Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[GPW]

Ned , we love those onboard cameras .... really a bird’s eye view... and those cameras are no bigger than the keychain thingie' you use to open the car door ... (keychain cameras) ... and they are dirt cheap ...
The Foamie' plane guys do make all kinds of planes with all kinds of shapes ... We could certainly take a leaf out of their book and be a little more adventuresome with trailer designs ... After all , if they can do it , then we can do it Larger... and ours don’t have to Fly ...

[Ned B]

i watched the one young guy experiment with the foam, and then on to build the 'geekstar', not to sound like a youtube snob, but i found his videos a bit hard to watch. I liked what he was doing, but there was just something about his approach that irked me.

[GPW]

Ned , it’s the younger generation .... not like us ... yet to re-discover all the stuff we’ve been telling them for years . Yet to develop the skills to build anything. But they are really good at gaming and texting, social media ... There goes the society !.... But didn’t Plato say the same thing .... ??? ... or was that Orwell ?

[Ned B]

gpw, I 'like' the so-called 'Maker' mentality, but there are plenty of folks who are eager to learn and do the research, and don't try and recreate the wheel. I'm sure he has a following however. Seems like a nice guy, just a tad reckless about practical matters.

[GPW]

Ned, my parents always told me , “one day you’ll know how we feel “ ... well , today’s the day ...


FWIW.... I’m still Amazed how well the Foamie trailer thing has worked out for everybody (and myself /with FS) ... The only downside I could find is they’re so darn “addictive" , and we always want (possessed) to keep building another one ... The trailer for Foamie’ #3 is still waiting patiently in my backyard. It calls to me ... “build a new Foamie’ ... build a new Foamie’ “

[Shar]

The next one will be even better, right???

[KCStudly]

Funny how once we get wrapped up in these things it becomes almost automatic that we start thinking about the next one, or what we might do differently.

My big thing has been that I would want to do a much simpler build style, and probably a standy or slouchie with a simple chamfered front profile and rear entry. Lately I have started musing about curving the front and making it a trolley top to get the head room yet keep part of the roof line lower for less drag.

Simple, not.

[Ned B]

Funny how once we get wrapped up in these things it becomes almost automatic that we start thinking about the next one, or what we might do differently.

My big thing has been that I would want to do a much simpler build style, and probably a standy or slouchie with a simple chamfered front profile and rear entry. Lately I have started musing about curving the front and making it a trolley top to get the head room yet keep part of the roof line lower for less drag.

Simple, not.

cool, something to read after the PCE thread is 'finished', ought to keep us occupied for another year or two...

[GPW]

It seems sometimes it’s easier to make a Big Box (accurately) , and just add and take away from that...

Other testing of a similar nature ... I have a “steel” door that’s on my Studio that has been exposed to a lot of wet weather and has started to fail. In between the two steel skins is some Foam and narrow wood strips on sides , top and bottom ( sorta’ like a trailer huh ? ) ... In 15 years , the bottom wood has rotted away , and the top partially , the sides have faired better , the foam is probably like the day it was put in , it felt and looked good ... not stained or “dirty” as I could see , not crumbly at all ... So , using Foamie' technology, we’re going to treat the surviving wood with the mix , and replace top and bottom strips (treated too) ... then seal the skins , give it a paint job and see how that works ... A few scraps of wood and an afternoon’s leisurely work , saves a few bucks rather than buying a new door , and one that hasn’t received the Foamie’ treatment” ... Just another Thrifty Alternative... inspired by Foamie’ Camper trailer building ...

[Mary C]

Yea Ned, if KC starts another one and GPW starts one we will have another year to check in hear and maybe we will get lots of new ideas. He, He,

Mary C.

[GPW]

Mary, I guess like you and everyone else , we're just ready for this winter to be over with so we can go outside and do some trailer work ... I'm getting trailer withdrawals ... Projects are waiting... weather says , "not yet" ...

[Mary C]

I have a secrete. Just wait , everyone will be surprized. I deserve to have something going good for once. if I can find the picture resizer program it will get done soon. you might not like the suspenders but I got what I got. I have been working so hard on the little grit. My brother has a 30x30 fully loaded work shop. so I have been taking advantage. I really want you to see it in person and I hope soon.

Mary C.

[ElmerCamps]

We just purchased a 19ft 1978 nomad travel trailer identical to the one at this link www.thetruckstop.us/forum/threads/1978- ... ain.23717/

I noticed the same water damage in our trailer so I started researching on how to make this rig waterproof while at the same time adding insulation and being thrifty and my search brought me here  When im out camping or hunting i want to enjoy the time and not be worrying about leaks. After seeing foamy builds skinned with canvas and paint we figured this is the way we would like to go. I am thinking pull all aluminum off and fix the water damage then put 4`x8`x1" sheets of rigid foamboard insulation over the 2x2 framing and skinning with canvas, burlap or bedsheets. Cheapest way possible. Any and all help would be much appreciated.

PS I love the teardrop foamies.

[Wobbly Wheels]

Mary, you can't drop a post like that and expect us to wait for the big reveal. I agree you're definitely due for a win, but....
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's eagerly awaiting the follow up

Welcome Elmer, good to see another BC'er on the board. I'm on the coast where it's sunny and and warm: hang in there bro !!
Your plan sounds, well...sound. Personally I've found that the coarse-thread drywall screws (meant for wood rather than steel studs) hold foam really well. They will rust out though so they need to be sealed in. If you go back and read the whole thread (that's like trying to eat an elephant, I know) that has been kicked around.

The first and biggest thing I'd suggest is to ditch the 2X framing idea. IMNSHO it's more weight and no benefit.
On my next one, I'll get A or B grade 2X4 and rip it to 1X2 and use that for framing. If you buy 1X2 at the local yard it will have been cut from the skins left over after cutting out the 2X4. To call it #2 1X2, all it needs is one true face and one true corner which is not enough for what we're doing.

FWIW, I'm using 1.5" thick foam insulated walls since my 'haunts' include X/C skiing and spring fishing around 100 Mile, willy's puddle, etc. I'm looking to be able to pre-heat the thing with a propane lantern at dinner so it's warm at bedtime.
In my 40-odd years, I've never found a greater pleasure than climbing into a real bed after a day in the bush.

OK.....besides nailing a 10lb steelhead on a 4wt flyrod on the Coldwater...

At the risk of going political (not my intent in any way), I can see why lodges are such a moneymaker - too bad they're getting such a big share of the allowable hunt next year
It's great for all of our southern friends and cousins but for many of us it's meat taken out of our freezer for folks who won't eat it.

[Mary C]

I have downloaded 2 downsize programs already and I cant seem to get either of them to work my son is looking for a very very very very simple drag and drop program for me. someone on the forum gave me the old program, was on sto;em computer and I spent about 40 hours reading everyone of my post looking for it but no, I think it must have been on one of the threads that got erased at sometime. any how ...............I will find one but I can't down load pics anyway right now I don't have my cord with meI'm under 5 inches of snow at my brothers ranch right now and cant go any where I was suppose to leave Tomorrow.I can't go yet I still have a few things I want to get done............

Mary C.