Boat Trailer + Truck Cap = Boondock Bed

[Joel.brian]

Looks way better than I imagined


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[ferbal]

Looks way better than I imagined

That makes two of us.

[Ottsville]

That’s awesome Tony. I’m pretty handy so I’d love to learn down the road.

Check your local community college - they often have night classes that will give you a solid intro to welding plus you get to work on your own project usually.

[Ottsville]

I'm thinking aircraft Dacron for the upper part of the nose!

I keep thinking of a build with felt stretched over a frame, then coated with epoxy the way guys make custom speaker boxes.

[John61CT]

See coated canvas boat-building techniques.

Or PMF foamies right here

[Ottsville]

See coated canvas boat-building techniques.

Or PMF foamies right here

This is what I was thinking: https://hackaday.com/2017/08/01/how-to-do-beautiful-enclosures-with-custom-fiberglass/ It's more of a skin-on-frame than skin-on-[subsurface] (like PMF foamies). It would allow for making some really "out there" shapes and contours.

[ferbal]

I towed my half built Arts and Craft camper to Home Depot to get more supplies today. Yes, coroplast, zip ties, and gorilla tape hold up at 50mph. It pulled like nothing was there with my four banger Rav 4 I. Granted that I still have to finish paneling it and add some insulation, but most of my weight is already there with the floor, camper top, and frame.

One pleasant observation from todays tow was that I moved my axle back a bit to get the holy 60/40 balance. The thing towed way nicer than it did last fall as my utility trailer when I had more of a 50/50 balance.

As I get closer to finishing the outer shell of my build I am considering interior panel options. Anybody use that cheap interior faux wood paneling for their interior? It like $10 bucks for a 4x8 sheet, sure its only an 1/8 inch thick if I am lucky, but I just need to cover the insulation. I also stumbled across some sort of 4x8 plastic "thrifty panel" it would cost me $2 more than the faux wood paneling and it seemed quite flimsy and a bit uglier but it would be more resistant water. Any thoughts or experience with either?

[Joel.brian]

I towed my half built Arts and Craft camper to Home Depot to get more supplies today. Yes, coroplast, zip ties, and gorilla tape hold up at 50mph. It pulled like nothing was there with my four banger Rav 4 I. Granted that I still have to finish paneling it and add some insulation, but most of my weight is already there with the floor, camper top, and frame.

One pleasant observation from todays tow was that I moved my axle back a bit to get the holy 60/40 balance. The thing towed way nicer than it did last fall as my utility trailer when I had more of a 50/50 balance.

As I get closer to finishing the outer shell of my build I am considering interior panel options. Anybody use that cheap interior faux wood paneling for their interior? It like $10 bucks for a 4x8 sheet, sure its only an 1/8 inch thick if I am lucky, but I just need to cover the insulation. I also stumbled across some sort of 4x8 plastic "thrifty panel" it would cost me $2 more than the faux wood paneling and it seemed quite flimsy and a bit uglier but it would be more resistant water. Any thoughts or experience with either?

I just picked up a sheet of that to use as the backing for a possible kitchen backsplash. I think it would work fine on the walls, just don’t crush it down into your frame or the screw might go right through it.


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[John61CT]

See coated canvas boat-building techniques.

Or PMF foamies right here

This is what I was thinking: https://hackaday.com/2017/08/01/how-to-do-beautiful-enclosures-with-custom-fiberglass/ It's more of a skin-on-frame than skin-on-[subsurface] (like PMF foamies). It would allow for making some really "out there" shapes and contours.

There are techniques for getting any shapes from thick foam panels too, cutting shaped arches, carving curves.

Or bending thin panels with heat to shape, end up with rigid structures, glue is crazy strong then skinned with canvas.

I will always want good insulation, so I figure if that **is** the wall, rather than adding it, makes for a sturdier, cleaner easier to maintain result.

[nay nay]

See coated canvas boat-building techniques.

Or PMF foamies right here

This is what I was thinking: https://hackaday.com/2017/08/01/how-to-do-beautiful-enclosures-with-custom-fiberglass/ It's more of a skin-on-frame than skin-on-[subsurface] (like PMF foamies). It would allow for making some really "out there" shapes and contours.

This really could be fun.


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[ferbal]

All the exterior panels are in place and zip tied. I ran out of tape so I will have to finish taping the seams tommorrow. I also have the door installed, the concept seems sound, but the seal integrity remains to be seen when my door handles get here Friday I will be sure to update. My solar panel came in and I doubled the weight of the trailer with the addition of the battery.

Solar Panel question...to tilt or not to tilt?

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[Joel.brian]

Looks pretty sweet! I didn’t bother tilting my panel.


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[ferbal]

I got the door put on, used a couple of t-handle shed latches for door handles I went with two to ensure a good seal. I have to add a seal strip to the top still as I have a small gap from the contour of the fame. I also mounted the solar panel used some 3m VHB double sided tape to hold it down then gorilla taped the sides because I love gorilla tape and it made me feel better. I also applied some paint to see if it would hold up on the coroplast and tape, it did. So the paint scheme will be bright yellow and black stripes and it shall be called "The Bumbling B".

I even took it for a road test to see if zip ties and tape can handle 60 mph. It did. Now I have to tackle the interior.

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[Joel.brian]

Nice!


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[ferbal]

My better judgement prevailed and I abandon the yellow paint job in favor of metallic aluminum. From 15 feet away or going by at 15mph it looks like a legit camper. I used 7/32 under layment for interior panels then I spent a week building some convoluted bench/bed thing that I ended up scraping because Dick's had a great deal on a nice air mattress. I picked up a couple of low voltage landscape lighting fixtures for my interior lighting. I think it is a usable camper.

I still have some minor stuff to finish up but the maiden voyage is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

The Silver Bullet

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The interior

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