General Problem Solving ...

[eaglesdare]

one could use a lightweight cutting board. you could even make it so it can act as double duty as a tabletop.

[GPW]

Eagle , that sure makes sense eh ! Keep it Simple (thrifty and light) , you can always make it Better later , if needed ...

Mary, although I am “the Cook” , I still don’t think cooking inside a Foamie is a good idea ... Either a Galley on the back (it can be simple , you know just what YOU need ) or cook outside on a folding table .. no reason for hot pots inside foamie trailers .... if it rains, then it’s "sandwich day" ... JMHO, Just sayin’ !!!

What do you sew?

[eaglesdare]

you could also use a piece of plexyglass, completely removeable, easy to clean. also you could make fabric to go underneath it for decoration purposes, and the fabric could be changed out with mood swings or season change, just a little sticky tape to hold down. and still the plexy could be used as a tabletop (not a huge table).

[Mary C]

Eagle, I like the plexiglass idea!! super deal!!! I could use wood dowels through the foam and put holes in the corners of the plexie to hold it in place. ok my brain is working over load. I can wash it too I am going to be camping in bear country and I want to be able to clean it up so bears wont break in because of the smell of food. I am also thinking about some little shelves about eight inches long and 3 inches deep with a rim around it . These will go on the inside walls beside the doors. I decided to use dowels to hang them and when covered with canvas they should hold glasses, keys, billfold and go girl, ect. not making it deep enough for anything heavy. Thanks for the plexie idea!

Glen, I started sewing when I was very young I learned to straight stitch making aprons for "a cooks for the poor" type organization. My mother made all my little dresses and coats and made her clothes, she taught me well. I sew anything. I have made tents, wedding gowns, formals suits, furniture covers and upholstery, I have made western shirts, drapes, pajamas, bathrobes, just about everything at one time or another. I spend a lot of time mending clothes too now, I know you make those neat hats. When I get to your city I hope to get to meet you and see them in person.

Mary

[GPW]

Mary , although my Mother sewed a Lot , my sewing experience is limited ... just dabbled in it over the years making covers, bags , holders for things , joining heavy fabrics for projects , Making curtains for the house ... simple stuff ... I only got into hat making after I went Bald .... Handy to have a couple machines around for occasional use ...
Come on down , I’ll put the coffee on and show you my “new” 1953 Singer 1590 hand cranked machine.... Fun for me and really portable ... no electricity needed ... when I first got it , had to really lubricate it well, so now it sits there leaking oil like an old Harley Davidson ...

[eaglesdare]

that almost looks like my old singer! my mom and aunt used to argue over that thing all the time. my mom was the only one that could work it though, so she kept it. after mom passed away my aunt came over and told my dad that she wanted the singer. dad told her no, it was going to me. so i now have it here and i have no idea how to use the darn thing.

now mary, with your experience with sewing you could make a foamie cover! and could make a couple of them to switch out for the different seasons. we talked about that i think in the big thread.

[eaglesdare]

oh and mary, don't cook or eat or prepare your food inside that foamie in bear country! since i have been spoiled by camping with tearjerkers with electric sites, i haven't been in bear country for at least 2 yrs now.

[Mary C]

Louella, I probably wont eat or prepare food in the TD while in bear country but I will probably make the occasional lunch or dinner during the two or three or four weeks before I get there, while traveling and I know already about bear country that's one reason I want to be able to get everything cleaned up before I make it to Yellowstone. with Bear fence. I Probably be gone on this trip for four to 6 weeks perhaps longer. ( with all the people i get to visit it probably will be eight weeks easily). and now I have to plan around my couple of days in New Orleans driveway camping at Glens, I will be up to see you in 2016. I plan to do a lot of traveling. I have a lot on my bucket list. Thanks for being concerned if I was camping to camp I would take a kitchen camp but I am using the galley to just get by no big dinners I have a stove support table and I will take a small table, something I can set my plate on. one chair and a camping stool/backpack. I want to eat in a few restaurants and I don't plan on making gourmet meals.
I will not be able to officially start the build till the end of February. At that time I will hopefully be able to get my HF trailer. I am going to get some foam in a week and since I have 1x2s i can sorta start some of my build.

Mary C

[Mary C]

Glen you are first on my list on my big trip and don't be surprised that if before that, I get to come down. I do have a brother in Gulfport and will probably be making a trip out to Houston once or twice. I learned to sew on a machine similar to that, Long story my mother got all the new electric machines because her dad worked for the power company. he was a big wig and he got the toys to try out!! Mom was blessed ! He died when I was a little and we still had the things like toaster, electric oven, electric washer and and other things but we also had some boners that dad had in a box, he stole parts off of occasionally. I wonder where I got my; make it with something mind? Do I need to bring cream and sugar for the coffee? gotta keep up my sweetness. Thanks for the invite!!!

Mary C

[GPW]

Mary , you coming for Mardi Gras ?

[Mary C]

Nope. did that, wont do it again. Love to come and see you play and have my usual glass of wine but too many idiots on the streets during Mardi Gras. I know there are some great people too, but went three times when much younger, I like to come when it is not so busy and I can sit for a long time enjoying coffee and the yummy delights.
Mary

[GPW]

Speaking of problems ... Been calling around looking for flooring ... Boards to go on the floor of my trailer build (FoamStream) ... Cedar fence boards didn’t look to good in reality , T&G flooring is expensive Thinking now of just using 1X Pine boards ... Treat em’ with “the mix” , black nasty stuff on the bottom .... Think that will work ???

Just trying to keep it “Thrifty”

[bonnie]

Glen, do you have a re store close? I got my flooring there. $6 a box.

[GPW]

Thanks Bonnie , but it’s not like a floor covering , more like floor boards , in lieu of using plywood for a floor base ... Like the old timers did ...

[ghcoe]

As much as I would like the idea of real wood for flooring I think it will be hard to make it work in a travel trailer. As a utility trailer 2x's would work fine, but for a surface that (I think) you would want to be flat there is just too much room for error and keep it light. Plywood and OSB are useful because they are one solid structure. Look at a wood planked fence and notice how uneven the wood becomes over time. You'll always have wood densities that are different from piece to piece, expanding and contracting at different speeds in different weather. You would have to deal with cupping, warping, lifting. Most older homes where planed at a 45 degree angle to the floor rafters and then planked with a tongue and groove floor on top of that. I'm not saying you can not do it, but to make it right I think you will be adding too much weight. Just some thoughts.