Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

do you have a zig saw? i just used it and it works great on this stuff. you don't need a lot of fancy gagets on this foam. kiss

oh btw, you should go buy more t2! i can't stress enough how the full strenth t2 on foam covered in canvas works.

[Wolffarmer]

I think I am going to buy stock in the glue company

Randy

[mikeschn]

QUOTE: " once it was wrapped it was not going anywhere. "... That really is the basis of this construction ... It's the Skin !!! The better the skin the better the Job !!! I was surprised how much stiffness just the bedsheets added to the foam .. Can you imagine how strong Canvas is ???

Absolutely, it's the skin. I typically like to back up my glue joints with mechanical fasteners, but for the foamie I think I'll be backing up my mechanical joints with skin!

Oh, the mechanical joints also serve as a clamping method for the GG.

Mike...

[mikeschn]

I thought about skinning one side with canvas prior to doing the glue joints. then just bend the pieces, add your GG, and press down on a flat surface, which is very similar to your thought.

But I will probably use a few biscuits to keep the two pieces perfectly lined up to each other, and just throw a couple band clamps on it, you know, those straps that we use to get the plywood and foam home from the big box store!!!

Mike...

[mikeschn]

I think I am going to buy stock in the glue company

Randy

Good Luck! I don't think Elmers Products, Inc is publicly traded!

Mike...

[Cliffmeister2000]

But Titebond is made by Franklin International.

[eaglesdare]

ok so what does one do when you don't have a flat surface? you make one, or at least the best one you can.

i used pieces of foam. laid them on the ground and got to work.







i did the best i could with what i had to join the pieces together. it's not perfect, but as long as it holds til i can cover in canvas it will do. the strenght is in the skin.

not sure how well you can see the shape, but i love it so far. and i have decided that i am building this one, entirely myself. unless there is something i can't lift on my own, or the part with stretching the canvas, i will be testing the powers of this woman.

[mikeschn]

But Titebond is made by Franklin International.

[mikeschn]

I had a few minutes to play before dinner today...

So I went and cut a dowel to 1 7/8" long. Then I put a 3/16" clearance hole in it for my drywall screw. I also countersunk my fender washer.



The idea being that I don't collapse all the foam when driving the screw into the subfloor (from the side).

Here is the result...



It's not a very strong joint, but if used as a clamp for the GG, prior to skinning everything, it should be okay.

What would you folks fill the hole with prior to skinning? Some kind of a spray in foam?

Mike...

[mikeschn]

Dang girl, that looks good. That's a standie foamie if I ever saw one. How tall are the sides?



Mike...

[eaglesdare]

tomorrow i will be breaking out the jig saw again and cutting this side out.

hmm, maybe i will canvas the side also, before putting up, just leave some excess hanging for the overlapping parts.

[HandyAtLeast]

Put on an exterior coat of TiteBondII over the fabric and then a coat of Kilz Latex. Fabric is on inside and outside curves. I stood on it for a couple seconds before I chickened out. Curve is very sturdy with very little flex. I am convinced this method would work well for a galley hatch with no additional supports, BUT I think some additional supports would be good to have. Not sure how weather extremes would affect it.

Now to look into a fabric (or rubber) hinge.

[GPW]

Gosh !!! just incredible progress being made ...
Eagle , I just Love your new design ... That's going to be Big !!! By the pic , wonder what Hubby was thinking ...
HAL, That certainly proves the strength of the bent foam ...
Mike , I like your fastener idea , no collapsed foam .... That oughta' work ....if you need it ...

At this point , the only thing I have to add is if you got the blue foam with the shiny surface, a little sanding first helps the T2 adhere better ... Now all I have to do is catch up ...

[eaglesdare]

Dang girl, that looks good. That's a standie foamie if I ever saw one. How tall are the sides?



Mike...

yup a standie for sure, at least i hope by the time its done. this one will take a while, must do as paydays and bills allow.
6 ft sides. i have plenty of head room. not sure about hubby though, he is 5'10", so he might have to bend his head.

oh i did not use anything to fill in holes in the foam. i don't honestly think its needed once the t2 and canvas is on. that is just my opinion though.

[eaglesdare]

thanks gpw, i am loving this design way more. this one will be ready for next years camping season. i think i will just buy another trailer after next tax season and add a hitch to hubby's van and let him have the first one. i would love to have it ready for july's trip, but i don't see that happening.