Foamstead Model

[JThompson]

I've done a lot of minimalist hiking and camping over the years, including weeks at a time spent camping with the tools and technology of several hundred years ago. With the exception of first aid and medicine, if they didn't have it, you couldn't have it. a week dressed in 9th century clothing, with that technology level is eye opening on what exactly you need. I have learned that there are times to travel lite, like when I did a section of the AT across Harpers ferry. or when I decided in my infinite wisdom I could bike from Harper's ferry to DC in 4 days and not be exhausted pulling a bike trailer. Then I learned there is a point where minimalism sacrifices comfort on the alter of weight. it is possible to get too small and lose joy and comfort in the pursuit of the smallest most minimal pack.

I laugh when people mention their wives demanding things. I have the other problem a man with his whims. A Air conditioner - which I abhor and always have. the reason the hopper is 6 foot wide is HE thought it would be better.. wider then a queen,, but not wide enough for a king without what I think is too much outward wall pressure so why is it better the the 5'4" I planned? The demand of a side tent for a porta potty, I planned a 2x4 lift on the top of the frame.. but 4 is better then 2.. in his mind.( now he cant sit on the edge and have his feet on the ground)..oh and now there is apparently going to be a solar panel on the roof. and two deep cycle battery's inside.. and I cant remember how many times I have argued that there is NOT going to be a built in dry ice cooler with access from INSIDE the camper. ...

[GPW]

QUOTE: “ I laugh when people mention their wives demanding things. “ Yeah, we laugh too .... then submit eventually ...

[Olddog1]

Teri, I'm still going thru the tutorials and playing with the basics. I seem to have a problem stopping the line / cursor at a measurement. Always seems to be either just short of or longer than the measurement I want, very sensitive or too much coffee. Need to get further into the tutorials to figure out how to get that arc between the curve front and the curved roof. I'll keep at it all least for awhile.

JT, the minimal approach is mostly in regards to the RV specific systems. Having just spent $1500. on a new AC and controller and knowing that an inexpensive window unit will accomplish the same thing at 1/10th the cost just galls me. Even the two way RV fridge,12vdc/120vac, will be substituted for with an apt. unit. Our travels to and from Maine normally have us leaving a campground at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning and stopping by 3:00 in the afternoon. Just doesn't pay to be on the road with people in a hurry to get to work and back home in the evening. The fridge should keep everything cold over that short time frame. The only RV item I'm contemplating is the toilet. Just can't imagine any other system other than a composting toilet and haven't checked into that enough.

GPW, she has already learned to minimize. We went from a 2000sf house to a 900sf apt then into the 300sf RV which we lived in fulltime for 5+ years.

Maryc, on some projects I have operated that way. Boat building, model railroading, and other major projects I like to have a good sense of every step. I hate screwing up and having to go sit in the "moaning chair" while I figure out how to correct my mistakes. The moaning chair was an idea from a boat builder by the name of Herb Payson. Basically the idea is that when you screw up take the time to think thru the right correction and don't just continue making the bad worse. It's hard to fix something right while you're still kicking yourself in the behind.

Rain! and weather! That is the one constant that I have noticed in all of the post on builds.

Lamar, Olddog1

[atahoekid]

Like GPW, I am an old school guy when it comes to drafting and drawing. I'm not nearly as good as him, but I can sketch pretty well and I used to work as a draftsman for a company that built power plants and oil refineries. I have tried Sketch Up for the third time just recently and I have decided once again to delete it off my computer. I get too frustrated and I can sketch or draw faster by pencil, triangle and T square faster anyway, although those instruments are getting harder to find.

[TeriL]

Teri, I'm still going thru the tutorials and playing with the basics. I seem to have a problem stopping the line / cursor at a measurement. Always seems to be either just short of or longer than the measurement I want, very sensitive or too much coffee. Need to get further into the tutorials to figure out how to get that arc between the curve front and the curved roof. I'll keep at it all least for awhile.

Lamar, Olddog1

Hi Lamar,

For EXACT line lengths, start the line, drag the line in the direction you want, TYPE (numerical value) in the length, and press ENTER. Presto! An EXACT Length!

Curves are a bit trickier. Start the curve very close to the end of an existing line or curve BUT NOT at the end point. Put the other end of the arc close to the end point of the other line or curve and when you move the cursor to describe the "bump", at some point the temporary curve will change color (Cyan on my computer) and a pop up (assuming they are turned on) note will say Tangent to the start or end line or curve. Not that the curve will probably be only tangent to only the start or end point. If the curve is still unsatisfactory draw another curve from the "kinky" end. Again, NOT at the end point. See below:



Note the start point and also the end of arc point. The arc drawn is tangent to the line AT the start point near the endpoint. The end of the arc isn't tangent to the other (vertical) line. By picking different end points and drawing an arc from the other line or existing arc you can make a reasonably smooth curve.

If you ZOOM in to the arc start point, you'll see an orphan line segment that can be erased.

For truly smooth curves, download the RUBY script for drawing Bezier curves. However, that's an advanced topic and I suspect you brain is about to explode already. There are many flavors of Bezier curves in case you didn't know.

-- Teri

[GPW]

Mel , my Father used to be a Draftsman for an Oil company, then he realized how EVIL they are and quit and became a full time Artist ... I got all his old tools ... Handy for old school drawing ...

[atahoekid]

I quit, because I hated being behind a desk all day and working for old cranky guys (I was 18 at the time, now I'm that age). Funny at the time, the company had a "new" cad machine, it was "the way of the future". It took up an entire 15 x 20 room!!! Now you could do it on your desktop

[TeriL]

I quit, because I hated being behind a desk all day and working for old cranky guys (I was 18 at the time, now I'm that age). Funny at the time, the company had a "new" cad machine, it was "the way of the future". It took up an entire 15 x 20 room!!! Now you could do it on your desktop

When I was an engineering student taking "technical drawing", pencil (2mm, fond memories) and paper (Vellum) were the way to do it. My text book had a section on the new fangled computerized systems just being put into use by the government workers ("defence contractors"). Never dreamed of it being available to common folks. Frankly, never though I'd have my own computer either.

I did well in my "technical drawing" class as I had good spacial visualization. That was really the point of the class, not just making nice drawings. I aced every pop quiz and test which consisted of 2 orthoscopic views of an object with the task of drawing the 3rd view. I was just so-so in actual drawings. Not to Brag , I could rotate the "object" in my mind to "see" it in any position. I really don't need Sketchup but I realize most people don't have my spacial visualization ability. It's just for communicating with others. Sketchup is handy though as it helps to see mistakes such as interferences.

-- Teri

[KCStudly]

Whether on paper/vellum, cut up cardboard, or virtual electrons, the real benefit comes from translating the design in your head true to scale. That's where you will get the most benefit out of the design process. Things will go together properly (usually ) and will end up being like you planned.

Failing to allow for material thickness', how the human body fits into the design (ergonomics like putting the doors too far forward) or any number of other pitfalls that the mind did not foresee can usually be avoided by making your design representations true to scale.

Sketchup is just one tool that can help with this task. There's nothing wrong with pencil and paper, just be sure to get your ruler out, too. If I didn't have access to some great 3D design software (Inventor), I'd be pushing graphite on vellum, too.

[GPW]

From a practical and Artistic standpoint , we find using a pencil and paper , more friendly because you can erase your mistakes ,and yet a little will remain ... showing you where Not to draw again ...
Pencil , much easier than a pen , Lots easier than “hair on a stick “ ..

[TeriL]

Whether on paper/vellum, cut up cardboard, or virtual electrons, the real benefit comes from translating the design in your head true to scale. That's where you will get the most benefit out of the design process. Things will go together properly (usually ) and will end up being like you planned.

Failing to allow for material thickness', how the human body fits into the design (ergonomics like putting the doors too far forward) or any number of other pitfalls that the mind did not foresee can usually be avoided by making your design representations true to scale.

The beauty of CAD is that you always draw full or real size. None of trying to find your triangular scale ruler and using the wrong scale. Pencil drawing almost always are drawn to some scale with possible errors creeping in.

Sketchup is just one tool that can help with this task. There's nothing wrong with pencil and paper, just be sure to get your ruler out, too. If I didn't have access to some great 3D design software (Inventor), I'd be pushing graphite on vellum, too.

I wished I had the kings ransom of "professional" software. Free (or $600 for "Pro") vs. $4000 per "seat" from Autodesk or worse from Solidworks. Sketchup is more than capable for most purposes. If 2D CAD is acceptable, Progesoft has a free version of their 2D AutoCad knockoff.

Sketchup isn't a true CAD program as the model isn't a mathematical representation but a mesh of triangles. Errors can creep in but for most purposes, it's of no consequence. Any errors are much smaller than our fabrication capabilities.

-- Teri

[GPW]

But then who needs such exactness to build a trailer ...

[Olddog1]

Found that to be true in boatbuilding also. Offsets were given as 3 numbers then a + or -. The sequence was feet, inches, eights with the +/- indicating a 1/16. thus 7.5.4+ was 7' 5 9/16". This is dependent on whether my memory still serves me after 30 years. Still working on my first cup of coffee also. It doesn't seem that precision fitting is that necessary with foamies with GG, GS and all the other glues and fillers available.

[TeriL]

But then who needs such exactness to build a trailer ...

Newer said you need exactness in trailer building but many things do, rockets, optics, automobiles, airplanes, ........ , and Nukes

[GPW]

T’, this all started so people could build a simple camper (a hard tent) with a paintbrush , scissors , and a serrated steak knife .... TRUE!!! Nothing exact here ... by design ... A trailer Grandma could build ..... and has !!!