Big Bare Essential - Foam Build

[LostCajun]

"When in the sofa configuration.....that would leave a nice open area” That’s also what we planned with all those cushions ... A little open space is much appreciated ...

This is what is hard to buy....

the 'what' that is individually appreciated....for whatever reason...

For me....some open space is necessary 'not' desired....

But, then.....all open space....with 'nothing' built in.....with everything having to be 'worked' into place....everytime I need to use it....is not going to work for me....

My disability drives my design....or a better way to put it....in a positive light....which is how I roll....my 'abilities' drive my design.....

This is a distinction that is lost on many.....those who view everything as a 'fight' with a winner....someone better than the other....usually measured by size of muscles or miles run, lbs carried....trophies displayed.....

With a 'tool set' of declining, diminishing....value and use....in every avenue of life.....my 'abilities' are in the view of many always in the 'spotlight'.....for me there is no escaping it.....as every moment of every day.....I discover that I can do less and less....with less and less....I choose not to dwell on that....but I can't escape it.....it drives every moment of my life....

Now, it was just ten years ago.....I was like the 'many'......it was 'up, up, and away'.....forever.....and then reality bites hard....and doesn't let go....it doesn't bite everyone the same....such is life.

Since this is 'my' build thread....this is how this one rolls....

this is important.....as anything I might try has to be viewed in this light.....

it has to be measured in so many ways....will I choose to do something not for the 'value' of what it will do for me? but, for the fact that I may only be able to accomplish.....the building it and affording it a different way....and then I will need to happy and grateful for that....


So....

Design requirements revisited....remember I have to do this moment to moment....but staying with the consistent requirements:

Space: is required.....some open space....at all times....
I will need to be able to stand up....straight at least to my neck..(imagining a 90 degrees bend here... )...so my head can touch the ceiling or be slightly slouched....5' 10 1/2" (70.5")....I will need to be able to stand tall enough to change clothes comfortably...I need enough space around me to have a full body tremor....(bet many don't design anything for that?....don't need full height for that....I won't be standing for long)....grab handles everywhere....
I will need to be able to sit 'up'.....with legs outstretched and be able to sit with legs on floor and legs in up reclining position.....
I will need to be able to lay down.....and stretch....violently.....with enough padding or a little space between me and those foam walls that the walls can survive the night....

Any changeover between any of these configurations have to be able to be made very easily....with little effort( no effort would be best...but we have to be practical)

I need enough open floor space to store a mobility scooter on the floor while traveling....(while I am not confined to one....use a cane most of the time....also recently acquired a rollator......oh....the great things in store for some of you..... )......and preferably have enough space to access the potty space without restriction when making a stop while traveling and carrying the mobility scooter....

I will need a light weight (rail) ramp....to get scooter in and out of camper rear door.....so rear door has to be wide enough to accept scooter and floor space has to meet the above....or......I might consider a rear carrier outside the camper for the scooter.....

But, then all design requirements are driven by my current vehicle....and returning from the store yesterday.....a check engine light.....so first thing on the schedule today is to go and pull the codes.....

[LostCajun]

Before I head outside....

Another thought about a rear carrier for the scooter...

I had an idea early on to maybe cut the current loading ramp....to just wide enough to carry the scooter if secured in a 'horizontal' position in line with the floor of the 5x8 floor of the trailer.....

Then the ramp could be laid down....the scooter 'rolled' up sideways on the now steeply inclined ramp hanging down to the ground....then incorporate some type of assisted lift......maybe garage door springs.....already have them to try it out......

So.....now....when traveling down the road....I would have an approx 2 foot stub of the loading ramp.....secured in a horizontal position with my mobiitly scooter strapped on it....and anything else.....could be a little back porch.....and then incorporate extending the roof overhang past the side walls to cover the extended length of the 'stub' ramp porch-carrier-lift gate......how is that for out of the box?

[GPW]

Sounds cool , but maybe some rough sketches would help explain the details … That’s a lot involved for so little …
And Just sayin’ my Trailer is basically just a lot of floor space and a whole bunch of cushions and pillows … only thing we have built in is a little folding table and the mini galley … ~ 72 sq.ft. of Open Floorspace … the ribs with the holes are nice for cargo nets to hook onto for the blankets and stuff , the holes make great hand holds to steady my now 70 year old self on . Simple , LIGHT !!!

Ps. I worry about that scooter on the back business and changing the Center of Gravity … tail heavy usually tows like s***…

[LostCajun]

Sounds cool , but maybe some rough sketches would help explain the details … That’s a lot involved for so little …
And Just sayin’ my Trailer is basically just a lot of floor space and a whole bunch of cushions and pillows … only thing we have built in is a little folding table and the mini galley … ~ 72 sq.ft. of Open Floorspace … the ribs with the holes are nice for cargo nets to hook onto for the blankets and stuff , the holes make great hand holds to steady my now 70 year old self on . Simple , LIGHT !!!

Ps. I worry about that scooter on the back business and changing the Center of Gravity … tail heavy usually tows like s***…

taking a break right now....cutting the floor....forgot about the 1/2 lap on the T-111 'being' on both ends....got the first end cut off...getting ready to cut the other end off....almost got everything out of my way in my work area....its a long haul when your legs and other parts necessary will only hold you up for short periods....it does have a bonus to allow a lot for planning time....

I hear you about the reasons and understood why you built yours the way you did....and I like that for you...

for me? not so much....I hope I conveyed how my sweat and toil days are just about done....the effort to accomplish anything is very great....but....I still enjoy knocking a few things off the list...

So....everything thing that I can make easy to use....later....will allow me to use it.....for longer....and I am in the 'home' stretch.....I am not getting any second chances....I have had plenty of them.....and I am grateful that I have one last swing at bat....

I am literally gone to build a intensive care unit 'refrigerated' of course.....just like the real ones.....with the trapeze bar to raise myself out of bed.....I will have to put a couple of ribs like yours....

yeah.....I worry about the weight on the back....but....if it doesn't work....the plan is to take the ramp off anyway.....I am very easily adjusted to what doesn't work.....I just find another way.....I just don't accept....it can't.....and I understand about weight distribution.....from traveling miles in a pirogue standing up....to 70' long on the water.....and taming all kinds of fishtailing trailers....

and 70 years old....I am 63....and I don't know one 85 year old that can't run circles around me....that is what I am dealing with....I have for a few years now been dealing with most of the issues of 85 year olds.....so I must cram a lot of comfort into a little.....lot into a little.....we had a name for that and it involved a Gauchaux's Sugar bag if I remember right......

pictures and drawings coming right up.....

[LostCajun]

some puzzle building and playing with what ifs



looks like I shrunk down to 4' 9" + the tub....no kidding looks like I lost a few inches...with me being able to stand in the tub, before I put any insulation or flooring (thinking about just putting that cheap thrifty HF puzzle foam on top the plywood topped with a scrap of carpet. If I stayed with these dimensions, the top of the roof would be 7' off the ground.



tomorrow I look to make a few mockups, so that I can make some final tentative....or tentative final dimension and geometry decisions....

After I figure out where things go and where I can easily enough modify the shape from a box, I am off to the races....

Everything is just dry fit right now....I will keep on cutting this way until I get it all figured out.



old props, RV short queen and old potty.....plenty of room left in back.



this is loading ramp....I have it marked with bungees at 12"....18" ....and 24".....I am thinking about cutting it off at one of those lengths and bolt an angle across the back, and install two drop legs



we have local warehouse that has odds and ends....I found my drawer and door pulls...he has a pallet of them....and he also has a pallet of these black whatyamacallit's....looks like a desk clamp....but could double for a foam hanger, for either 1" or 2"....

I might try to mock up the sofa/bed frame tomorrow

Craig

[LostCajun]

I made some sketches of the sofa/bed and my plans for a 8 foot long gravity feed hot foam cutter....portable...not like any I have seen on the net....

I hope to get a rough prototype of the sofa/bed built later today, and hope to be cutting 8 foot cuts later today....

Windows....I believe I have these 'nailed' down....almost....at least I have them ready to nail down....since I have a handful of old jalousie windows out of an old demoed 5th wheel....I found I can add some real thrifty 'mobile home' windows from Lowes....I bought one of the small ones....I am going to see if I can test to see if I can maybe rework the weep holes to turn it into a horizontal slider....

so....windows....going old school.....might go for a mix of old school on some futuristic.....like a 50's science fiction movie....maybe jalousie windows and big bulbous nose including pitot tube that just misses touching my rear window wiper....and maybe some carrier type fold down wings, with a retractable vertical stabilizer that can double as a conning tower and periscope, while housing my Ham Radio antennas.....

I keep seeing big round fenders like on my 51' Plymouth Cambridge.....and those big rounded chrome bumpers (definitely thinking making one for the rear in foam)....maybe put the tail lights in the two vertical push bars....

yeah....time to stop dreaming and start building....

a little Civic duty and then some green dust....

[LostCajun]

I am going to make a post here and then copy it over to the trailer construction area also...

I have a 5x8 CarryOn landscape trailer with ramp from TSC....2000 lb axle, with 13" tires....I have a few questions?

(First let me preface, I am asking for some allowances, if not granted... okay....I don't do formulas anymore....I don't do extensive lookups anymore....this is not something I would have tolerated from someone else years ago....but....hey....it is what it is....I am expired anyway....I neurosych test every year.....a smart man works within his limits....NOW....if I can visualize it....I can still do it....if I get help that I can use....I might take some part of it....if its help that I can't use....use your imagination...I will...in a nice way...)

Within some limits of reality...and for me that means no welding...how long could the tongue bar be extended? Is there some way to (easy to visualize) see the effects of what some amount of extension does to the load characteristics?

Same question with overhang?

In other words....without too much math....(for me today)....in years past....this would not have been a problem.....what can I do by altering this trailer?

Let me say, that I do plan of extending the tongue tube (how long is one question) and I do plan on adding two diagonal braces to the tongue bar from the front of the box for stiffening (since I don't plan on approaching weight limits of trailers original design....am I wrong for not worrying about transferring weight from front corners of box to the attachment point of the tongue bar? ).......

I also plan on either removing the rear loading ramp.....or cutting it off at somewhere between the 1 foot to 2 foot length, then making it a lockable horizontal rear porch to carry some weight (I do plan on undercarriage skids or wheelies)....

Thoughts? Ideas?

Craig.....thanks

[LostCajun]

When I started planning the 'tub' and 'wings', loosely copying from ScottE's build I just threw some plywood up on the trailers rails...



some of the early what if's



I took one of GPW's images of a 'tub' construction for the sidewall and wings and I have this idea:



I extend the wing to overhang the inside of the tub for a min width of approx 18" for the total length of the trailer. If I continue with the try fold sofa idea...then I would possibly have a full 4 foot length from the front edge of the camper, starting with the 14" overhang, of uncut 3/4" plywood.

My next decision is how wide do I make seats/storage on both walls between the sofa configuration and the galley and W.C.....I am thinking to continue with the min 3/4" wing overhang thru the galley and W.C. This would allow me to use the wings to 'lift' the 'tub' I believe....but, no engineer here....

Looking for comments on this idea

Craig

[GPW]

Pragmatically speaking , the width of the Seat should at least exceed the Width of the Bum …

And forget posts , you’ll only trip over those , better Triangles or metal brackets transferring all that weight to the wall/floor join ...

[LostCajun]

Pragmatically speaking , the width of the Seat should at least exceed the Width of the Bum …

And forget posts , you’ll only trip over those , better Triangles or metal brackets transferring all that weight to the wall/floor join ...

on the width....some are afflicted or blessed with no '...' at all.....I was thinking ideally 24" where seating would be required..I might do 24" or whatever I go with on the W.C. side....but what I am referring to as to carrying the overhang a min amount is thru the cabinets....the critters will have to do with limited seating and I might only go that less wide width on that side to leave more standing or slouching room....that might make for a desk space....similar to your fold against the wall desk....anyway.....that whats time it is....it is play time with space.....

and yes on posts.....I don't vision any open posts to kick....the posts are going to be there to make triangles.....each post creates the beginnings of multiple triangles.....the posts are going to be behind foam....and I was thinking the post would remove the 'lever' action of the plywood only resting on one point...but, that is why I am posting ...because not my area of expertise....come to think of it....don't know what is....

Okay.....so I looked at this again....the real reason for the posts is to create a double arch......I was going to put a thin plywood cut out oval at a few strategic locations....especially at lift locations....

soon....pictures of mockups....I am taking a break right now.....just mounted my harbor freight portable band saw back on old donor router table to have my 'thrifty' band saw available....so that I can build my hot wire cutter...to cut some 1x4's I have on hand. also, in my stash of variacs, I found a 9 amp out with a DC output already on board....

have everything together to cut some foam, I am going to cut a few 1" pieces to see what that W.C. will look like

[GPW]

“ just mounted my harbor freight portable band saw back on old donor router table to have my 'thrifty' band saw available..”
We sure would appreciate a picture of that … That would be great for normal bandsawing and trailer work … Only one tool needed …

“ Okay.....so I looked at this again....the real reason for the posts is to create a double arch......I was going to put a thin plywood cut out oval at a few strategic locations....especially at lift locations…. “ … That sounds Good to me ... Arches are the strongest supports eh ?

[LostCajun]

“ just mounted my harbor freight portable band saw back on old donor router table to have my 'thrifty' band saw available..”
We sure would appreciate a picture of that … That would be great for normal bandsawing and trailer work … Only one tool needed …

“ Okay.....so I looked at this again....the real reason for the posts is to create a double arch......I was going to put a thin plywood cut out oval at a few strategic locations....especially at lift locations…. “ … That sounds Good to me ... Arches are the strongest supports eh ?

Band Saw is great....actually better than a store bought one....because the blade is at an angle to the throat, instead of parallel....you have more flexibility in some cutoffs.....getting started is hard.....every day....here it is 2:13 pm and I just finished breakfast....that tool comes in so handy.....I have the old model....I will run up a picture after I get dressed and start moving around.....

Winter NOT coming anymore....its here....I have to figure out how to work in the cold with products that don't....

[LostCajun]

“ just mounted my harbor freight portable band saw back on old donor router table to have my 'thrifty' band saw available..”
We sure would appreciate a picture of that … That would be great for normal bandsawing and trailer work … Only one tool needed …

“ Okay.....so I looked at this again....the real reason for the posts is to create a double arch......I was going to put a thin plywood cut out oval at a few strategic locations....especially at lift locations…. “ … That sounds Good to me ... Arches are the strongest supports eh ?

Here it is...the old model, temporary mount...really temporary right now....it would take me a day or two to make a permanent or permanent temporary one....but, it would be nice...to be able to flip a few levers or turn a few wing nuts and take it off to use it portable...

I did this when I extended my side console alum boat to a 2/3 console.....I put in a center section, using old street signs....and a little bit other stuff too.....this is how I have survived....I spend ten times on prep work....ten times the time making tools to make my life survivable....its tough doing things with a tremor....among other things....I might dig out some pics of the boat....if I thought I could manage launching the boat....and then surviving another day on the water....I have thought about making a winter half cabin.....like we used to do with our Lafitte Skiffs....to use them in the winter to go duck hunting.....to make the trips out in the open marsh to get to our blinds....I think a foam removable half cabin would be a real winner here with the crappie (sacalait) and striper fishermen....they just don't know it yet....so many projects and so little time and ability left....





If anyone is interested in more info about how to do this....wait for it.....GOOGLE IT.....barefoot in the snow....ten miles at least.....

just kidding....ask away.....Winter is NOT coming.....its here....and I feel I will be a big pain in the computer more than a camper builder for a while....

Craig

[GPW]

Craig , thanks for the pictures … that’s a Great idea !!! Very Practical for we trailer builders … we’ve used those portable band saws to remove excessively long trailer tongues off boat trailers …for camper conversion .. I tried that once with a hacksaw , that went a bit too slow … ( forever )

[LostCajun]

it tunes, but will it cut foam? too late tonight to know...added a 40k BTU propane construction heater to the toolbox today, hopefully find that roundtoit tomorrow and use it.

Definitely cutting some foam later today.