FoamStream...

[Wobbly Wheels]

For some reason the "paint thinner" is ~$4 a gal. (ingredients marked on the label as 100% Mineral spirits) ... The container marked "Mineral Spirits" is $9 a gal ...

I always thought that's because 'paint thinner' is recycled and 'mineral spirits' is virgin.

FWIW, I beach comb for arbutus because it's illegal to harvest so I have to dry it myself. I started soaking the ends in a can of 'the mix' so they don't check while drying. A million and one (now two...) uses.

[Wolffarmer]

Doc,
What's the percentage of varnish to paint thinner ?

50/50 I would put on a couple of coats of that, then maybe go to a more varnish mix. depends on what it looks like it is doing. If it is still soaking in real good keep with the 50/50.

but that is just me.

[Ned B]

Doc,
What's the percentage of varnish to paint thinner ?

way back on page 1 of the Big foamie thread...GPW shared the mix: 75% thinner 25% poly.

[KCStudly]

The exact ratio isn't that important. The first couple of thinned coats will sink in better, but will apply less varnish, wasting more solvent. After that, IMO, the wood is sealed enough that you won't really get any deeper and it is time to back off on the solvents. So maybe 2 coats of 50/50, followed by a coat of 25/75, then full strength.

To be honest, the few times I tried the thinned stuff it just took more work than using straight varnish. In fact, I have been using and prefer the "high build" stuff. (Then again, my build hasn't seen any weather yet. )

On TPCE so much of my wood will be buried under glue, foam and painted canvas, that I haven't worried about sealing every last nook and cranny, though that stage is coming up. Besides, you will get a better glue bond with raw wood, so you don't necessarily want to soak everything prior to assembly. Again, my opinion.

[GPW]

I’ve only used the 75% 25% poly all along , first on cardboard years ago as Chuck Felton told... then later on wood that would be exposed to the weather... The first couple coats would sink in like water , seemed to be doing nothing but wetting the wood , but subsequent coats sealed everything ... It takes a few coats and a bit of patience at first ... We’ve never had wood rot that was treated as such , and that’s here in the swamp ...
..and yes KC’s correct , raw wood is better for gluing up with wood glue , but seems to make little difference with the cartridge construction adhesives we tried ... besides the outer skin holds it all together anyway ....

Alas the mix cannot do everything .... Although we thoroughly coated the roof of our plywood teardrop trailer with the mix , water didn’t soak in , but the mix could not stop the formation of tension cracks forming in the bent plywood roof ... that was a job for the canvas skin , although we didn’t know that at the time ...

[Wolffarmer]

Lesson learned. Bend plywood then slap some more mix on it

[GPW]

Did that actually ...even refinished the top , still didn’t stop it ... If I’d only put fabric on the roof , it would still be good (and in the driveway ) ... But it would have been nowhere as Light and roomy (or insulated) as the FoamStream ... so it all worked out for the “greater good” ... and now we have Foamies ... Things happen for a reason .... most of the time ...

[tac422]

http://www.elkinsdiy.com/mobile-shelter ... ke-camper/


Looks familiar for some reason....

[GPW]

WOW!!! That’s so COOL !!! Thanks Tac!!! Fairly simple and clean front end too ... no carving ... Brilliant ... should be easily adaptable to foamie’ construction methods ...

Ps. looks like a “horse trailer “ .... just like the FS ... Seriously, my rural neighborhood is full of horse trailers that also look very familiar for some reason .. Makes me wonder where I got that idea in the first place ...? Was it passing by and seeing them every day for 10 years ? Schmaybe’ ???
No matter what we call them this shape tows Nicely !!! Especially at the light weights of Foamies ...

[GPW]

We’ve had the FS in a nose down position (not so much) in the driveway to ensure that front end would stay dry ... Mainly so we could go in and do repairs .... and that has worked to keep water out unlike the bit we had seep in before... and rotting that little bit of exposed canvas ... ( No Bueno! )

Got the “fix" all figured out ... we’re simply going to fill in all the kerfs along the bottom with spray foam (Great stuff) which will make that area all solid foam and impervious to water entry , no matter the state of the canvas outside ... and as a “while we’re here “ measure , we’ll probably add foam to all the kerfing too ... increasing the strength in the nose .... not that it needs it but since we have a can in our hands , why not .... foam is still the lightest part of the trailer , even spray foam ... More strength and solidity is "more Good" eh !!! ...

Cross my fingers , tomorrow may be warm enough to try this ... 

[GPW]

Update : Looks like the weather is finally going to warm up (and Not rain) for a few days ... allowing me to add the spray foam (Great Stuff-red can) and fix the bottom fabric... and while planning that , I think we’re going to repair the fabric area with Fiberglass tape ... We have some left over, and it will ensure never having any water problems in this area in the future... Likely glued down with the Gripper , since it’s on an already painted surface... Just planning ahead so we don’t have to do this ever again.

[GPW]

So much for the Weather ... Now 36F , light rain, wind gusting to 35mph.... Not a nice day to work on the FS.... or do much else ... not even Mardi Gras ...

[wagondude]

Snowing here. I need to go pick up my annual can of coffee and chicory.

[GPW]

BRRRRRRR!!!!! Snow !!! Don’t take me wrong , it’s beautiful to Paint pictures of , but not Fun (for me) to be out in ...

Bill, we’re having a cup of “Cafe du Monde” (CDM) C&C at the moment ... Mmmmmm ... Good !!! Warming !!! That on top of the bowl of oatmeal we had for second breakfast ...

[wagondude]

They managed to get the local parade in between snow showers.