Mini hopper build

[GPW]

..... and , just studying your picture it all appears to be nice clean breaks except that right front shear break ...The glue to foam joint usually fails before the foam panel itself ,the glue stronger than the foam , so the foam next to the glue lets loose. So it should be an easy matter to just re-glue the pieces ... 20 min with a hot glue gun ... but don’t use that , if only for temporary holding spots . With an extra set of hands , shouldn’t take an hour to stick it all back together !!! Think of it as a big Puzzle ... put some nice music on , have a , and begin . Have some Fun with putting it back together ...

[bonnie]

really hating comments like:
this is god saying build teardrop out of wood

some people are so close minded

Nah. Wood dies too. I was so tempted to tell that poster to buzz off.

Once dry and set, your foam creation will work just fine. I traveled through constant rain on the way back from New Orleans and nothing got wet or out of sorts.

Glen's right. Most of the pieces should be reuable. Puzzle time!

[KCStudly]

Sorry to see that you have been set back a bit, but GPW has the right attitude. Hunker down take a little time to analyze the best approach and get tucked in putting it back together. Before you know it you will be moving forward again!

I'm curious. Do you think your canopy collected water allowing the weight to settle on the roof of the camper (instead of running off) and it was the weight that collapsed it (that's what it looks like to me)? If so, that could have been several hundred pounds of water sitting on top.

I can't imagine that any traditional stick frame builders would expect their unskinned 1x2 roofs to survive that kind of load draped on top.

Or do you think it was wind?

Po-tae-toe, po-tah-toe. It's just bad luck, not divine intervention.

[JThompson]

Went to the orange box store.. picked up another sheet of 2 inch ( needed alittle more anyway)..and a few sheets of what I call lauan, and they call floor sheathing. Some of that stuff is prettier then oak ply.

Came home and took a hard look at the mass of broken pieces. Alot of the roof pieces is going to be able to be jigsawed back into one sheet. The wall break where it sheered off also encompassed the door. Decided I just dont trust the sheered off edge so.. Cut it down and straight, cut a notch in the wall behind the door to make a ledge and inserted a new piece of foam, from nose to door.

Got the roof spars that I had been waiting to install, in place. And I decided to just give the roof alittle more oomph, as well as give myself a nice pretty ceiling by using the sheathing under the foam for the roof. Its stronger, still fairly light and with all the seams staggered ( crooked, jigsawed and skewed). Its Pretty wood too. might just have to leave it visable with some varnish.

Got most the front bulk head in.. shelf top is big enough to hold the DVD tv radio thing, the doxies bed and has 3 storage compartments below.. that I discovered are REALLY water tight.. they had 6 inches of water in them. had to punch a hole to let it all out. ignore the construction mess

On wards and up wards.. tomorrow the foam goes ontop of the wooden roof.. and I begin sanding again..

[KCStudly]

There you go, just like that! All better.

[Mary C]

OK, so the weather got in your way, I can come over friday and be there about 5 or so and and we can have a build party all weekend. Remember the wet rainy days we had last summer well I found out that the glue between the joints doesn't have to be dry when you cover it with canvas and even in the GA sun it will dry so quickly, You will be surprised. Get everything ready and we can have this puppy ready for the road very quickly. I will bring my Grits so you can check it out and maybe you can help me with some suggestions. Say the word and I will get mine packed and ready to go. Verna had a build party and those guys that helped her had never built a foamie. I need to know soon................. You can get it together just glue.....and glue.

Mary C.

[GPW]

[bonnie]

Canvas soon.

[GPW]

Just a suggestion FWIW !!! Seeing that plywood INSIDE means there’s Much less chance of having any future ROT problems... but for added “Insurance” I’d be Sure to add canvas "reinforcing strips” over all those roof seams ... doubling the thickness and further lessening the chance of any future leaking ... and subsequent rot or de-lamination ...

[JThompson]

already in the plan GPW. I cut up two sheets into 6 inch wide strips to use over the seams and over edges. I have a roll of steel and paper edge molding for drywall. Putting it over the edges to help re inforce them on the outside. The fabric and glue seems to help hold them in place too. Found a dry wall rasp works nice for sanding the great stuff and GG off the outside where its gotten out of hand.

[GPW]

JT, we used the Universal Foamie' Tool ( a serrated kitchen knife ) to cut away GG and GS excess... One thing to beware of is GS keeps growing ... After I trimmed mine , the next day it was bulging out again , not flush ... Could have been the Heat here..

[JThompson]

not much hotter there then here in Georgia-lina.. and yeah that stuff keeps growing for a week or more. I swear I have it trimmed flush and come out to find it bulging again unless I cover the trimmed seam with painter tape. My knife collection keeps growing. Got Bread knives, serrated kitchen knives in three sizes, a filet knife.. rasps. the things we learn

[GPW]

Electric carving knife comes in Handy too ... cuts foam and foam rubber too ... And may I put in a Thrifty Alternative...Instead of raiding the Kitchen knives, a quick trip to most any thrift store will provide a handful of foamie working tools ... really CHEAP!!! I’ve been checking there lately when I go to hunt for cool bowling shirts (Cheap) , although I don’t Bowl , but they look Cool with the band ( costume dept. )

[JThompson]

So far. all the knives have come from Dollar Tree for a buck each.. thats cheep enough.

found a really cheep window, I'm going to pick up tomorrow. Local appliance recycling and sales place has 4 of the half moon front loading washer windows for me. Nice thick acrylic, with gaskets, He wants $5 each for a 16 inch wide 8 inch tall window, round windows on a angular camper. should be neat

[GPW]

Great find on those windows ... that should look COOL !!