Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

Canvas covered foamies (Thrifty Alternatives...)

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Postby ARKPAT » Sat Jun 04, 2011 12:20 am

:thumbsup:

:thinking:

:D

:thumbsup:

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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:58 am

Cargo trailers are Nice , when you're not using them , they make great "incidental" storage ... These Foamie shells are so easy to make , having a couple for one trailer makes it versatile ... and Fun ... 10 or12 bolts with wing nuts and "Presto Chango" , you've got another trailer ... :D

I'm actually looking to replace my big TT (Jayco) with something more Practical ... Commercial trailers are just a HUGE Money Pit ... require constant maintenance (and cash outlay) ... Made of the worst materials (ROT prone) and bedecked with RV appliances which are ten times as expensive and don't work more than a year ..... I can do much better with a Foamie :thumbsup:

Seeing how easy it is to make this one , a bigger one would be just as easy ... 1/4 the weight, and a tenth of the expense of a commercial unit ... and it can actually live outside ... Imagine that ... :o More fitting to the "new economy" too ... That's where we all starve while Exxon makes Billions ... :roll:
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:09 am

This is what I had in mind ... Pretty SIMPLE :o Working on an inside drawing like Rob's Cabin Car (bathroom and small tub/shower ... solar of course)

Image
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 7:37 am

Here's the floor-plan idea ... Image

The inner structure would help support the "Box" as per previous discussions... Should be MUCH lighter than a tricked out standard CT.. Lower profile keeps it more aerodynamic... Should be easy to tow , even with a long one ... (optional) Already I'm thinking the Mini Galley could be where the "shelves" are ... Funny, we consider a 16' boat as small , but Big for a camper trailer ... Curious !!! :roll:
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:01 am

V nose option ... Image You could build it any size you wanted ... Just a box... :thinking:
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Postby eaglesdare » Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:47 am

yup, i see no reason why it could not be done.

i keep watering that money tree and nothing so far. but when it does i am going to add to my second foamie. i can see where that one is going to take a while.

now i really need to save for that july's trip to indiana. that one is going to cost a bit for us. but i have been planning on that one for a while, so we have to do that one.
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 10:08 am

You taking the Foamie to Indy ???
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Postby eaglesdare » Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:01 am

oh yes, the original foamie will be there. that gathering is going to be big. so far i think there are 127 members going to be there.
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 11:08 am

That's going to be FUN !!! :D :thumbsup:
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Postby GPW » Sat Jun 04, 2011 2:14 pm

So Hot I started thinking of the AC.... Here's a very rough sketch I made last night as to how the AC might go in ... same as everybody else ... NBD!!! Just trying to visualize how it goes together... Image

Thinking of adding a shelf crosswise across the front over the AC to help reinforce that area... and a place to put stuff , like my toaster oven and coffee maker ... ;)
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Postby GPW » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:02 am

Just for the sake of simplicity ... :roll: There is the idea that the AC can be carried in the TV and just stabbed into place when needed.... Looking around , these 5K btu window ACs all seem to weigh in the neighborhood of 40 lbs. Not too heavy for that kind of installation ... :thinking: Just need the appropriate sized hole and flap/door... Sounds simple enough .. and for times when we don't need the AC, we wouldn't have to drag it along ... ;) less weight means we can carry 40 lbs. more Beer ... :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just shopping around , these units are supposed to cool a 150 sq, ft. room .... that's what, roughly 10'X 15' ... :o Bigger than most TD/Standys... so it should be really efficient even on our triple digit summer days (like today :o ) ... and no room I know of is as well insulated as the Foamies are... :thinking:
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Postby pat g » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:35 am

GPW,

The cushions in your TD look like a custom fit. Nice.

I almost went for a cargo type foam build but decided on a traditional tear shape. Cool thing about a cargo build is that you could get an old boat trailer and just follow the shape of the trailer and enclose the whole thing.

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Postby GPW » Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:50 am

Pat that was my thinking too ...!!! Boat trailers are pretty easy to come by around here... and the trailer would determine the size of the Foamie CT... No need for a tandem with such light weights ... but ?

Thinking of a 4" thick roof , sheets staggered so no chance of a leak and killer insulation (more chance for rounding the roof lines , CT style .) ... Could even do all the edges with glass tape like we did on the little one ... That's Strong and really protects the edges , the glass over the canvas.. makes nice looking seams too ... :thinking:

The cushions ... I lucked out on that ... perfect fit ... That was Cool , and made the wife happy too ... only because I got em' out the laundry room .. :roll: :lol:


Here's some more thoughts on a FCT Mini galley ... Image
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Postby tinksdad » Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:16 am

GPW wrote:So Hot I started thinking of the AC.... Here's a very rough sketch I made last night as to how the AC might go in ... same as everybody else ... NBD!!! Just trying to visualize how it goes together... Image

Thinking of adding a shelf crosswise across the front over the AC to help reinforce that area... and a place to put stuff , like my toaster oven and coffee maker ... ;)


Just my 2 1/2 cents worth. Like the idea of the wedge to aid in any condensation flowing downhill and out away from the trailer. A question though.... vibration when towing?? Would the a/c want to walk downhill and try to extend in transit or do you have plans for securing the tray in the closed position?
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Postby 68galaxie » Sun Jun 05, 2011 9:29 am

The rack mount sliders I have a lock in the closed and the extended positions, very easy to release when ready
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