A-Frame Pop Up

[Fuzzy Bear]

Started on the side walls of the A-frame. Once again framed out of 1X2 and glued and screwed together and attached to the box with a heavy duty piano hinge. Cut the windows from the old canvas from the popup and am trying to integrate them into the new design. Looks like it might actually work, and weight is negligible. Just have to figure the best way to attach them and keep it watertight. Picked up some Herculiner truck bedliner paint last weekend and did a test piece to see how it will work. The cost of the black as opposed to other colors (namely white) is about half for the black, so decided to test it to see if it could be painted over. I took a piece of the same ply I am using for the roof sheathing and gave it a good coat of the bedliner paint, let it dry for a day then painted over it with some kilz exterior primer. Covered in one coat. Let that dry and ran it through its paces, flexed the ply much more than normal conditions would do, tried scratching it and even beat it with a hammer and it held up great. Not sure what the rule of thumb is about painting over the bedliner material, but it seems to work, and overall I should end up saving quite a bit in cost of material depending on how many coats I end up with by going with the black ($69 a gal for the black vs. $140 a gal for the white)

Here are a couple of the updated pics of the side wall with the vinyl window temporarily attached;

[Fuzzy Bear]

Progress has been slowed down by life's little interruptions, but I'm still slogging away. Been over a year so far on this build, but I'm not too concerned since I'm having a blast building it.

Got the roof sections painted with the bed liner paint and then primed in white over that. Decided to uncover it for a predicted rain storm, just to see how watertight it was and with a couple of small exceptions it worked great. Have to put a better seal on the rear skylight where I got a few drips, and a couple around the edges of the rear roof section where it came in where the roof met the side walls. This should be fixed when I put on the corner molding and caulk it into place. I did finish putting 1" aluminum angle around the front section of the roof and not a single leak.

As those who have read my earlier posts or visited my build web site know, I had grave doubts about using the old lift arms, but happy to say they worked on both sections of the roof. Did have to add a bit of reinforcing on the front roof section to avoid it flexing when it was raised, but now both sections can be lifted into place with one hand. Money is a bit tight right now, but as soon as I can I hope to finish framing and then sheathe the foldable side walls which will fiinish closing in the camper. Once those are put together and painted, its on to the finishing touches, such as the door, some misc. weather stripping and any interior modifications I decide on. I look back on my original timeline which had a finished camper by last spring and have to laugh now at my naivete, but its been a fun adventure so far with more good times to come.

[S. Heisley]

It looks like you're doing a good job, Fuzzy Bear. That certainly is a nice kitchen and I like the new 'A' roof line. Just keep pluggin' along!

[rebapuck]

The most important thing is you're having a "blast".

[Fuzzy Bear]

After a year and a half on this still plugging along. Its now no longer a project but an obsession. I don't get the time I really need to devote to it so grab an hour here and there as they present themselves.

I've been moving forward on the foldable side walls. Have the "street" side of the camper just about done, framed and sheathed and yesterday installed a window I got off of e-bay for what I think is a decent price (30"X22" new in the box Slider with trim and screen for $35 including shipping). The roof sections have been painted and I installed the aluminum angle trim around the edges (still have to pull them back off and caulk them thoroughly). Next step is to frame in the door side wall and install the door and any windows I decide to put on that side. Then paint the two side walls and install weatherstripping around all the areas where the movable portions meet the box and each other. Once that is done it will be closed in and can continue to work on the interior over the winter.

Here are some of the latest pictures;

the side wall assembled and sheathed with my "bargain" window temporarily installed


Here's an interior view of the side wall;

[Fuzzy Bear]

Haven't made any more progress since my last post. Spare time has been at a premium and the New England winter is here in full force. Still hoping to get some more done before the heavy snows close me down for good. The latest trial has been with the Ford Explorer I use as a tow vehicle. Last week had a guy run into the rear of it while it was parked at my place of business. He claimed he wasn't speeding but hit it hard enough to bend the frame folding the receiver hitch down and under the truck. So now its the long frustrating process of dealing with the insurance to see what they will give me (definitely won't be enough to replace what was an older but very strong and well running vehicle). I still believe that some day I will actually have a finished trailer and go camping in it. It seems like a far off dream, but dreams are what keep us looking forward to tomorrow.

[steve smoot]

FuzzyBear,

That is looking nice. You are doing a great job. I like those Aliner type pop ups.

I found an Aliner Classic over in KY. They are asking $1500 for it. Needs some repairs, but a really good price. I found out it weighs 1400#, so that is a little too heavy for my Subaru Forester. I put a link in the forsale section.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Well, looks like the build may be over. Not because its finished, but because Mother Nature apparently didn't like the results. In early March, CT was hit by a Nor'easter that toppled trees, one of which aimed itself at my project. I'm still doing the repairs to the roof of the house (about 1/3 of my roof shingles ended up in the neighbors yard and haven't cut away much of the branches covering my trailer. From what I can see though, it dosen't look good. I'll know more in the next couple weeks when I get the rest of the tree off of it. Right now thinking on whether I want to start over again, or go with a different design, or possibly start searching for a replacement. I'm starting to think the camping gods are against me. Last Dec. my Ford Explorer that I used as a tow vehicle was parked, minding its own business when someone smashed into the rear of it. The truck was totalled. After fighting insurance, and selling everything I possibly could, picked up an '03 Explorer a couple weeks ago. Between that and dear old Uncle Sam on the 15th of this month, finances are going to be tight for the forseeable future. Just wanted to thank everyone on here for your ideas, inspirations and encouragement. If I either re-start this project or look into a new one, I'll be sure to post back.

[synaps3]

Keep us updated! Hopefully some good luck will come your way soon.

[Arne]

fumes are not the problem with p/t wood, it is the dust created when cutting.

UNLESS, you burn it..... bad, bad, bad..

[steve smoot]

Man, that is a bummer...

I was in the hospital over christmas holidays, and they were calling for an ice storm, so the wife leaves my car at the bottom of the mountain road, which is one mile from our house. Well, the ice storm hits, and sure enough she parked under a dang big tree. Yep, a limb fell on my Subaru and busted the windshield out and screwed up the hood and left front fender. The wife bought me a new windshield before I came home, but failed to tell me until two months later when the doctors said I could drive again...What happened to my dang car, Beth!

[Fuzzy Bear]

Finally got the fallen tree cut off the camper a couple weeks ago. Didn't have the heart to bother taking any pics. The roof is toast, as well as one of the side wall extensions. Started the tear down yesterday, pulling the roof sections and the triangular folding side wall that I had built off. Will pull off the box side wall extensions hopefully this weekend, getting it back to the original box that surprisingly sustained little damage (mostly just scratches). The window I had temporarily installed in the side wall is intact, so pulled that out to go into the parts pile for the future. Also, amazingly the new roof vent came through without a scratch. Still scratching my head about rebuilding. I've been contemplating a simpler design, with side walls and short walls front and rear that fold, topped off with a canvas roof that would be bowed up using shock poles off an old dome tent I have laying around. Would greatly decrease the weight without the hard roof and lift mechanisms and could mostly be built with stuff I have laying around. If I decide to give it a go I'll start a new thread and see where it takes me.