Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[KCStudly]

Like I said, I was being a stickler. We do both seem to be in agreement.

I briefly considered an aluminum frame for my cabin structure, but after reading a few comments about it telegraphing temperature and bypassing the insullation, and people having fastener issues (rivets popping off of skins, etc.) it just didn't seem to be worth the extra cost and effort to me. Doable, just not right for me.

[SteveW]

Okay, called the company today and was somewhat pleased. Some good info and options, although as expected, it's substantially more expensive than throwing some 3/4" plywood down.

http://www.structall.com/sips.html
The product I'm thinking of using is under the "aluminum" tab. Aluminum Structural Insulated Panel using the Snap-n-lock system. .024, 3"thick, 4' x 10'. I'll cut the panel in half (two 4'x5' panels), then snap the parts together to make a 5'x8' floor. It was explained that with this thickness, it's possible to dent the surface with knees and such, so it was recommended to put something on top to dissipate the pressure. Thinking thismight be the answer. For my situation, it won't be a huge deal, as my floor will be covered with memory foam bedding pretty much all the time, but someone else might want a more substantial substrate.

The weight of these panels comes out to .87 lb/sq ft, which would come out to less than 35 pounds for the floor. The panels go for $3.40 a sq ft, which is pricey at about $140 for my panel, but should balance out since I'm building a trailer rather than buying the $475 Northern Tool 5x8 trailer that I was eyeing.

They also have some FRP and Rigiwall alternatives as well, or combinations of these.

[GPW]

No Rules eh !!! But let me say this ... My little cargo trailer has a board floor and is still in excellent shape , no broken boards , and it was used for years to haul around band equipment ... and those boards weren’t even waterproofed in the least ... Deflection would depend on how the floor was braced underneath , viz. the floor framing ... Stiffness depends on other factors such as youth and shared interest ...

[KCStudly]

Um, let's try to keep it PG, huh? (had a chuckle over that one, tho).

[mikeschn]

$108 per sheet... that's got potential, considering all the stuff you could eliminate...

Mike...

[SteveW]

That was my thought as well. I'm thinking a persuasive person might even be able to supply them with some anchor point blocks to put into the panels before they are constructed.

[GPW]

Here’s a REAL THRIFTY alternative .... Fused plastic grocery bags ironed directly onto the foam ... Yep !... Not Pretty buy VERY Thrifty and recycle GREEN too .... Why let all those plastic bags congregate in the ocean when they can be used for noble purpose... ?

I’m SURE we’ll get some discussion on that one ...

[KCStudly]

Have you tested it? Or are you just spit balling?

Pics? You know what they say, no pics...didn't happen.

[GPW]

KC, haven’t had a chance to , just ran across this today looking for waterproof material to make Sou’wester rain hats ....
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/ ... gs_to.html Light went off in my head ... Why not iron it directly to the foam ... May be fatuous to Most , but needs to be tried at least .... something I hope to do in the morning ... on an old bead foam ice chest ...
Seems possible because I’ve ironed Monokote and Solarfilm (mylar films) to foam wings many times in the past ... with great results ... Would be cool if it worked eh ?

[linuxmanxxx]

Heres day 4. See window cutout? Doing something new, bought rv door replacement window frames and got the midlevel acrylic glass at lowes and going to use for a window in side wall. Solid non opening but massively cheaper than buying complete window assemblies. Comes out about 30 a window.

[Wobbly Wheels]

Steve, that's some progress !
All I've gotten done since last w/e is to turn 4 2X8 foam panels into 2 4X8 ones and I literally JUST finished doing that.
Well, I did set up a covered space and built a layup table too, so I guess that's something.

When aluminum oxidizes, does it fail to the same degree that ply does? I don't think it does...

You think right. Aluminum oxide is a hard thin coating that seals up and prevents further corrosion - unlike rust which is porous and allows steel underneath the scale to oxidize until there's no steel left. Aluminum has been left bare on workboats for decades and it's a whole lot easier to maintain than getting a paint coating to stay stuck to it.
It won't hold that new metal shine for long though unless you polish it up and wax it right away to prevent the oxide from forming (it happens quickly). Etching will let you take it off with water as well.

I'm sure there must be somebody here who's had the pleasure of polishing metal aircraft skin ?
When I was in trade school, we each spent a week doing a section of the belly of an old Vickers Viscount to learn.
Unfortunately, that was too long ago to remember much more of the process than wax on, wax off...

[droid_ca]

hey GPW I hear you on the plastic bag issue I watched the documentary Bag'It and wow sure is an eye opener..if you have a chance to watch it I highly recommend it

[eaglesdare]

KC, haven’t had a chance to , just ran across this today looking for waterproof material to make Sou’wester rain hats ....
http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/ ... gs_to.html Light went off in my head ... Why not iron it directly to the foam ... May be fatuous to Most , but needs to be tried at least .... something I hope to do in the morning ... on an old bead foam ice chest ...
Seems possible because I’ve ironed Monokote and Solarfilm (mylar films) to foam wings many times in the past ... with great results ... Would be cool if it worked eh ?

wow, how cool is that! you say that it might not be pretty, but it could be with the right pattern combination of bags, it could be really cool.

[GPW]

Eagle I’m thinking , with the right colors and patterns on the bags , you could literally do a Mosaic "art thing" with the different colors , and if indeed it is Fused , then it’s like a plastic coating unto itself (no glue , no paint )... We’ll find out in a few minutes ...

Ps , could be good for rain hats too eh ? waterproof without being Heavy ... nor expensive ... maybe fuse the whole thing ... heck with all that sewing ...

[eaglesdare]

steve keep the pics coming. nice looking trailer there!



i think i am going to go out to do a measurement of two. i may end up at lowes today or tomorrow. i cut into my build money for a raised bed garden this year. i have one bed complete with seeds already in. finished that yesterday. i have spinach and 1 row of beans in there. i am checking to see how well beans will do at this time of year. the spinach should do fine. next bed will by my lettuce bed. i am working on hubby to finish one off for beets.

anyway, between the gardens expenses and the trailer build, i am so out of money. but i do think i will pick something up today or tomorrow and get a start on something. not sure if i am going for the lip part to start or the floor. we'll see once i get back from lowes. neither one depends on the other at this time.

oh the wood floor that was on my trailer, is now my raised beds frames (for some of them anyway). but that is where i put the wood panels to use.