Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

Got my Studio cleaned up spotless... took a while to get up all those little foam bits ...Aargh !!! So now the whole project has moved outside ... and now the wife is on me about all those little blue bits in the yard ... I told her that when it rains (if it ever rains again ) the grass would grow up over it and it would be assimilated into the earth .... Her response: " Well, that's Not very Green ! " Possibly , perhaps ???
Totally Amazing this foamie' idea has taken off like an Olympic sprinter on steroids... Not like the old days when we had just one thread to follow ... This is like WORK .. Good Work , but a lot of reading/thinking ... poor Eagle ... What a Huge responsibility !!! Thanks for all your efforts leading the way !!!

spotless i bet the wife likes that. and while it may not be "green" you won't notice those blue pieces after a while. hehehe

and yes, got lots of places to read up now. work? what work? i am doing nothing, but trying to make sure you don't get too sarcastic (just playing with you bear) but please if you see something that does need to be moved, let me know so i can do so. i have a habit of just rambling where ever i am.

[GPW]

Back to shelves, I did a little sketch of a shelf and support... if you wrap the foam with the cloth and use a similarly prepared support block(s), Should be strong enough for most any assortment of camping gear (even the cast iron ) ... Skinned with thin plywood ,even the Bear could sleep on it ...



Just remember leave enough room for the Igloo underneath ...

[eaglesdare]

this is off topic, but since you have become a part of my virtual life, i thought i would let you know that my son has a concert tonight. i pushed him to take band, and he has been consistent with F's. showing up for the concert is 1/2 his grade. so he will be there. getting him there is not really the problem, its what he has to wear. they want black, or a white shirt with black pants. the only thing he has in black is the suit pants and shirt he got for the disney cruise. and i might add here that he hated it. so please wish me luck that i can get him dressed properly and to that concert!
other than this class though he is straight a/b student. i learned my lesson and he won't be taking band again. as a mom though i thought it would be to give him choices and the chance to do other things.

so anyway, wish us luck tonight.

[eaglesdare]

Back to shelves, I did a little sketch of a shelf and support... if you wrap the foam with the cloth and use a similarly prepared support block(s), Should be strong enough for most any assortment of camping gear (even the cast iron ) ... Skinned with thin plywood ,even the Bear could sleep on it ...



Just remember leave enough room for the Igloo underneath ...

exactly what i was thinking. but what is the igloo?
i don't really have too much gear that i take in the tear. anything to do with food/kitchen is stored in the car. in bear country we had to keep that sort of stuff stored away in the car. i only have one tote, one cooler. so not much is in the car. and the rest is in the tear. a bag that carries most everything, batteries, poles, hammers, lights, ropes. a folding chair etc. i really don't carry a lot of stuff. we are simple folk i guess. just necessesties. oh the laptop comes with me though, just in case we want to watch a movie of play games. but that has only happened once where we watched movies. we had bad weather and stayed inside the tent and watched something and we played games.
i also need to figure out that placement of the potty in the new tear also. maybe instead of the igloo? i could use that space for the potty.

[Conedodger]

the only thing he has in black is the suit pants and shirt he got for the disney cruise. and i might add here that he hated it.

By now you should be able to make him something in foam .....

[eaglesdare]

hmmm i might beable to rig something up with that left over canvas? now where did i put that black spray paint

[GPW]

Eagle, for our bands more "formal" (weddings , etc.) gigs , I insist on black pants/shoes and socks , black jacket , white shirt and tie... The Girl wears what she wants ... since she's a costumer for the movies , she usually shows up in something "flowing "
I think taking band is a good idea! Not from the musical aspect alone , but teaches one how to socialize and work within a group , together ... Valuable skills for later ... The musical parts help expand our "spatial" relationships ... just more reasons to think ... Good activity for children thinking .... Instead of being merely amused/programmed by video games and TV ...

As far as bringing extra campers along , just stow the old boy Scout Pup tent in the car , let them set it up and learn to camp in it .... If I had a TD to camp in as a kid , I'd have thought I was in a Motel ... Besides the kids won't want to be with the old folks anyway , they want to stay up all night , shine flashlights , eat cupcakes , and giggle ....

[eaglesdare]

hmm, i do have the small tent. doesn't weight anything. i could do just that. i think i even know where it is. i think we only used it once.

although my kids want to sleep in the tear. my son loves the car. i don't think any of them wants to sleep in the tent in bear country though. nor do i. but since i am not planning any trips to bear country this year, the small tent just might work out.

fyi, i don't make cupcakes year round. i have 5 birthdays in a 2 month span, i burn out on cupcakes! and between thanksgiving and christmas i burn out on cookies. now cheesecakes are another matter. those come out a few times thru out the year. yummy

rain, rain, go away and visit gpw!!!!!!!! he has blue things in his yard to hide.

[GPW]

Just send your excess cupcakes and cookies here... Problem solved!!!

[aggie79]

Back to shelves, I did a little sketch of a shelf and support... if you wrap the foam with the cloth and use a similarly prepared support block(s), Should be strong enough for most any assortment of camping gear (even the cast iron ) ... Skinned with thin plywood ,even the Bear could sleep on it ...



Just remember leave enough room for the Igloo underneath ...

Another way that would probably work to strengthen the shelf would be to add an 1-1/2" to 2" deep foam edge to the shelf (making it "L" shaped). The lip could be up, down or centered on the shelf.

This is one method of increasing the span and loads for wood bookshelves.

[tinksdad]

I have one teardrop (Itty-Bitty) built in the traditional (?) manner that has served me quite well. Since it's first outing, I have been playing with numerous designs for the next one. Not because it's too small; just because I want to build another. Well...... now I have a reason to build something larger. "The one who camps with me" likes Itty-Bitty; but there is just no way we can both fit. (Itty-Bitty is only 40" wide.)

This is the tentative plan at this point. The original Weekender profile stretched to 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide. One of the reasons I stayed away from designing 5 wide before was because of the obvious waste of wood cut-offs. Gluing pieces of foam together means very little waste. "The one who camps with me" is 5' 3" so the additional headroom is really for her convenience. Also going to add a/c (at this point vented down through the floor) to dissipate any additional heat generated by physical activity on those hot summer nights. And I figure the noise will keep the bears away too.

Still some details needed to be worked out; but this is what the idea looks like on the HF 4x8....



Now I just need to find the funding to get started.

[eaglesdare]

tinksdad: are you planning to do yours in foam? i would think you are, or you wouldn't be posting here.

that is a nice set up.

[tinksdad]

My Bad!! Yes, after reading all the way through the long thread and all the spin-offs, foam is definitely the economical way of getting the size I need. In no way denigrating any body else's contributions, if it's good enough for Mike to attempt a standie, it's good enough for me. There's still a lot I need to re-read (and I can all ready see things that need tweaking in my design); but it looks do-able. Even though I am in one of those "M" states, no 2" foam available at the obvious sources. The search is afoot.

[GPW]

Dad, looks like a Great Plan !!!... 5' tall is Nice too.. as you can sit upright in a folding chair ...

Here's my door with the framing strips glued on ... These pics aren't getting too boring yet huh ?

[eaglesdare]

you know i just don't know what i was thinking about your door. for some reason i was thinking you were just going to cover the foam and finish it up. now i see where you add the frame to the door itself.
you will get a good fit that way. no big open spaces like mine.


you of all people should know we are not bored by the photos!!!!!!