UltraLight Body Design

[schaney]

Yes the fittings are a bit pricey. The fitting are $5-7 each and 7/8" aluminum tubing is about $1.35 a foot.

[GPW]

OUCH!!!!! No better way ?????

[aggie79]

Yes the fittings are a bit pricey. The fitting are $5-7 each and 7/8" aluminum tubing is about $1.35 a foot.

Schaney,
Where do you purchase your fittings?
Thanks, Tom

[schaney]

Tom, Look locally for someone that does boat top, they should be able to get most marine top & rail hardware.

We stock the type of hardware used for making tent bows, table legs, etc. For comparison purposes I charge $7.25 for the 7/8" tube stainless steel 90 degree elbow pictured earlier.

Here are some of the other types of hardware available.



What are you planning on making?

GPW, I'd have to think on it for budget attaching methods that would last

[GPW]

I counted places for 45 couplers on the frame you've shown ... Roughly that's $326.25 USD just for couplers ... and we've not mentioned shipping ...

[GPW]

I counted places for 45 couplers on the frame you've shown ... Roughly that's $326.25 USD just for couplers ... and we've not mentioned shipping from OZ ...

[schaney]

GPW, here is an idea, how about a wood & metal hybrid Make all the main hoops out of conduit, then use wood strip like in the Gaboat design. Could tie or rivet them in place.



Oh ya, shipping on 45 couplers, no problem, USPS flat rate boxes, would be about $15.

[steve smoot]

funny you mention PVC as a possible frame material. The PVC Bike Guy is building a camper with what else, PVC framing. The attached link should get you to his site...

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... v-eoRSmQlQ

[GPW]

Schaney, trailers just a boat upside down eh ... NICE boat !!!

Steve, that's a little too light for me ...

Hmmm? a FAT boat upside down , square stern ...

[GPW]

Schaney , what about simplifying the frame design to use Less couplers...???
I really Like the streamline look of your current frame ...Schmaybe' half way between what you have and a Cargo box (just an humble idea)... ? You're the Master of Simple/Practical construction ! Should be easy eh?

Could be easier to fab a tent cover for it too ...less panels/sewing

[schaney]

Because the skin in this type of structure isn't providing any strenght you need most of the poles that are there. Part of the reason for the number of poles is to be able to support the fabric cover sufficiently at highway speeds.

If you go with a folding design you can get away with a lot less poles and couples.

[GPW]

I see... and it's not nearly as nice as the other frame ... I somehow had the mistaken impression you'd only tow the frame and pop the cover on at the campsite ...

[schaney]

just a minor detail. If you plan on installing the cover when you get to camp, you can get away with notably less poles.

[GPW]

Conduit and wood strips .... That's starting to finally sink in ...easy enough to add snaps to the wood strips to enable dressing the frame with the snap on cover... No expensive tubing couplers ... and you could even do the floor with tubes and wood strips , just spaced closely together...
Guessing you could even add snaps on the tubing for a snap on inner "liner"... All of which should be extremely LIGHT, even for a reasonably sized structure... !!!

Thinking the back door would be a Zip up eh ??

[schaney]

Seems like it would be a reasonably easy structure to make. I'm thinking external snaps wouldn't be needed if the tent is fitted correctly. Just tension it with bungee over hooks around the bottom. Then use snaps or velco for hanging an internal liner. I'd keep it simple and go with a zipper back door.