square shooter build journal

[square shooter]

Application of Canvas, Two glued sections shown.



Painter's drop cloth canvas, oz. unknown, is applied over roof and ends, West System epoxied to place, then a second coat applied over while first coat tacky. Applied in 10" sections, requiring days. This shell suffered some wood rot from being stored on grass. Store Nothing on grass.



Remember when your living room looked like this, during remodeling? At least I had no wood burning stove to move.



Shell repair wood glue curing.



Epoxying the canvas to the front required getting some gravity to help. This slight angle made enough difference. This slanting would require a lot of doing to apply it to the back end, because of the trailer tongue, so there, the canvas was bungied to place, which didn't work 100%. The shell should have been removed from the trailer, and a .careful. placing of it to vertical, to glue the back, should have been done.



More tomorrow... your thoughts?

square shooter

[square shooter]

Insulation is 1/4" styrofoam board with two faces covered. Two layers applied.



Shown is the spreader for picking the shell from the bed. The yellow stripes camouflage the trailer from the (Ha) satellite cameras. Newspaper window covering was temporary for painting.



Here the shell is being lifted from the trailer bed, allowing the trailer to be utilized as a flatbed or stake-rack.



Corners are gusseted, frame verticals lead to lifting eye bolts.



Shell frame is reinforced at vertical connection to horizontal lifting center using 18 ga. steel sheet, screwed to place. Insulation is glued. Carpet lays loose. Floor outside dimensions are 5' w x 8' l x 48" h, not incl. trailer frame. Shell front and rear radii are 22".



Hmmm, no comments yet?

Anyways, I have another 5 pics for you tomorrow!

square shooter

[cubbyboy57]

Very interesting design -- Is that a custom steel bracket that you lift it by? Keep the pictures coming!
james

[square shooter]

Yes James, the steel reinforcing brackets, one on each side, are hand made. Broken (bent) over a wooden 2" x 4", hammering (endo) on another 2" x 4", making a primitive metal break. Then drilled to accept the screws. Without the brackets, the lifting strain on the 2 top wooden members would allow all the weight of the shell to be carried by only the 1/4" plywood sides and glue and screws below said top members. This strain is increased when the shell hangs up in the trailer pockets. All this can happen if the brackets don't themselves flex, and the screws don't loosen. So cast iron or 10 ga. plate may have been a more reliable alternative. Having the side tops helping, intuition suggests this set-up will probably work for many shell picks. Thanks for your interest, James.

square shooter

[Woodbutcher]

Just a couple questions for you. Why make the body separate from the floor? Have you made some arrangement to keep water from getting in between the floor and the walls, especially while driving in a rain storm. It seems like that could be a weak point for water intrusion.

[square shooter]

Shell frame is reinforced at vertical connection to horizontal lifting center using 18 ga. steel sheet, screwed to place. Insulation is glued. Carpet lays loose. Floor outside dimensions are 5' w x 8' l x 48" h, not incl. trailer frame. Shell front and rear radii are 22".



The window provides plenty of a tan light. Insulation reflects it, to keep it working. Overall shell weight is around 120 lbs.



Self- made fenders of 10 ga. Extended tongue, rebuilt frame of thick-wall 2"x2". Air vents and door handle yet to be installed.



Here, the license plate and light are yet to be mounted, the door shut, and we're ready to go exploring. Total weight is probably 330 - 350 lbs. Tongue weight about 50 lbs.

It's renamed to also bring attention to what our nation is now filled with! Back "window" is the simple continuation of the paint drop canvas, and it allows in plenty of light, is kinda unbreakable, durable, low cost, and lightweight. Central tail lights are bolted in place, yet easily removable when shell is lifted off bed, using a come-along and spreader attached to two roof eye bolts. Shell is lashed to frame at each pocket. Sleeper Shell has been trailed from Michigan to Georgia and back with no issues.



square shooter

[KCStudly]

How does the fresh air get in?

[square shooter]

Woodbutcher, the shell is designed to be removable from the trailer so the trailer can be used as a utility flatbed. The stake pockets accept racks, giving the trailer sides if needed. The original trailer was bought used in 1976, as a slide-out camper. Its also been a self-made house trailer(no pics), wood hauler, boat and utility trailer. The only original parts remaining are the axle, hubs and hitch. Even the springs and frame have been replaced. You are correct, and it is perceptive of you to realize rain will enter at floor level, especially while being towed in a rain. That aspect is yet to be figured out. Seems a continuous seal of something flexible will have to protrude to below the bed. Aluminum or steel would quickly be deformed from banging it while transferring it on and off. Maybe a 1/8" x 4" rubber strip. Sealing from rain intrusion while towing will require something I've not thought of yet, and so welcome suggestions. Thanks for your questions, Woodbutcher.

[KCStudly]

How about putting a dedicated floor under the cabin to seal it up? Then, whether you are going down the road or have the cabin off it will stay sealed up; and when you lift it your carpet stays with the camper.

[square shooter]

I haven't gotten to installing air vents yet, KC. But i am going to. I have some 2 1/2" x 6" screened in louvers of aluminum that will work. Drilling two 1 1/2" holes, low along one side, toward the front - then two low, on the opposite side, toward the back, and attaching the louvers over, should provide. They can be sealed using sliding 1/4" ply pieces inside. I have too many irons in the fire right now, and so the Sleeper Shell sets in the canvas storage tent/shed awaiting the finishing few hours of details. Good point, thanks.

[square shooter]

That's maybe a way to handle the rain intrusion situation, KC. It would be too involved tho, to be the first attempt. I haven't thought of that- building a second floor. Let's see...It would set on the existing trailer deck/floor. Wouldn't be loaded while off the trailer. Would allow water between the floors, but could be dried occasionally by wedging it up a bit. I'll keep that possible remedy in mind, and thanks KC.

[MadMango]

Interesting project!

You could use a large D-shaped, hollow bulb seal at the bottom of the sleeper shell to seal for rain, as I'm thinking this will stay suspended when not in use. The hollow seals compress really well for variations.