Thrifty Alternatives ..Building Foam Campers

[GPW]

Eagle ... Get it Done !!! Gonna’ be even Cooler than it is now !!!

I think we need our own Foamie Hall of Fame ... You and Pat representing the First Foamie builds here .... Pioneers !!!

[tinksdad]

I haven't been gone; but I have been quiet for a while. Those who visit the forums outside the "Foamies" area might say I have gone over to the "dark side" with my recent purchase of the 1947 Modernistic. "She who camps with me" has never camped in a teardrop. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce her to it, and it gave me the chance to say "I own one of the originals that got the movement started". The first night she slept in the tear with me there were some comments made about coffins and sardines. After the weekend was over, she did admit that it was a surprisingly enjoyable experience.

I haven't given up the idea of a foam build. She is encouraging me to follow up on it. I have to admit that all though I had a lot of enthusiasm about the concept, I also had a fair amount of trepidation in the beginning concerning the integrity of towing a foam structure down the road. The more builds I see being accomplished, the more I am convinced of the structural integrity as long as sufficient thought is put into the construction.

Early on in my thought processes with foamies, I was Sketchuping fantasy designs. I then turned to more traditional teardrop and tiny travel trailer designs. Spent a lot of time on the computer; but it wasn't wasted because I found myself visualizing construction methods while I was designing. My biggest concern was always a height factor behind the tow vehicle (a big foam air dam!). I see now that with good aerodynamics, it is possible. And now, I see Glen's new idea for an Evacuation trailer. For me it would be a combination of both worlds. A low height camping trailer with a little extra space for "she who camps with me". Don't get me wrong, I believe Mike's standy and the Foam Liner were probably the inspiration to larger foam trailers; just not what I was looking for. For me, camping is all about trees in my living room and the clouds as my ceiling. The trailer is just a place to sleep not in a tent any more (an aging body that others have also commented on). All the cooking will still be done outside in some type of galley configuration. Just need to get to my own computer so I can design some more.

I still want to see the original foam box; but all my recent road trips to NOLA have been on a tight schedule. The twins first birthday is fast approaching. Grandpa may just have to make some time for a side trip.

[linuxmanxxx]

Ok official weight is in and prod you can build a torsion foamy hybrid skinned with aluminum just above full foamy weights. 4x8 cabin is 40"high inside paneled walls .032 aluminum skin...............drum roll...............580 pounds!

uploadfromtaptalk1334606845824.jpg (262.03 KiB) Viewed 1399 times

[linuxmanxxx]

Heres rear view.

uploadfromtaptalk1334607023479.jpg (264.68 KiB) Viewed 1398 times

[eaglesdare]

great job steve!

[Tiredoldwhiteman]

Ok official weight is in [SNIP]...580 pounds!

Huzzah! Likin' it a lot...

[GPW]

Steve, would that top vent interfere with storing in a garage ??? COOL Trailer !!!

[linuxmanxxx]

It's right at 6 1/2 ft what is standard garage door height? The large one is original build which can still shave weight from and the mini is the one I just finished. If people are in texas area and know people who dont want to build, send them my way please. If I get really going I will make it worth any forum regulars referrals time $$$$

[atahoekid]

I am quite impressed. Job well done... Cheers I don't live in Texas but if I hear any body who wants a teardrop and doesn't want a build, I'll refer them to you anyway!

[eaglesdare]

i was worried that simbas surgery and recovery was going to stop me from camping this week. but i am happy to say, it looks like dogs recoup much faster than us old humans. so i have started packing stuff up and will be loading the original foamie to take out on her first trip this season! and simba will be going! we leave tomorrow, hopefully on the road by noon time. i am pretty happy this trip is only approx 2 hours south of us. besides the 7 plus hours it took to bring simba home when i first got him, this will be his longest trip. i hope he handles that well. he really doesn't like car rides

time sure does creep up on one though. i feel so not ready to go camping yet. i started doing the little details on the foamie and i could just go days and days fixing it up. was enjoying it a lot more. since i have been doing these little things, i am liking it more also. i finally got that ugly reinforcing strip painted, (black, that is all i had on hand), and i like that much better. still have to do the tiny detail painting, where paint got on the red, and where the primer still shows thru, but that will have to wait til i get back. i also started to paint the wood trim also black. and i am liking that much better than the wood. so i will be painting the back hatch part (wood) black also.
loving the way (sort of) the quilters fabric covered foam on the inside is turning out. will have to buy more blocks though to finish it off. what i had on hand will not cover it completely. but what a differnce it makes. it really does cover up all those flaws and ugly spots.

i get pics this weekend while out camping, post them all then. well gotta get back to it, right now i am going to try to get that new mattress in. i hate how they explode once you take them out of the plastic. pretty hard to do by myself.

[GPW]

Eagle , I really believe the best part of a Foamie is the Fun you can have making one .... everything is so Easy , sorta’ “crafty” ... No fancy workshop and tool supply necessary to do anything ... Thinking about that “quilt “ application of fabric... that’s just gotta’ be even stronger than just plain fabric glued on .... all those overlapping edges , doubling the thickness...
Once you get all your little things done , you’ll be so Happy you did it all !!!! And think about how COOL it will look !!!

Glad the dog is OK... Silly dogs !!! Caught mine licking up bits of thread off the floor ... grrrrrr!!! What an Idiot !!! Like children , gotta’ watch em’ every second, except when they’re sleeping ... and then ... ???

[Wobbly Wheels]

i hope he handles that well. he really doesn't like car rides

Do you put him in a crate or is he on the seat ?
I got a three year old Golden a couple years ago from a kennel that was closing down. She had always slept in a crate at night, whereas my other dog doesn't even get a leash. She had trouble adjusting (afraid of everything) until I picked up a crate for her. Until she got used to her new home, it was a safe and familiar spot where she could hide.
Do you think something like that might help for Simba when he's in the car ?

And...I have 'camping envy'...not for me till probably the end of the summer.

[linuxmanxxx]

Louella put the package in the camper and then start cutting it open. Much less work than outside and then fighting it through the door.

[eaglesdare]

wobbly wheels, he is not a crate pup. i normally do crate train all my dogs, but this one i just never did. so no crate for him. at least he now gets in the car with some persuasion. he used to completely refuse to even go near a car. there is a rest stop about 1 1/2 hours down, right before that chesapeake bay bridge tunnel, so i was thinking of taking a quick little stop right there, and let him stretch out. after that we should be at the campgrounds within another 1/2 hour or so.

steve: this is my second mattress, and yes i know well to put that darn thing inside the camper prior to opening that plastic! i actually managed to get it in and even to get that cover on it also, all by myself! i do think this mattress is not the same as my first one. i just hope it will be as comfy. the first one was so comfy that at the end of camping season last year, i took it out and put it as my real bed mattress now.

so i have the mattress in, got some pieces of foam to adjust my plexi windows, started loading my hatch area (traveling pretty light this time, since its just me and the pup). got a few other things here ready to pack up, just waiting for my daughter to get home from work so i will put some stuff in the car. getting a couple loads of laundry done, and hopefully tonight i can get most everything all packed up, so in the moring i won't have to do to much and get just get going. i sort of have a love hate going on right now. i love that i my camping season is starting, but i hate getting this first trip under the belt as far as supplies goes. i know i am going to forget something. i am normally an over packer, i would rather have the items and not need them, then to need them and not have them. but i am traveling light this time, so i just know i am going to forget something.

[GPW]

Don’t forget a good leash ... one that cannot be bitten through .... I made that mistake the first time we took the dumb dog away from home on a visit ... yes, bit through a nylon leash and escaped ... Had to track her down ... Luckily found 3 blocks away ... What an Idiot !! (the dog , perhaps me too)