Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Works

Canvas covered foamies (Thrifty Alternatives...)

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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:36 pm

Hello everyone -

So, some important progress has been made. I've installed 4 gas struts, 2 each on the front and back walls, using some heavy duty Simpson tie plates to create custom brackets that keep the struts out of the way of the roof skirt when closed (emulating the strut design of some of the Esterel campers of this type).

First I tried it with just one strut on each wall, but it was too unbalanced. Two on each wall work much better. I have two 150 lb. struts on the front, which is higher and tougher to wrangle, and two 100 lb. struts on the back wall, which is easier to handle. I have some 120 lb. struts on hand that I'm going to try on the back wall and if I like that better I'll go with them.

Another problem I encountered (prior to installing the struts) was that when the front and back walls were up and supporting the roof, but the side walls were not yet up, the whole structure was dangerously unstable and wobbly. So I installed some metal brackets ("closed bar holders") along with the stake pocket/brackets that came with the HF trailer on the front and back of the base. 2x3 supports go in these brackets to prevent the front and back walls from leaning out over the trailer on their respective sides until the side walls come up. Meanwhile the newly installed gas struts keep the front and back walls pushed up against the 2x3 supports, so the walls can't tilt in towards the folding position.

Long and short is I can now put it up and down by myself without too much trouble - the old timers who asked how I was planning to put the thing up and down were right! Super sketchy and rough doing it with manpower alone. If you're building something along these lines and you're of small stature, I'd also recommend making the overall height slightly lower than mine is. With the struts I can handle the front wall fine, but I actually stand on the tongue box or a step stool to make it easier. And if you're building something along these lines at all, then plan on using gas struts or something similar for lift assist. The veterans were right about that!

Next up is to install the chimney flashing and boot and the fantastic fan. Then the doors, already made, need to be hung and have hardware/knobs installed. At that point it will be ready to be moved out of the garage and to be camped in, though it will just be an empty box at that point - a true hard-sided tent.

Here are a few shots and a gif of how the back wall opens from the closed position:

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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby Postal_Dave » Mon Jun 07, 2021 12:33 am

As someone that has built a folding camper before, and is planing on building another one soon, I have to say that the front wall connection to the roof is genius. :applause:
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Mon Jun 07, 2021 5:35 pm

Thanks, Postal Dave.

With the straps (which I made out of heavy duty webbing) I was imitating the metal connecting strips on some casita/esterel/etc. campers (and pointed out by Oleg). My tolerances are not nearly so precise as to be able to get away with an inflexible metal strip, so I used the webbing with some slack built in. I may add some grommets and threaded inserts so that I can take the slack out when the cabin is up.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby OP827 » Mon Jun 07, 2021 6:13 pm

That motion picture with lifting roof is Super Cool! Great work! :applause:

You can still use hard strap, but cut a sliding long slot in it at the wall point attachment to compensate for tolerances.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:02 am

Thanks Oleg -

I thought about that, but felt like it would be a bit of a process to get the slot sorted out properly, etc. Perhaps it would have been easier than I thought. Maybe I'll replace the webbed straps at some point in the future, once everything is pretty operational. Glad you guys enjoyed the animated gif. Took a few minutes to get the file size low enough to post here.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Tue Jun 08, 2021 9:34 pm

Installed the flashing and pipe boot...next up is the fan-tastic fan.

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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby OP827 » Wed Jun 09, 2021 6:57 pm

Are you changing from a diesel heater to a wood stove or will have both?
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Wed Jun 09, 2021 11:13 pm

Hi Oleg -

I'm going to have a wood stove and a diesel heater. I was going to just have a wood stove originally, but decided to add the diesel heater so I can keep water from freezing inside while we're out skiing if it's really cold. Belt and suspenders, probably, but oh well. Also, the wood stove will be removed for summer camping (most likely), so it'll be nice to have a heating option if it gets chilly.

Put in the roof vent/fan today, though I didn't connect the wires yet. Doors up next, then it's out of the garage!

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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:29 pm

Put in the lower door today:

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Went relatively smoothly with a piano hinge. The lower door closes by means of a sliding barrel bolt on the inside. The opening/closing procedure is pretty much identical to this (this should give an idea of why there is no external lock needed on the lower door:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuK47--luPY

On another note, I'll need to redo the braces that hold the gas struts to the front and back walls, as the pressure is pulling out/shearing some of the screws holding them to the wall. I'm going to
1) shorten the metal braces as they are about 2 inches longer than need be - this will reduce some of the leverage that comes to bear on those screws;
2) Use heavier duty hardware to affix the braces to the walls.
3) Add a diagonal strip of metal that connects the braces near their tips to the wall near the base to provide counter leverage and another contact point.
4) Possibly swap out the struts for some slightly less powerful ones.
For those building something like this, I'd recommend using heavier duty wood than 1X material for the side framing of walls where you'll be likely to use struts.

Annoying, but whatever. I know the system works fine - I just need to stabilize it and fine tune.

I put it up quickly and easily the other day and hooked up the wiring for the fan, which runs fine, and then folded it up smoothly, so that was pretty exciting.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby OP827 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 8:27 pm

TinkerTailor wrote:Put in the lower door today:
... I'm going to
1) shorten the metal braces as they are about 2 inches longer than need be - this will reduce some of the leverage that comes to bear on those screws;
2) Use heavier duty hardware to affix the braces to the walls.
3) Add a diagonal strip of metal that connects the braces near their tips to the wall near the base to provide counter leverage and another contact point.
4) Possibly swap out the struts for some slightly less powerful ones.
For those building something like this, I'd recommend using heavier duty wood than 1X material for the side framing of walls where you'll be likely to use struts.

Annoying, but whatever. I know the system works fine - I just need to stabilize it and fine tune.

I put it up quickly and easily the other day and hooked up the wiring for the fan, which runs fine, and then folded it up smoothly, so that was pretty exciting.


+1 on item 3) and using hardwood to attach to gas struts. Adding diagonal brace should significantly reduce stress on the current brace to wall connection. Also if you add a thin metal weather strip under the braces to cover folding wall seams they should also help to reinforce the connection, just thinking.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby Terra6 » Tue Jun 15, 2021 7:10 pm

Admire the engineering for the flip up top.
Nice and better aerodynamics going down the road.
Enjoy watching and seeing the progress.
:thumbsup:
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Tue Jun 15, 2021 11:16 pm

Thanks everyone -

Shortened the strut braces, put in the diagonal support straps, and re-installed with heavier duty hardware on the front wall today. Haven't tried lower powered struts yet, but it looks and feels more solid and distributed. I'll try and get to the back wall and to finish the door soon and will post some more photos.
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby TinkerTailor » Fri Jun 18, 2021 9:33 am

Finished the modifications on the strut braces on the back wall as well. Also installed birch plywood strips that cover the small gap between front/back and side walls.

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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby IrrationalExhuberous » Fri Jun 18, 2021 11:33 am

This looks great, and gives me hope a beanpole like me could build a standy foamie for ski trips.

What are you doing to seal the air gaps?
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Re: Folding Foamie Camper a la Casita or Esterel in the Work

Postby OP827 » Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:25 pm

TinkerTailor wrote:Finished the modifications on the strut braces on the back wall as well. Also installed birch plywood strips that cover the small gap between front/back and side walls.

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Looks good :thumbsup: . I thought that a triangular brace would be optimal in this spot.
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