angib wrote:
There are two 'bumps' above the floor at the front and back. These are my preferred way of supporting the overhanging body without going the more popular method of throwing lots of heavy framing under the floor - these are two 1x6 boards on edge sitting on top of the HF frame and holding up the sidewalls. 1x4 might be enough, I'm not sure. Either has the problem that they will create a 'nook and cranny' behind which things will get dropped and lost!
There is a bit of Steve Wolverton's Puffin mixed into the design as well - I propose to use his single skin with insulation and fabric covering technique for the sidewalls.
Andrew, this has a lot of potential to be very attractive to a number of people looking for "just a little more" than a teardrop, or standing room to change in, which is what my wife likes about the idea.
What are your thoughts about building something of this nature on an appropriately sized version of your ultralight frame? With the weight savings from the frame, it seems doable at first glance. Do you see the dropped floor and A frame tongue as insurmountable obstacles?
Do I understand you correctly to say that your "bumps" are transverse members, acting as miniature bulkheads and carrying some of the sidewall load across the floor? If so, these "bumps" on a stressed skin floor panel would seem a good place to start for a self supporting body. The interior framing for the front cabinet and the bed would seem to fill much the same role however, if tied into the sidewall.
Can you elaborate on the fabric covered sidewalls you referred to? I don't remember Steve using that method on the Puffin and I can't see the pics on that thread any longer.
Thanks for posting this, it has me considering build #2!