The Pocket Knife Camper....What color????

[Postal_Dave]

For the time being, I'm calling my camper The Pocket Knife, because it unfolds.

I one time had a boat that was 8 feet wide and so tall that I couldn't see out my rear view mirror. I hated taking that thing to the lake because it was too hard to drive it down the road. So with that experience in mind I decided that I wanted a camper so compact, that it would hardly be noticeable behind my Explorer. I wanted something that I could see out all my mirrors and wouldn't be too much wider than my car. I also wanted one that I could stand up in. I wanted an indoor toilet, so I wouldn't have to grab my shoes and a flashlight in the middle of the night. I wanted my camper not for camping in the woods, but to be a camp ground hotel room, with TV, A/C, heat, microwave, and a fridge. I also wanted solid wood walls because CPW said so. It took 6 months of designing on paper and a year of trial and error during the build, but now it's done, except for the outside color.

So I'm asking for your help please. What color do I paint or stain this thing? I'm thinking white for the top, to help reduce the heat from the sun. The inside isn't going to be a problem, but the outside, what to do, what to do? BTW: The Explorer is green.

Thanks for any input and help.
Dave
















P.S. I want to thank CPW for his input on this build. Thanks to Dale, I "Researched" my folding bed to couch design from Dale and his Squidget. Thanks to Aunti M for telling me how to bolt down this monstrosity to the trailer using "T" nuts. And Thanks to all the people of this forum for what they taught me from reading their posts and looking at their pictures.

Dave

[parnold]

That is pretty cool!

How are you going to finish? Paint, siding ?

[Postal_Dave]

That's what I'm asking YOU! Please give me suggestions

I'm so desperate that I just asked my Ex-wife for paint suggestions.

Dave

[parnold]

I would paint it to look like a 70's popup when you're draggin' it down the road. Lot's of color combos, white/blue white/red white/yellow. I don't like the way plywood looks when it is stained on an exterior personally.

[mckenney56]

Hey, that is way cool. If you shrink it down to just big enough to sleep in, and loose the galley, you have what I'm trying to build. Take a look at my build journal.

I think paint it all white and paint a knife on the side. I'm terrible with the paint software but I gave it a try anyway. This one has a turquoise handle inlay.



If you did it just right the blade would open on the knife when you open the camper.

Once again, very cool concept. Let us know when and if you determine how much weighs.

[Postal_Dave]

I don't know the trailer weight, but the tongue weight is 65lbs.

I thought about painting the triangle top part white for the blade and the bottom a dark stain. However, when I put up the sides, I'm lost as to what to paint them to keep with the knife idea.

I thought about a patchwork paint job where the little triangles, made by the support arms, are some thing like bright red and blue. However it turned out to look like The Partridge Family bus.
I'm also awful when it comes to using the paint program.

[Postal_Dave]

I would paint it to look like a 70's popup when you're draggin' it down the road. Lot's of color combos, white/blue white/red white/yellow. I don't like the way plywood looks when it is stained on an exterior personally.

I looked up some 70's campers on Google and this is what I came up with for my camper. I don't know if this is what you had in mind though. I was trying to have something that went with the color of my Explorer so I put the green in there.

I don't know if I'm on the right track here. What do you think?





Dave

[mikeschn]

I would get one of those sunbrella covers to cover it when you are towing in the rain. That would keep the majority of the water out of there... Pretty cool design!!!

Mike...

[chezrad]

I would really like to see a series of pictures showing this trailer in the process of un-folding. It is really cool!

[S. Heisley]

That looks like a fun trailer...very cleverly made, too!

White and "tow vehicle green" paint would be a good combination. I agree that painting the top white would help fight the heat. I think you might also want to paint the folding sides white, not only to fight heat, but also because touch up on those parts would be easier to match. You may have a few 'rub' spots on the folding parts after you first build it where adjustments need to be made and the paint might need to be touched up. Maybe paint the bottom, stationary part solid green, as you suggested. Besides matching your tow vehicle, it will also help hide the bugs and dirt that you pick up on the road. If you are going to put any trim around the windows, that trim might look good in green, to break up the white a bit. (It would look good with fake shutters painted on; but that might be more difficult and you could have 'rub' re-paint problems to contend with on that.) A green stripe on the roof side or a green design of some sort on the galley hatch might look good, too. You'll know what works best, as you play around, coloring your drawings in various ways.

Oh, and check out the Horny Tow'd use of tri-colors, green and white here: viewtopic.php?f=50&t=45718&start=30
Something on that order might work, too!

Best wishes on whatever you decide. Don't forget to post pictures of the final product!!! We love da pictures!

[Postal_Dave]

Sharon, thanks for the link to the Horny Tow'd. I really like the stripes on it.

I've been trying to match the color of my tow vehicle like you suggested, but it's a metallic green and that is making a match a real pain. I'm so frustrated now that I'm tempted to paint the whole thing Battleship grey, but then it would look like the shuttle craft from Star Trek.





BTW: Mike. I forgot to thank you too. Part of the ideas for the folding walls came from the way the Winter Warrior folds up. As for the rain getting in when it's being towed, IF, big "IF" there, IF the weather stripping works in the overlaps, the way I've designed it to, then there is minimum chance of rain getting in when it's being towed. However, I'm putting the weather stripping on after the paint job so...we'll know for sure later on. So I'll keep that cover in mind in case it doesn't work.

[mezmo]

Very original design! I like it. A definite "build what suits you" !
Good luck as you finish it out.

As far as painting, I'd agree with painting the top white as well
as the upper side walls. I'd paint the bottom to match the tow vehicle
but just do it in a horizontal line, perhaps separating the white and
that color [tow vehicle green] with a black or red or gold stripe.

I wonder if the wooden exterior lift bars will be long lived though.
You could easily replace with some made of metal tubing when the
time comes they need replacement.

I'd second Mike's suggestion of a sunbrella type canvas top cover
when towing [and storage?]. Since it is a modest size when
collapsed it shouldn't be too costly or unmanageable to use. Perhaps
you could make it double as a small awing over the entry somehow
when camping

Cheers,
Norm/mezmo

[Shadow Catcher]

Pocket Knife what other color is there, red of course as in the Swiss army knife.

[Postal_Dave]

Now there you go. I like that idea. White top with the Swiss Army Knife red on the bottom. I might even try to add on that shield with the cross on it.
Thanks,
Dave

[John61CT]

I would really like to see a series of pictures showing this trailer in the process of un-folding. It is really cool!

Me too