Silver Sword - Very Basic Build

[mezmo]

Hi Cantputt,

I like the simplicity and straightforwardness of your TD.

Since you asked for suggestions, consider this "Outside The Box" suggestion.
Make it a "built pun" - literally, insulate the 'outside of the box' you've built as the body.
Doing such will not take away any interior space and it should be very straight-forward
to do. Check out the Foamie thread regarding the foam and glue and canvas and paint
various approaches. This should prove to be just what your TD is - a modest and functional
way to achieve your goal.

My approach to do it, would be to make a modest perimeter 'frame' on all the edges
of the body of 3/4 or 1&1/2 inch wood, depending on how much insulation you want.
To keep the door(s) and window(s) undisturbed, just make the 'frames' around them
beveled and set that beveled edge facing the door(s) and window(s) but set back a
half inch to and inch from their metal frames so that there is some room to attach
the fabric covering. [Or you could uninstall the door(s) and window(s) to add the perimeter
'frames' and then reinstall them.] Fill the open areas created by the perimeter 'frames'
with the corresponding thickness of foam sheeting [3/4 to 1&1/2 etc.]. Since the walls
are already painted, you'd need to use some kind of construction adhesive that would
adhere foam to painted wood. Make those as snug a fit as you can and fill any gaps between
the wood perimeter 'frames' and the foam sheeting with the canned foam and/or light
weight wall spackling [see the various techniques in the Foamie Section]. The outside
edges of the perimeter 'framing' should be rounded over by sanding or by using a router
rounding bit [about a quarter inch at least], though, for proper fabric application. Once
the exterior insulation and its 'framing' is all set and "fair" it is ready to go, then you can
apply the glue/paint and fabric and then the glue/paint again. You can use various kinds
and weights of canvas or a strong heavier cloth of some kind. It just needs to be able to
be saturated by the glue/paint so that it, combined with the glue/paint, will adhere to the
foam and perimeter 'framing' and it also thus forms a membrane that acts as the exterior
weatherproof skin.

The floor could either be done the same as the exterior walls and roof [Just more of a 'jigsaw
puzzle' to do.] or just lay some denser foam sheeting on top of it on the interior - with or without
extra framing support - your choice. Since foam will compress some with bearing point pressures,
I'd put some kind of plywood or such on top to help spread out such pressure since your floor
is used differently than most TDs - not as just a mattress base. Even those snap together foam
flooring pieces/"rugs" that you can get, could also work as a floor top surface.

Sorry for being so wordy, just trying to be as clear as I can in the description.

This is not the usual approach, but maybe it could do for you and save you totally reconstructing
the whole thing to add insulation.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Ron Dickey]

simple and to the point. nice shape, lots of windows and light, My first doors had a padlock and a simple screwed on handle drove it to New Mexico and back no one bothered it.

Ron

[Desert-rat]

Ours will be quite similar to this, but metal as that's my husbands preferred building material

[Cantputt]

Thanks Mezmo

Just got power back on after our big ice storm. I thought about doing the outside also along with the tire clearance issues and the now inset windows. What stopped me was the cold. It's cold up here and I do not have a heated area to work, at least not heated well enough for painting and such.

I think I am just going to screw on some foam inside and give up the space. I have plenty of head room so adding an inch to the ceiling is no big deal. I think I am going underneath for the floor with 3" of foam and then a sheet of plastic screwed to the bottom of the trailer. For the walls I'll see what they have in 1/2" or less. On my old house the builder used some 3/8" soft foam, the sheets came folded up. I'm thinking I can knock that off quickly and see a big improvement.

Which insulation do I want? I think we are talking pink or blue?

Thanks Again

[Cantputt]

simple and to the point. nice shape, lots of windows and light, My first doors had a padlock and a simple screwed on handle drove it to New Mexico and back no one bothered it.

Ron

Thanks Ron. Ya, my door is working out just fine. I forgot to flip the hasp over the other day and the door stayed closed. I'm pretty happy with it.

As a side note to people checking for build info - In cutting out my door. I used a skil saw for the straight cuts and finished off the corners with a jig saw. The big trick was that I cut the hinge side and then mounted my piano hinge. Then I cut the rest of the door. Bam - perfect spacing and a straight swing.

[Cantputt]

Ours will be quite similar to this, but metal as that's my husbands preferred building material

Thanks - Metal will make it much stronger that is for sure. I don't have a welder and I wanted my build to go fast and simple. I have used the crap out of it so far in some pretty rough terrain. Shook it loose one trip and had to do some repair. However you build it - get it done and use it.

[Cantputt]

Picked up my insulation and got started. Filled the frame with 3" of white polystyrene and a sheet of FRP screwed to the bottom to protect it. Looks good we will se how the whole water/moisture trapping problem goes. I ended up grabbing foil faced foam for the ceiling and walls as it had the highest R value for a given thickness. 3/4" for the ceiling and 1/2" for the walls. The foil faced has silver on one side and white on the other. Which should I have showing? When you stick your hand between two sheets - it's a lot warmer between silver than the white. I did the ceiling with the silver side showing. Not sure how that silver will work come summer, I'm afraid it will feel like sitting in a tin oven if I do the sides that way also.

[Desert-rat]

I think you want the shiny part facing inward. lemme check.... ok this seems to be a point of contention on the internets

"Actually it depends on which way you want the heat to go. Put it on the side where you want the heat to radiate away from. If you want to keep a room warm, put it on the inside. If you want to cool a room, then put it on the outside. Also, check if it is just a foil facing, or a vapor barrier as well. Insulation with a vapor barrier should be installed with the barrier on the outside."

hope that helps!

[Martiangod]

Have mine foil inward, not a prob in summer, and defiantly helps in winter. Vapor barrier should be on inside as it keeps moisture from condensation from getting into the wall space. A barrier on the exterior should breath

[Cantputt]

OK, I'm going to stick with silver to the inside. So I guess the Silver Sword will have a silver lining.

[Cantputt]

Going to be another cold camping trip this week. Every time I have gone this winter it has been cold!

[dstydream]

I am so glad that I found this build. I am looking to make something very similar to this one. Except instead of a "galley" type door in the back I am putting a regular door like the one on the side so we can butt it up against my 10 x 10 canopy tent. Then I am putting a door on the unusual side (drivers side) of the camper because of the way we sleep and I want a door to get out of (the bottom one). I am putting a tilt out bed with a tent over it for my son that we can open if we want and don't have to if we don't want to.

I just can't wait to get started when the weather clears up and stays warm.

Amy

[Cantputt]

I am so glad that I found this build. I am looking to make something very similar to this one. Except instead of a "galley" type door in the back I am putting a regular door like the one on the side so we can butt it up against my 10 x 10 canopy tent. Then I am putting a door on the unusual side (drivers side) of the camper because of the way we sleep and I want a door to get out of (the bottom one). I am putting a tilt out bed with a tent over it for my son that we can open if we want and don't have to if we don't want to.

I just can't wait to get started when the weather clears up and stays warm.

Amy

Glad you found it Amy. Good luck with your build.
Jim

[Cantputt]

Well, I got the bulk of my insulation done. Just some little pieces and gap foaming to do. I tossed my Little Buddy in and warmed it up to 65, outside temp was around 20. Warmed up pretty quick. Shut off the heat and went inside and had lunch. Back out after about 40 minutes or so - Down to 30 Not at all what I was hoping for.

[hmikey]

Hi: What did you use as a glue or caulk for the seams of your cabin walls? I'm particularly interested in the angled front seams. Thanks. I really enjoyed reading your build. It looks like you used numerous cleats in various spots. Mike