Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[bravebluemice]

Why couldn't you undo the trailer bolts and flip the whole works over and do the ceiling like you did the floor?

That would keep you off your back... For now

Cheers,
BBM

[GPW]

BBM , er, that WAS mentioned earlier ...

And now it's Raining !!!! A Lot !!!

[eaglesdare]

Why couldn't you undo the trailer bolts and flip the whole works over and do the ceiling like you did the floor?

That would keep you off your back... For now

Cheers,
BBM

yeah this was mentioned before. i think gpw said he could still do it. but i knew once my was bolted down to the frame that was the end. i can't move that floor wood. its all good though. i have some help coming in this weekend.

rain will be our only problem. temps are not a problem i found out yesterday.

[GPW]

Its just a little more difficult to do upright ... One suggestion might be a light spray of a foam safe contact cement instead of the T2 to adhere the ceiling fabric... Just a light spray on both surfaces , give it a few minutes and stick it up ..Thats the way headliners in cars are done... Paint will secure it better once applied...
Gluing fabric overhead with the T2, you'll have to keep checking that the material adheres evenly and doesn't sag , a small roller may help!!! Now I tried T3 and it "grabs" Very quickly ... another ceiling option...

[eaglesdare]

oh t3 will hold better? cool, i am going to get some for this. i am also going to use hot glue and staples. if i use the craft temp glue it won't melt the foam. again all good. and you are right, you have to keep checking on that fabric til the glue dries. pita

[GPW]

Eagle I plan on covering the inside of all the parts before assembly ... Here's a drawing with the fabric extended full width and then glued ... The Foam won't care if there's a piece of fabric between the joins...

[eaglesdare]

exactly gpw!

that is the way to do it. i just did not have the time, nor the proper weather. and i think it would make an even better hold. i mentioned earlier about the hot glue on canvas to canvas. same idea with t2 canvas to t2 canvas, or gorilla glue. but i think the hold will be stronger.

i highly recommend doing it like that.

my second build will be done like that. and the good thing about doing it like that, you can work in the house, modular. then assemble all pieces outside.



i just hope mine does the trick for this season at least.

[GPW]

The second one Always comes out better , but I think your present trailer is going to surprise you how nice and strong it's going to be ... No reason it can't come out Super !!! Just take your time , have Fun , enjoy the build ...

[GPW]

Now I saw it mentioned in another thread about the toxicity of burning foam ... Well,Yes , burning foam is like burning plastic and gives off toxic fumes ... thing is , most burning things give off toxic fumes .. so in ANY trailer , or anything else , Safety standards Must be observed at All times ...
Since most of the trailers here use some type of foam insulation , I don't think this foamie trailer is any more dangerous than anything else ... Just wanted to clear that up ...

[eaglesdare]

oh i haven't seen that thread. but i agree with you. i have read so many have the sandwich with insulation and i haven't heard of anyone getting sick.

also i don't plan to stay inside my tear while my foam is burning.

today is the day another gal is coming down. hoping to get something doen on this camper. not sure if it will be those doors or the canvas. wish us luck!

[GPW]

Eagle ,one note of relief... I've flown these little BluFoam electric RC planes (same styrofoam) for many years .. I've had lithium batteries explode , ESC's, motors burn up , wiring short from crashes ... and from all of that , the foam was merely scorched or melted a bit ...They Never caught on fire !!!!... Not saying it won't burn , but it's not likely to catch easily ... especially encapsulated in canvas and glue ... Still safety IS always a primary consideration ..

Good Luck today ... I'm very interested how you're doing your door...

[eaglesdare]

Good Luck today ... I'm very interested how you're doing your door...

so am i

[GPW]

I'm thinking we'd need wood framing around the door and door frame...(as per the plan ) and some kind of lip/seal on the top and sides ... and a reasonable overlap on the bottom ... Trying to think "ice chest" ... That makes for a little creative carpentry ... I'll see if I can scare up some cypress to do this in as it's most Rot resistant ... just in case ... I know it's all going to be wrapped ...but ...

[eaglesdare]

ratkitty from this site came down last evening. we finished the canvas on the roof curved part. she did most of it, that stretching of my body..well lets say that just wasn't happenin yet.

but she did a great job. if you can precanvas, DO IT. it was not the easiest thing to do, very akward.

so today, hopefully, the doors and canvas outside. we are going to try for 2 block woods on the one side of the door for the hinges, and one block wood other side for the door knob.

oh and the glue is drying yellow, not clear. at least in parts thru the canvas it is yellowing.

now just a heads up, if you pre glue the canvas first, then put that up on the foam and staple to the spars, that works better than trying to glue the foam and laing the canvas on that. just a fyi.

for our curved roof outside, i think we are going to lay the canvas over and cut out [larger than needed] preglue and then lay it down also. we can grab ends and start pulling tight that way. should be fairly easy.

oh and you need lots of glue. i am going full strength and you need lots of glue. we are going to have to make another lowes run for more glue and more canvas.

ok thats all for now. hope the weather holds out for us today.

[GPW]

The T2 does dry yellow ... Did you try thinning it ??? Full strength is pretty thick ...
Putting the glue on the canvas does suck up a LOT of Glue ... Best roll the glue on the foam and stick the dry canvas down ... it may not seem strong , but the paint later saturates the canvas instead of the glue ... Glue does not make a very good base for paint , and may lead to cracking , as any good crafter should know ... (That's how we get those antique crackle finishes , by painting over a fresh base of white glue) ... (crafts)

Eagle , we need the pictures !!