BEULA - a foam Winter Warrior with aero front

[cpowell243]

OP287,
I think I will be fine with the dinette. Gary and I have mapped this out - Gary using sketchup - we will have to crouch slightly to get into the seated position but will have plenty of head room in the seated position. - helps that I'm 5'7" and my wife is 5'5" - first time that has been an advantage.
Your 2nd comment re: stability is a major concern. My plan is to attach a curved sheet of ply maybe 2" wide around the interior of the hatch and glued my spars to the top of the piece - will add gussets if needed, but this would require the hatch to rise up above the box a little higher, thus raising the entire profile.
I'm also planning to use 1 1/2" X 2" frame that will sit between the polystyrene wall pieces at the hinge point. These vertical frame pieces will be attached to the spar the hinges the hatch with metal angle brackets. Sound any better???

[cpowell243]

A view of the first layer of my form looking from the bottom up.
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Now started adding the 2nd layer to the inside of the first layer. 3" X 3" plywood pieces were used to hold in place while gluing. These will stay put as they will be used to hold exterior aluminum diamond plate in place. Diamond plate will only cover bottom half of the nose and will be attached to the plywood pieces and the toe plate at the bottom of the nose.

Forgot to mention that also added a piece of 2" polystyrene to the middle to provide additional reinforcement to the weaker styrofoam at the center (the pink piece). This piece will later be used to create and interior storage cabinet.

[cpowell243]

Two more horizontal reinforcement pieces added. Also shows my use of strap to hold pieces in place while the Great Stuff dries. Gluing an ugly business but everything seems to be holding so far. Curious to see what this weighs when all of the temporary frame pieces are removed.

Now that the form is complete it's time to add the polystyrene. I used 1/4" fan-fold since very easily bent to the shape of the nose. Plan is to use 3 layers.

[cpowell243]

Sorry - meant to add this one.
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A slow process but eventually had 1st layer in place. Had to use relief cuts in the poly at several points follow the curve of the form.

[cpowell243]

Starting the 2nd layer.
[img][/img]

Making progress.
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Here's how I cut the pieces to fit the curve. Will be counting on the vinyl spackle to fill gaps, etc.

[cpowell243]

Another view of the relief cuts. I placed each piece on the curve and made cuts until it laid flat on the surface. This would've made the longest youtube video on record.


Contnuing with the 2nd layer.


And eventually got here.
[img][/img]

[cpowell243]

Now that nose is completed I have removed the wood form pieces. Weighs 35 lbs. Next I build the floor, which had to wait until my custom-built trailer was ready. Should arrive this week. Thinking of attaching the walls to the floor using arrangement in the photo below. Am thinking of attaching the 2" thick wall pieces to the floor by gluing hard points to the outside of the poly and bolting through the poly and 1/8" melamine that rises up from the floor on the interior.


Since I haven't to worked with canvas/glue skin, I am uncertain as to how much protection it provides to the edge of the plywood floor pieces. Is this a concern or can I dispense with the pieces on the outside of the plywood?
Other comments/suggestions?

[OP827]

OP287,
I think I will be fine with the dinette. Gary and I have mapped this out - Gary using sketchup - we will have to crouch slightly to get into the seated position but will have plenty of head room in the seated position. - helps that I'm 5'7" and my wife is 5'5" - first time that has been an advantage.
Your 2nd comment re: stability is a major concern. My plan is to attach a curved sheet of ply maybe 2" wide around the interior of the hatch and glued my spars to the top of the piece - will add gussets if needed, but this would require the hatch to rise up above the box a little higher, thus raising the entire profile.
I'm also planning to use 1 1/2" X 2" frame that will sit between the polystyrene wall pieces at the hinge point. These vertical frame pieces will be attached to the spar the hinges the hatch with metal angle brackets. Sound any better???

Front frame may need more than metal angle backets, of course it depends how big they are. Some ply wood gussets may do better for the frame and walls rigidity. If you do some sketch of your structure, it would be great for a discussion.

[cpowell243]

Sorry about that. This is all new to me. Must have a type on the URL.
Meant to show this in my last post:

[OP827]

I feel that if the trailer aero egg shape nose wall thickness is big enough then it will be quite rigid once the both inside and ouside skins are glued. It could be ok. What are the wall thickness and reinforcements there?
You also have some high furniture at the back that will be glued to walls to hold them up.

[rowerwet]

Since I haven't to worked with canvas/glue skin, I am uncertain as to how much protection it provides to the edge of the plywood floor pieces. Is this a concern or can I dispense with the pieces on the outside of the plywood?
Other comments/suggestions?

If it is well glued to the ply it will protect it from water and rot. For best results fill the end grain of the ply with "the mix" before glueing the fabric on.

[cpowell243]

Rower -Thanks for info - was planning to use "the mix" for weatherproof underside of floor.
OP - I think you are referring to the nose-wall connection. I have fashioned 2 wood brackets that are attached to the upper corners of the nose and will be mechanically screwed to the first spar. That plus GS filling the entire gap vertically. Pics to follow.

[cpowell243]

OP,
I reread your post and now realize you are concerned about the floor support. My trailer is 74" wide so entire floor will be supported by steel (i.e., no cantilever). Trailer will also have a curved front piece that will sit below the toe plate.
Ch

[OP827]

CPowell,
Sorry for not being clear, I'll try to explain again. In my design, the free standing 4-5ft high lower walls are side supported at 40%-100% of their height and attached either to bed frame or right angled wall with horizontal shelf or kitchen cabinets along the whole side wall length. It will hopefully make them strong and rigid enough.

Due to the bed side free access, the lower shell side walls in your design are free standing ~4-5ft high on the floor/frame for the most part with back furniture and aero nose in front holding them from vertical. I was talking about the free standing walls structure strength and rigidity.
I am interested to learn some more details of your structural design, the side access to bed is a nice feature. Did you also consider some sort of bed side table for about a foot deep at front to have more side support for the free standing wall? It would not restrict the bed access, but give more structural support.

[cpowell243]

OP,
I see what you are saing about unsupported free-standing walls. If concern is lateral stability, my hope is to build a hatch that is only 3/4" thickness but has strong wall-ceiling joints. Hatch in closed position will double the wall width since it will nest on a 1" polystyrene wall. Will have a bolt/knob system to connect the two together while in transit. I plan (I think) to run a piece of 3/4" plywood on the inside of the hatch walls, 3/4" below the top of the hatch, then screw each spar to the 3/4" plywood piece using metal L brackets (in addition to the Great Stuff that will glue to spars to the foam). Seems like it would take a fair amount of force to dislodge the screws holding the brackets to the wooden spars and 3/4" plywood. Make sense? your thoughts?
Picked up my custom trailer yesterday and just started working on the floor. Woo hoo!
Th - Charlie