Foamie with a slide

[mdk]

Ps. You DID read the entire Thrifty Alternatives thread huh ? (required reading) I know , it’s BIG , but explains most everything and how and why this got started... and assorted other things too ... (which you can skip over)

Uh, no, I did not.

It's over 400 pages long, with massive amounts of disagreement, contradictions, and references to other things, elsewhere.

I did read a bunch of it and was so confused by all the conflicting opinions and commentary I gave up.

[mdk]

I should mention that fiberglass just really isn't an option for me. Urethanes and epoxies are iffy, but doable, fiberglass, not.

I worked for many years in an environment where the air was full of solvents, oils, etc. I have developed a lot of substance allergies, and on top of that, all those things trigger my wife's asthma.

What I did do was read all I could find about why plywood delaminates, and the reason is always (other than some totally defective stuff) moisture.

So, after looking at all the means of sealing people used here, I began thinking about some stuff I used a number of years ago to fix roof and vent leaks in my old travel trailer. I used this http://www.eternabond.com/AlumiBond-p/rv-as.htm and was seriously impressed with its permanent sealing abilities, not mention it stays forever flexible and won't crack, etc, because it's not brittle.

Later, I managed to run across this: http://www.mfmbp.com/productView.aspx?id=1

Which set me to thinking that to avoid the UV problems with both urethanes and fiberglass, what one must have is an impermeable, self bonding finish. Still working on that, but the idea is to work on sealing, rather than glassing. That stuff would be perfect for the roof, and depending on appearance, just might be the answer for the sides, as well.

[GPW]

“ I did read a bunch of it and was so confused by all the conflicting opinions and commentary I gave up.” ... I can understand that !!! ...
The result of all that is to build the trailer the way You want to (and especially since you have prior TT experience) ... That’s always the Best way !!! No Experts here, so we have to test everything ???

[mdk]

“ I did read a bunch of it and was so confused by all the conflicting opinions and commentary I gave up.” ... I can understand that !!! ...
The result of all that is to build the trailer the way You want to (and especially since you have prior TT experience) ... That’s always the Best way !!! No Experts here, so we have to test everything ???

I've never built one - don't want to confuse anyone.

I just bought an old one off craigslist, etc, a couple times.

I no longer have them.

[GPW]

Actually one of our goals here was to make a trailer that needed very little maintenance ... That’s worked out very well, and we’d like to see all your efforts “last” too ... All our experiences before with commercial and plywood trailers were somewhat disastrous in the maintenance dept ... Then Foamies’ came along ... Now we have Two ... Just sayin’ ...

Oh yeah ... we love pictures too ... so if you have any ...

[mdk]

Actually one of our goals here was to make a trailer that needed very little maintenance ... That’s worked out very well, and we’d like to see all your efforts “last” too ... All our experiences before with commercial and plywood trailers were somewhat disastrous in the maintenance dept ... Then Foamies’ came along ... Now we have Two ... Just sayin’ ...

Oh yeah ... we love pictures too ... so if you have any ...

Oh, yes, that "very little maintenance" is, well, essential, in my book.

I have no pictures, because I can't start anything. Unless I wait until until I move out of Illinois ( 3-5 years), it has to built inside of a garage with a "not quite" 7 foot tall door. So, either I have to make something with a roof that lowers, or I have to build the frame first, store it somewhere, build the box on the floor, drag it outside, then put the frame under it.

But the wife doesn't want a tent trailer and I don't want to try building something like a Hi-Lo trailer, etc.

[GPW]

"or I have to build the frame first, store it somewhere, build the box on the floor, drag it outside, then put the frame under it. “  ...That’s Exactly how I built the Foamie #1 Built the cabin , even painted it on two saw horses ... then built the trailer , had some friends lift it on the trailer (Light) , bolted it down and that was that !!!
The FoamStream frame was built in my Studio , and it just made out the 6’8” garage door ...

You plan on Moving ??

[mdk]

You plan on Moving ??

Yes, we are in Illinois only long enough for my wife to get her next degree here, and then we're going back west. So fast you'll see nothing but a streak...

[GPW]

Cool !!!