foam builds (foamies that have been built or in the process)

[linuxmanxxx]

Sounds good storage is never a bad thing to have. I'd recommend with that long of a trailer to order you some 13" wheels and massage the fenders and upgrade the tires to some decent 40k 13" radials so you won't have to worry about those 12"s throwing rubber on you with that big a trailer and camper behind you. http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-411-c0128690cbr.aspx Here's a nice chrome one that has the correct bolt size and pattern and spiff it up a bit as well at the same time. If you just want to stick with plain white here you go http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/p-403-nw128690.aspx

[eaglesdare]

yes, i like the outside storage idea. i have had many times wanted to stash a wet tarp, or something that was dirty from the rain/dirt. the only place i had was inside my car or inside the tear. so an outside storage area for me, sounds like a good idea.
plus that space might (i did say might) be a good holder for an a/c.

gpw, you mentioned core doors, and i have often thought of those also. could i use that for the bed? heck i probably have one here in the house i could use. (but don't tell the old man )
are core doors expensive? i know they are relatively speaking light.

and please lets talk about the floor again. that floor that sits ontop of the mesh. steve mentioned a sandwich, but i don't understand why i can't just use a normal wood floor, like i did for the first one. is there a reason?
could a core door (well several) be used for the floor?
in this case, the floor is not really going to be used for structural purposes (the side rail section is). heck, you could cut the end open and slide in a piece of foam. then i would have a sandwich!

opinions? discussion? tell me i don't know what i am talking about and to go back to bed?

[linuxmanxxx]

A sandwich would be taking 1x2 wood and building like a lattice and in between the 1x2 runners you would put 3/4" foam panels cut to fit and then you glue a sheet of luan on each side and it makes a floor that is light insulated and stronger than if you used just straight plywood. You save weight and make it stronger so you win in 2 ways. The doors he has referenced are made the same way but instead of foam are hollow core but very strong because the glue and the 2 sides being attached to the substrate make for huge sheer strengths compared to just a straight up piece of plywood being used. This is the principle that gives the foamy the strength with the glue and canvas surfaces on both sides of the foam. If you went panelling or luan on the interior completely glued you raise the weight a little but add a lot more stiffness and strength to your overall camper structure vs doing both sides canvas.

What Glen has always called a sock is actually a sandwich construction and there are lightweight wall threads over in the construction tips that give all the engineering aspects of how it all works and how much weight reduction happens. If I remember correctly the 3/4" sandwich has 40% of the weight of 3/4" solid plywood and 30% less flex so it makes for a much overall stronger structure.

[linuxmanxxx]

If you look at the camper I have built it has walls and floor of 3/4" sandwich and the roof is the 1x2 laid vertically so it's 1 1/2" with double 3/4" foam sandwiched and I can walk on the roof with little flexing and I'm about 190 lbs so you see how strong the method makes what you build with it.

[crumbruiser]

You all are such brilliant people! I've been trying to come up with a plan but the more I read [I've been reading for months], the more and different ideas I come up with. This overhang Gypsy Wagon-Vardo-Teardrop-TTT is or can be perfect! The sketch GPW did a few pages ago is just awsome. You can have a small floor plan with so much more room for the bed and kitchen by building over the the short walls.
I really just wanted to say thank you for this insight and inspiration!
Frank

[eaglesdare]

do we have pics of a sandwich floor? i don't mind a sandwich floor if its going to be lighter.
this luan stuff, is that a wood, or is it more like paneling? i ask that because sometime last year i went looking for luan, and the guy at first did not know what i meant, but eventaully he took me to stuff that looked somewhat like paneling and it was labeled luan. but i remember watching a home decorator show with a guy that used luan, and the stuff he used looked more like a better balsa wood. so i am not sure what luan is.
gpw: wanna make another pic?

[eaglesdare]

You all are such brilliant people! I've been trying to come up with a plan but the more I read [I've been reading for months], the more and different ideas I come up with. This overhang Gypsy Wagon-Vardo-Teardrop-TTT is or can be perfect! The sketch GPW did a few pages ago is just awsome. You can have a small floor plan with so much more room for the bed and kitchen by building over the the short walls.
I really just wanted to say thank you for this insight and inspiration!
Frank

you can see i joined in 08, did not build anything til 2011! so i read every post on this forum i think. it can be very confusing to decide on what you want and how to go about it. i always believe that the right thing will come to you, when i read that big thrifty thread (at the time is was only like 9 pages when i started) that was it. that idea/thread whatever you want to call it, said hey this is perfect for you!

[GPW]

No Rules eh .... take the ideas you like and build it the way you want ...

[eaglesdare]

ok so after researching this sandwich floor, i think i like it and will go with that. i especially like the idea of it being lighter and stronger. now my problem is, can i do this? i have seen pics and they seem pretty simple, but i am worried about "me" being able to do it. i am a pretty strong, goal oriented person, so i am going to give this a shot. if there is a will, there is a way!

[linuxmanxxx]

Luan is called many things at the box stores home depot actually has it labelled as such but lowes just has it listed as their thinnest plywood the metric equivalent of 1/8" is what it amounts to.

Just make sure you have straight 1x2 is all you need to worry about louella and make sure you get it squared up good and slap the luan on one side glued up to the 1x2 and I have 3/4" cheap staples in a brad/staple gun got from harbor freight for 19.99 and thats how I secure the skin till the glue is set. You can get the 30nf I use and spray it on the inside and on the backside of your foam cutouts and bond it to the luan you first applied and then cut your outer luan skin pieces and then spray both the floor structure and your outer skin let them flash off (turn dark green for the green 30nf) and then just square and drop it in place couple staples to hold it and put the correct pressure on the contact cement for it to bond and you are then done.

Cutting the foam takes the longest actually but that 30nf glues the foam to the luan and it won't budge at all once it is pressed in place. Go ahead and lay a line of tb2 or tb3 on the 1x2 after you get the 30nf sprayed on and it will super bond the wood to wood and give you massive strength.

[eaglesdare]

so would anyone like to estimate how many of those 1x2's i will need?
inside measurements according to the manual says:
60" x 120". i am also looking at a foot of storage space, so that will cut the 120 down to 108".

also when you connect these pieces, how do you do that? i have heard the phrase, glue and screw. i take that to mean literally glues, plus screws. what kind of screws? straight in, or on an angle?
and glue? tb2 or 3? its a wood glue.

you guys are going to have to help me out on this stuff. sorry for asking these really basic questions, but be prepared for them.

[GPW]

First is to find a good FLAT floor space to do this on ... Very Important ... You definitely Don’t want a warped sandwich ... even by a little , which will throw everything else off by the amount of the elevation(warp)
Mentioning hollow doors brings to mind the availability of door skin material ... very Thin , strong over foam ... great thin toast for the sandwich ...

Eagle , that’s a can of worms ... the basic stuff all comes down to the best way to do it , much discussion is possible over the most basic methods ... with the possible need to revert sometimes to the “talking paperâ€

[GPW]

Screwed and glued... the adhesive properties of the glue (any carpenters glue , according to waterproofing needs , T3 being the best for that .. so far )

Plus the mechanical attachment of a screw , which is where the complexity begins... Fine of coarse thread , different head shapes , drilling the correct size hole for the screw , countersinking , sealing the screw, need a washer ? ... many little things to know ... even the best way to screw into a board ... like screwing into the end grain is less strong than into the flat grain ... the devil is in the details

[linuxmanxxx]

Just get that cheap air nailer I was talking about and use tb3 and shoot 1/8" brads into it and the glue dries stronger than the wood so the nailer is only there to hold it till the glue hardens. Only use screws when you are joining like the side wall or such to the floor but even nailer can be used for that if you glue everything. Since you will be laying this over the mesh you can space your 1x2 further apart and not use as many as if you were suspending parts of the floor with no support. Closer you space the cross runners the stiffer the floor will be. You can easily get away with 18" centers and keep cost and weight down. Remember I've built 2 campers using this on all walls so for speed and ease of doing it, I'd suggest using the air nailer/stapler and then you are set for building your next one and your next one.....kinda addictive once you get the hang of it. You can be my east coast manufacturing branch eventually if you want

[eaglesdare]

[quote="GPW"]First is to find a good FLAT floor space to do this on ... Very Important ... You definitely Don’t want a warped sandwich ... even by a little , which will throw everything else off by the amount of the elevation(warp)
Mentioning hollow doors brings to mind the availability of door skin material ... very Thin , strong over foam ... great thin toast for the sandwich ...

Eagle , that’s a can of worms ... the basic stuff all comes down to the best way to do it , much discussion is possible over the most basic methods ... with the possible need to revert sometimes to the “talking paperâ€