Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

mezmo wrote:Are you planning on using foam sheets to build the 'body'?

I'd consider it a waste of time to glass over that and then take the
foam out. Insulation works both ways - can keep heat out as well
as in. I was thinking of dissolving the foam with solvent after 'glassing. My fixation with just a shell and no foam is clouding my ability to see the whole picture you aptly describedOtherwise, just consider it construction material used to
delineate the shape and volume of the TD. Put in
some hard points the same thickness as the foam in the correct
places in the foam and it'll be easier to attach the doors and hatch
and bulkhead etc..When using the wood for hardpoints, it will bond to the fiberglass same as the foam, yes? (Become an integral part of the structure?) The interior would need a covering over the
foam but that'd be easy to do by just using 1/8-1/4 ply or even
plastic laminate and the 3M green contact cement Steve/Linuxmann
(sp?) recommends. That was a big fear, trying to 'glass the inside. Your recommendation is an excellent answer to that challenge. I'd use the effort you'd take to tear out the
foam to do that. Also you're spending the money for the foam already
so it'd make more sense to keep it. Also glassed foam may be lighter
than a built up, thick enough, fiberglass shell. Glassed foam may
therefore be cheaper as less epoxy and fiberglass would be used
than for only a fiber-glass shell. Another unknown - how many layers of 'glass to make it strong enough, the wood interior would be the aesthetic I'm looking for, and the smooth seamless exterior the 'glass provides is as well.

A South African forum member - can't find the build at the moment -
built a TD using 3ply corrugated cardboard as the shape/volume core
for the TD and then epoxied and fiber-glassed that. It turned out
great. He left the cardboard intact - no reason to take it out. [Oh I
should also mention that the polyester resins melt foam, so they say,
when fiber-glassing is being discussed.] I've researched so many materials over the years, I just haven't nailed down what is possible yet. Like this stuff: http://www.outwatercatalogs.com/lg_display.cfm/page/683/catalog/Master_2012 I'd love to add some uniqueness with unusual shaping of the roof and/or sides. I also have visions of carbon fiber shell with the pattern showing through.

The main thing is to do it the way you want to do it after evaluating
the comments you asked for. It's your money and time, so use it
as you wish. Thanks for taking the time Norm, this forum has been a lot of fun this week, and I look forward to this build, even if the direction is a little fuzzy right now!

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

KCStudly wrote:Nothing wrong with embedding some hardwood ribs in the hatch area to act as screw blocks for your hatch hinge and give some depth of section for adding stiffness to the FG structure.

Take a look at the Pico Light thread where the guy in Alaska is building a mini to be towed behind a motorcycle. I studied his build a lot before starting this thread (didn't want to hijack his), that is what gave me hope I am on the right track - but leaving the foam is quickly becoming obvious as to the way to go i think the key is to do an inner and outer lay up over foam core. Separating the inner and outer skins is where the strength comes from.

Good luck and remember, post lots of pic's!

Oldragbaggers wrote:+1 what Norm said.

Not only will you get insulation from heat and cold by leaving the foam in, but sound insulation as well, which can be nice when in a crowded campground or when you are trying to sleep with rain beating on the roof. I was considering that when looking at the aluminum sheeted ones - how loud it must be with rain beating on it - you're right, though - the foam would quiet things down nicely. If I went wood instead, I was considering shooting the entire shell with bedliner to weatherseal and sound deaden it.If you're in AZ you'll need something to insulate you against that sun beating on your roof or your camper will be like a toaster oven.

Just to clarify, polyester resin melts foam, epoxy resin does not. I did an experiment in another thread where I layed fiberglass cloth over the rigid pink foam made by Dow. It had no ill effects on the foam, was very strong and very light. The foam adds more structural strength than you might think, therefore less fiberglass and less weight.

It certainly is your build, your money and your time, but you might more carefully consider the advantages of leaving that foam in place. And as Norm pointed out, you've already paid for it, why waste it and lose all those benefits.

Will be anxiously waiting to see what you build.