaglesdare]

same to you! its horrible when the little people are sick.

[linuxmanxxx]

Have I built a camper from foam no have I built a sandwich construction camper with components and glue I know will last 20 or more yrs yes

Your sock method or whatever you want to call it is nothing more than a sandwich construction where a core with surfaces inside and outside through the application of glue provide structural strength. The glue is the key to the strength of the structure and how long it will last.as well as keep its strength characteristics.

My concern isn't one blowing over or off a bridge but imploding while going down the road. Yes I'm being argumentative because things are being stated on here as gospel fact from non engineers and armchair warriors and it all boils down to people's safety.

You drive down the road pulling that camper you built say 5 yrs down the road and all the sudden it disentigrates behind you and hits another vehicle killing someone, your $600 foamy just became a million dollar lawsuit. Lawyers would eventually come back to where it was stated in this public forum sure slap latex paint in it or any other non glue foam approved product and be all up your business.

If your outside canvas lamination fails going down the road you are then betting your camper will stay together with gorilla glue because that is all that is holding it once your canvas to foam lamination fails.

I'm trying to get longterm in your heads for a reason. You sell your foamy and it still causes a problem you built it you are liable.

Ok back to glue sheer strength is the number you want to find and pay attention to and what temps they list them. That is the pounds per square inch at a certain temperature for the glue bond to fail. If you had a test on latex paint and it camer out say at 25 psi failure and then look at a foam safe glue that lists 250 psi failure which should you use?

2nd the tb2 provided the hard shell I have referenced in my posts before providing extra strength and durability but its failure is that it won.t adhere to foam very well. So we need a better glue to stick the canvas to the foam and has been my uniform statement since the lamination issue came up on eagle''s build. Strap or no strap the fact its large and more than one place is a big concern means it won't stay stuck to the foam just like TB2 and TB3 states it is a wood glue not a foam glue. Ok so if we find a glue to adhere the canvas that stays stuck to foam real good we still have to then provide the hard outer surface over the canvas. If appropriate glue is used then the TB2 coating over the canvas would work and harden quite well. If it delaminates from the canvas no problem because the canvas is still stuck to the foam and the overall strength is still very high.

Building my campers has taken a lot of foray into industrial glues and sheer strengths and compatibility with foam. The 2 glues that had the highest sheer strengths in all the research were polyurethanes and epoxies as well as the highest cost association. I managed to find the 3m which is a water based neoprene glue with decent sheer strengths that would be more than enough to satisfy what it needs to keep a camper intact on the road for many many years.

The water based epoxy if it adheres like it should is a phenomenal find for the cost that is listed by the company owner to me. Remember what I said above about polyurethanes and epoxies having insane sheer strengths as well as dries to a very very hard surface so you kill 2 birds with one stone. Maybe use strips of the fiberglass screen embedded for extra strength in places as doubt need it all over the camper and then simply paint it and done.

The foamcoat with bounce would be able to provide a stucco like texture or rough texture if one wanted or could go crazy and do knock down like on inside walls or all kinds of possibiliities and have the adhesion and strength like the epoxy in a single source. I've got some to try on some things I'm about to build and will give my impressions of it when I do them soon. Just hate powders lol reminds me of thinset and doing floors.

My intention is not to alienate anyone piss anyone off but get you guys to think about whats on the line when you pull one of these down the road and think a little more longterm than the next yr or two of usage.

Weight savings is why I came and started looking at all this because although my camper is only 1400 lbs and under class I I want it lighter so small vehicles can pull it without loading the drivetrain excessively.

If you do the first layers correctly and wind up using latex paint on the outside it will last and look as good as a house over the years barring scrapes or damage and provide many years of good looking service. With conventional wood glue and other components I shy away from it because of the difficulties with making it all watertight where as with foam that naturally isn't an issue so I might eventually find a way to produce a house paint version of camper to buy at a very low purchase price and really turn the industry on its head which is my goal btw to make little guy and major camper guys real nervous and kill their popup sells.

[GPW]

Thanks Steve , your cautious advice and candor are much appreciated !!!