Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[Wolffarmer]

Best shop around for the best price , which usually is Not the closest place ... but sometimes you get Lucky ....!!!

Since I'm old and somewhat curmudgeonly , I always give the clerk "the business" and try to mule them down on the price ... ahh , the eccentricities of the retired...

It works !!! Easy to get 10-15% off... that's a tin of fish for the cat eh ... hahaha

I am not retired, but am 60.5 years old. Do I qualify to be a curmudgeon?



Tin of fish for the cat my arse. Pound of beans for me.



Randy

[eaglesdare]

Best shop around for the best price , which usually is Not the closest place ... but sometimes you get Lucky ....!!!

Since I'm old and somewhat curmudgeonly , I always give the clerk "the business" and try to mule them down on the price ... ahh , the eccentricities of the retired...

It works !!! Easy to get 10-15% off... that's a tin of fish for the cat eh ... hahaha

i do get military verterans discount at lowes, i think it is 10p/c off. so mabye looking at it like that i should stock up now while they still have the sheets. that should be about $26.98 a sheet. and yes it was for the larger sheets not the small ones. thinkng about that, i don't even think they had anything small. i'll get with the neighbor tomorrow or tuesday.

[eaglesdare]

i am thining 2 sheets per side. then getting a thinner sheet for the curve, and with some heat and assistance bend it, and go with that as my shape for the curve. another sheet of the 2" stuff to make the spars with.

[eaglesdare]

now i am not going as thrifty as others. i just don't have the connections. but i have been keeping a tally of my expenses, buying everything new so far has been approx:
$1084.88 [i am including approx for the foam sheets]

i know i am going to still need more canvas, not sure how much more i will need but will need more.

[GPW]

Here's some foam prices to compare ... http://www.frpshop.com/styrofoam-c-39_40.html

And while you're at the stores , you might check on reject outdoor paint (paint dept. ) .... usually 3-4 bucks a gallon ... sometimes you even find the perfect colors ...
Eagle , check if there's any canvas wholesalers near you , something like an awning co. ... If they don't sell retail , go in anyway and tell them all about your project , maybe even bring some pictures ... bet they'll take care of you , may even recommend something better .. These folks are bored stiff and love a good story ...
if you would be so good as to itemize your expenses, we could all see where the money goes ... sounds like you're almost through spending on the basic unit ... should be anyway ... or close ...

Wolf , only if you really want to be ....

[GPW]

Eagle , done yet ???

[eaglesdare]

Eagle , done yet ???

its not looking like anything is getting worked on til at least next weekend. but i still want to get that foam probable tomorrow. i will have to wait til hubby goes off to work. i don't think he wants me buying it yet. but i am afraid if i don't it might not be there when i need it.

that chart you linked to looked like the prices were 35.52 for a sheet. so my prices don't seem too bad especially with the discount added.

i'll get the itemized list soon for ya.

[GPW]

Eagle , even if you don't get to build until the weekend, you can always use the time to make some critical measurements , plan ahead !! If you DO get the foam , you can mark it for cuts ,gluing areas , etc. (remember , Measure Twice !!! ...)

As far as that wheel clearance issue , if it is a problem and you don't want to cut the floor down , you could always get some offset rims ...The Trailer's going to be SO light , I doubt it'll be a problem ... unless of course you're doing your flooring in Bricks ...

[eaglesdare]

speaking of "so light" issue, i am starting to have nightmares about taking it over a bridge. i am having issues with it just blowing up and over the side rails and my car follows!

for us where we live, we have a choice of 2 bridges to get to the mainland usa, one bridge takes you up to the clouds[nose bleed section] and the other is 17.5 miles long, but at least it pretty much is level, except for one small section that goes up a bit.

hmmm maybe i should throw a few bricks in there to keep it grounded. but seriously i don't think i will be driving it first over a bridge, i think i willl have to have hubby test it out.

i am starting to get the feel for the no-wood issue also. i can see where i might need a frame for a window and some around door. but for the most part, i don't see where i am going to need wood at all. that 2" stuff is pretty sturdy and then covered in canvas will do for most anything in this trailer. i have seen the light.

todays thinking [could change tomorrow] but for today i am leaning towards paint. less work than a collage and hopefully i can get the paint to match my car. will look better that way.

[GPW]

Eagle , once you get your "stuff" in there it won't be so light as to be a problem ... Still it'll be light enough to tow very easily and without affecting your mileage too drastically, your's especially , being more streamlined than mine will ... easy to handle around the yard too with a small trailer dolly...

If you have a particularly wicked storming coming , you may want to put it someplace "sheltered" .. They do that with the wooden ones...

Eagle has seen the light !!! Hallelujah Less wood , less chance of the dreaded trailer ROT !!! Just a bit around the suspect places , just for attaching hinges and such ... and if you're planning on hanging anything , lights, cargo net, etc. then you might plan a couple "hard points" ... just some small ply squares inset into the foam , then covered over as usual ... a place to put a screw into .. You can do that pre- assembly ..

[Dummy]

I ahve been watching this thread with much interest although I think my first build will stii be with plywood. The orange box has 4x8x2 sheets of white foam for $18 and changs. I also found some 60" wid muslim for 2.50/yd and burlap for $1.6/yd. Like I say, I am intereste and may try this one day.

[GPW]

Dummy, Good Prices !!! Thanks , will have to check that out ...

Plywood is the traditional way to build a TD , many very Beautiful examples on this site ... ... and where you live (dry) may not be as much of a concern as where we live (extremely WET )... Just more crumbs for thought ...

[eaglesdare]

i am trying very hard now to not use wood at all, except for the floor.

i have figured out a way for the windows to be woodless. no need even for the frame. actually its pretty easy. that foam will be 2" thick. just dig/cut out the opening but don't go all the way. get a piece of plexiglass that you can fit in there, and for a screen you can just use a piece you might have laying around the house from an old window, but we have a roll here that hubby was using to repair old ones. anyway you could just cut the size you need and with some hot glue [which crafters probably have around] hot glue material/frame around the cut screen, then just use velcro and wahlah. keep that piecie of foam you cut out and you can place it back in. i am sure this will work, just gotta figure out how to keep it in place while driving because of the wind blowing on it. hmm, now that i am typing that idea out, still might need a piece of wood, but not entirely convinced i do. we'll see when i get to this stage.

working on the door now.

well still thinking, and thinking out loud or in type helps sometimes.

[Wolffarmer]

I was thinking about building windows with an Outer flange and an Inner flange that would bolt together in a clamping action on the walls. That would not need wood either. Though the flanges/frame could still be of wood

Door could be a bit harder

Randy

[GPW]

Standard windows with the mounting flanges , would probably work fine on just the covered foam as long as they were well sealed and not Too much pressure applied during the final mounting ... Just snug em' up tight and forget it ... That's what i was planning for the window(s)...
Like Wolf said, door's another story .... constant use/stress, has to be Stout... Wood framing on the door and shell wall for hinging is probably recommended.. all covered over with the fabric as not to be unsightly ... and better protected too ..
Eagle , You could make a wooden framed window , surrounded by a wood support frame , and maybe even hinge it to open ... Simple for Hubby ...