Foam TD (build journal)

[pat g]

Hey All,

Just started today on a foam TD. I'll try to keep loading pcs of progress.

Pat G

[pat g]

Here are pics. Frame was a few days ago and the rest of the work was today.

[img][img]http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image.php?image_id=78335[/img]















End of day one.

Pat G

[stomperxj]

What kind of glue did you use to bond the wood and foam board?

[Miriam C.]

You have a great start! Really looking forward to this!

[eaglesdare]

i'm watching this one also. good luck. its looking good. what are you covering the outside with?

[swampjeep]

what size and type of wood are you attaching to the foam? is that just for the inside and planing the canvas/glue "skin" on the outer as discused in the foam construction thread? or are you using the wood on the outer?

[pat g]

The glue is titebond II. The plan as of this minute is that the assembly will be mechanically attached to the floor with screws and glue. I am thinking of using a few spars to stiffen the structure. The outside will be covered with canvas, ala Eagle, glued and wrapped under the floor to create a monolithic structure as has been discussed on the thrifty thread. Underside will be protected from the elements with asphalt fence paint from Tractor Supply.

Thanks for looking.

Pat G

[eaglesdare]

are you plannning on a galley? we used a 1/2 wall (wood), that 1/2 wall really makes the 2 sides sturday. we also used a few spars, and there is a strip that runs down from front to back, that is screwed/glued to floor. and the foam is attached to the wood. just letting you know how we did mine.

the reason i am mentioning this again is just to reinforce the issue about some wood supports. when the guys came out to do our build, they showed me how flimsy it was with just foam. they showed me how sturdy it was with those small amounts of wood. you won't need a lot, but some here and there makes a whole lot of difference.

great to see the canvas being used. once your tear is wrapped in that you will see just how strong it is. i can't wait to hear what you have to say about this.

[GPW]

Pat, this is very exciting !!!

[pat g]

Thanks GPW

Hey Eagle,

Thanks for the input. Not sure about the galley. I do not do a lot of cooking when out boating with my friends. I do have some non conventional ideas about the trailer itself. The trailer is a little bit wider than the actual camper and will provide me some freedom to explore some non conventional uses of the extra space. I'll cross those bridges when I get there. I am a design as you go kinda guy so I never know exactly how a project will turn out. This approach usually works out for me. Sometimes I just wander onto a road not knowing where it leads.

SYOTR (see you on the road)
Pat G

[swampjeep]

the reason i am mentioning this again is just to reinforce the issue about some wood supports. when the guys came out to do our build, they showed me how flimsy it was with just foam. they showed me how sturdy it was with those small amounts of wood. you won't need a lot, but some here and there makes a whole lot of difference.

just curious, when these guys showed you how "flimsy" the structure was, did yu ahve the outer skinned already, remember "the strength is in the skin" LOL

I'm actually thinking that when (or if) I get to build mine, I will try using 2" foam for the galley walls too, I bet that would stiffen the sides alot even before adding the skin, but I will add the skin too. I'm even thinking of a foam core floor, I had a trailer frame last summer that still had the flooring of the original camper, it was 3/4 or 1 " foam, with an aluminum skin on the bottom, and a 1/4" plywood on top, the flooring was plenty strong to stand on. I want to do this for insulation, I do some fairly cold weather camping a couple times a year.

[GPW]

Hey Pat .... is that an old boat trailer ....??? i got an old boat trailer for mine too ... and it's 54" Wide , while my camper is 48" Wide ... we will also find it very Interesting what you do with the "non conventional uses of the extra space"...
I too am a "believer in foam galley walls and formers ...skinned of course...


To some people , flimsy is if you can't stand on it ... Must admit , I Agree with them ...

[swampjeep]

well, I have no doubt that just the 2 outer walls attached to the floor would be flimsy, and that looks like where they were when they talked Eagle into adding the wood wall for support. That is based on this pic (below)
please don't get me wrong, I don't see anything wrong with that, but I do think a foam wall would have added enough support to stiffen it up, especially once the skin is done.

[swampjeep]

speaking of boat trailers, I wonder if my brother would miss his, it's in my back yard. He left his boat up on the hoist in the water last winter so he might not need the trailer any more :LOL:

[pat g]

Hey Swampjeep,

Wonder what your brother would think if he came for his trailer and it had a teardrop sitting on it.

I think you are right about how stiff the foam can make a structure.

Today I attached the sides to the floor and added about half of the roof. I decided to try out the construction adhesive made for foam by Locktite. Seems OK but the Gorilla glue might have been better. I'll let you know how well it holds after it is completely cured. I'll be adding more pictures tomorrow or Sunday. The point is, with just half of the roof added, the structure is starting to feel rigid without the benefit of the skin yet.

GPW, You'd be proud of me . When I coated the floor with asphalt paint I remembered to leave raw wood around the edges to glue the cloth to. I was paying attention.

Pat G