If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Design & Construction of anything that's not a teardrop e.g. Grasshoppers or Sunspots

If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby DavidMcC » Mon Dec 18, 2017 10:30 pm

I have been all over the board on this journey. I have talked about how I would do this here and on other boards....I have received a lot of "that wont work" feedback and I listened, but the reasons they listed were travel wise it wont work (they were correct, in the up position it WONT travel....I stated it would be collapsed lol) the other most common complaint was that it isn't watertight....I camp in Northern California in the summer where its 90 degrees plus, no fog no rain. Its also kept in a garage. This I just an adventure for me that's whats fun right lol. I wanted a trailer that I could stand in, get dressed in in comfort, walk around without ducking. It had to be fairly light weight, my escape is capable of towing 3500 lbs, but I don't want to be anywhere near that. So with all that in mind this is what I have come up with.... I purchased a 5x8 utility trailer from Lowes. Then after several different ideas and changes I happened on a website that offered pvc connectors, yes that's correct pvc connectors that enable me to do a three way corner also parts to create a door. upon further inspection I found plans for "pvc paintbooth" This might work I thought. They suggested 1" pipe but I wanted a little more rigid so I went with 1 1/2" pipe. I had to manipulate their plans from 7x7x7 to 5x8x just under 7'. I finished the pipe over the weekend, I wanted to make the base and the top all solid so I started gluing up connections..this created problems because you have to be fast and accurate well I need to take my time in order to get accurate LOL. So, I put them together using carriage bolts and nuts, this allows me to separate and replace as needed and it lines up perfectly. The wall supports are all individual poles that get hammered into the base and then the top goes in place. The walls will be 1/4" plywood 4x8 I will run those the length of the trailer (8' side) and then I will put a sheet on top with a piano hinge or something of that sort in the middle. This will allow me to drop the top part of the wall and I will have screen on the inside . I know its hard to picture I will post more pics as I get them. The rail of the trailer is 1' high the top, bottom and the box that holds all the wall supports and door fit below that rail. My trailer will come out less than 1000 lbs which makes me happy. Setting it up can be done by one person. The only thing I'm trying to figure out is what kind of top I want to put on it...currently I'm thinking a tarp would be fine, and can be attatched pryor to the top even going up.
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby Greg M » Mon Dec 18, 2017 11:23 pm

If it works for you, then it’s perfect.
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby BigGoofyGuy » Tue Dec 19, 2017 9:52 pm

Perhaps like this duct tape camper that uses pvc pipes?
http://www.ducttapecamper.com/
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:thinking:
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby DavidMcC » Sun Dec 24, 2017 8:28 pm

interesting idea with the duct tape 8) I mean if it works right lol. This will give you an idea of the direction I am going...again this breaks down flat :stompspam:
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby jandmz » Wed Jan 03, 2018 4:28 pm

OK, nontraditional all the way. Why not take a cue from the "foamie" board and make the roof a foam and canvas inverted box that will act as a road cover when the trailer is folded. I used to have a popup that used the end bows to lever the roof into position without any crank or lift mechanism. It went up one end at a time and one person could raise it. This shows how the roof raised on page 2.

http://dave78chieftain.com/Apache_Trail ... Manual.pdf
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby S. Heisley » Wed Jan 03, 2018 10:34 pm

:thinking: If I remember correctly, we had a guy make one out of PVC and Duct Tape in the era BF (Before Foamies). It held up for one summer trip, I think...sort of.

However PVC and Styrofoam is a possible solution, provided you glue, seal, and secure it all. Foamies have come a long way in the past few years.
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Re: If Non-Traditional Design is what you want...

Postby Douglas Knudson » Fri Mar 05, 2021 11:07 am

Did this build ever get finished?
2017 Jeep Sahara
2020 Homebuilt Foamie
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