Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

Glad to see all the progress GPW. Now I see how you textured the surface. Very cool! I figured that, as an artist, you knew what you were doing. LOL

BTW My TD performed very well this weekend and I got a lot of questions about it.

Pat G

oh i hope you took pics!

[GPW]

Yes , you know how we LOVE the pics !!!

Well now , that's TWO successful Foamies ... road/camp tested... Certainly proves they work !!

Alas , your humble narrator's Foamie is still a "work in progress" ... Now , with the start of Hurricane season (today), I have to get the big TT ready ... and the Tiny CT , and the Foamie ... Seriously behind schedule here... So many little things to do ... The wife is already packed and ready to go ... I'm Not!!! Making a list .... gonna' be a Busy trailer month ...

Question: I saw HF had their 1100lb. folding trailer on sale for 217USD (that seemed pretty Cheap) ... thinking we could build a light Foamie on it and still carry the 500 lbs. of Beer... or is that trailer too light ...it did have 12" wheels ...???

[eaglesdare]

yup, 2 foamies built and used on the road. they do work.

easy and fast builds
pretty darn inexpensive
pretty darn lightweight



this pic is from the tearjerkers. this tear is our chapter directors and this is the idea i am working on now for my a/c. instead of the carboard though i will use foam. since i happen to have a piece or two around here.
i might even just use some of the nylon tent. not sure. i think the foam sheet would be easier to work with though.

[GPW]

Eagle , that's really Cool if you have two doors ... Foam would be Perfect for that ...


Got my inside painted...

[eaglesdare]

i do have 2 doors, so it will work for me.


great job on the painting! your foamie is too cute! still can't get the chocolate milk pic out of my head though.

[GPW]

It still has those Girl Scout mint cookie colors ... But at least it doesn't look like a mattress anymore inside ... Wait till you see the cushions I have for it ... I salvaged those from my Jayco TT dinette which I removed... I think they'll fit right in ...

Just have to install the vent , then flip it on it's side and do Cone's Daddy dowel trick , then paint the bottom with the roofing cement ... Then we'll be ready to stick it on the boat trailer ... Coming along ...

Oh Yes, I forgot , I have to make a foam drip edge too ... that should be Easy ...

... and the search continues for windows ... Probably have to make those too ...

[GPW]

Just had to throw the cushions in there ... yet to get a carpet remnant ... just to check and see if they fit ....they did !!!

Note: This 50's drapery pattern is not my favorite decor (shows you where the RV industry is at ) , but I had em' and vowed to use them ... Quite comfortable actually ...

couple more pics in the Album ...

[eaglesdare]

hey that is fantastic. and it looks like its ready for a sleep in! you are really thrifty on this one huh. wow

[GPW]

Thrifty is my middle name .... Well, not really , but being retired it does seem to help.... My last TD build was around $2800.00 ... Figure this will be about a Tenth of that .... and sooooooo much Lighter ...
After hauling my 20 footer around , probably won't even notice this one is in the back , and being camo , won't be able to see it anyway ... Hey Look !!! I'm being followed by a cookie ...

Eagle , I still have to get/buy/find a carpet scrap for the floor ... and a bunch of throw pillows and teddy would make it real cozy... If I can't find/make some windows , at least I'll install a couple door peepers, just to be able to see out ... Micro windows ... no shades/curtains ... more thrifty !!!
Getting hard to work on the tD... 96F here today... a few hours in the morning is all I can manage ... Sure would have been NICE if this could have been built in my Studio , in the AC....

BTW, just started my summer diet ... that's where it's just TOO Hot to eat ...

[eaglesdare]

oh my yes. we must be on the same diet. lots of salad this time of year. and the best part is the fresh lettuce from the garden! i make hubby go pull it though, i can't stand to go out with that humidity. i closed up the tear today. i know i will not be doing any work right now with the heat. plus the skeeters are tearing up my legs.

the only thing i have to do is cut a piece of foam to tape up in the door, then size the hole for the a/c. and still gotta find something that will hold up the a/c.

the rest of it can just wait til the weather is cooler.

[DJT]

Ok, as I was taking a break from welding today, I was having a bit of a ponder if 1.5" foam with a 1/8" wood panel interior and canvas/TB/paint exterior would be as strong/stronger than the canvas/2"/fabric which is was my current plan?

Two reasons for this thought:
1. thrifty/availability of 2" (only comes as 2'x8' panels at almost $30/piece vs: $30/piece for 4'x8'x 1.5")
2. maximize interior space

Anyone have any thoughts? Come to think of it, I've seen many more windows sized to fit the 1.5" wall than the 2" as well...

[tinksdad]

Ok, as I was taking a break from welding today, I was having a bit of a ponder if 1.5" foam with a 1/8" wood panel interior and canvas/TB/paint exterior would be as strong/stronger than the canvas/2"/fabric which is was my current plan?

Two reasons for this thought:
1. thrifty/availability of 2" (only comes as 2'x8' panels at almost $30/piece vs: $30/piece for 4'x8'x 1.5")
2. maximize interior space

Anyone have any thoughts? Come to think of it, I've seen many more windows sized to fit the 1.5" wall than the 2" as well...

Running in to the same availability issue here as well. Saw a couple of pallets of foam at the big construction project at the Memphis airport, so decided to stop at the field engineers trailer and ask where they got it. Turns out it was 1 1/2" as well because even they couldn't get 2" locally without special order and hefty shipping charges.

One thought that runs through my head about your question (it's an option I have considered as well) would be whether to glue the wood panel in place before or after the foam is glued together. If before, then a reinforcing canvas strip on the inside joints wouldn't be possible. If after, then there is the thickness of the strip to consider and the different surface planes that the panel would have to be glued to. Would paneling adhesive applied with a notched trowel be sufficiently strong enough to bond it to the foam?? I guess it's time to fire up Sketchup and try some variations of those joints and panel placement.

[GPW]

Best use what you can find, or contact the manufacturer and ask for a local dealer ... The 1.5" plus the inner ply should be Very Strong ...

Do we need to co/op a pallet of foam ... that would work if a group lived in the same general area..
Do check insulation contractors in the area... You'll probably get a better price than the box stores..
If you're building a Big one , just glue the sheets together .. with epoxy or Gorilla Glue ... that's easy and 3" walls would be STRONG ...
Dad , make sure the paneling adhesive won't melt the foam ...

[Ratkity]

Just had to throw the cushions in there ... yet to get a carpet remnant ... just to check and see if they fit ....they did !!!

Note: This 50's drapery pattern is not my favorite decor (shows you where the RV industry is at ) , but I had em' and vowed to use them ... Quite comfortable actually ...

couple more pics in the Album ...

Sweeet! I love it!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[GPW]

Thanks Rat !!! They've been blocking up my laundry room for months... the wife is glad to be shot of them ... (don't know why , can you guess who does the laundry ?... )