Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[eaglesdare]

in some of the areas that are really thick with glue came thru the canvas and it does turn yellow.

we tried at first with t2 on the foam, but after a while, you body doesn't comform to the positions you need to continue to do it that way. so we had to lay the glue on canvas and then lay it up on the roof. real messy job, but fun. but the glue on canvas worked better, only because it was easier to get it on.

we did not take any pics last night. i know i am ashamed.

i have talked hubby into helping us today and we are going with the glue on canvas for the outside roof today. should be pretty easy that way. sides could be done the glue on foam way.

yes i went full thickness. did not want to take any chances.

[mikeschn]

Agreed! We need to see some pics!!!

Mike...

[vreihen]

Well, not exactly worthless since it has a lot of construction details, but many of us want to see the covering process.....

[GPW]

Eagle , if the glue is coming through the canvas , you have TOO MUCH Glue !!! Once again , the glue is only for a Light attachment to the foam , the paint does the rest ... AARGH !!!

[Bikerman]

Was this really built??? Where are the pictures?

This thread is fantastic, I'm familiar with the old planes and boats but never thought about this concept for a trailer!

I'm really going to give this some thought and study this. Sounds great, but how does this hold up on the road? How does it flex, expand in hot weather and contract in the cold? What weather extreme can it survive? Wind and hail?

Seems like I could really use this as a means to build an unusual design, maybe slides and a pop top. I think this isjust fantastic!!

[GPW]

Biker , we have determined it is NOT to be Bear proof ... as for the rest , give us a couple weeks and we'll find out ... But having previously built things with this material , I think the sky's the limit as far as designs go ... You can make just about any shape with it ... If you want "bulletproof" , you can always Glass it (epoxy)... Foamie Roswell anyone ???

We have the test of time as far as the canvas covering goes , worked great for the old Timers ... Not as messy, toxic ,heavy, or expensive as the Fglass...

[Conestoga]

short version:

Is it possible to dye the glue before applying it?

long version:

I have not tried this on foam, so feel free to ignore this...
As i mentioned earlier in this thread, i built a table using the glue-fabric
method. I didn't want to paint it, since the glue was supposed to be
waterproofing, but the glue job came out so ugly that painting was
necessary. (However if one is fond of the shades of "baby diarrhea"
then go ahead and skip the paint.)

The table is holding up well, and has weathered spills of hot tea,
drips of grease, baking hot Texas sun, and the boil-over from a pot of
beans. It hasn't rained yet on this trip so i can't speak for rainproofness.
The paint is wearing off in some spots but it's not unsightly...yet.

If I were to build a camper I would look into the possibility of dying the
glue instead of painting it...

[GPW]

Dyeing the glue .... Well, from an artistic standpoint, there are three parts to paint... Pigment , a binder (glue) and a solvent (in this case water) ... So it is possible ... I have some dry pigment around here ... I'll mix up a batch and see ...

But i think overall the TD should be painted ... JMHO!!!

[eaglesdare]

i promise to get some more pics posted soon. but that will have to wait til sometime tomorrow. sorry.

we now have the roof canvas on. spread t2 all over the foam and just slid/walked the canvas over. then it was just a matter of pulling, tugging and smoothing it out.

doors are cavased, wood blocks are in.

polyurethene [sp] some places 2 coats, other places 1 coat.

windows cut out. plug hole cut out.


tomorrow, we are suppose to canvas the sides and install the doors and latches. once that is done, basically it is campable. however, there is still a lot of work to still be done.

and i so hope to, no, make that pray to god that it will be road worthy.


now i know for a long while there it was discussed that you could use t2 full strenght on the foam and then cover in canvas. then on top of that, i know i read this. on top of that we could use a watered down t2 on top.
..after that was discussion of painting the outside.
..so i have gone the full strenght on the first coat. i am not planning on using the glue on the outside. i am going towards the paint. actually i am pretty set on the paint. i was just going think and full force with t2 because i wanted that waterproofness [is that even a word].

ill take more pics tomorrow as we do more, and i will probably post them tomorrow after we stop work for the day.

hey gpw, i told you to get yours done so i could learn from yours!!!!!!!!

[eaglesdare]

dyeing the glue would be so cool! then just cover the whole thing in that! love it. but i can't afford anymore glue. actually i bought them out of the gallon size. no more in stock.

[lm248]

dyeing the glue would be so cool! then just cover the whole thing in that! love it.

Can anyone say "Tie Dye"
You could be the first one with a Greatful Dead tear.
Les

[GPW]

Eagle, did you add the reinforcing strips...very important , especially where the foam ties into the floor ...

Can't wait to see your progress !!!! I wouldn't worry about towing ... what do you have in mind for the "shakedown cruise" ??? I'd just take it out on the Hwy. gradually increasing the speed , see how it handles ... I probably wouldn't tow it at 85 mph ... might get a ticket .. Do you have your registration and license plate in order ??? Or does your state have a "lightweight " exemption ???

Les , tie dye .... that's possible You'll just have to find an aging "deadhead" earth mother who has experience with the process...

I did try mixing pigment with the glue , all I had was an intense green , which made intense green glue ... But, er, I think I might like the yellow better ... The green is kinda' "Yucky" !!! It dried fine ...

[eaglesdare]

no reinforcing strips yet.
the roof canvas has an overhang, that we will run under the trailer and we are going to bolt down a wood block.

the 2 sides have wood extension already there, so we are going to run the canvas down and under that, then staple down.

as long as it stays put at 65mph i will be fine. but i will be building up to that for sure. and maybe stopping every so often to check it out.

now i just spent a whole night thinking i screwed up after your post about too much glue and everything with the dead horse. i just went back and reread from page 1. i don't think i have done anything wrong, now i might have gone with overkill/over built, but i have noticed lots of folks will admit later on about doing just that.

so, i think i am good with what we have done so far. and i could use the diluted t2 on the outside, still debating. i want that waterproofness.

now i had an idea for my doors, and had an idea for my windows that were to be cut into the door. i ran to lowes. when i got back the windows were cut out and my idea was sort of reversed.
i know ratkitty and trina read these threads, so this is not a personal attack, the only thing it is for is to bring to attention what we are doing and how to make things work.
anyway, we have cut out plexiglass, it sits flush with the door walls. they are removable windows. my problem is that i have to beable to hold them in while driving. and that is still causing me concern. but i think i have a way around it that i will feel comfortable about.

i am going to try it first and if it works then i will post.

[GPW]

Eagle , I'm going out and buying stock in the Titebond company !!!
The paint will/should provide all the waterproofing you'd need ... I'm still leery of painting directly over glue ... However you could put a good primer over that ... then paint ... just for "waterproofness" ...

Now for those glue spots coming through , if they're shiny , I might give them a little sanding to provide some "tooth" for the paint ... Just try not to fuzz up the canvas ... that'll show too ...

Sorry to come off a bit harsh , but as an Artist , I've been painting on and attaching canvas for many many years now ... I even make my own canvas panels to paint on by gluing canvas to untempered Masonite , Then Gesso (a primer) , then the paint ... I have some panels over 40 years old , no problems ... still look good , but then they live inside all the time ...
And speaking of paint ... Artists use a principle of "Fat over Lean" ... Which is probably the best way of producing a durable paint surface ... For a project like this , I'd thin the paint a bit for the first coat or two (lean ) , then apply the "fatter" full strength paint over that ... Also doing it that way assures the paint will sink in all those little places for better coverage and greater "waterproofness" .. And the thinner/leaner layers of paint do not shrink as much when they dry , so the top coat won't develop cracks as easily over the drying /curing time ... We found a Latex based paint takes at least a week or two to really cure and harden to a usable surface ... Oils , even longer ... although apparently dry to the touch ... Paint , fabric , foam ... all very important to get it right as this trailer is based on a system ... all the parts working together in the structure .... all important !!!

Pics please !!!

[RAYVILLIAN]

Gee folks all I can say is WOW. I've been acting like a ostrich with my head some where the sun doesn't shine and not watching your progress on this thread. In the mean while you all have really made progress.

I gave a lot of thought to just foam with paint and material but than chickened out and went with luan for a base under paint and material. My main fear being rock punctures on the road. You all are braver than I am. What you are doing is a great light weight building technique.

My only thought would be to put the reinforcement strips on first under the outside skin with all seams facing down and that's just a personal preference.

Keep up the good work. I can't wait to see the finished tears.

Gary