Removable Foamie camper. New Build

[zzzizxz]

I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do about the cutout for the wheel well. I was going to glue in a piece of 1/4 thick foam there, and just wrap the canvas up and around. Looking at it though, I don't know if I will be able to fit foam in there.
I'll have to think on this for a minute while I get the front curve started.

 

[stcyrwm]

Wow, very cool. Can't wait to see your continued progress!

Thanks, Bill

 

[GPW]

ZZZ, how about a foam “wall” on the inside of the wheel well ??? Forming an enclosed niche for the well to fit into .

 

[zzzizxz]

ZZZ, how about a foam “wall” on the inside of the wheel well ??? Forming an enclosed niche for the well to fit into .

I was planning on having the interior wall being luan board. I've considered gluing a sheet of 1/2 inch foam on the inside, but that may give me problems with installing the doors. I don't know that I could get a trim ring of 2 3/4.

Maybe I'll just have the interior door trim recessed into the wall and have the 1/2 foam and luan sticking out a bit. I'd hate to lose 1.5 inches inside though.

I could also just use 1/2 foam at the wheel well, and cut the luan around that foam. I would only lose 1/2 inch between the wheels, which wouldn't be terrible, and would make life a whole lot easier.
I'll have to think about what that would look like for a while.

 

[zzzizxz]

Got the front curve started. I wanted this lower part done, so I can canvas this once with the underside canvas, then a second time when I canvas the roof, for extra durability from thrown objects.

Started lightly sanding the underside in preparation for canvas. The sander and shop-vac combination has been working really well, and leaving very little dust. I also hook the shop vac up to the jigsaw whenever I make cuts, and it gets almost everything.
After sanding everything, I wiped it down really well with denatured alcohol.

Then, I put on a coat of Gripper.

Next step will be to canvas the cutouts where the trailer hinges are, followed by canvassing the whole bottom.

 

[GPW]

That’s coming along Nicely !!!

 

[zzzizxz]

That’s coming along Nicely !!!

Thank you! I'm pretty excited about it all. Just put in my order for two doors and a stargazer window yesterday.

 

[zzzizxz]

Nothing too exciting. I used lint-free shop rags to line the inside of the hinge cutouts. Glued them in with full-strength TBII.

After letting the glue dry overnight, I trimmed the extra cloth, and then coated them with a second coat of full-strength glue.

The canvas will be folded over the edges and glued down for a fully waterproof underside. Not sure the best way to have the canvas go around the side-rail posts though. Might just have to glue the canvas down in small sections to minimize any potential shrinkage, and cut out holes for the posts.

 

[ghcoe]

Looking good.

 

[zzzizxz]

Just some more little stuff. Working here and there, trying to get the bottom canvassed so I can flip it over and start work on the top.

I grippered the interior.

Then glued down bedsheet to the floor.

I want to make absolutely sure that this is completely waterproofed from both sides. Especially since there is the chance that there could be moisture sitting between the bottom of the camper pod and the floor of the trailer.

Tonight I started gluing plastic drywall corner bead onto the edges using gripper.

I used corsage pins to hold it in place while it dries. I got this idea from ghcoe, and definitely think it will make the corners look much nicer. It will also give the corners some more support, as that will be where it gets lifted from to put on and take off.

 

[zzzizxz]

After the corner bead dried on, I cut out the canvas for the wheel wells. I did cut a little long to account for any shrinkage that might happen. Then I just laid the pieces on the bottom of the camper and painted the one side, and then put them in the fresh paint on the foam.

They dried nicely, and I'll probably run a bead of caulk in the corner before I finish.

I haf been trying to figure out what to do about preshrinking the canvas, and not really wanting to try dealing with the whole 22 yards, but also being nervous about trying to measure and cut the roll into sections. I was concerned that I would mis-measure, or the like, and end up wasting large sections.
So, I decided that I would roll out enough for the bottom, plus about 30% extra, and just get it nice and wet.

I used cold water, and even with that, on a day that was only about 70 degrees, the amount of shrinkage was impressive.
This was about a 3-foot section, and it took me about 5 minutes between wetting the one side until I got to the other side.

After this dries, I figure I'll flip it over and soak the other side just to make sure all the fibers got nice and wet. Then, I assume that the paint won't really shrink anything more than the water did.

 

[zzzizxz]

I cut out the holes for the posts, and I'm ready to start canvassing the bottom!

The weather was cool enough and damp enough, and I was doing this in the garage, so I did this one half at a time. I folded the canvas from one side to the other, and painted the gripper on the foam, then on the canvas, and opened the canvas. Then I did the other side.

Once it was all open, I used a 2" foam roller and smoothed the bubbles out to the edges. Once it was all smooth and straight, I painted another coat of gripper on the bottom.
I haven't trimmed up the sides yet, but will try to get that tomorrow.

I'm sure I probably could have just used any latex paint, but I want to make absolutely sure that the bottom is totally waterproof. I know that gripper will stick to itself, and I shouldn't have any issues with de-lamination of the paint from the TBII like some others have had in high moisture areas.

 

[John61CT-TNT]

Yes me too, Gripper on Gripper all the way down for structural adhesive and robust waterproofing,

the final aesthetic color and UV outside coats being the only exception, likely urethane acrylic?

or Glidden Porch and Floor?

I have to say I'm puzzled by the penetrating posts, are those going to be on top? Might want to bed in Glidden Top Gun 400 as a sealant?

 

[GPW]

Guys , although we love T2 for our guitarmaking and bowmaking , we’ve sworn off for foamie trailer use , all replaced by ”The Gripper” ! We do have a wet climate here , but it wasn’t the usual deluges that took down the T2 covered areas …. it was just the morning dew …. every day … T2 couldn’t hang with the continuous soaking , it softened and allowed the canvas to rot Our recent floor rebuild was All done with the Gripper and drip edges were installed ( Gripper there too ) … It doesn’t take much to keep the water headed in right direction (OFF your trailer )

Looking GOOD ZZZ’ … !!!

 

[zzzizxz]

Yes me too, Gripper on Gripper all the way down for structural adhesive and robust waterproofing,

the final aesthetic color and UV outside coats being the only exception, likely urethane acrylic?

or Glidden Porch and Floor?

I have to say I'm puzzled by the penetrating posts, are those going to be on top? Might want to bed in Glidden Top Gun 400 as a sealant?

Final aesthetic color will probably be automotive paint to match the T.V. on the sides, and the top will be white, Probably also glidden, as you suggest.

What you're seeing right now is the bottom of the camper pod. Those posts are the side rails of the trailer. When I flip it over, the posts will slide into the pockets and get clipped down. This will make the camper pod removeable from the trailer itself.
What I may do eventually is buy another set of side rails, and build another camper pod, maybe a larger one for more sleeping room, or perhaps a smaller one for when I go camping without the family.

 

[zzzizxz]

Canvas edges trimmed and grippered down.

Vinyl spackling applied to smooth the transition and make the seams less noticeable.

I finally got my 100ah LiFePO4 battery! I bought it for $650 shipped from China, as well as my 100w solar panel. I hooked everything up to make sure it all worked. It looks great!

20a charge controller from Amazon.

As soon as I sand down the spackling and cover it with a coat of paint, I can turn this back right side up and start building up!
I'm so excited to see this start looking like a trailer!

 

[GPW]

Fun when it all starts to come together into a trailer shape … Then you can sit inside and do some “trailer thinking” …

 

[PhilipE-SKO]

Fun when it all starts to come together into a trailer shape … Then you can sit inside and do some “trailer thinking” …

Don't even get him started doing that. That could lead into a redesign and start over.

 

[GPW]

… True eh !!!

 

[zzzizxz]

Fun when it all starts to come together into a trailer shape … Then you can sit inside and do some “trailer thinking” …

Don't even get him started doing that. That could lead into a redesign and start over.

Ha! I DO need to sit and do some "trailer thinking" to figure out how I'm going to configure the sleeping and galley areas though, as I haven't figured out exactly how I want them.

No, I've got enough of a time crunch that no redesign for this one. I have started thinking about my next one though!

The fun thing about a removeable camping pod for the trailer is that I could possibly have a couple different options. Teardrop for ease of towing, a canned ham style for if the family is going to a local campground and wants no setup and have A/C. I could even maybe make a mini-half pod for when I go out camping by myself and don't need a full teardrop but want to bring my canoe and/or bicycle. I would just have to buy another set of side rails from the trailer company, and I would be good to go!