Newbie Who Wants to Make a Foamie Weekender

[CowPoly​]

Hello, I've been stalking this forum for about a week now after seeing a DIY on a teardrop on Reddit. I realized how awesome, low cost, and low weight one of these could be and now I just have to build one.

My idea is to get a either a 4x8 or 5x8 trailer depending on craigslist, and then build a weekender similar to the Super Bee http://www.tnttt.com/gallery/image_page.php?album_id=2417&image_id=98516&sk=t&sd=d&st=0 out of foam and either fiberglass or luan for skin

The challenge of this project will be that I am currently a broke college student who has no tools and no place to store and work on this trailer. However, there is a makerspace that offers full access to tools for $45/month very close to where I live. I'm thinking that to pull this project off, I'll assemble the walls, cut spars, and pre-drill holes there and then load everything back up on the trailer to head home where I can just screw and glue everything together.

I was thinking fiberglass could possibly work for this method because the facility I would be using has Vacuuform machine, so depending on how big it is (I have yet to visit the facility) I may be able to apply fiberglass directly over the foam.

Am I crazy?

Probably.

[daveesl77]

Welcome and where there is a will, there is a way. Don't make it too complicated. The PMF (Poor Mans Fiberglas) method of using paint/glue impregnated canvas for an outer covering is easy to accomplish, inexpensive, quick, takes only a bit of initial practice and has been used in boat building for centuries, if not millenia. If you haven't worked with epoxy and glass and are tight on funds, then that may not be the way to go. My front and back are covered in this and after my initial 2,800 mile test run last month I can tell you first hand, it is tough and easy to maintain.

dave

[mikeschn]

Sometimes simple and small is better. Check this out for ideas...

viewtopic.php?p=1136101#p1136101

Mike...

[Mary C]

I would gladly let you use my barn and whereever around the back room, the back portch and front portch, or maybe that wouldn't work if you are from NJ or MI. Perhaps asking for some help might work too. You can add where you live to your avatar information . I am really not upset or being ugly it is just that there are so many Very nice people on here and some may have an idea for you if we have a little more info. I live 20 miles from West Georgia University and some of the students camp out by the big creek on my property. I have just finished building my Foamie too. Have you thought about renting a storage unit? I would be happy to help anyway I can.

Mary C.