10' Standie Foamie ... on hold

[mikeschn]

GPW,

I don't have a plan, that's why I am asking...

But I did notice the board is very weak in the middle. So I am going to have to come up with a support in the middle. Other than that, all options are open.

Mike...

[bonnie]

I was thinking about this today. I'd love all foam, covering all the corners and angles with canvas would be quite a project, unless it was constructed like a puzzle chair. Hmmmm.

[GPW]

Mike , it would be so easy to do an entire cabinet set up with a countertop and some shelves ... A simple center partition would add tremendous support ... Could do the usual microwave, Mr.Coffee, maybe even a simple sink ?? Magnetic Church Key and Corkscrew located in a handy spot for quick access ... Kinda' whatever you want really ... Big Flat screen TV ? ...

[eaglesdare]

me ideas? i am so not creative.
but i must say i love your foamie! i love your bed and your floor plan. i think i just may be copying yours for my second one.

now the only thing i might do a little different will be that counter there. i would try to go with the foam covered. and if needed (which it just might) would be the 1/2 wall bulk head with wood. but the counter could be the foam. i think that will hold most anything we (i) would put on it.

but from what you are showing, i could see that counter opened so that you can use it from the inside as well as the outside. would be nice to make that morning cup before even gettting out.

but the wood bulk head could be replaced with the foam also. just like you did with your bed platform.

what you are doing is really giving me ideas for my second one.

[atahoekid]

Any suggestions for the front counter area?

Mike...

For my build, I'm going with the front cabinet that GPW had drawn on another thread. It will hold the audio system, the dog and her crate and a few baskets sitting on the shelf for all those odds and ends that you seem to collect to make camping easier.

Looking good Mike, thanks for being a trailblazer with your standie. I won't stand in mine but OA outside height will be close to 6' and about 10 feet long so it's good to see someone else going big!

[eaglesdare]

been thinking about this. are you just having the counter top there? no wall under it? if so, you could just add 2 or 4 legs in the areas where more support would be needed.
not sure if covered foam would be strong enough because the legs would be sort of thin. but i suppose a lot will depend on how much you want to put on that counter.
if i were to do the legs, i think i might use wood. covered foam might work with a double canvas wrap, but i haven't done 2 layers so i don't know how much stronger that would be.
but a cool shelf unit could be built with foam which would work for holding that counter up. i sort of like the shelf unit build idea the best.

[GPW]

We learned from just putting the bedsheets over the foam that it became quite stiff and non bendy'... So a good shelf /countertop made from leftover 2" and canvassed on both sides , with a middle support (of the same material ) should be Plenty strong , and the least weight ... Same for the bed cover which could be made in two pieces to allow easy access to the storage under the bed ... No need for all that wood/weight ... just think of the weight saved to carry more Beer ... And if you feel you need more support under the bed , just sub divide the storage under the high weight/ stress areas , more foam ,. more support .. I think we are heaviest in our mid sections (bodies) , so that would be the area to reinforce under a light weight foam bed cover... You could even make the under bed storage with adjustable dividers , like those fishing tackle boxes ... just a couple of small "rails" on either side to hold the divider plates ... each vertical added will provide lots of compressive support ... Another is to use some of those plastic storage crates the same height as the under bed support , they would also share the load ... and hold the gear too ..
Saving all that pretty Pine for a Norm style woodworking project ...

[droid_ca]

What if you put a couple of dividers in and used them for drawers under the bed would make a great place to store stuff

[Papi]

I think you could probably laminate that under-bed storage with some luan to make it stiff, and still be able to use it as storage without having to subdivide it further. Looking good!

[mezmo]

Hi Mike,

Perhaps you could make the shelf a composite of foam and 1/4 ply
strips like Wobbly Wheels/Brian did for his door-

Another foam standie...
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=44522

-using a small grid of vertical 1/4 ply strips on edge glued to and thus held
in place by the foam. I'd use a thin ply top surface too. This is similar to
the commercially made SING sip panels too. There is also a build on the
forum that used this method for his floor in his TD but I can't recall whom
at the moment. That should give a lot of stiffness to the shelf.

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[GPW]

I'm really Very Excited for Mike , and very anxious for him to "Get it done" ... This one's going to be really Nice and BIG ... Thinking this one will set the standard for future Big Foamie builds ... Schmaybe' even with a real set of plans ... You just never know where these things will lead !!! Today Foamies , tomorrow , the world !!!!

[Wobbly Wheels]

Wow, looking good Mike !
As far as the sagging shelf goes, I think running a spar across might indeed be the easiest and lightest option. A length of 1X2 screwed to the shelf would prevent it from sagging. I've done that with the shelves that hold my tools (3/8"OSB - 12"X48") and they don't sag between the brackets. If nothing else, you could put the strip on top of the shelf as a backsplash of sorts. With a foam shelf I think that would have to be a must if you can't tie it into the structure in mid-span.

...sip panels too. There is also a build on the
forum that used this method for his floor in his TD but I can't recall

That's on mine as well. I've got just the front triangular section done right now, but the increase in stiffness is pretty impressive. I went heavier on the bottom ply than I wanted to (3/8" rather than 1/4") but I'm calling it a success.

I agree that foam cabinets ought to have a skin on them for mechanical damage if nothing else. I haven't tried gluing up canvas on mine - do you guys think the foam would dent easily through the glued canvas during normal use ?
In boats, I have always been blown away by how much abuse the typical galley takes. Even hardwood countertops seem to get trashed pretty easily. I'm thinking ahead about using an aluminum sheet (24"flashing) to craft a range hood of sorts so that the heat from the stove doesn't melt the foam, even though it'll be about 3' above the cooktop. I may have lucked into a piece of 22ga stainless for the countertop. Installed over foam, it ought to be a light but tough surface. We'll see....

[tinksdad]

Been away from the computer for a couple days helping out a lady friend with a broken shoulder, so this response is a little late (and tongue in cheek as well).

You asked for ideas for your front counter. I say add more brown bottles. Empty enough off them and you won't notice if the shelf sags...... until all the brown bottles end up on the floor. Can't quite make out the label; but seeing your up in MI, I'm guessing Labatt's even though the blue color looks a little pale.

BTW.... bed platform looks good to me. I'm beginning to think I may not need a dinette setup. Even if it's raining, I'm usually outside under the Coleman Sunshade which I waterproofed and added a couple home made side curtains. That's why I go camping.... to be outdoors. I'll have to run it by "she who camps with me".

[GPW]

Maybe something simple like this ....

[tinksdad]