Another foam standie...

[Wobbly Wheels]

A little more progress today:
I got the seams in the panels sanded and taped and I got the formers done for the framework that will hold the sheets in position while I glass them.



Each of the three frames is 5' X 5' and will be standing up, screwed through the deck into the stringers in the box floor. They will be spaced four feet apart starting at the back so they'll support the back 8' of foam panels that make up the boxy part of the body. From there forward it's 2' for the door and then it runs forward into the nose cone so I'll have to come up with a separate bit of frame for that. This one will allow me to attach standoffs that will screw to the edges of the frame wherever I need them and attach pads that will hold the foam - as long as I remember to make sure that all the screws are accessible since I'll have to crawl inside the box to remove them and the frames. The front will still be open then so I can pull the frames out complete to use them as cold frames next spring (always thinkin'...)

Hopefully I'll get them up tomorrow or Friday because I want to start putting walls up this weekend. I'm going to miss not having a flatdeck trailer - it's come in handy a few times.

[Wobbly Wheels]

As of today, my trailer has finally gone from a flat deck and some flat panels to a 3D shape.
I thought it apropos to go back and read my OP from June. Despite several pages of dithering on the shape, I'm back to a side-door, rear bed layout. It's done now and the only way is forward.
Reading back did give me an epiphany in terms of what I'm going to call this crate: Project Glacier.
Mostly because it accurately describes the speed of the build, but also because I am building what is essentially a giant rolling cooler perfect for keeping those frosty beverages glacier-cold.

Personally, I wouldn't believe it without pics, so here goes:



I clamped the door in place temporarily to show about where the finished inside height will be (~1" above) and to start working on how best to transition from the cambered side panels to the vertical door jamb.

This week, I'll be working on shaping this foam, then next weekend I'll be pick up the foam for the nose and get that into place...

[Wolffarmer]

Just pull up to a glacier ( don't all you BCer's have one of those in your back yard? ) Pull out your chain saw and saw off a bite of glacier and toss it inside to keep things cool.

Nice looking trailer. I fear my little TV could not pull that at any speed over 50 mph. Add a wind and might not need reverse gear.

Randy

[GPW]

Great progress W2 !!! Gonna’ be a Big one !!!

[eaglesdare]

its great to see the shape taking form.

[Wobbly Wheels]

Thx guys. Yeah It'll be a good size alright: 13' long (+ the 4' X 4' slideout) X ~6'1" in the center and about 6' wide inside.
I mocked up the portapotti inside the curve of the nose and found I'll have to slide it quite a bit aft, so I'll lose about 8 more inches to keep the head up in the nose, but I'm still going to do it. Good thing for the slideout, though I'm not sure exactly how it's going to work yet...

Randy, I hear you about the hamster-powered TV - I'm building this thing to be able to tow it with a four cyl Ranger, so I have to be a bit ruthless about the weight. I'm seriously thinking of going all plexi for the windows instead of glass, mainly for weight.
Whatever it ends up weighing, I'm sure I'll think it's still too much and will try to cut it down on the next one...

[GPW]

Want to lose 500 lbs. quick .... leave the Beer at home ...

Thin Lexan makes good light windows , and is pretty bullet proof ...

[Wobbly Wheels]

Leave the beer at home ?!?!?
Are you crazy, man ? What's the point of building a rolling beer cooler then ?
Sacrilege...

Still, I've got the windows I stripped out of the camper and seems like a waste not to use them....maybe a small greenhouse is the next project ?
I just replaced the companionway hatch in a sailboat with some 1/4" and I'm amazed at how tough it is for its weight. It's lasted since the boat was new (30-odd years), been out in the weather all that time, and takes a fair bit of abuse. This stuff was smoked and there is an offcut that would make a good bathroom window, but it would be pretty dark for the rest of the windows. I'm thinking of just using aluminum C channel as an edging for it and gluing it on with Lexel. I can rivet a piano hinge to it and bed a mating alum strip into the top of the window opening. That will give minimal visual impact and still allow for opening windows. I can use the same channel stock to make up a sliding bypass window at the dinette and the foot of the bed.

In other news, I just lucked into a set of about 12 exterior LED courtesy lights. No transformer, but I don't need one anyway since it's going into a 12V system. I'll get a pic when I'm hook 'em up down in the shop - they are pretty bright and will make great courtesy lights in the lower canted part of the sidewall and inside the lockers. They are probably too bright for courtesy lighting inside, but I have some interior ones for that anyway.

I also got a marine docking light (1/2 of a pair that I replaced) that will make a great porch light. It uses an MR16 bulb that will get swapped out for an LED:


Lastly, I'm still ruminating on the how to make the slideout happen. I'm probably overthinking it, but I haven't allowed for an 'escape hatch'. Most commercial RVs have them and V-berths in boats are required to have them. The bed in mine is at the opposite end of from the door and, given how nasty this stuff is when it burns and that I'll have combustion appliances inside, I'm thinking about building the slideout's end panel so it can be kicked out or having it held in against a foam gasket with a couple hitch pins. Thoughts ?

[GPW]

Thinking a window would make a good escape hatch ...

Yeah, can’t leave the Beer...

[eaglesdare]

what do you need an escape hatch for?

[Wobbly Wheels]

Despite the silly name, escape hatches are installed in boats so that you can get out of your sleeping area in the event of fire. If I go with plastic windows. They probably won't be tall enough to get out of, given the distance between the dinette table/countertops and the upper chamfer of the sidewall - probably 12-16" tall.

Have you guys seen this stuff burn ?
It's pretty impressive and it lights/melts FAR easier than than the typical hardboard paneling.
I'm not saying it's unsafe to build with or anything, but since I'm going to have fire inside the trailer I need to mitigate the risk...




Probably just overthinking it anyway because I'd rather be building...

[atahoekid]

Want to lose 500 lbs. quick .... leave the Beer at home ...

Treasonous talk... the man must be an imposter...

[atahoekid]

Yeah, can’t leave the Beer...

Thank Goodness. Sanity has returned to our happy home thread!

[Wobbly Wheels]

Awright...Project Glacier is clipping right along.

The outside sheathing has been glued up and I've fabbed the center roof section:


Now that the exterior dimensions are set, I had Mrs. Wheels come out to assess the job and got a seal of approval so funding for the upcoming fiscal year has been justified...

[Wolfgang92025]

Brian,

looks like you are making good progress....