Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[Jack B.]

Just reading the ads in the paper and came across the Dutch Boy Maxbond acrylic laytex exterior no prime formula paint. Wonder how that would compare to the Gripper stuff. And then there's the Zinsser Bulls Eye 1*2*3 interior/exterior primer that "sticks to all surfaces" without sanding. Never tried it for sticking stuff down but have used it often as just a primer and always had good results.

Spring in MN. We got sleet and thunder storms last night. And now by tomorrow evening we're to see a potential 6"-12" of snow on top of the ice that's forming right now. GP - clear out the spare room. I'm on my way. Well, I would be if I could get out of the driveway in one piece.

Jack

[pchast]

deleted
sorry.

[GPW]

79.9F here and it’s nighttime ...

[eaglesdare]

We are running the A/C already. Over 80 the last 2 days.

[GPW]

Eagle , looks like summer might be a Scorcher ... Glad we’re all so “insulated “

[GPW]

Just a report from our Canadian Foamling RC plane builders... In Canada , the Gripper has been replaced by the CIL brand , and re-formulated “for better coverage on certain materials “ , and it doesn’t stick as well or dry as completely inside like the Gripper does ... (Likely a move to make the product cheaper , resulting in more Profit for CIL ) Beware of imitations ...

[eaglesdare]

Just unwrapped the foamie to get ready for our first trip. Well it became the home to rodents! At least one anyway, which is still in there. It chewed thru the foam, and my memory foam mattress! And the mess this nasty thing left is aweful, and it stinks! So its out in the sun drying out, everything has been removed. Hubby is trying to fix the passenger side door for me and I am looking for my paint and gg. I am going to use the gg on the holes the little sucker made.
I haven't really looked too hard yet at the mattress, I just hope it not as bad as I first saw. I want to beable to salvage that.

Off now to find my stuff.

[GPW]

Must have been the Mouse doors that encouraged them ... like advertising .... Nothing that can’t be cleaned up eh !!!

[Wobbly Wheels]

Louella, it looks like you've got your work cut out for you - the little buggers are unstoppable. I had squirrels stashing seeds in the basement in the 'parts pile' for the trailer. I'll take squirrels any day over mice though because they're much more considerate tenants. Hopefully your mattress survived - foam ain't cheap.

In Canada , the Gripper has been replaced by the CIL brand , and re-formulated “for better coverage on certain materials “ , and it doesn’t stick as well or dry as completely inside like the Gripper does ...

Interesting...I called the Glidden store for BC about a week ago and that was one of the specific questions I asked, and the fella hadn't heard anything to that effect. They have reformulated a bunch of their paints but that's to comply with new zero-VOC laws, which don't apply to Gripper.

Sounds like it's time for some testing...

In other news, the roof paint on the canvas has dried and tightened up the skin. I had already hit it with water a few times to shrink it, but now it's almost like a drum skin. I should have vacuumed the lint off it first - fortunately it's just a tester. Today I'll check and see if it holds water: reminds me of that infomercial where they mount a screen door in the bottom of a tin boat...

[eaglesdare]

I filled the holes with gg and foam pieces. But the mattress is history. There is no way I will ever use this thing. It must have been a mother mouse, and she chewed all over that foam and well it had 2 babies in there. One is still alive, and other must have been dinner for the survivor. Totally gross!!!! And that stench will never come out. So its to the dump for that.

On my way to the store now to replace some things.

I do not want any squirrels or mice or any of them again. I think I will leave bleach around it from now on. This is a shame really.

Hubby did make a new door, not perfect but it will work. Now he is out there painting some stuff to make it look better. He said he would hook me up.

[eaglesdare]

I went to the store to get a new mattress and some other things, since I trashed EVERYTHING that was in the trailer. And as I said I left with the hubby saying he would hook me up and paint for me. So when I got back from shopping, I see the trailer has been moved, (like sitting in the sun to dry). So I take a peek to see what a nice job hubby did.
I had to get in the house and make sure hubby was not dead from the acid trip he must have been on with that paint job! Its a few different colors and then there is spray paint green splattered over the base paint. It looks pyscho delic (sp). And it looks terrible!

[GPW]

Hubby was just being “creative” ...Remember , Art is all just an Opinion ... He ‘hooked you up “ eh ... Good intentions , just different aesthetic views ...

W2 , that was in Ontario... CIL bought the Glidden store ... or so it was told to me ...

[eaglesdare]

He says he will repaint tomorrow, since he knows I hate it. but not sure I want him to do that. I might have to see what other colors of paint I have around here and do it myself.
I am afraid to put the new mattress out in it now. I would hate for a rodent to get back in there before this trip.

I do think I am going to try for a slightly raised bed. one of those that slides back and forth, so you can sit in a couch like position, then slides down to a bed. The raised part would give me much needed storage room for things like the chairs or the ez-up. oh and that would be a good place to put the shoes also.

And wouldn't you know it, rain is in our forecast for this first trip.

[GPW]

Eagle , the thing is to find out where a schmousey’ could possibly get in ... and fix that ... Mine is sealed so tight an ant couldn’t get in ..and hasn’t !

Paint ... Give Hubby the can of paint you want used and have him use that only ... use your splendid “director’s “ skill ...

Rain ... it’s April huh ? April Showers... so predictable , they wrote a song about it ... No worries huh ? You have much experience “wet camping” ...
Speaking of WET , we just had a nasty patch pass over here... my yard is a lake ...

Ps.. I keep my gear inside the house till we’re ready to use it ... Our Bugout' kit , updated every June 1 ...

[eaglesdare]

I wished I could carry that mattress to the house and back to camper when needed, but gosh, they are heavy and big. Once expanded in the camper they are hard to get out, hubby has to do that for me. But I will not leave it in the camper over winter this time. Lesson learned. I would not doubt that little bugger got in from that passenger side door, way too much gap and warping hence why hubby built new door. And speaking of that, its not the door that is warped really, it must be the shell itself that is either warped or was not built straight in the first place. The new door has the same problem in the same exact place. So hubby made a wood piece that flips around and keeps that part of the door in the frame. I know it doesn't make sense the way I am describing. I will probably get some pics of it this week while camping. There is no window cut outs in the door yet. That is ok so far though as I have one window and across the back on top of the patch work 1/2 wall he put a screen up. So I can keep my hatch up now without bugs coming in. I eventually will get some Velcro and cut a shower see thru curtain to put up, but this will do for now.

Busy day today, so must get going. Have a great sunday all