Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

by **GPW** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 4:18 pm

Auntie' M , we weren't planning on rounding it That much , just a smooth small radius of the edges , You know , just so it looks nice !!! If somebody did want to make a more rounded version , easy enough to back up that area with more foam .. and we've yet to discuss how to hot wire specific parts , like triangular filler strips for just such an occasion ... :thinking:

Pipe , I thought this WAS the build thread ... :roll:

Canvas worked for the Old timers ... and with nothing to rot behind it , it should last forever... save a Bear attack ... :shock:

by **Pipe Rat** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:53 pm

Yeah GPW I guess this could be the build thread, although it is in Tips & techniques" and evolved from the thoughts of thrifty alternatives.

It's such an innovative new approach it should be in the build journal for all to see. It seems lost in the sea of replies for such a bold concept. JMHO though and it's your thread. :thumbsup:

I am looking forward to hearing more :applause:

by **Cliffmeister2000** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:08 pm

I was admiring a Honda Civic with some pretty extensive hail damage from a recent storm in Glendale, AZ (a Phoenix suburb just north of us), and it got me thinking...

How well will this design stand up to a hail storm? Hail is rare in Central AZ, but not so rare in the Midwest.

by **Wolffarmer** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:18 pm

Probably not to good. But should not be to hard to fix.

Randy

by **GPW** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:13 am

Pipe ... Talking and speculating is good , but "the proof is in the trailer" ... I just wanted to make Sure before I went off blabbing about it .. :roll:

Looks like we'll be building TWO now , that oughta' be a good proof of concept ....

Cliff, about as well as it holds up to Bears ... :roll:

Thanks Wolf , I was thinking the same thing ... easy to fix/patch, save Killer Hail ... and Bears ...

I'll be sure to take lots of pictures as we go .. Once we have something to sit in and tow around, and if Big Mike approves , we'll do a real build thread... ex post facto'...

by **angib** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:44 am

I can't work out if the discussion is about an all-foam trailer - just bare foam - or a foam trailer shell which is then covered in fiberglass or ply?

All-foam could be done with something like polyisocyanurate (=PIR or ISO) insulation foam, though getting it without a foil facing seems to turn it into a speciality product at speciality prices here - and the foil face would be a real problem for assembly. Making things like door openings becomes quite a problem and even the tough surface of these strong foams couldn't stand up to stonechips from the road.

If the foam is going to be skinned with fiberglass or ply, then the amount of work just went into orbit compared to building in ply, plus the openings and joints remain a problem. Sticking sheet foam to an already-built plywood body looks a lot less work.

by **GPW** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:02 am

Angib , Thanks for joining us !!! We much appreciate your knowledge and understandings of such things !!! :thumbsup:

Actually , it's about a Foam core construction ... covered with Old school canvas skins... fixed with Titetbond 2 inside and out (see the painted model in my Album ) Then Painted... THRIFTY!!! LIGHT!!!
Now the understanding is, we'd need a modicum of wood for high stress areas and "hard points" ... Rock protection is yet to be considered . Doors could be foam if framed with (rot resistant) wood strips for strength and attachment , then skinned. Fiberglass would be too expensive and messy for our taste/ budget..

Just trying to eliminate as Much wood/plywood as possible and the accompanying Rot and de-lamination issues that arose from such use in the past...

This canvas skin business has been proven already by a member that I cannot exactly recall right now (my geezer), and many Old timers. Seems logical eh ... save Hail and Bears

(Guessing you don't have a bear problem )

My 1/4 Scottish heritage demands we proceed in a most Thrifty manner hence this Foam/canvas "adventure" ... ... :lol:

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 10:51 am

GPW wrote:
This canvas skin business has been proven already by a member that I cannot exactly recall right now (my geezer), and many Old timers.

You must be talking about the PMF (Poor Mans Fiberglass) which Gary did on his Winter Warrior. (Rayvillian)

Mike...

by **Miriam C.** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:46 am

Perhaps Aluminum could be used for stress points saving weight. You might find it at a salvage place...

by **GPW** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:09 pm

Had to do some re-reading , Found it !!! Laursand , here on page 4 , did it ... an Rayvillian too ...

PMF (Thanks Mike ) , That works for me !!! :thumbsup:

Auntie M ... How would we attach the Aluminum to the foam ??? Was thinking if we used aluminum , as for rock protection (Angib) then it would be easy to screw it into wood "hard points" strategically placed for that purpose... Wood would be easy , something like the local Cypress , which is fairly light and lives in water ... Sealed with the Cheap waterproofing mix (75/25) , then glued in and covered /painted , it should last a pretty long time , even if there was water intrusion. (somehow)

Shouldn't take much wood anyway ... a couple 1"X2" s should do the whole trailer ...
Now we're off to find that thread about PMF ...

by **mikeschn** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:20 pm

try Gary's build thread: http://tnttt.com/viewto ... sc&start=0

starting on page 7

Also try the PMF thread here: http://tnttt.com/viewto ... eet#183453

Mike...

by **GPW** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:33 pm

MIke , Thanks !!! Search just got me lost .. :oops:

Great reading , apparently it worked for him too ... :thumbsup:

I'm guessing for those that "need" the security of wood , the foam core could be built first , Then thin ply applied over it (T2 would work there as the ply would absorb the moisture allowing the glue to dry against the foam ) Then skinned with canvas.... Sounds like a lot of work to me though ...

by **Miriam C.** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 6:07 pm

Attaching aluminum to foam could be as simple as some slotted hex bolts

or some T-nuts

These will bite into the foam and probably need to be glued. If you glue the foam to the aluminum and then bolt. Or maybe use some Channel/angle to cup the opening of the td for door openings.

by **Rlowell** » Sat Jan 01, 2011 7:28 pm

Applied the polyurethane/mineral spirits sealer formula today to me build.
I applied two coats and it seems to do real well. Will test it in the morning and apply another coat if needed. It was very easy to use and, of course, easy clean-up. Will post pictures tomorrow if possible. I did sand first with the 150 grit last before using the mixture. Comments?
Thanks.
Rod

by **GPW** » Sun Jan 02, 2011 7:19 am

More coats on any end grain ...and any exposed areas... the more the better ... it's cheap enough ...that's your "insurance" :thumbsup:

If you sand it (lightly ) after, it gets smooth

Auntie M .... er, I dunno ' ??? Might rip out over time ... and I get the blame ...

Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

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