Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[lm248]

Actually I think it's going to look a lot like yours,,,
I like the rounded edges.
Les

[GPW]

Sorta' !!! I just based mine on the Weekender design ... and the single sheet of foam for the sides ... Just two cuts each side , and we were ready ... Nice and simple ...

Yesterday evening , I did all the rest of the sanding ... ready to cover, supposed to be sunny today ... So we'll see how it goes ...

[GPW]

Measured my fabric ... not wide enough so I'll have to piece it ... so in order to get the seams straight. I used my tape measure and marked the height of the fabric width on the trailer ...allowing for a 4" overlap underneath onto the floor bottom ... Made some marks , took my chalkline and snapped a few guide lines all around the shell ... Tested out a piece, secured temporarily with push pins...


I'm guessing we'll have to do a section just on covering ... there is an "art" to it to get it looking right ...

[eaglesdare]

i think the trick to this is going to be get enough material up front, or rather a large enough piece of material.

once you start you tugging and stretching, it will not measure up properly to a line. so just have enough overhang to later on cut off to make it line up.

if you have pieces of material, then i think you could go with a patch work design.

at least that is my opinion from experience on my canvas.

i also believe you could do this alone, but it will be a whole lot easier with at least 2 sets of hands. we had 4 people doing my canvas.

good work gpw!

[GPW]

Eagle , I have tons of canvas , but it's all too narrow ... (36")

So a patchwork will be the ticket !!! Trying to lay out all the seams symmetrically ... just so it will look right ... Hence all the measuring , marking and dry fitting ... Easy if you have one BIG piece , just throw it over the trailer and have at it ... But I don't ... Being a Thrifty project , the plan is to use "what I Got !!" Besides this is a Linen canvas and much stronger and more durable than the cotton ... and actually pretty expensive too ... so it should work just fine and provide a nice textured surface to paint on , as much as when I use it for oil paintings ... With the strip shown in the pics , the plan is to start at one end , gluing and aligning my way to the other end ... repeating the same procedure around the structure... Then overlapping the top piece over the bottom piece by 4" .. That should not only look "even" but actually add a little extra strength around the "belly" of the shell ... like a band or belt ... every little bit counts when the bears are out ....

And this is odd... with the recent rising of the river, a warning was issued not to feed the habitat escaping Louisiana Black Bears ... I didn't even know we HAD Bears ...

[eaglesdare]

Eagle , I have tons of canvas , but it's all too narrow ... (36")

So a patchwork will be the ticket !!! Trying to lay out all the seams symmetrically ... just so it will look right ... Hence all the measuring , marking and dry fitting ... Easy if you have one BIG piece , just throw it over the trailer and have at it ... But I don't ... Being a Thrifty project , the plan is to use "what I Got !!" Besides this is a Linen canvas and much stronger and more durable than the cotton ... and actually pretty expensive too ... so it should work just fine and provide a nice textured surface to paint on , as much as when I use it for oil paintings ... With the strip shown in the pics , the plan is to start at one end , gluing and aligning my way to the other end ... repeating the same procedure around the structure... Then overlapping the top piece over the bottom piece by 4" .. That should not only look "even" but actually add a little extra strength around the "belly" of the shell ... like a band or belt ... every little bit counts when the bears are out ....

And this is odd... with the recent rising of the river, a warning was issued not to feed the habitat escaping Louisiana Black Bears ... I didn't even know we HAD Bears ...

\




don't feed the bears!!!!!!!!!!

[GPW]

Eagle , this may change Everything !!! Bears ... here...???

Got the hot glue gun out and made a real quickie fabric marking tool ...

[Ratkity]

Your patchwork method is going to be beneficial for you. That glue will dry fast and you can get each section up the way you want it without worrying about a really large panel.

Are you sewing any of the panels together?

Great work!!!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[GPW]

First side done !!! No sewing ...

Here's how we glued the bottom covering on ...

[Ratkity]

Wonderful!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

[GPW]

Rat, Thanks , that was the hard side , the rest should be easy ... I did use the fabric marking tool , but after I stretched the cloth all kinds of ways , it's not a straight line anymore ... will have to do some more trimming ... The pinking shears worked great ... and the T2 is sticking like Crazy to the sanded foam ... Coming along now ... finally ...

[GPW]

Other side done ...

BTW, I found a piece of extra heavy canvas that just fits the top with a little extra.. the 3' canvas will do the front and back just fine ...

[eaglesdare]

you know i am loving this! and that is really great you found that canvas!

[eaglesdare]

as for me, i did not get anything done today, except, bought 2 more pieces of foam. i conned hubby into going back to lowes. we had to use the van. but once i got it home, it was 530 and i just did not want to start anything. it was suppose to rain here for a couple of days now, but so far nothing. if it stays nice, i may glue and cut the other side out.


i also have an idea for something else. will keep it a secret til its complete.

[starleen2]

i also have an idea for something else. will keep it a secret til its complete.

NO, No , No - start another thread so we can follow along and not get buried deep in another 30 pages (at this rate - that's what it'll be)