Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[GPW]

With Foamies being half the weight , and gas being twice (or More) the price of what it's really worth .. seems like the logical thing to do ... Ought' be able to tow these with a Hybrid ... Schmaybe'... ???

[eaglesdare]

hey does my new shape resemble this at all?




oh i was just thinking about the height of mine, while on the ground it is ok, but once its put on a frame, it is going to be tall. will i be ok with it that tall? or do i need those cement tile floors?

[GPW]

Hmmm??? Awnings ?? What a Cool idea ... could make em' solid like Bermuda shutters ... fold down and lock for travel ...
That is a CUTE pic !!!

Eagle , just carry more camping gear ... Got any cast iron ???

[CARS]

I think I am going to use foam for my roof. The canvas and T2 is just too simple. Since I don't need the strength because I have a wood structure 1" foam should do the trick and bend just fine.

I am sure it's in this thread somewhere, but T2 isn't waterproof. Is it??

What is the plan for protecting from the elements??

[eaglesdare]

t2 is waterproof!

[GPW]

Cars , with the wood spars and canvas covered 1" foam you should be fine ... T2 is "water resistant" ... Now to better explain that , I have a couple guitars , made with T2 that got thoroughly soaked (underwater) for 2 weeks during Katrina ... although they got Nasty,metal and electronic bits ruined , wood permanently stained with Toxic soup they Never came unglued... Restored now and still playing ... that's waterproof enough for me !!! ... and I think T3 is even better .... sure sets/grabs QUICK ... Slightly more expensive ...
Protecting from the elements ... Plan is covering it or keeping it in the Garage ... I plan on keeping mine in the Studio , where it will be a mini office and a place to take a nap in the afternoon ... Gotta' clear out a Lot of junk first ...I might have to even throw something away ..

[CARS]

Premium - Titebond II Premium - Titebond II

Titebond II Premium Wood Glue is the only leading brand, one-part wood glue that passes the ANSI Type II water-resistance specification. It is ideal for exterior woodworking projects, including outdoor furniture, birdhouses, mailboxes, planters and picnic tables.

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Ultimate - Titebond III

Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue is the first one-part, water cleanup wood glue ever offered that is proven waterproof. The waterproof formula passes the ANSI/HPVA Type I water-resistance specification and offers superior bond strength, longer open assembly time and lower application temperature.

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That's why I bought the T3 for the wood portion. It's waterproof, the other is water resistant.

[starleen2]

I've been following this thread for a while - just wanted to make a comment. This is just old school technology with a new twist - in the bygone days they did the same thing with wood fiber - kinda like fiberboard - then covered with canvass and waterproof it with varnish then paint. I'm surprised by the comments on how well this works - the only addition is the use of foam as the framing substrate. Either way it works

Somehow when new products emerge - we somehow come to believe that the "former" process is inferior. New is ALWAYs better or so we have come to believe. Some have delved into the polyester resin vs epoxy debate - just because epoxy is newer doesn't mean that it is superior to polyester in every way Just because polyester is newer than varnish or shellac - doesn't mean that it is superior in every way. I can think of many Old school tech that works just as well today. Fiberglass vs canvas could be another

Titebond II is just another way of doing the same thing and getting good if not superior results - Just old tech being rediscovered

[GPW]

SS all this is just a reflection of the Old School methods ( I thought we mentioned that in the beginning ? ) ... Just re-inventing the wheel .. but with a new lighter material that insulates too ... :cool:

Gosh , you must be old ... I remember fiberboard and canvas , smelly glue , and that awful Aluminum paint ... that worked pretty well really ...



Just another note on Outdoor protection .... We plan on using Exterior Latex House paint (the good stuff) which on my house has lasted 11 years now and is just beginning to chalk out.. I figure with vibration and all (whatever) maybe 5 years before I have to re-touch some areas (like the roof) .. and that would be sitting out in the sun and rain ... un covered... In the studio, it should last as long as me (which I hope is a while) save the occasional scrape or "Hanger Rash"... With all the few wood bits "encapsulated" , there's little to Rot and only a small potential for a leaks which would probably be inconsequential ... and easy to fix...

[CARS]

Thanks for the info. I am going to paint it anyway, so T2 should work fine. I too plan on storing it indoors when not in use (at the shop so I can nap!).

I just remember that I grabbed T3 v/s T2 because it says waterproof on the label.

[GPW]

T3 is GOOD STUFF!!! That's all I use now for guitar making ...

Naps area Good Thing !!! I'd be shagged in the evenings if not for my afternoon Siesta...

[eaglesdare]

if you cover a cardboard box with t2, coat it good, then fill with water, the box should hold the water. i tried it as well as another poster way back in the begining of this thread. so t2 works well with the water issue.

i have full t2, then canvas, then diluted t2, primer, then paint. nothing is penetrating thru those layers.

like gpw said, i do have a spot where water came in, it was buckets of pooled water from rain, only a couple of drops hit the corner of my hatch and soaked into the untreated canvas. i hope i have solved that problem with adding the weather stripping.

[Ratkity]

As I have been reading the thread, I have also been contemplating how I am going to mount my new solar panel.

Mounting itself doesn't seem to be the issue so much as potential dings I could get while driving down the road (I have an 09 RT Little Guy). The panel will go on the sloped front of the TD. I was trying to figure out how I could hinge a cover to the panel - wood (needs protection/painting and it's heavy), Diamond plate (expensive and heavy), tin (where to get a source of it in the size I need)... then...

After pondering how to cover this panel while going down the road and thinking about foamies in general.. VOILA! a solution!! Make a cover out of 1 inch foam with foam glued to the sides all around as edges. Just a couple of straps around the panel + foam would keep it safe!! I can even decorate the top of the foam with my theme (chili peppers).

Hugs,
Ratkity

[bobhenry]

A padded bra might be an option !
















No an automotive type bra Vinyl with a filler much like a bed comforter. A few snaps and it would lift off a few snaps and its back on !

[swampjeep]

so I wonder if this use of foam as a major construction material warants a forum, or at least a sub forum of its own? seems to me it's got a lot of uses, and a lot of people intersted, but all this great info in this one thread makes it a PITA to find the info I've read or maybe I mean

I just can't wait to get some other projects out of teh way to start my foamy