Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Works

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks Oleg and RationalEx!

The supports seem much more solid, thankfully. As for weather proofing, first I'm going to install some kind of drip edge that will be attached to the folding walls and will cover the gap when the walls are up. Then I'm going to put in some weather stripping, but that will be tricky because the gaps vary. It's not going to be completely airtight anyhow because I need ventilation and will be putting in some vents.

My recommendation for anyone looking to do something similar (folding, slanted shed roof) would be to do something along the following lines:

1. Reduce the height slightly (mine has about 6'8" at the tall end and 5'8" at the low end) - maybe 6' or a touch higher at the tall end.
2. Increase the height of the base walls somewhat to reduce the weight of the folding components.
3. Consider making it a clamshell with the roof hinged directly to the base in the front or the back. I think this would make setup/teardown more accessible for more types of people. I'm not a big or particularly strong guy, but I am an able-bodied, active sort, and even with the gas struts there is a moment (when the side walls are folded down and I'm folding down the back wall with the front wall still up) when I'm sort of guiding the whole roof down, surfing the power assist of the struts as it were. I think that moment could be tough & potentially sketchy for a lot of people older, slighter, or with less upper body strength. Once the back wall is down and the roof is resting on a fulcrum at the back, the front wall comes down without that "surfing" moment.The clamshell design would eliminate the need to surf the roof down like that because it would always have that solid fulcrum.

I put the top door on today. Still need to install hardware, a strip of wood to cover the gap between the two doors, and a sliding barrel bolt or two to connect the two doors so they function as one when the camper is up.

[OP827]

...I put the top door on today. Still need to install hardware, a strip of wood to cover the gap between the two doors, and a sliding barrel bolt or two to connect the two doors so they function as one when the camper is up.

I used a standard so called sash lock from a local hardware store to hold door parts together. Works pretty good as It pulls two parts and door seal tight together.

[TinkerTailor]

Great idea, Oleg. Thanks!

I'll see if that can work. I suspect my tolerances are not nearly so close as yours were!

[OP827]

For small gaps (or where gap has happened to be too small) I tried this V-seal.
It worked good where there was still a small gap and not a lot of pressure, but in one place where it got squashed too tight it split along the fold line, so I removed it there. Another reason to have weather sills was to eliminate whistling sounds during windy weather.

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks, as always, Oleg - just ordered some V seal. I think that will work nicely! Put in the deadbolt today and the camper is spending its first night outside. I have a recessed door handle coming soon and need to put in the sash lock or barrel bolt to connect the two doors and then it's on to putting on drip edge and touching up paint before moving to the interior. I also still need to install my vents as well. Still not exactly sure how many to put in for my 11'X6'X6' or so space. I will definitely install one in the floor directly underneath the wood burning stove. How many 4" and/or 2" vents would you all suggest?

[OP827]

That is a one cool looking trailer. Best part is it gets big when in camp and low when in tow.

I am thinking of two 4" in the floor closer to beds as fresh air intakes. You already have the fan opening on the roof for exhaust. I would also have such vents that can be partially open and fully closed tight for travel mode.

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks for your thoughts on the vents, Oleg. I think I'll start there and then see if it seems to need any more later. Glad you like the look of it, too! Have a trip coming up in late July where we'll try it out.

[TinkerTailor]

Ok - some updates. I've installed v seal on a number of joints:



I also used this product: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08137FS6B?ps ... ct_details
to create a flexible drip edge that covers the horizontal joints between lower and upper walls. It just went on via the adhesive. Super easy, we will see how it holds up - it can always be easily replaced if need be.



I also made an aluminum drip edge for the joint on the doors and painted the trim on the opening windows to match the roof:



I thought I had 4 inch vents, but they were actually 3 inch. I put two in the sleeping area floor as suggested by Oleg as well as one directly under the spot the wood burning stove will go. I also put an additional vent toward the top of the base wall near the wood stove location. I figure this evens out the total vent area, gives me the option of even more fresh air intake near the stove, and also allows me to have some ventilation flow from low to high when the camper is folded up and stored. All have this type of closeable marine louvers on the inside (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YNDHZN2?ps ... ct_details), with insect screen and normal louvers on the exterior.



Also put some supports in for the sofa/beds. Purchased and cut the plywood, got a memory foam mattress, fabric for cushion covers, etc., and purchased threaded pvc pipes with flanges and crutch feet for removeable legs on the beds. Need to assemble it all and try it out. Once beds are a go on to the collapsible sink/counter, spare tire (to be hung under the trailer) and it'll be useable.

[OP827]

I am interested to learn how well this gray weather stripping will hold its attachment to the wall under a rain and then hot sun. Some mechanical attachment like aluminum strip and screws might be needed later on, maybe?

[TinkerTailor]

Definitely will be watching. The drip edge needs to be flexible, so I thought I’d try it. I plan to put some screws in a few places to give a mechanical connection.

[TinkerTailor]

Ok - pretty much ready for summer (but not winter) camping (no wood stove or diesel heater installed yet). We have a trip planned next week.

Made a removable sink with a usb charged pump/faucet, salad bowl, drain out the bottom of the camper or into a bucket.









Also put in an outlet so I can connect the fantastic fan to a power source via the cable that is fun up the wall in a removable sleeve mounted to the wall with velcro. Also installed an AC power inlet.





no sew fleece curtains that go on/off with velcro, decided to use cots instead of building my own bed platforms (lighter weight by far & I can move them around/shift the arrangement depending on how many people are on the trip - couple different arrangements in the photos), got my mattresses sorted and covered in fleece to match the curtains. Kind of livable now.

[GPW]

Cots , great idea !!!

[OP827]

Looking great and lots of room!

[Terra6]

coming along nicely.
Cots are brilliant for lightweight.

[TinkerTailor]

Thanks everyone -

Leaving to try it out this week, so we will see how she works!

Just took it out for a pre-trip spin to see how she pulls. Pretty smooth I think, though I don't have much towing experience. Did some practice backing up. The tongue has enough room so that I can do a U turn with, say, three lanes or so's worth of road width. All good.