Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[GPW]

Dave, we've found most "white/carpenters" glues go thermoplastic at around 200 degrees F... so boiling the TD is out ...
That's actually a good thing for some applications , like my friend who makes guitars , he can remove damaged parts with a little heat or steam ... just like with hide glue ...

But even if we painted our TDs Black , I doubt they'd get hot enough to melt the glue .... Thanks for the test !!!! The more we know , the better we can build !!!!

The mineral spirits and poly thing works so well you could make a cardboard bucket ... Something else to test ...

[bravebluemice]

The mineral spirits and poly thing works so well you could make a cardboard bucket ... Something else to test ...

That's it. Now I have to have one. I'll be the guy out camping next year washing my dishes in a cardboard box.

~BBM

[GPW]

BBM , doesn't Everybody have a cardboard bucket ???

[Miriam C.]

Since y'all have a lot of knowledge to share, help me with this: I want to make my own awning from a painters canvas drop cloth. A member on here said she and her brother used deck sealer to make it waterproof.

I want to waterproof it and I'd like to paint stripes over it to match my Scotty. Do you think it would still be waterproofed if I paint over it after I've applied the sealer?

I'm just trying a thrifty alternative to having to pay to have an awning made, which I may still have to do if this doesn't work.

9/29/2011: Never mind then!

Becca you can buy Silicone waterproofer and it will be cheaper and easier. Also look into the hunting dept. there is a product that will make your jeans waterproof and still washable..... Will weigh less than any paint treatment.

btw Rayvillians did their TD with a sheet and paint...

[GPW]

Auntie M , Thanks for that tip !!! I never thought of waterproofing my jeans before , but am getting OLD so that may come in handy in the future..
Great for awnings too , that's Cool ... Every trailer , even a "Thrifty" one needs an awning , especially down South where it gets pretty HOT... Local fabric store has a variety of awning materials , but I don't know if they're water proofed, or not , and most come in silly colors besides the ubiquitous green and white stripes... Kinda' pricy too! Thinking a simple canvas (fabric) awning , waterproofed with that "hunting" product would be just fine .... and Thrifty !!
Maybe painting the stripes on first , then sealing might work better CL ...

[Staypuff68]

Newbie to the site, love the topic.
I was at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and they had 50 yard rolls of commerical fabic wall paper. The none pre glued type. Would this make a good cover for a fabic teardrop or for an awning?

[GPW]

Maybe they could give you a little piece to test out first ??? Is it Fabric or paper ... or vinyl ???
Habitat store ... good place to check for materials ...

[KsPete]

GPW, I have a question about your sealant.. does it work better than Thompson's water treatment or similar? Is it the poly that makes it better? I priced a gallon of mineral spirits at Lowe's today ($12.68) and a quart of poly ($9.39). A gallon of water sealer was $14. I'm not trying to be smart or anything, and if your formula is better, I don't mind paying extra for it. Thanks.

I really like the idea of using canvas and TBII and I'm considering using this method in a rebuild of a "canned ham." (I'm cheap and on a limited budget.) I bought a 1959 Mobile Scout more than a year ago and finally got around to stripping it down to the frame. It was really rotted out and there wasn't much to salvage. I saved the aluminum siding, thinking I would reuse it, but I think now that building it all from new material would be easier. Besides, that would allow me to eliminate some access hatches and a couple of windows I don't need.

I know my project probably is not considered a TTT, but this is the best forum I've found for building a camper.

[GPW]

Pete , don't go to Loews!!!! ... Instead of Mineral Spirits , get "Paint Thinner" , same stuff , but cheaper (I can't think why) .... and you need to find a Cheapo brand of poly ... (not the good stuff ) .. since we're waterproofing and not finishing , no worries about "solids content" or any of that other silliness... Check the thrift stores ... paint stores for the Cheaper brands ...

Yes , it does work well and is permanent , but should be Much less $
than the commercial stuff ... Best shop around ...

If you're using TB II then thin it with water (a lot) and paint a preliminary Thin coat before you stick on the fabric .. sort of like a primer or "sizing"... ... You don't have to poly the areas you're gluing fabric to , the TBII does that , just poly Everywhere else ...



And by the way , Welcome to the Forum ...

[eaglesdare]

LOVE this thread!

if i am reading and understanding all this: there is a possibility of taking the lowes insulated styrofoam and tb2 ing the outside, lay fabric on top and tb2 thinned on top of that?

in addition you could then paint on top?


if this is true, i believe very strongly i may just go this route. i love the non toxic issues. i love the ease of acquireing the materials. love that i can then paint any color i want at the end. love that this will be lightweight.

also, if i am ready this right, you could use just about any kind of fabric? but if not, if canvas is to be used, i don't see why you could not cut out from just regular sewing fabric a certain image. and glue them right on top of the first layer of fabric. you could actually make an entire scene on the side of your teardrop without being an artist.

i hope i am not misunderstanding this.

has anyone actually tried using the blue lowes styrofoam and tb2?

[GPW]

Eagle , I've used this combination many times before on planes (models) ... No reason you couldn't do this ... and yes, a patchwork covering would be pretty cool ... and artistic !!! Lots of possibilities for the creative spirits amongst us ...
did you see this : http://tnttt.com/album_ ... c_id=69628 a Foamie TD 2" foam would be best for both strength and insulation .. maybe 1" for the roof ... Should turn out really LIGHT ... waaaaay less than a wooden lightweight ... and you can sand all the edges nice and round ... should be a great Look !!!

Just a thought , you could cover the inside with some of the new Teardrop trailer material /fabric . for a cool official TD interior ...

PS. The wood reinforcing around the high stress areas could be simply 1/4' luan ripped to size and glued on ... If you cover it with the cloth and T2, it should be very Solid and waterproof ...

For interior attachments, you could just dig out the foam to fit small pieces of ply , for "hard points" under the fabric (won't show ) ...

[KsPete]

Thanks, GPW, I'll keep looking. It's a little late in the year to start actual construction, since I have to work outside, but it's never too early to stock up on supplies. They're not going to get any cheaper.

[GPW]

Pete , I always use this in between time to shop around , possibly scrounge up parts , from other than the usual sources (read : CHEAPER)
I think this scavenger hunt for parts thing is as much Fun as building ... sorta' , in it's own way ... All in how we choose to entertain ourselves...

Here, I just have to check out one of those "habitat stores" ... see if there's anything I "need"... I hear they're real inexpensive ...

[bravebluemice]

So you're saying I could do this entirely with foam and no sammich?

1/8 inch luan is non-freaking existent here this time of year, and I'd like to do SOMETHING with my winter.

How fast do you think you could tow a 4x8 king size sheet wrapped 'round foam before it came apart? Is TB2 going to stick a bedsheet to foam? Do I need to pull the plastic sheeting off the foam first?

Gosh, so many questions, suddenly it looks like I should be crackin' right damned now!

[eaglesdare]

thanks so much for the response. i went to lowes tonight. the blue foamboards look different than the last time i bought some. years ago it was a light blue with a plastic on one side.

now this stuff is a greenish blue color. not the same blue color of years ago, but not the real green either.

i did not see any plastic at all either.

i asked the guy there is titebond would melt/eat the foamboards and he said yes. but he also did not seem like he knew what he was talking about when asking other questions. i just don't want to pay 17 dollars to do a test though. but i just might for the heck of it. i like to see things for myself. unless someone here has tried this already.

so if i am reading correctly to your response, the patchwork design with fabric would be seen thru the titebond 2. which i would guess means it dries clear? this layer on top would be a watered down mixture correct? the bottle i bought tonight for a test of my own here, was a tan color. haven't used it yet (will do that tomorrow). but if its tan, will it dry to a clear?

and it say fast dry time. so would i have to work fast on the first full strenght coating?

ok thanks for all the help and info. i am loving the ideas if this stuff works. will go check out that link now. thanks!