Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[swampjeep]

Sure SJ,

Here's what I used to layout the Foamie Standie...

http://www.mikenchell.com/images/11ft_standie.pdf

Mike...

thanks

[GPW]

Eagle , Nice new computer , Great pics ... and the vehicle, owner and trailer look just Perfect together !!!
Mike , That's some layout method .... very cool manner of drawing those curves ... I always wondered about that but your drawing enlightened me as to whats happening ... THANKS !!!! That's just too COOL , opening up a world of possibilities...

68G, join the Foamie Club !!!

[GPW]

Now I feel compelled to mention to the new guys (and Ladies) ... those that have only read the last 500 posts... That a big part of this is Scavenging/Salvaging the parts ... or at least as much as you can ... It's about Thrifty too... not just the Foam... for instance , I'm using old bedsheets to cover the inside Cause" I got em' ... And the TD is so small (normal TD size) that the structure will be plenty strong without a heavy interior skin/covering, and I don't kick ... I already Have the canvas for the outside , just not enough for the inside too ... So don't freak out if you see some flowery stuff on my walls ... it's all going to be painted over with leftover exterior Latex house paint ... which I happen to have already too ... Got about 80 bucks invested so far ... Just seeing how Cheap I can make it for , and how nice I can make it look .... for the bucks ..
The plan is to see how it comes out and mount it on a boat trailer (in the yard) or maybe just get a Mid size HF trailer ... Thinking it's so Light , I won't need the 1800 pound one ... maybe catch a sale ...

[68galaxie]

Anyone thought about carbon fiber ?
I know it's not thrifty but just a thought.
I am a contractor at the new Boeing plant here in Charleston S.C. and watch them make the new 787 Dreamliner out of carbon fiber and may be able to get some large scraps of the fabric.... so just a thought

[GPW]

68G ... Carbon fiber would be the ideal covering over the foam ... and possibly Bear proof ... or close to it ... Nasty stuff to work with , rather stiff , and you don't want to breathe the particles or get a sliver in your finger ... But it is beautiful, stronger than Steel and more expensive than the Royal Wedding ... but if you can get some for free, I'd say GO FOR IT !!!!! And while you're doing that use Epoxy to adhere it to the foam ... much tougher than fiberglass and a first class STRONG TD all the way ..... You Lucky Guy !!!

[68galaxie]

If I build it would you be willing to test it in bear country ?

[GPW]

Er, NO!!! Just test it in Beer Country and say you did .. We'll go for that !!!

Honestly , the only Bear I've ever seen was a stuffed one .... and it was 10 feet tall ...

[eaglesdare]

yes this did start out as a thrifty thread. i think i broke that right from the git go. i have no scrouging abilities, nor any hook ups, really.

i did get 2 pieces of plexiglass from a friend. but haven't worked it into the tear yet. i did cut up an old tent a friend gave, used the mesh for my windows, and some tent nylon material for the inside, to keep rain out from coming thru the mesh. but everything else for me was bought new. sorry gpw.

now as far as those bears go, i hope seriously no one ever has to truely test their tears. i haven't seen one yet that would pass that test. i will take mine into our black bear country, but would more than likely not push it in brown bear country. i will be sleeping in hotels in white bear country.

[swampjeep]

yes this did start out as a thrifty thread. i think i broke that right from the git go. i have no scrouging abilities, nor any hook ups, really.

i did get 2 pieces of plexiglass from a friend. but haven't worked it into the tear yet. i did cut up an old tent a friend gave, used the mesh for my windows, and some tent nylon material for the inside, to keep rain out from coming thru the mesh. but everything else for me was bought new. sorry gpw.

now as far as those bears go, i hope seriously no one ever has to truely test their tears. i haven't seen one yet that would pass that test. i will take mine into our black bear country, but would more than likely not push it in brown bear country. i will be sleeping in hotels in white bear country.

are you kidding? you might not have gotten the stuff free, but you used materials that were relatively low cost. Thrifty doesn't have to mean no-cost, compared to the cost of building tear out of the normal materials yours is very thrifty IMHO
It's easy for someone to look back, or at someone else's cost and see where they could saved more, but to do it the first time, and on a short time frame, and limited connectiond to the free stuff, you did awesome!

[GPW]

Eagle , I think you did a Fine job all around , and you'll know so much more for the next one .. and may have some materials you can use left over from this one ... I'm just relying on what I have in the Studio/Garage, leftovers from other projects . The foam donation was purely DUMB LUCK... I overbought on my first build , so have plenty of LED lights , paint , door seals , etc. This will be a chance to use them up ... Maybe Thrifty is just not having to spend twice ...

As much as I want to get started on this one , I still can't help but think about a bigger one , like Mike's ...

[eaglesdare]

Eagle , I think you did a Fine job all around , and you'll know so much more for the next one .. and may have some materials you can use left over from this one ... I'm just relying on what I have in the Studio/Garage, leftovers from other projects . The foam donation was purely DUMB LUCK... I overbought on my first build , so have plenty of LED lights , paint , door seals , etc. This will be a chance to use them up ... Maybe Thrifty is just not having to spend twice ...

As much as I want to get started on this one , I still can't help but think about a bigger one , like Mike's ...

stop stalling! you already have your pieces cut out. now get to the glueing!!!!!!!!!! yours will be easier also, because you are not doing a curved roof. so you can pre-canvas those insides right off the bat.

i want to go out and put together one side for the next one. i love the idea about a bigger one. was planning on that for my first, but then at the last moment decided just to wing the small one together. which is perfect for me. but i still would love to get going on the bigger one. so yes i do have left overs for the second build.
..i'd like to get a nice shape for the second one also. i love that egg camper shape. those shapes you drew out are great also.
..i think i am actually going to give the building myself on the second one a shot. the first i had a group come down to build. i only cut out the sides. but really the group put it together and build it. now seeing how they did it, and how easy it was, i think i can do it. i may need a hand on holding something up til its braced, but i think i can do it.

hmm i think i need to go find the gorilla glue left overs and at least glue the 2 pieces together.

so gpw, i will start my sides, if you continue on yours!

[GPW]

OK, I got the first side covered in the fabric ... (see pics in album)
Laid out the cloth for fit , folded half back on itself (wallpaper style) Brushed on the 50/50 TB2 and water .... glued down the first half , repeated the steps ... Done ...trimmed .. Dry now ... I had a few wrinkles after the cloth was dry , but a household iron set for around 200F irons them right out by shrinking the cloth and re activating the T2 underneath ... resulting in a nice smooth finish ... ready to paint ... Had I used the thicker canvas I'd have just dampened the canvas slightly and pulled it tight ...much less likely to wrinkle...
Here's a pic ...


Since all the further inside covering steps are the same , I won't bore you with the details ... Just smaller pieces to cover... You can see how it's done ..... pretty simple really ...

[Cliffmeister2000]

I am curious about what you are planning to use for a base (floor), and how you will attach it to the sides?

[eaglesdare]

whoa. i go out back to work on mine and you t2 and canvas! good job.

i added some weather stripping, trimmed up some excess canvas and started putting on the strip that will hide that horrible looking seam.

a little warning, at least for me, duct tape does not stick as good as the painters tape. i could not find my painters tape, so i used the duct tape. what a pita.

if he is doing it like we discussed in this thread, gpw should be attaching foam sides to floor with gorilla glue.

[GPW]

Yes , Gorilla Glue to the 3/4" ply floor ... 4'X8' and then will be adding reinforcing strips of heavy canvas under the floor up onto the out sides ... same inside ... as per this drawing...

Once again , if you feel you need more strength in that floor side area , just fiberglass it (Epoxy only) ... Build it like you want ...
Eagle ... those finishing details sure make a difference... Pics please , from your new computer ...

BTW , I now have both sides covered on the inside , the second piece didn't have any wrinkles to iron out .... Just did a better job from all the practice on the first one ... Getting easier as it goes .... down to the smaller pieces now ... I really don't like the look of the fabric .... looks like a mattress to me ... Paint will fix that ...