Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

Don't make the floor a torsion box. Make the complete build a torsion box, body and all.

Pepper, could you elaberate on how you would do the whole foamie as a torsion box? Kinda piqued my intereated.

ok, i just reread that, ditto what bonnie said.

[ebutler]

Yeah Randy I have been lurking here. When I got back to the board about a month ago I started in the foamies section. I have read a lot of that.
GPW I am up the river from you in Mississippi.
I have a question about cutting foam. I have used a jig saw with a blade that has the teeth ground off and a knife edge ground on it. It makes a very smooth cut
and is effortless. I used it to make several foam lettered signs, one was 8' high and 24 feet long and used good latex exterior paint. My question is does anyone else use this method?
Elmo

[eaglesdare]

QUOTE: " he is getting neutered on tuesday. i am going to be a basket case then! “ ... how do you think He will feel ???

Eagle , keep looking for the one that’s “Just Right” !!!! No rush eh ? You already have a Foamie ready for this season eh !!! Make this your “Best work” ... Take your time, think it through ,shop around, then spend wisely ... you’re only gonna’ buy that trailer once , so make it a Good on ... price is not important (within reason of course) , specifications ARE Important !!!
For the right trailer you wouldn’t need much of a floor at all ... a real chance to save weight ... and more time and $$$ .
You have a Max target weight in mind ? Might as well get that down first , you have to tow it with watcha’ got !

ah, he won't feel anything, he'll be asleep! although, the vet did say he could prescribe me some zanax , put it in my dog's name. i had to pass on that one. i think he was just kidding with me anyway.

now about that trailer.....its my trailer and i want it now!!!!!!!!!! hubby told me to just destroy the one i have and start over. its a thought, but i just don't like having the worries (cuz that is what i do) over extending it to the 10 foot mark. that and i won't have a gate then. my whole concept is using that gate.

hmm, thinking about that right now, i really am only planning on extending to 9 foot, even with the 10' trailer. the actual build is 9'. so that would only be an extention of 1 foot off the back. but i am still right back to the gate issue. no gate! can i build a slide out gate. just kidding. (i think)

[eaglesdare]

Yeah Randy I have been lurking here. When I got back to the board about a month ago I started in the foamies section. I have read a lot of that.
GPW I am up the river from you in Mississippi.
I have a question about cutting foam. I have used a jig saw with a blade that has the teeth ground off and a knife edge ground on it. It makes a very smooth cut
and is effortless. I used it to make several foam lettered signs, one was 8' high and 24 feet long and used good latex exterior paint. My question is does anyone else use this method?
Elmo

i use a jig saw, but those teeth are still good. i think as long as it does the job, you are good to go. (i love this wine smilie)

[GPW]

Amazing the things that can happen while you’re asleep ...

Er, I would not”destroy” my fully functional unit ...

Elmo, Cool idea about the jigsaw blade , we get similar results with the old electric turkey carving knife (although mine’s made for cleaning Fish ) ...

I’ll add another question too... Torsion box??? do we want a box that will “allow” some degree of flexing and twisting without damage , or one to resist torsion ? It appears there would be some degree of flexing in the entire trailer at times whilst being towed , but nothing significant under normal use to cause a failure , given the natural flexibility of the Foam , canvas, glue and Paint ( and properly constructed ) ... and we could deduct that any non flexing component on a flexible “box” would create stress on the flexible components in those areas , so maybe ALL Foam construction would be better from that standpoint, or maybe just keeping the non flexible stuff to a minimum ... ??? I dunno’ ?? The skin does hold everything together

[eaglesdare]

i am so confused on the flexible, non flexible issue. wood isn't flexible (right?) but they work just fine bouncing down the road. i can see where foam would be somewhat flexible, and so far, mine has done fine bouncing down the road (yes in some parts of the roads here i actually was very worried about that). but so far so good.

so i guess i am not understanding what you said. doesn't surprise ya huh! (have i mentioned that i love this smilie)

hmm, maybe its the combination of the flexible foam, and the non flexible wood that is a good combo, or a bad combo? do i need more tea?

[eaglesdare]

Amazing the things that can happen while you’re asleep ...

Er, I would not”destroy” my fully functional unit ...

Elmo, Cool idea about the jigsaw blade , we get similar results with the old electric turkey carving knife (although mine’s made for cleaning Fish ) ...

I’ll add another question too... Torsion box??? do we want a box that will “allow” some degree of flexing and twisting without damage , or one to resist torsion ? It appears there would be some degree of flexing in the entire trailer at times whilst being towed , but nothing significant under normal use to cause a failure , given the natural flexibility of the Foam , canvas, glue and Paint ( and properly constructed ) ... and we could deduct that any non flexing component on a flexible “box” would create stress on the flexible components in those areas , so maybe ALL Foam construction would be better from that standpoint, or maybe just keeping the non flexible stuff to a minimum ... ??? I dunno’ ?? The skin does hold everything together

after rereading this, what are you saying?

[GPW]

Cheap (thin) plywood floor over the steel mesh trailer floor !!!

Here’s to your new trailer build !!

[GPW]

Update ... Just did a critical inspection of my Foamie , and everything remains unchanged ... out in the weather ... How long has it been now ? Looks like it’s holding up Very Well, paint looks good , no "bubbles” , still dry as Toast inside ... not even any lizards , frogs , or dead bugs ...

[Wolffarmer]

not even any lizards , frogs , or dead bugs ...

I hope it is not because of formaldehyde out gassing.



Good going GPW

Randy

[GPW]

Eagle , regarding the torsion business, i was just thinking the Foamie cabin/shell should allow a bit for the flexing of the trailer , a carry on (box) trailer probably having a lot less flex than a simple HF trailer , so may not be an issue in your case ... Schmaybe’?

[GPW]

Wolf, I’ve got it sealed tighter than Grandma’s mayonnaise jar ... lots of rubber seals for 100% coverage/sealing ... maybe a bit too much as I have to use the lock to keep good pressure compressing the overly thick seals on the door to keep it closed, otherwise it just springs open ... But it don’t leak ..

I think outgassing only happens at higher temperatures , like 200F ... won’t get that hot around here till summer ...

[eaglesdare]

Cheap (thin) plywood floor over the steel mesh trailer floor !!!

Here’s to your new trailer build !!

well its not looking good for a trailer with mesh floors.

[KCStudly]

GPW said,

Just did a critical inspection of my Foamie , and everything remains unchanged ... out in the weather ... How long has it been now ? Looks like it’s holding up Very Well, paint looks good, no "bubbles” , still dry as Toast inside ... not even any lizards , frogs , or dead bugs

Comparing this to Eagle's little foamie with her very minor issue that is most likely attributed to the tie down strap theory, I have a couple of questions;
1. What would you say the high and low temperature extremes have been where you live or camp (or bug out to)?
2. How many road miles have you towed your rig, and was it loaded or unloaded?
3. Did you tow in any inclement weather, hot, cold, wet, freezing?

Same questions to Eagle.

I’m just thinking that there could be a couple of reasons why you are not seeing any problems and Eagle has seen some very minor issues (that may entirely be related to flexing or perhaps flutter from her straps).

If, say, you have not had your little TD in very cold weather, or have not subjected it to any over the road flexing, and your experience with preparing canvas gave you a leg up on making sure that you had a good bond with the foam (which is not to say that Eagle didn’t), then these are all potential data points that could contribute to your successful results.

Your rig is doing fine at resisting UV light, sweltering heat and humidity.

Your rig is also relatively small and light weight, which means that the dynamic forces from going over the road will be less. And relative to a larger TD using the same build technique and materials, your rig will be stronger.

One of my bigger concerns for TPCE is that it will likely be stored out doors in our New England winters, sometimes with more than a foot of snow, sometimes with heavy wet snow, somtimes with sheet ice, and my roof is wider and thinner than yours. I will have double spars in front of and behind my vent fan, and the forward and rear cabinets frames will also provide support to the roof, but I may just end up building a frame work for a tarp to cover and shed the snow in winter (similar to how we cover boats here in the winter).

Just some random thoughts.

[GPW]

I towed mine down the street (very bumpy dirt road ) then on to some pavement ... about 2.5 miles all together .. Towed like nothing was there .. cause ‘ there wasn’t ... empty + some cushions and minimal gear .. Forgot the 500lb. of Beer (the real test) Temps have ranged from around 100F to around 20F one night ... hot blazing sun , torrential storms , no problem ... Snow ... no way to test that here .. although I could go to the convenience store and load bags of Ice on the top ...
I haven’t really been anywhere , or subjected the trailer to any tests , other than my crap road , which visitors consider an off road challenge ... I built mine for EVAC and there haven’t been any reasons to leave ... so far (touch wood ) ...